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Values, Respect, Personal Wisdom, ...

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The 10 Commitments

The values of the Tidal Model are to be found in the Ten Commitments. These reflect the philosophy of how we would hope we would be treated should we experience distress or difficulty in our lives.

The caring relationship is interpersonal and exists between persons. One is the helper, the other the person in need of help. Such help might also be called 'aid' or 'support'. In the Tidal Model we appreciate how both the 'helper' (whether professional, friend or fellow traveller) and the person need to make a commitment to change: bringing into existence a situation that previously did not exist.. This commitment binds them together. For this reason we named the core values supporting the practice of the Tidal Model, The Ten Commitments.

These Ten Commitments need to be in place if any team, or individual practitioner, wishes to develop the practice of the Tidal Model.

The Competencies

We have also developed 20 'competencies' - two for each individual Commitment. These competencies may be used to assess whether or not practioners are demonstrating the Commitments in their practice. To date, they have been used by senior managers to audit practice and by researchers studying specific care settings.

N.B. To simplify the language we use 'their'/'them' and 'they' as an alternative to 'his/her' and 'he/she'.

The 10 Commitments

The person's story represents the beginning and endpoint of the helping encounter. It embraces not only an account of the person's distress, but also the person's hope for its resolution. The story is spoken by . The practitioner seeks to encourage the true voice of the person - rather than enforce the voice of authority. - in the person's own 'voice'. the voice of experience

Traditionally, the person's story is 'translated' into a third person, professional account, by different health or social care practitioners. This becomes not so much the person's story ( my story) but the professional team's view of that story ( history). Tidal seeks to help people express their unique experiences in a formal version of 'my story'. All assessments and records of care are written in the person's own 'voice'. If the person is unable, or unwilling, to write the details of the story in their own hand, then the practitioner acts as 'secretary', recording what has been agreed, taking care to write this verbatim

Competency 1: The practitioner demonstrates a capacity to listen actively to the person's story.

Competency 2: The practitioner helps the person record their story in their own words, at every stage of the caring relationship.

People develop their unique ways of talking about their experience, telling their stories. This is how they help others appreciate what only they can know. The language the person uses - complete with its unusual grammar and personal metaphors - is the ideal medium for illuminating the way to recovery. We encourage people to for the person. speak their own words in their distinctive voice.

Stories written about 'patients' by professionals are, usually, framed by the technical, professional language. By valuing - and using - the person's own language, the Tidal practitioner shows the simplest, yet most powerful, respect

Competency 3: The practitioner helps the person express themselves at all times in their own language.

Competency 4: The practitioner helps the person express their understanding of personal anecotes, similies or metaphors.

3. Become the apprentice

The person is the world expert on the life story. Professionals may learn something of the power of that story, but only if they apply themselves diligently and respectfully to the task by becoming apprentice-minded. We need to , what needs to be done, rather than leading. learn from the person

No one can ever know another person's experience. Professionals often talk 'as if' they might even know the person better than they know themselves. However much information we might acquire within, for example, an assessment or 'history' this is a mere drop in the ocean compared with the knowledge of their own life story, possessed by the person.

If we wish to learn anything of any real value about the person, we must become the pupil - allowing the person to teach us something of their story.

4. Use the available toolkit

The story contains examples of 'what has worked' for the person in the past, or beliefs about 'what might work' for this person in the future. These represent the main tools that need to be used to unlock or build the story of recovery. The professional toolkit - commonly expressed through ideas such as 'evidence-based practice' - merely describe what has 'worked' for other people. However potentially useful, this should only be used if the person's available toolkit is found wanting.

5. Craft the step beyond:

The helper and the person work together to construct an appreciation of what needs to be done 'now'. Any 'first step' is crucial, revealing the power of change and potentially pointing towards the ultimate goal of recovery. Lao Tzu said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. We would go further: any journey begins in our imagination. We need to imagine moving forward. Crafting the step beyond reminds us of the importance of working with the person in the 'me now': addressing what needs to be done now, to help advance to the next step.

6. Give the gift of time

Although time is illusory, nothing is more valuable. Time is the midwife of change. Time flows through us - and our lives. We only become aware of its passing when we check our watches. Although we often complain of 'not having time' to do this or that, we have all the time there is. The real issue is what do we choose to do with the time available.

Given the chance to look back on our lives, what we would want to see our younger selves doing? Shuffling papers in an office? Locking/unlocking doors? Doing any number of routine tasks? Or would we like to see our younger selves spending time with a person who needed our help? Ultimately all we have to give is our time. We need to give that time generously and wisely.

7. Develop genuine curiosity

The person may be trying to write a life story but is in no sense an 'open book'. We need to help the person to 'open up'. However much we think we have learned about human psychology no one can ever know another person's experience. Practitioners need to express genuine interest in the person's story so that they can better understand both the storyteller the story. and

Often, professionals are only interested in 'what is wrong' with the person, or in pursuing particular lines of professional inquiry - for example, seeking 'signs and symptoms'. Genuine curiosity reflects an interest in the person and the person's unique experience. Classifying and categorising features, which might be common to many other 'patients', is one thing. Discovering what is unique about this particular person is quite another thing. This aim must be our focus. Genuine curiosity is the means to realise it..

8. Know change is constant

Change is inevitable for change is constant. ! This is the common story for all people. However, although change is inevitable, growth is optional. Decisions and choices have to be made if growth is to occur. The task of the professional helper is to develop awareness of how change is happening and to support the person in making decisions about what she or he will do next. That next step will determine the course of the recovery voyage. In particular, we need to help the person steer clear of danger and keep focused on the course of reclamation and recovery. Nothing lasts

9. Reveal personal wisdom

Only the person can know him or her self. The person develops a powerful store of wisdom through living the life story. They may not be aware of it, but they have learned what works 'for' them and what, usually, works 'against' them. Often, people cannot find the words to express fully the sheer breadth of their personal knowledge. Often they have not stopped to consider what they know about themselves. The practitioner needs to help the person reveal and value that personal wisdom, so that it might be used to sustain the person throughout the voyage of recovery.

10. Be transparent

If the person and the professional helper are to become a team then each must put down their 'weapons'. In the story-writing process the practitioner's pen can become a weapon: writing a story that risks inhibiting, restricting and delimiting the person's life choices. Professionals are in a privileged position and should model confidence by being transparent at all times; helping the person understand exactly what is being done and why. By using the person's own language, and by completing all assessments and care plan records ( in s itu) with the person, the collaborative nature of the practitioner-person relationship becomes even more transparent.

Competency 20: The practitioner ensures that the person is provided with copies of all care-planning and assessment documents for their own reference.

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Web Site By Tidal Model - www.tidal-model.com

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The values of the Tidal Model are to be found in the Ten Commitments. These reflect the philosophy of how we would hope we would be treated should we experience distress or difficulty in our lives. The caring relationship is interpersonal and exists between persons.

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Focus on helping individual patients create their own voyage.

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Families can help within this model by means of support and involvement in crisis, breakdown and rehabilitation.

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The official Tidal Model, explaining what the model is, Why Tidal and the Metaphor around this model

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This is the offical website. Here you will be introduced to the history of the development of the Tidal Model Tidal Model; overviews of Tidal theory and practice; publication lists and lots of free material. We hope that this site will help you gain a deeper understanding of 'what is' the Tidal Model and its relevance for contemporary health and social care.

Developed by Dr Phil Barker and Poppy Buchanan-Barker, the Tidal Model is a philosophical approach to the discovery of mental health.

The Tidal Model emphasises helping people reclaim the personal story of mental distress, by recovering their voice.

By using their own language, metaphors and personal stories people begin to reclaim the meaning of their personal experiences.

This is the first step towards recovering control over their lives.

The is: people who have used mental health servicesof nursing. Tidal Model
1. The first mental health recovery model developed by mental health nurses and
2. The first recovery-focused model of mental health nursing recognised internationally as a significant mid-range theory
3. The first model of mental health nursing to be used as the basis for interdisciplinary mental health care.
4. The first model to focus beginning the recovery journey when the person is at their lowest ebb - experiencing the most serious problems in living.

Click here to continue reading - "What is the Tidal Model?

Problems in Living

Poppy and Phil recognise that there are rarely any simple answers to the problems we experience in our lives. The answer is to work out to how live more effectively with them.

Their old friend Thomas Szasz, famously said:

" Life is not a problems to be solved. Life is something to be lived, as intelligently, as competently, as well as we can - day in and day out. Life is something we must endure. There is no solution for it.

First, know your purpose!

Trying to help someone with a problem in living is rarely easy. Despite all that we might have in common, everyone is unique - and each person's reaction to any problem in living also is unique. If we are to offer meaningful help the first thing we must do is find out what - exactly - they would find helpful. What 'works' for one person will not always 'work' for another.

Our 'respectful purpose' is to find out 'what needs to be done'. We can accomplish this by asking the person: with "what could I do for you, or right now you, that might be helpful - ?

Click Here To Continue Reading

The commonest question we are asked is "why Tidal?" Our reasons are simple - and relate to our understanding of and relationship with water itself.

1. Water is the perfect metaphor for change. As it flows it never repeats itself.9. The process of change is like the rhythm of the waves - moving forwards and backwards - only showing any change over a period of time.
2. All cultures use water in purification rituals�?from baptism to the daily shower.
3. Everyone enters the world through a water-borne birth
10.Water- like life itself - is a force we must learn to live with but can never fully conquer.We must learn to swim or build a boat.
4. Many people choose to leave this world through a watery grave
5. People are at least 60% water and some organs are over 80%
6. The Scots and the Irish (our people) are island people �?and have a powerful relationship with the sea and seafaring.
7. Water is a powerful natural force - a single drip can erode stone, given time.
8. Most changes in our behaviour and personalities occurs slowly, over time- rather like the drip effect itself.

The Tidal Metaphor

People often find it difficult to describe their experiences - especially when they involve powerful events or strong emotions - like death, grief or loss, joy, surprise or wonder. Usually, we need to borrow words, phrases or complete stories to help explain the meaning or significance of the experience. Without simile and metaphor we could not discuss our deepest experiences.

Life is a voyage undertaken on an ocean of experience. All human development, including the experience of illness and health, involves discoveries made on that voyage.

At critical points in the voyage the person may experience storms or even piracy -in everyday terms this might be called a crisis.

At other times the ship may begin to take in water and the person may face the prospect of drowning or shipwreck - commonly called a breakdown.

The person may seek- or be guided to - a safe haven, to undertake repairs, or otherwise address the effects of the trauma - we might call this rehabilitation.

Only once the ship is made intact, and the person has regained the necessary sea-legs, can the ship set sail again, aiming to put the person back on the life course .
This is the next stage in the voyage of recovery.
Click Here To Continue Reading

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Web Site By Timothy Web Design - www.timothywebdesign.net

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is the offical website. Here you will be introduced to the history of the development of the Tidal Model Tidal Model; overviews of Tidal theory and practice; publication lists and lots of free material. We hope that this site will help you gain a deeper understanding of 'what is' the Tidal Model and its relevance for contemporary health and social care.