Episode 3
Episode 3: Promoting Resilience in Direct Support
Samantha Hedden (Sam), MSc Ed discusses how direct support professionals (DSPs) can become more resilient and why this is important. Direct support professionals (DSPs) continue to face increased stress in their roles serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). While DSPs are always committed to helping people, they often neglect their own physical and mental health.
Resources:
Cleveland Clinic: Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy
The Gifts of Imperfection: Your Guide to a Wholehearted Live by Brené Brown
Mental Health Minnesota: Samantha's Story
Transcript
- Hello and welcome to
the podcast on Wellness
Speaker:Matters for direct support.
Speaker:This is a podcast
developed by the University
Speaker:of Minnesota's Institute
on community integration.
Speaker:Wellness matters for direct
support will focus on the
Speaker:importance of health, wellness
Speaker:and self-care for direct support workers.
Speaker:My name is Chut Chedder
Speaker:and I'm a national workforce consultant
Speaker:and I'm also a direct
support professional.
Speaker:I'm here with my colleague Mark Olson.
Speaker:- Hello, I'm Mark Olson and
I am a, also a consultant,
Speaker:primarily a trainer in
person centered practices
Speaker:and some other items.
Speaker:And I too have spent a lot of
years doing direct support.
Speaker:Today we have a guest who is a
friend of mine who I learned,
Speaker:I met actually doing theater.
Speaker:And you know, theater
is one of those things
Speaker:where you meet a lot of really cool people
Speaker:and you run into people who
you share work lives with.
Speaker:Because oftentimes when you do theater
Speaker:you gotta have a different
job to make ends meet.
Speaker:And so let me introduce Sam Heden
Speaker:and I will have her introduce
herself a little bit more
Speaker:and why she's interested in the topics
Speaker:that we're talking about with wellness.
Speaker:- Sounds great, Sam.
- Thank you Mark. Thank for having me.
Speaker:Thank you Chet. My background,
Speaker:I have a master's in education.
Speaker:It focuses on curriculum writing.
Speaker:I also have a license to teach science.
Speaker:Like Mark said, I've
got a varied background.
Speaker:It includes science, music,
theater, public speaking,
Speaker:all across the board, which is great.
Speaker:It makes you for a well-rounded person.
Speaker:The reason I got into
looking at resilience
Speaker:and mental health was
Speaker:because I had to deal
with my own mental health,
Speaker:but I was also a para for students
Speaker:for years.
Speaker:And I worked with a lot of kids
Speaker:and a lot of educators
who were also dealing with
Speaker:some mental health concerns or issues.
Speaker:And I realized, well I can
take my master's degree.
Speaker:And this was before the pandemic
Speaker:and I was like, somebody
should research this.
Speaker:'cause there's a lot
of educators struggling
Speaker:and educators can be anything
from daycare teachers
Speaker:to primary secondary teachers, paras.
Speaker:There was a lack of support
Speaker:and understanding that these
folks were in a very high
Speaker:stress situation.
Speaker:And that's what I wrote my thesis on.
Speaker:- And thank you Sam. And
one of the things that
Speaker:that I always take and I
extrapolate a little bit
Speaker:because anybody that's in a position
Speaker:where they're supporting others
Speaker:to live the lives they choose.
Speaker:So you spoke of the education realm.
Speaker:Many of our listeners work
with adults with disabilities.
Speaker:Some of them work with
students, some of them work,
Speaker:you know, across the whole age range.
Speaker:Yet the resilience pieces
that you've studied are things
Speaker:that apply to everyone that's
doing one of those roles.
Speaker:And it applies to
everyone who they support.
Speaker:So let's get started with the
our, our list of questions
Speaker:and we're we're gonna, I'm
gonna ask you the first one,
Speaker:pretty kind of a softball.
Speaker:How do you define resilience?
Speaker:- Resilience is a skill
that helps somebody adapt
Speaker:or be able to be flexible
Speaker:or have the ability to deal with trauma
Speaker:or difficult situations.
Speaker:And resilience is not
always an innate skill.
Speaker:Oftentimes it's something
you have to build up
Speaker:and it's something you
always have to work on
Speaker:'cause it's like any other tool
Speaker:that you'll lose it if
you don't practice it.
Speaker:And it's something that
Speaker:I realized doing research, it's a skillset
Speaker:that is more prominent in
certain places than others,
Speaker:but it should be something
Speaker:that we're learning constantly
all of the time just
Speaker:for our own mental health and wellbeing.
Speaker:It, it's a lot of practice, a
lot of awareness, acceptance
Speaker:and a lot of change in perspective.
Speaker:- Sam, you mentioned that you
need to learn different skills
Speaker:and you need to kinda keep
sharpening them, utilizing them
Speaker:so that you've got them
when you need them.
Speaker:You studied resilience
in your master's program.
Speaker:Can you talk more about what you learned?
Speaker:- So not just from what I
researched, 'cause that was big
Speaker:'cause that was applicable
like in the real world.
Speaker:But also I had to take a
few rounds of DBT therapy.
Speaker:If any of the listeners
have ever taken DBT
Speaker:or know someone that's taken DBT,
Speaker:I'm sure they hear about
these skills often.
Speaker:- Can you define what
DBT therapy is please?
Speaker:- Oh boy. You
- Know,
Speaker:- I will try to say this.
Speaker:Dialectical behavioral
therapy, you learn to sit
Speaker:with your emotions, how you
can manage your emotions,
Speaker:be able to radically accept
Speaker:things the way that they are.
Speaker:And then you can work on your behavior.
Speaker:Some of the steps to do that is
Speaker:accept what is real, knowing
real versus imaginary, which
Speaker:for some people they make up stories in
Speaker:their head all the time.
Speaker:I know it fuels like
anxiety, which frustrating.
Speaker:And making up stories is difficult.
Speaker:Giving yourself the chance
to build relationships
Speaker:with therapists, friends,
loved ones chosen, family,
Speaker:self-care, the whole idea
of put your oxygen mask on
Speaker:before you help someone else with theirs.
Speaker:And having an opportunity
to change your perspective
Speaker:and take that step back.
Speaker:Okay, so this is what's happening.
Speaker:How can I change this in my head
Speaker:and change the outcome
by changing my behavior.
Speaker:- So with that DBT, one
of the things that I'm,
Speaker:I'm hearing then is
that there is a certain
Speaker:interpersonal concept that's involved.
Speaker:And you spoke of family chosen family,
Speaker:all these different people that are a part
Speaker:of someone's lives.
Speaker:Share with me a little
bit of a story about,
Speaker:'cause I know you're a
storyteller, just like
Speaker:I've known you long enough to
know that, share a story about
Speaker:how you've seen some of that interpersonal
Speaker:effectiveness really impact something.
Speaker:- The biggest thing that comes to mind for
Speaker:that's boundaries.
Speaker:So a lot of times having
good interpersonal skills is
Speaker:being able to have healthy
boundaries for yourself.
Speaker:So back in the day,
Speaker:'cause I'm, you know, obviously
not turning 34 tomorrow,
Speaker:I was at an inpatient treatment center
Speaker:for an eating disorder and
mental health for myself.
Speaker:And one of the things
that we worked on was
Speaker:what are your boundaries?
Speaker:And if someone crosses
them, what do you do?
Speaker:There was a lot of work
on how you can communicate
Speaker:with somebody about, Hey, you did this
Speaker:and I not okay with that.
Speaker:Could you not do that?
Speaker:And if they keep doing
it, how do you effectively
Speaker:walk away for your own wellbeing?
Speaker:So having interpersonal
communication skills,
Speaker:interpersonal skills, people always seem
Speaker:to think it has to do with talking.
Speaker:Sometimes it has equal
amounts to taking a timeout
Speaker:and taking a step away from a
relationship of whatever kind.
Speaker:So that's something
that I had to deal with
Speaker:'cause I've had to do that a few times,
Speaker:whether it's no contact or limited contact
Speaker:and then being able to uphold that.
Speaker:- So what I'm understanding
when I hear that is that
Speaker:there's a certain part of getting in touch
Speaker:with yourself that has to happen.
Speaker:- That critical awareness piece. Yes.
Speaker:- And And you need to be able to take care
Speaker:of your own emotions so
that you can interact in
Speaker:that in person with that
interpersonal effectiveness.
Speaker:- Exactly. You have to be aware.
Speaker:And fun fact, 'cause I know
this is coming, one of the,
Speaker:there's a book that I had talked about
Speaker:and one of those things is
be impeccable with your word.
Speaker:And that has a lot to do with looking, did
Speaker:that introspective type
work, looking at yourself
Speaker:and then sticking with
what is true to yourself.
Speaker:So knowing yourself is the first step.
Speaker:And having that awareness of who you are,
Speaker:that's a lot of work.
Speaker:- And, and that the name
of that book again is
Speaker:- The Four Agreements.
Speaker:- Okay. The Four Agreement.
And it's by Michael Re.
Speaker:And you know, Sam recommends that
Speaker:and there is a number of pieces in that
Speaker:that we'll probably talk about
as the day progresses. So
Speaker:- Sam, while you were talking
about healthy boundaries,
Speaker:I think as direct support
professionals sometimes
Speaker:that drawing that line
Speaker:and having that boundary
can be really difficult
Speaker:because we're supporting
people sometimes in their
Speaker:homes, in their job.
Speaker:We're together a lot.
Speaker:And so sometimes keeping
those healthy boundaries
Speaker:for ourself can be really
difficult, but really important.
Speaker:Would you have any suggestions
if you feel if A DSP feels
Speaker:like they're getting too involved
Speaker:and they're not really listening
to those inner messages
Speaker:that are saying, ah, this
doesn't feel quite right, I need
Speaker:to make sure that I protect me and,
Speaker:and and that sort of thing.
Speaker:- Well I think it's one
of those things where
Speaker:seeing a therapist is
always good practice.
Speaker:Even if you see one once
a month, twice a month,
Speaker:they're always great.
Speaker:They can help listen and guide somebody.
Speaker:Having a relationship with a manager
Speaker:or somebody that maybe
is above you in some way
Speaker:and working on that relationship.
Speaker:'cause sometimes, and I've
seen people have to do this
Speaker:where they're like, Hey, this line is
Speaker:for me is getting grayed out
and I'm not sure what to do.
Speaker:Maybe me working in this
environment isn't the
Speaker:best fit for me.
Speaker:And then trying to come
up with a game plan for
Speaker:who might be a better fit
Speaker:or am I a better fit somewhere else?
Speaker:And having the chance
to work with coworkers
Speaker:or somebody like that to
maybe find a better fit
Speaker:- Or even I, I was thinking,
coming up with the words
Speaker:and the language to explain
the boundary with the person
Speaker:that you're supporting
in a way that's kind,
Speaker:but it's clear as well.
Speaker:And that way you don't need
to leave where you're working
Speaker:or leave your person,
Speaker:but you are setting up your own boundary
Speaker:and taking care of yourself.
Speaker:- So you've worked as
an AED para, which is
Speaker:what I would say is probably
very similar in many ways to
Speaker:what our direct support professionals do.
Speaker:Was there ever a time when you actually
Speaker:ran into this or saw someone
that you were working with
Speaker:running into that whole
boundary concern issue?
Speaker:- I worked with a kiddo
who was placed in a room
Speaker:that they very obviously
shouldn't have been placed there.
Speaker:They needed a much higher care
Speaker:facility than where they were at.
Speaker:And it, they placed me with them
Speaker:for a temporary
assignment, which was fine.
Speaker:Like I'd worked with other
children in various degrees
Speaker:of mental health abilities
Speaker:and this young man would get very physical
Speaker:and he didn't really understand
that he could hurt someone.
Speaker:He was bigger, he was just
about to enter high school.
Speaker:And it got to the point
where I did have to be vocal
Speaker:and with my peers
Speaker:and say, Hey, I may have to talk
Speaker:to you guys about helping me
Speaker:because there's certain things I can't do.
Speaker:And that was kind of
back to that awareness.
Speaker:I was like, I can help so much.
Speaker:And then I'm like, I can't help past here
Speaker:'cause it makes me uncomfortable.
Speaker:And so we had come up with a
plan to take care of the kiddo
Speaker:and help 'em out during the school day
Speaker:and still get their needs met,
Speaker:but also making sure we were in a mentally
Speaker:and emotionally safe place as well.
Speaker:- So activating, activating the
supports you have around you
Speaker:and the importance of
that became a key piece of
Speaker:that is what I'm hearing. So
Speaker:- Yeah, I just love that that
communication piece of asking
Speaker:for help from those around you
Speaker:or for a, from a therapist,
it it just so you're not there
Speaker:by yourself and there are
others around who will help.
Speaker:- Which asking for help
can be really difficult
Speaker:because who knew that
pride gets in the way?
Speaker:Sometimes asking for
help is the best thing
Speaker:that you can do for yourself.
Speaker:Even if it's like the
last thing you don't want,
Speaker:you don't wanna do it or you
don't wanna feel like a failure
Speaker:thing is, is that you're
failing people if you're not a
Speaker:hundred percent the best
version of yourself.
Speaker:And sometimes that requires
a little assistance.
Speaker:And humans, were designed
to be social creatures.
Speaker:We are designed to help support each other
Speaker:and realizing that you're like, Hey, okay,
Speaker:so it's a village, not just me.
Speaker:- Yeah, I love that.
- What gets in the
Speaker:way of being resilient,
Speaker:- A lot of people from research
Speaker:for my thesis is it took a lot of time.
Speaker:It wasn't just a one day course
Speaker:and bam, you're like perfect at it.
Speaker:It was something you do once a week
Speaker:or you have to practice daily.
Speaker:And once we talk about some of
these books, they talk about
Speaker:always do your best.
Speaker:Sometimes your best is going to be
Speaker:a hundred percent Superman.
Speaker:I've got this. Sometimes
your best's gonna be 10%.
Speaker:I'm eating a bag of chips on the couch
Speaker:and watching like some kind of TV show
Speaker:for the next 12 hours.
Speaker:- We'll go with Hallmark
movie for this time of season.
Speaker:- Absolutely not. Okay.
Speaker:But it's, it's one of
those things where things
Speaker:that get in the way is time, energy,
Speaker:money sometimes also can be a big deal.
Speaker:Even like your own mental, mental mindset.
Speaker:Sometimes your mindset is a
big block to how you could
Speaker:move forward with that.
Speaker:- And you talked about us
being a social creature,
Speaker:which is very spot on.
Speaker:In my experience in life,
that's truly the case.
Speaker:Even though I tend to be an introvert,
Speaker:there are times when I
just have to be social.
Speaker:So it's, it's one of those things.
Speaker:But are there people, I mean
you mentioned therapists,
Speaker:you mentioned colleagues.
Speaker:Are there other people in folks' lives
Speaker:that might be a really good year for them
Speaker:- That chosen family?
Speaker:I talked about you and I
met doing theater. Yes.
Speaker:That's kind of part of our chosen family.
Speaker:And we also do improv.
That's another version.
Speaker:Finding those connections with friends
Speaker:or with coworkers
Speaker:or with family, maybe even your boss,
Speaker:which maybe they're
your coworker directly.
Speaker:Maybe they're, you know,
just someone that you work
Speaker:with occasionally, sometimes,
Speaker:sometimes just going to a coffee shop
Speaker:and starting up a
conversation with a stranger.
Speaker:You'll never know where it ends up going.
Speaker:- Right. And sometimes, I mean,
I tell me if I'm wrong here,
Speaker:but I know that until my sister passed,
Speaker:she was one of my biggest
ears when I had something
Speaker:that I needed to, to
really get off my chest.
Speaker:Even since she's passed,
Speaker:there are times when my mindset
goes to what would she do?
Speaker:What would she do in this situation?
Speaker:And so even though she's
passed, she's still a part
Speaker:of my circle.
Speaker:And you know, I think that
that probably speaks to one
Speaker:of the things in the BNE
Barn book about faith
Speaker:and in, in some of those pieces
Speaker:and that, you know, we,
Speaker:we all find those different
walks for that. So
Speaker:- A lot of times I end up
journaling when I was going
Speaker:through DBT courses for myself
Speaker:and going through therapy
now just for maintenance,
Speaker:I do a lot of journaling.
Speaker:So I have a whole journal
just with lists of gratitude,
Speaker:things I'm grateful for.
Speaker:But at the bottom I'll
always jot down a note
Speaker:to the universe or the higher power
Speaker:or whatever someone wants to
call it, just about, you know,
Speaker:this is where I'm at, this
is where I'd like to go.
Speaker:Like I would really appreciate
any type of like, you know,
Speaker:any type of vibe that I can
get that might, you know,
Speaker:lead me in whatever
direction I'm supposed to go.
Speaker:So far it's been working so I mean,
Speaker:hey there's gotta be something
to that. Right? Right.
Speaker:- Absolutely. Absolutely.
Speaker:- I like to think of myself
as a fairly resilient person,
Speaker:but there are times when I know that
Speaker:that resilience has, has worn down.
Speaker:And I think this time
Speaker:after, well we're still
in a pandemic officially,
Speaker:but I think I'm worn down and
other people are worn down.
Speaker:How can we learn to be more resilient
Speaker:and what are some of those skills? Sam?
Speaker:- Learning to be resilient.
Speaker:Like I said, it's a skill
that takes a lot of practice
Speaker:and a lot of patience.
Speaker:The self-care, self-care part
is do something you love,
Speaker:take the time out, make sure
you've scheduled something
Speaker:that you enjoy, that you
know you can wind down
Speaker:and kind of just do.
Speaker:Taking the chance to take a
class, learn something new.
Speaker:Sometimes that can make a big
difference for people like me,
Speaker:where I'm like always looking
Speaker:to learn something or research something.
Speaker:That's my kind of thing.
Speaker:Opportunities for growth
sometimes for other folks,
Speaker:taking the opportunity
to go help others is more
Speaker:of their refresher.
Speaker:It's a lot about, it's like when you buy
Speaker:those, what were they called?
Speaker:Cut Cutco knives.
Speaker:And you have to like re like
sharpen them after so long.
Speaker:It's kind of like res sharpening
Speaker:that blade over and over again.
Speaker:It seems monotonous sometimes.
Speaker:You don't wanna do it and you're
gonna roll your eyes every
Speaker:time you feel like you have to,
Speaker:but you're gonna get a much
better outcome if you keep
Speaker:with it consistently.
Speaker:- Well and and one of the
things that that brings
Speaker:to my mind is rituals
Speaker:and how rituals can be a
part of grounding us too.
Speaker:- Routines are important.
Speaker:I would like to say that
I'm more of a free for all,
Speaker:but even I have my own routine.
Speaker:I get up every day, I go
to kickboxing, I make a cup
Speaker:of coffee and I built myself a routine
Speaker:that I was comfortable with.
Speaker:Other people have different routines,
Speaker:but yes, routines are a big
deal, especially for feeling,
Speaker:you know, more grounded
Speaker:or like down to earth
sometimes that helps.
Speaker:- One for me, one of the
things that I've gone back
Speaker:to recently, and maybe it's
Speaker:because I haven't even
thought of it in this way
Speaker:of being resilient,
Speaker:but I've gone back to making
my coffee the way I used
Speaker:to make my coffee,
which is a real process.
Speaker:And there's a, there's a think
time that goes along with it.
Speaker:So I've gone to doing a pour over instead
Speaker:of using the carig at the office.
Speaker:And that pour over gives me
time to kind of plan my day
Speaker:and kind of figure out
where I am at that day.
Speaker:And if I'm gonna be that person
that's, you know, that's,
Speaker:that's superpower a hundred percent.
Speaker:Or if I'm at the point
today where hey, you know,
Speaker:just showing up, iss gonna
be the best I can do.
Speaker:- And I think routines help with that.
Speaker:I, I know quite a few people
Speaker:who their days immediately just
like flush down the toilet.
Speaker:They're like, I didn't didn't
do this right this morning
Speaker:and this didn't happen
that I was supposed to.
Speaker:Which brings me to the next thing is
Speaker:how do you change your perspective?
Speaker:That's a skill that you really
do need to have to build
Speaker:that resilience is 'cause
sometimes things are not
Speaker:gonna work out the way you want.
Speaker:And you'll have like the worst luck ever
Speaker:and you're gonna like,
walk under every ladder
Speaker:and have every black cat,
Speaker:although they're adorable,
like cross your path.
Speaker:And I'm gonna tell you really
have to be able to take
Speaker:that step back and be like,
whoa, I need a timeout.
Speaker:That's what I call it at home.
Speaker:I'm like, if I'm having one of those days,
Speaker:I'm like, I need a time.
Speaker:I'm mommy. Time out. I love you.
Speaker:'cause I have a 7-year-old and
an 11-year-old and I'm like,
Speaker:but I, I need a break.
Speaker:Like I need to, mommy needs
to go sit down and maybe cry.
Speaker:Fun fact crying is really good for you.
Speaker:People should do it
more often. It's a great
Speaker:- Release and they should laugh as well.
Speaker:- Well that too. Yes.
Speaker:I'm hoping that there's a good
balance both now more than
Speaker:one than the other, but yeah.
Speaker:- Yeah, I mean there,
I I mean I'm, I'm a bit
Speaker:of a sports fan and,
Speaker:and right, the, the whole e
foundation had its thing going
Speaker:on recently and one of the things that,
Speaker:that Jim Valvano said was, you know,
Speaker:you should laugh every day
and you should cry every day.
Speaker:And then you've had a full day.
Speaker:You know, you, it's, it's getting
in touch with the emotions
Speaker:that are a part of who you are
Speaker:and making sure that you're taking care
Speaker:of yourself in that manner.
Speaker:- Right. That balance
DVT is all about where is
Speaker:that happy medium, not one or the other,
Speaker:but that nice happy goldilocks spot.
Speaker:- Yeah. And, and as far
as the black cat goes,
Speaker:if a black cat crosses my path, I pet it.
Speaker:- I know, right?
- I mean really. I mean,
Speaker:- See you change your
perspective. That's right.
Speaker:- You change your perspective
immediately. I gotta pet the
Speaker:- Cat.
Speaker:It's like, ooh, it's fluffy. I want it.
Speaker:- Well, is her tag.
Speaker:- But it's funny how all
these things are connected
Speaker:because DBT is distressed
tolerance, interpersonal
Speaker:and emotional regulation.
Speaker:So look at that.
Speaker:- It's, it's all, it's all a part of it.
Speaker:It's all a part of being human.
Speaker:- Oh, don't remind me.
Speaker:- Alright, so let's
see, where were we here?
Speaker:What recommendations do
you have to learn more
Speaker:about being resilient?
Speaker:- The internet's a really good tool, huh?
Speaker:Let me rephrase that.
The internet can be a
Speaker:really good tool.
Speaker:Turns out as much as I don't like TikTok,
Speaker:sometimes there are pretty decent videos
Speaker:and people teach these little
mini skill sets sometimes if
Speaker:you know how and what to look for
Speaker:and you go to reputable sources.
Speaker:There's a lot of like advocacy places
Speaker:that will have done some kind of talk
Speaker:or education.
Speaker:And a lot of times they'll post them
Speaker:for free on their websites
Speaker:and they'll be like, Hey, we just did this
Speaker:talk, check this out.
Speaker:And they have a lot of really
good information and resources
Speaker:and a lot of times that's a
really good way to learn more
Speaker:and find more ways to help yourself out.
Speaker:- Well one of the things that
I always think about there is
Speaker:that there are great pop
culture resources out there
Speaker:and I I think that, you know, many of us
Speaker:glom onto Brene Brown
Speaker:because there's a lot of
really good information there.
Speaker:And my vision of her is
Speaker:that she's done some of the research.
Speaker:Now as far as some of the
other research goes, I mean,
Speaker:did you ever use Google Scholars?
Speaker:One of your places where you would
Speaker:- Google Scholar was my best friend.
Speaker:Regular Google would've got
me in so much trouble. Right.
Speaker:But yes, Google Scholar's great.
Speaker:And then it, it's nice having the chance
Speaker:and I wish that they would
have like a general community
Speaker:course in this on how to search
Speaker:for specific things
using like Google Scholar
Speaker:or there's more reputable sources.
Speaker:'cause most people are
like, I went on Google
Speaker:and I'm like, no, go to Google Scholar.
Speaker:- Well then Google
Scholar, I mean for those
Speaker:that don't know, I mean really
just Google Google Scholar
Speaker:and it will take you to the Google.
Speaker:That sounds weird, but
Google, Google Scholar
Speaker:and you'll, you'll actually
get to the Google Scholar page
Speaker:where then it, it does take
you to things that have had
Speaker:some sort of peer review.
Speaker:It takes you to some other things
Speaker:that maybe haven't had a peer review
Speaker:but are are best practice types of things
Speaker:that may be out there.
Speaker:And you can run into things like this.
Speaker:Like, you know, there,
there's so much out there to,
Speaker:to do now knowing with
direct support professionals,
Speaker:much like anybody
Speaker:that's doing a human
services related thing,
Speaker:time is of the essence.
Speaker:So some of the, some of
the pop culture things,
Speaker:if you take 'em with a grain of salt
Speaker:and say, you know what, that
helps me to get through my day.
Speaker:It may not be the end all
be it all scholarly wise,
Speaker:but it helps me if I think that way.
Speaker:There's nothing wrong
with that either, right.
Speaker:But if you really wanna
research it, going to places
Speaker:where you'll, you'll get
the peer reviewed pieces
Speaker:are important.
Speaker:- I've learned podcasts
Speaker:as well nowadays are a really good tool.
Speaker:I mean, not that that's
because we're doing one
Speaker:because you know, that's pretty cool.
Speaker:But podcasts in general,
there's a lot of people
Speaker:that have a lot to say
Speaker:and it's a really good platform
Speaker:to hear other people's stories.
Speaker:Like I have an autoimmune disorder has
Speaker:to do with my thyroid.
Speaker:So there's podcasts that I listen to
Speaker:and it's usually about, you know,
Speaker:how did it work for this person?
Speaker:How did it work for that person?
Speaker:And then how do you tailor
that to yourself? So,
Speaker:- Well, and, and, and I just
one more story about resilience
Speaker:and part of why I met you, Sam.
Speaker:Oh, part of why I, I gained resilience and
Speaker:because of a health issue I had in part
Speaker:because I started taking say,
Speaker:how am I gonna deal with stress?
Speaker:Stress was my biggest thing.
Speaker:And that was when I connected
with theater and now we improv
Speaker:and in the things that we do
outside of the work environment
Speaker:that you and I as friends are,
are are enjoying together in
Speaker:that chosen family sort of way.
Speaker:Are the types of things
that you can do now,
Speaker:a direct support
professional, find something
Speaker:that distresses you?
Speaker:When I was doing direct support
regularly, one of the things
Speaker:that I did, because I also
started off as a musician,
Speaker:would take my guitar with me to work.
Speaker:And there were times when
I could step away and play,
Speaker:but oftentimes my playing
helped others be more
Speaker:resilient as well.
Speaker:If I was playing and singing a song,
Speaker:people come and sing along.
Speaker:I even got to use it with
folks I was supporting
Speaker:because of course my boss heard that.
Speaker:I'm like, well, let's do some music to to,
Speaker:to support them folks
we're supporting as well.
Speaker:So it ended up being a win-win.
Speaker:I was using one of my talents
Speaker:and skills both to heal myself,
Speaker:but then it also became, became
a healing piece for others.
Speaker:So do you have anything else
that you would like to share
Speaker:with us about some
Speaker:of the research pieces that you ran into?
Speaker:I know we've talked a little
bit about Brene Brown,
Speaker:we've talked a little bit
about Michael Reese's book.
Speaker:What, what other things did you run into
Speaker:that were really probably
good resource type ideas?
Speaker:- Oh, I think for anybody
working with anybody,
Speaker:I think it's really helpful to
Speaker:give yourself that quiet time.
Speaker:We live in a culture nowadays
Speaker:where everything's always busy now,
Speaker:everything's always go, go go.
Speaker:So even if you can take five
minutes to just step back
Speaker:and practice that mindfulness
Speaker:and have a, with who you are,
will make a huge difference.
Speaker:'cause sometimes you go so
fast that you're kind of numb
Speaker:to the things around you.
Speaker:And I think people forget
Speaker:that a simple walk in like the sunlight,
Speaker:a simple moment of just quiet, well,
Speaker:it's in reason there's a lot
of hums and noises around.
Speaker:It can do a really big difference
to your mood, your energy.
Speaker:And it can help you take
that time to just be like,
Speaker:okay, here's where I'm at.
Speaker:I'm doing okay. So that
one five minute break
Speaker:of just quiet is nice. Well, and
Speaker:- There can be little things
Speaker:that you can do within your
day that can help build
Speaker:- You up. Yep,
Speaker:- Yep.
Speaker:Absolutely. Well, and, and in
another one of our podcasts,
Speaker:Linda Anderson spoke of some
of those types of things.
Speaker:And some of 'em is just,
just some mindful breathing.
Speaker:It's amazing how we don't
breathe properly often,
Speaker:and when we don't breathe properly,
Speaker:we don't feed our brain
the oxygen it needs
Speaker:and we don't feed our heart
the oxygen that it needs.
Speaker:And it ends up being really
kind of hard on us health wise.
Speaker:- Well, that's simple
breathing, that's learned
Speaker:that a lot in DBT.
Speaker:It slows your heart rate down
Speaker:and then it helps,
helps lower your stress.
Speaker:So if you can lower your heart
rate can lower your stress.
Speaker:And if you can lower your stress,
Speaker:then you think more clearly. So,
Speaker:- Right. It's all connected.
Speaker:- It is, it is. Should
- We all just breathe in deeply now?
Speaker:- No, no. I'm not. It just was too easy.
Speaker:- Yeah, you know what, geez,
Speaker:because the door's open doesn't mean
Speaker:you walk through it. Mark,
Speaker:- I, you know, I do a little
more often than I probably
Speaker:should, but that's just fair.
Speaker:Just the humor. Chuck,
did you have anything else
Speaker:that you would, would like to
ask Sam or would like to add?
Speaker:- We
- Just like to thank you for being here
Speaker:with us today. I've learned a lot.
Speaker:- No, thank you for having me.
Speaker:And I love doing this kind of stuff.
Speaker:And maybe one day I'll go
back to public speaking
Speaker:and that'd be amazing.
Speaker:- Yeah. I cannot wait to see
you doing the what, what is it?
Speaker:Those, those videos that, oh goodness.
Speaker:Why am I zoning on what they're called?
Speaker:- That's so scary. But
keep going, you know.
Speaker:- Well the, the the fancy
ones that, you know,
Speaker:like everybody does where
it's, you know, these,
Speaker:they're just them in the microphone
Speaker:and they're just talking to a ted drawer.
Speaker:Ted Talks Ted Talk. Thank
Speaker:- You.
Speaker:Yes. I would love to do a Ted Talk
Speaker:one day. That'd be so good.
Speaker:- You know, I'm, I, you know, my, my,
Speaker:I I'm not a young man anymore.
Speaker:It, it was in there just in the very
Speaker:back of the file drawer. A
Speaker:- TED talk is on my bucket list.
Speaker:I would like to do one,
one day then you will,
Speaker:- You will.
Speaker:Right On that note, thank you
again, Sam, for being with us
Speaker:and, and sharing your
expertise and your research
Speaker:and just sharing humanness.
Speaker:'cause that's what we all
are. That's who we support.
Speaker:That's who direct support
professionals need to realize
Speaker:that they are too.
Speaker:You're not the superhero,
Speaker:be the direct support
professional, but be human first
Speaker:and really share with each other
Speaker:and support each other to
live the life that you want
Speaker:to choose as well.
Speaker:Not just supporting folks
Speaker:that we support to live their lives.
Speaker:So on that note, tune in
Speaker:for future episodes about
taking care of our physical
Speaker:and mental health episodes
are available on one
Speaker:of your favorite podcasting
streaming services.
Speaker:This podcast is produced by the University
Speaker:of Minnesota's Institute
on community integration.
Speaker:And it's by and for D.
