[Ailist] Has AI been used effectively with teen-agers and drugs

[Ron Smith]

A nice story that supports this approach is the Babemba Tribe story from 
author Jack Kornfield's book, The Art of Forgiveness, Loving Kindness and 
Peace (please correct me listserve if I have the wrong source). The approach 
is reversed in the sense that the tribe knows the person who is in trouble 
and they tell the stories of success and overcoming adversity etc that the 
person has exhibited over the years. This would be a nice way to do a family 
session or family intervention. "Traditional" interventions have always 
bothered me...what a bummer to have all your family telling you how your 
addiction impacts them (negatively of course). My apologies to the 
"recovery" based practitioners out there but I think this AI community 
understands the drawbacks of negative interventions.

I have attached the powerpoint slide I use to explain AI which has a few 
african mask images that "spice up" the presentacion. This information came 
to me via this list serve or perhaps from an AI workshop or book, so thanks 
to all for this source.

Ron Smith
Director, CEL.ULA
Centro Experiencial de Liderazgo
Universididad Latinoamericana
011 52 558 500 8100 ext. 8235
Personal Cell: 55 4143 8766 (usa add: 001 52 1)
Gabriel Mancera 1402 Col. Del Valle
Mexico DF, Mexico CP 03100
Gabriel Mancera 1402
D.F. Mexico
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nick Heap" <nick at nickheap.co.uk>
To: "Appreciative Inquiry" <ailist at lists.business.utah.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Ailist] Has AI been used effectively with teen-agers and drugs


> Here are two stories that may be helpful.
>
> I worked as a marriage counsellor with a married couple where the man was
> also a drug addict.  Several years later, I met the woman by chance and 
> she
> said that although they were now separated, her husband had given up drugs
> and now worked as counsellor, helping other people give up drugs. She said
> that the thing that had made the difference was that Mick felt that I
> listened to him and valued him as a person first rather than an "addict". 
> He
> felt appreciated!
>
> The second story is how a simple strength building exercise
> http://www.nickheap.co.uk/articles.asp?ART_ID=209 helped young women with
> very low self esteem develop self and mutual respect. In small groups, 
> each
> person has a turn as the focus of the group. She or he describes an event 
> in
> which she or he achieved something they felt good about. Everyone else
> listens intently. Each group member tells the person above two or three
> strengths she must have used to achieve it. The person adds one or two of
> his own. The person states the one strength of all the ones she has heard
> that she /he likes the best. If people are ready they may own this by 
> going
> round the group and saying to each person in turn "I am (e.g.)
> resourceful!".
>
> After everyone has had a turn, ask people how they feel about themselves 
> and
> the group and what they have learned.
>
> Joy Knudson used this exercise with a group of young mothers in a
> welfare-to-work programme.  They had a history of not working effectively 
> in
> groups, whether in school or on jobs, and tended to avoid true empathy or
> vulnerability.  Underneath their resistance lay poor self-esteem and a 
> lack
> of belief in their own abilities to cope.  Most of their conversations and
> energy revolved around what they -and everyone else - did wrong, and who
> should be blamed for it.
>
> When Joy used the "Strength Building" exercise to have them share a time
> they triumphed despite their circumstances, their stories ranged from
> regaining custody of a baby taken away due to drug abuse to helping their
> children survive periods of homelessness.  They listened to each other
> deeply and compassionately, exchanged heartfelt, affirming feedback, and
> slowly realized that the ability to succeed in their stories proved they 
> had
> strengths and qualities they could access in other situations.
>
> If this worked with this group of young people, might it work equally well
> with young people who take drugs, who may also feel bad about themselves?
>
> Best wishes
>
> Nick
>
>
>
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