Dave Anders, MS, CCC-SLP, CBISTSeptember, 2020

Conscious Professionalism: Principles and Practices for Brain Injury Rehabilitation

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Credit is Due

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Sponsoring Organizations

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Conscious Professionalism Goals:• Support the personal and professional

development of individuals who provide care to people affected by acquired brain injury

• Enhance the philosophy of team functioning and inter-professional interaction

• Develop self-awareness and mindfulness at a personal level in order to augment engagement-based professional skills.

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The Big Questions1. How did I get to where I am?2. What is working well?3. What is not serving me well in my

professional and other life roles?

• This is not about changing others…this is about changing you.

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How do we define expertise in ABI rehabilitation?

What you know+

Emotional self-regulation__________=__________

Effective Professional Skills

• Your ability to know yourself allows your knowledge to result in effectiveness or ineffectiveness as a provider of care.

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Content and Context• Content = The “What”

– Any of the recurring themes within your role as a professional (or your other roles):

• PS and family interaction issues• Staff interaction issues• Team / Interdepartmental Functioning• Compliance challenges

– How the “what” is heard depends on how we say it and under what conditions (the context)

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Content and Context• Context = The “How”

– Not just how we say something or the physical environment (the outer game)

– The interpersonal context– How we “show up” in the world (the inner

game):• Emotional Intelligence• To Me vs. By Me• Above vs. Below the line

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Contexts: EQ• The ability to be aware, identify and monitor one’s own

emotions in order to make decisions and act accordingly in social situations (Daniel Goleman)

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EQ’s Professional Impact• Center for Creative Leadership

– EQ accounts for 58% of performance in all types of jobs. It is the single biggest predictor of performance.

– EQ is a better predictor of success than IQ.• 90% of high performers are high in EQ vs.• 20% of low performers are high in EQ

– People with high EQ earn an average of $29k more than low EQs.

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Contexts: “To Me” vs. “By Me”

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Drama Triangle• Shifts come through re-defining responsibility

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The Tool

• What story and meaning have you created from the facts?

• Where are you right now?

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Above and Below the Line

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Your Brain on Threat• Have you met your amygdalae?

– Two almond-shaped structures– Identifies threats to well-being– Scan your experience and decide

which “track” to send that experience to

• Track 1 = Cortex• Track 2 = Limbic System

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Track 1 – the cortex• The cortex is referred to as the

“thinking brain.”

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Track 2 – The limbic system• In the presence of threat, the amygdala

overrides the cortex…and activates the limbic system instead.

• Catecholamines are released– Burst of energy lasting up to several minutes. – Angry desire to take immediate protective

action. – Heart rate accelerates, blood pressure rises,

breathing increases– Face may flush (blood goes to the extremities)– Attention narrows and focuses on target of

anger– Adrenaline and noradrenaline released which

trigger a lasting state of arousal.

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Below the LineBeliefs Behaviors Statements

Being right is the most important thing

Cling to an opinion “Shoulds”

There’s not “enough” Gossip “It’s not my fault”

I need to be in control. Rationalize / Justify “always / never”

There are only two options (polarity

focused)

Enroll others to affirm beliefs

“I’m sorry, but…”

There is a right / wrongway

Attack or Avoid “the problem is…”

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Above the LineBeliefs Behaviors Statements

Everything is a learning opportunity

Get Curious “What I hear you saying is…”

Questioning my beliefs helps me grow

Appreciate “My preference is…”

From a distance it is not as serious as it seems

Take Responsibility “always / never”

There are multiple possibilities / solutions

Welcome Feedback “What can I / we learn from this?”

Growth and learning is more important than

being right

Wonder “Is there a gift in this?”

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Drifting Below vs. Shifting AboveDrifting:• Sarcasm• Blaming• Yielding to distractions• Concealing• Ignoring• Organizing• Justifying• Procrastinating• Worrying• Etc…etc…

Shifting:• Hmmm…I

wonder…?• Changing posture• Appreciating• Taking responsibility• Conscious

breathing• Conscious self-

awareness

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The Commitments: ResponsibilityI commit to taking full responsibility for the circumstances of my life and my physical,

emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. I commit to support others to take full

responsibility for their lives._____________________________________

I commit to blaming others and myself for what is wrong in the world. I commit to being a

victim, villain or a hero and either over-or under-attributing responsibility.

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The Commitments: CuriosityI commit to growing in self-awareness. I

commit to seeing every interaction as an opportunity to learn.

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I commit to being right and seeing this situation as something that is happening to me. I commit to being defensive especially

when I am certain that I am RIGHT

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The Commitments: AlliesI commit to seeing all people and

circumstances as allies that are perfectly suited to help me learn the most important

things in life._____________________________________

I commit to seeing people and circumstances as obstacles and

impediments to what I most want.

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The Commitments: CandorI commit to saying what is true for me. I commit

to be a person to whom others can express themselves with candor.

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I commit to withholding my truth (facts, feelings, things I imagine) and speaking in a way that

allows me to try to manipulate an outcome. I commit to formulating my responses rather than

truly listening to others

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The Commitments: IntegrityI commit to consistency in word and

deed, expressing the unarguable truth and keeping my agreements.

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I commit to inconsistency in word and deed. I will take responsibility and speak

the truth only when it benefits me.

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The Commitments: GossipI commit to end gossip, to talk directly to people

with whom I have an issue or concern and to encourage others to talk directly with people

with whom they have an issue or concern._____________________________________

I commit to saying things about people that I have not or will not say to them. I commit to

talking about people in ways that I wouldn’t if they were there. I commit to listening to others

when they gossip.

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Two Requirements:

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Final Thought

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Questions?• Dave Anders, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIST

– 515 965-1339 Ext. 126– Dave.anders@onwithlife.org