Day 03 @ Care Corner 10 May 06

Devotion in the morning.

Mainly took phone calls. Did intake form for my first case.

Had one suicidal caller. She said, "I also don't know if counselling can help". I could't answer that cos I was too stunned. (Stop being stunned!!! What can you not expect in social work!?)

Lydia suggested:
"Hmm.. since you've tried so many other ways, why don't you give counselling a try?"

My suggestion: "Counselling has proven to be effective for people..... (But tricky.. what groups of people may not benefit from counselling... people with mental illness.. people who are not ready for change?) --> Do a bit of research on this..

Gotta also rem to ask for her name, I just let her talk and forgot to ask for her name. Since she sounded suicidal, I should also ask who she lives with etc -- find out her support network.

Questions to ask, areas to explore (hypothetical and based on systems theory - find out interactional patterns):
- Who do you live with?
- What is your relationship with your family like?
- When you have suicidal thoughts, do you think of sharing that with anyone?
- How do you react when your husband says that?

But then again, on further thought as I am typing this.. would systems theory be appropriate for a lady like the one mentioned above. Assuming she's pretty isolated, not many friends and even less whom she can trust, no close contact with family, can systemic viewpoint still be applicable for her? Or perhaps, systemic viewpoint can be used.. to identify areas in which she can try and rebuild contact and relationship(s) with. Can or not?