Connecting individuals to their dream life
Johnathon Abbey
Helping people who access care giving organisations or allied health services is aided by a focus on their dreams, goals or wishes. Connecting the individual to their vision forward (in the best way you can within your available resources) moves the person to a closer approximation of their ideal life, or the deeper themes that relate to their ideal life. When you think about how it would feel to be in the same situation as the person receiving support, this brings to mind further ideas about what life would be like. I often find that when I want to provide help to individuals from their perspective, the following aid me in this process:
Find qualities about the person that you appreciate, which make them valuable, unique, interesting, strong, clever, or funny etc. Reflect to them the qualities that you enjoy about them. These qualities can be used as centralising themes, reference points or stable/ positive aspects about the person.
Connect the individual to their core strengths. Some people are strong under pressure, some are humorous, helpful or quick thinkers. Others are able to advocate for themselves or are able to share unique contributions. It is important to connect the person to their strengths. This helps the person perceive a sense of “I’ve got this…. I'm going to anchor towards my strength and move to something better from here”.
Help the person imagine what life would be like if they could live their ideal life.
You can help them devised ways of practically moving in small graduated steps towards their ideal life.
Alternatively, you can connect them to their bigger dreams from a theme based perspective (the deeper themes associated with their dreams, goals, desires and wishes). For instance, at their deepest level some people have a strong desire to “give and receive love”, or to experience “comfort” and “ease”. These concepts can be experienced in the person's life in a variety of ways and may not necessarily be achieved (only) by the fulfilment of one particular goal.
Integrate the person value, their strengths, their goals and help them see the overall picture. It is important to remind them that we never move from 0 to 100, but rather from 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 and so on.
Attainment towards one’s goals may be gradual. However, with direction and purpose and the ability to access the deeper themes associated with bigger dreams, this can help individuals to move ahead with goals that are consistent to them at their deepest level.
If you enjoyed this post we would appreciate you sharing it. Please feel free to comment or add your thoughts. image source: shutterstock. Johnathon Abbey Founder/ Psychologist Abbey Health Consulting