On Wondering Together: The virtue of reflective practices

Consultative Stance

In their recent book,

Mental Health Consultation in Child Care, Johnston and Brinamen (2006) capture the principles and practices of the consultative stance essential for the collaborative and capacity building elements of early childhood mental health consultation. They describe the consultative stance as a "way of being" that highlights the mutual responsibilities and "shared endeavor" of the consultant and the staff, caregivers, or family members. By "wondering together", the consultant assists caregivers in understanding a child’s behavior and participating in changes that may promote, prevent, or intervene in the social emotional development or challenging behavior of young children. The consultative stance helps those involved with the child to explore their understanding of the child and family and consider new information or ideas. Through patience, perspective, and reflective learning, consultants use their relationships with the caregivers to build the capacity of the caregivers so that they can become empathic and responsive to a child in new and effective ways.

 

Early Childhood Mental Health Consutation

 

 

I presented at the Head Start Conference at Fort Worden this year on "Case Consultation to Support Reflective Practice in Home Visitation" to an audience of mostly Early Head Start homevisitors. Reflective practice sounds so mysterious, but it really is "wondering together." In EHS there is a commitment to line staff having the benefit of reflective supervision. Interestingly, in my faith community we come together for Reflection Meetings every three months. Reflective practises are widespread outside of the EHS community and are widely practiced within the human community. How many societies gather aroud a fire to wonder together before coming to make collective decisions? Wonder together is what we do as well at the Pennisulas Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation group meetings. -gw

Practices Associated with the Consultative Stance

Observing

Understanding different perspectives

Identifying and accepting feelings

Information gathering

Acknowledging and valuing the experience of others

Sharing ideas clearly

Soliciting ideas from others

Developing hypotheses in collaboration

Avoiding the "expert" posture

Encouraging reflection  

Building on relationships

Supporting step-by-step change, enduring set-backs, and holding out hope

(Adapted from Johnston & Brinamen, 2006)

Early Childhood Mental Health Consutation

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