The blog will show that Motivational Work is the opposite of a quick fix. In my last blog (no. 82), I wrote about the aspect of the supplement. To motivate someone is seen as a preliminary stage before the actual treatment. This blog is the second in a sequence about the traditional paradigm of motivation in relation to Motivational Work.
Another facet of the motivational paradigm is the quick fix. Not only is how to motivate considered to be a compliment. It is also expected to take place in a short period. This angle relates to the view of the supplement. If the activity is perceived as a preparation for something more advanced, it is logical that it needs less time to be implemented.
A Case:
The Traditional Paradigm
In a city, the social services together with the local hospital have planned a new organization for thte treatment of heroin addicts and other drug addicts. It consists of a chain of several separate institutions through which the client will be guided. Firstly, the addict meets a social worker, who seeks him out on the street. Then, the social worker tries to motivate him to be detoxicated.
While the client is in detox, the staff will persuade him to continue to a motivational institution. If the client takes this further step of rehabilitation, he will stay there for two weeks. No direct method of motivation is intended to be practiced.
However, the staff has several talks with the clients, where they influence them to proceed to the next institution. At the same time, clients could participate in several sport and leisure time activities.
If the client continues to the next step; he will take part in preliminary treatment. After two months, he arrives at the treatment center. At this place, the actual rehabilitation is started with advanced psychotherapeutic methods.
At each institution, the client will meet a new staff, who must start to build a relationship with him. At the beginning of the planning, there is a suggestion that the same personnel will follow the client to all the institutions. In the end, this original idea is never implemented because the different unions mean it would be too much strain for the staff.
Moreover, it is agreed that the client is discharged if he shows too much destructive acting-out, for example, relapses, withdrawals, and aggressive behavior.
Motivational Work is contradictory to quick fix: The Social Worker Agnes
One social worker, Agnes, from the first group in the chain of treatment, which encounters the addicts in the streets, adopts Motivational Work on one of her clients. After a year and a half and several relapses later, the social worker decides that the client´s positive core has been strengthened enough to stay at an institution.
Against the odds, Agnes succeeds in placing her client directly at the treatment center. The whole time, the client participates in the rehabilitation program of the institution, the social worker regularly meets her client, continuously utilizing Motivational Work.
Furthermore, she attends many times meetings with the staff of the treatment center. At such a conference, she manages to help the staff members. They are on the fringe of being burnt out in relation to the client. There exist advanced plans ready to discharge him.
At this dramatic reunion with the staff, the social worker can strengthen the positive core of the staff members. As a result, they regain their commitment to the client. Consequently, his discharge is withdrawn. Later, the client completes his treatment. Through the whole process with Agnes, his positive core has been stronger, and he is free from drugs.
Discussion
Once again, the motivational paradox emerges. With this treatment plan, it is evident that the clients, who are the most destructive and unmotivated, never reach the last phase: the treatment center.
In other words, the treatment project for an addict is founded on the traditional paradigm: a short time span, rudimentary methods, and brief relationships with personnel.
Instead, the significant treatment is done by the social worker, both through her commitment and her approach. Thus, Motivational Work is the opposite of a quick fix. Moreover, the activity at the treatment center is the last polishing of the rehabilitation.
Presentiment
In the arrangement of the rehabilitation chain, you can have a hunch of the reasons behind a brief motivation period. During such a time, the client will either be compliant or openly destructive. In particular, the harmful behavior provokes stress and anxiety in personnel around the client. For example, it may contain continuous relapses, suicide attempts, overdose, aggression, and threats.
The sooner the destructive behavior can go away, the less stressful situation for the personnel. If the acting-out of the client persists, there is always the possibility of discharge. In other words, there exists a considerable risk for the staff to be burnt out.
To be expected, the institution, where the client is supposed to stay for two weeks, is closed after a year. The personnel is burnt-out. They cannot find any meaning in their efforts. With many clients, there is ceaseless acting-out, and not so many clients proceed to the next phase.
Motivational work is contrary to quick fix
Using Motivational Work, the social worker Agnes has all the tools she needs to stay committed to the client. She can use a protective suit to all the time remain engaged and see meaning in her work. Also, she understands that probably it will take some time to strengthen her client´s positive core, Motivational Work is the opposite of a quick fix. Besides, the method can guide her on how to deal with destructive acting-out.