Agencies need to Improve Health Care Communication by Adopting Empathetic Approach
Meet Shannon Ashe, a licensed social worker on a mission to abolish overdoses, not drug use. In a field often cold to those battling recovery, she's determined to provide a welcoming alternative. Ashe candidly shares, one of the major roadblocks preventing people from seeking treatment is the fear of being shamed.
"A participant confided in me that I was the first therapist who didn't make them feel additional wretchedness post a relapse," reveals Ashe, co-founder of harm reduction organization, The Everywhere Project. "These patients are usually met with condemnation, being told they're failures if they're not sober or that they just weren't cautious enough."
The Everywhere Project, based in Philadelphia, works towards amplifying harm reduction efforts. While exact details about Ashe's harm reduction strategies aren't disclosed, general harm reduction approaches may include offering safe spaces for drug consumption, distributing clean needles and naloxone, and supplying education and support for those fighting addiction.
To counteract the drug use stigma, organizations like Ashe's may adopt various tactics:
- Enlightening the Masses: Teaching the public about addiction realities and the benefits of harm reduction can alter attitudes and minimize stigma.
- Community Bonding: Strengthening community ties and fostering understanding among neighbors and decision-makers can make harm reduction practices appear commonplace.
- Support Web: Establishing support networks for people in recovery helps them feel less isolated and more emboldened to seek help.
- Advocacy: Pushing for policy adjustments prioritizing public health over punitive measures may reduce stigma by promoting a more sympathetic legal climate.
By humanizing those dealing with substance use disorders, these strategies aim to foster a more empathetic and supportive society, making it easier for people to seek help. However, specifics about Ashe's techniques would require direct insight from her organization or personal interviews.
Shannon Ashe, co-founder of The Everywhere Project, employs strategies to humanize those battling substance use disorders, such as advocating for policies prioritizing public health over punitive measures in an effort to foster a more empathetic and supportive society. Furthermore, mental-health therapies and treatments, offered without judgment, are utilized to provide a welcoming alternative for individuals grappling with recovery and addictions, helping to counter the stigma often associated with health-and-wellness and science.
