Hattie Bluestone

Marriage Family Therapist Trainee

When I use person-first language, my intention is to signify that any conceptual descriptor I use for a client is an abstraction and an approximation of a more unruly, ineffable, and dynamic lived experience. Across theoretical orientations, part of therapeutic change is an alteration in the client’s perception of herself; as such, it may be a disservice to our clients to reify their identities as diagnoses (e.g. an alcoholic, a borderline). When I use the phrase “a person with borderline personality disorder,” I think of that as shorthand for “a divinely-created being, with inherent human dignity and worth, who just like me wishes to be happy and free from suffering, who at this moment in her life has parts organized in such a way that she meets criteria for BPD.” Person-first language is not euphemistic; it’s just more accurate.

At times, clients may prefer that we use identity-first language, which can be distinguished from pathology-first language in that the linguistic construction is intentional and respectful, as opposed to reflexive and pathologizing. For example, within the autism community, identifiers such as “an autistic,” “an autistic person,” and “on the spectrum” are viewed by some as preferable to “a person with autism.” In another example, in some recovery communities, identifying as “an alcoholic” or “a recovering alcoholic” has a socially-constructed meaning that may be of significance to a client. In these cases, ontological arguments aside, using identity-first language may be a way to respect our client’s self-definition.

Shelby Swanson

LMFT

Learning that Santa Barbara CAMFT is highlighting person-first language in the June newsletter spoke volumes for me. I’ve always felt strongly that individuals are more than a diagnosis given to them. Having worked in settings where I could train clinicians, I found myself correcting people to change their verbiage from something like “They are severely mentally ill” to “They are diagnosed with a severe mental illness.” It’s important for us as individuals to understand we are more than the labels providers are diagnosing us with.

Identifying someone as their diagnosis, versus listing this as one facet of their self, is limiting. We can carry several different titles and play a variety of different roles. Not all labels are permanent and listing someone’s diagnosis as one part of themselves leaves room for things to change and situations to shift. This also helps to remind the individual of their control, versus feeling inhibited by a title that can make them feel like an outsider.

There can be exceptions to the way we speak about someone, so I always like to find out from the individual what their preference is. We should each be able to decide how we want ourselves referred to, but as a clinician, I always want to remind my client of the many more things they are than the diagnosis they may have been given.

A Single Session Therapy Approach

Presented by

ALEXANDRA ROBINSON, PH.D. and GRACE HARVEY, MA, LMFT 

Where: Online, Zoom

When: Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

What: This presentation will provide background information about the Single Session Therapy approach. Included will be a description of specific strategies to implement single session services. Additionally, research will be provided on the efficacy in reducing clients reported symptom severity level as well as increasing overall wellness. 1 CE credit (Find more details here).

Included in the presentation is:

• An overview of Single Session Therapy research
• Single Session Therapy: structure, interventions, and applications
• Interactive Case example, Debriefing & Questions 

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the benefits and specific interventions of the Single Session Therapy approach.
2. Identify strategies to implement Single Session services.
3. Identify the types of clients and presenting concerns for which this approach would be most effective.
4. Integrate multiple strategies from this approach into their work with clients. 

Cost: $10 for Student/Associate members, $20 for SBCAMFT members and $25 for all State CAMFT members and $30 for Non-SBCAMFT members (Join now!)

About the Presenters:

Dr. Alexandra Robinson is the founder and Executive Director of California Counseling Clinics and a staff psychologist at UCSB. As a psychologist she is passionate about helping people of all ages find solutions to the challenges of life. Dr. Robinson also has multiple publications exploring the effects of psychosocial stressors on pregnancy and birth outcomes, epigenetic challenges due to stress in pregnancy, early development as well as student mental health and brief therapy interventions. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences and her research interests include psychosocial stress factors, primary support formation in pregnancy, multicultural counseling, acculturation research and single session therapy training and interventions.

Grace Harvey, MA, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  She has specialized training in Single Session Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Primary Care Behavioral Health and has past experience working at Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital and San Diego Hospice, as well as with children and families in school settings and outpatient clinics, college students on multiple campuses, and adults within county mental health crisis services. She has experience successfully implementing new programs in outpatient and county mental health clinics, as well as experience in program development and training in hospital, county and law enforcement settings. Grace is excited to be a part of the growth of our community of mental health professionals!

Sponsored by Mission Harbor Behavioral Health