Overcoming Oppressive Dysfunctional Communicationsin Mental Health Communities

Liam Mac Gabhann & Paddy McGowan

School of Nursing & Human Sciences

Dublin City University

The key to less dysfunctional oppressive communications?

PowerExpertiseDiversityMultiple truthsCollective journeying and determinationUnknowing Seeing, hearing, understanding each other..

Open Dialogue

As a form of open communicationAs a therapeutic approachService DeliveryAs a process to aid organisational

developmentAs a process for community development

Open Dialogue as communication

“where it is perceived as a joint action that joins people together in a temporary mutual world experience. Participants have to be willing to engage in this dialogue or a situation needs to be created where it can ensue” (Bakhtin 1981)

Subject to subject (with,not to!)Co-creating and naming their worldDon’t have to abandon beliefs or values

Characteristics of Open Dialogue Processes

The dialogue is based on give and take as opposed to one way communication

All people concerned by the issue under investigation should have the opportunity to participate

Participants are obliged to help other participants be active in the dialogue

All participants have the same status within the dialogue arena

Experience is the point of departure for participation

At least some of the experience the participant has when entering the dialogue is seen as relevant

It must be possible for all participants to have an understanding for the topics under discussion

(Gustavsen, 2001)

An argument can be rejected only after an investigation (and not for instance, on the grounds that it arises from a source with limited legitimacy)

All arguments to enter the dialogue must be represented by the actors (participants) present

All participants are obliged to accept that other participants may have better arguments than their own

Among discussion issues can be the roles occupied by participants with no one exempt from such a discussion

The dialogue should be able to integrate a growing degree of disagreement

The dialogue should continuously generate decisions that provide a platform for joint action

Liam Mac Gabhann,, Paddy McGowanMichaela Amering, Lorna Ni Cheirin, Anne Spencer

Catherine, Martin, Jenny, Colette, Clem, Adrian, Kevin, Maeve, Damien, Lorraine, Michael

Libby, Paul, Gerry, Evelyn, Vinnie, Sue, Joan, Josephine, Eoin, Susan, Cathy, Andrea, Steven, Bernie

And all the rest of Trialogue co-participants…….

Mental Health Trialogue Network Ireland

www.trialogue.co

Mental Health Trialogue Network Ireland

Emerged partly as a consequence of our national leadership programme

Concern about people being stuck in our mental health bubble

It was about community liberationHow has it played out?

Is it About me in my community or separated from my community….?

Moving beyond the bubble of the mental health community……… into ‘the community’

Community Liberation

How has it played out?

South TipperaryDublin South CentralGalwayDonegalDublin South WestMayoWest Cork

And beyond…

Trialogue Meetings

What do I/you bring to TrialogueWhat do I/you take from Trialogue

We have to consciously make a decision to engage in Trialogue Communication

and it is not for everyone…….

Over to you…….

www.trialogue.co