Reaching the unresponsive...
A challenge at work for many people is reaching the unresponsive. How do to deal with those who don't repond to our encouragement, guideance and requests (even threats!!). A story in the news today offers us a challenge - is their outward communication a true reflection of their inner thoughts and feelings?BBC News repostrs this facinating story about an unfortunate road accident victim, who despite suffering brain damage and being in a 'vegative state' - has demonstrated brain activity "indistinguishable from a healthy patient".
What a WOW!!She was diagnosed as being in a vegetative state, which meant even when she was awake, she was unresponsive.
While her brain was being mapped, the researchers asked her to imagine simple tasks, such as walking around her home and playing tennis.
There is a disconnection between what's going on inside and what's happening outside. Although in this sad case we have no way of knowing how 'aware' the victim is - it does raise an interesting point for those of us frustrated by unresponsive people.
Even though they don't show it... they might be getting it but their outward actions do not match their inner intentions and abailities.
"My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it's predictable."
So, be encouraged - it's not that they don't get it, it may be just that they do BUT are unable to repond. That then opens up a whole new set of options for us. We can leave our frustrations at the door and consider new ways to help people express what's really going on inside their heads.
BBC NEWS | Health | Vegetative patient 'communicates'
Quote form St Paul's letter to the Romans
posted by Ally @ Friday, September 08, 2006
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home