Open Dialog Conference Cork

Last Tuesday I attended a really exciting conference about the Open Dialog Approach being trialed in the HSE Mental Health Services In Cork...

A few pieces stood out to me about the approach ...

1. It was human to human approach, rather than a professional with an agenda directing, assessing or labeling a person

2. It involved practitioners/professionals to be vulnerable and to be really present, without moving to fix or direct the process, there was no guarantee of any outcome.

3. It was all about what the person experiencing mental ill health needed and thought was important.

4. Family members were welcomed into the experience as an added resource & support.

5. There was equality in the room, where the person with lived experience, the family and the professionals all had equal validity in the room.

6. More than 1 professional attended which seemed to encourage the process of best practice.

7. Participants that spoke, all shared a deep trust in the process and it's impact.

8. It is an inclusive practice that doesn't compete with other approaches, in fact if the person with lived experience desires it, they are encouraged.

It was a great event and reinforced my belief that when you see someone as the expert of their experience and truly desire to understand it, recovery evolves.