In the last episode of Dyslexia Strengths, I explored the role of seeing the bigger picture in forming relationships, facilitating honest and vulnerable communication, and informing reflective dialogue.
This week, I am going to explore how we can simplify the matrix thorugh our communication - a skill that is enabled because of our wonderful neurodivergent brain!
Simplifying the matrix
From my experience of working in statutory services and NHS child and adolescent mental health service, there are often complex systems, structures and processes we work within, and which children and families are being supported. Depending on our M.I.N.D skills, these systems can feel like the Matrix, or they might be easy to understand. Either way, This is where dyslexic practitioners and dyslexic thinking can shine.
Once we understand how different parts of a system work together, we are great at stripping away the complexity. I am not the type of person that can understand how complex systems work at first glance, but once I have navigated the system, and understand the role of each moving part and their relationship to other parts, I can almost see it visually. Then it is impossible to unsee! This enables us to deliver understandable, clear and jargon-free messages or information.
What has and is helping me on my journey:
Gaining as many shadowing opportunities as possible. Every time I worked with a new team during the ASYE year, I would ask to shadow or talk to the team to gain an insight into what they did, how their team worked, who they worked with and the possible ways we would/could work together.
Building positive relationships with other professionals. Strong working relationships meant I could ask people in different teams questions, not only about support but about what informed their practice. I have loved working alongside therapists, understanding how and to what depth theory informs their practice has helped me improve my own. Moreover, learning about relational activism from other colleagues has changed my personal and professional relationships.
Thinking visually. I find that trying to visualise a complex system can often help me link different parts. Seeing it as 3D and moving as opposed to a static and linear 2D process.
Being honest and saying 'I don't understand that process' or 'I don't understand how we have ended up at this decision and asking 'please can you explain?'.
Moreover, as social workers, we use theory and research to inform our practice. At university, this felt like the matrix, when I didn’t understand the jargon, it made me feel small and out of my depth. However, my dyslexia tutor would sit me down and get me to strip the theory down to the bones.
What has helped me is asking questions that simplified theory and its application to our world:
What’s the theory trying to help us understand?
What is its purpose?
Is it trying to help us understand someone's world?
Or is it trying to guide what we do?
or is it doing both?
What is the theory telling us in the most basic terms?
what questions do you have about the theory?
What isn't making sense?
What are you being pulled to?
How can use this theory as a lens in your own world to help you understand it more?
Finally, when I am explaining decision-making - to children, families, professionals or managers - I ensure I try and simplify the matrix, for me and for them. I need to be clear and confident in facilitating collaborative decision-making. We don’t want to and we don't want people coming away from a conversation with more questions than they had at the start. We don’t want them to feel disempowered because of words that are unnecessarily complex, or because of the theories and research which contributed to decision-making which feel inaccessible.
What has helped me:
Make sure I feel I understand the relevant research, theory, and law and their application when working to make a collaborative decision with children and families.
Being able to break down or translate the academic language. I try to always use language I am comfortable with, if I had to google it when I heard it the first time I know it's not a word that can be used to explain something.
Use videos and resources that make research, theory and law accessible. When I explained empathy to one of my own family members, I use Brene Brown's video, because of its accessibility.
Asking children and families questions about how they would like something to be explained.
Would you like to share your experiences in order to be included in the next episode? Get in touch with me at: thesocialworkworld@gmail.com
Thank you for reading, tune into the next episode which examines the role of narrative reasoning in communication.
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