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CHAPTER 32 Phil Barker 631

BOX 32-1 The Ten Tidal Commitments: Essential Values of the Tidal Model—cont’d
language of psychiatric medicine or psychology. such as “evidence-based practice”—describes
Regrettably, many service users and consumers what has “worked” for other people. Although
often come to describe themselves in the colo- potentially useful, this should be used only if the
nial language of the professionals who have person’s available toolkit is found wanting.
diagnosed them. By valuing—and using—the 6. Craft the step beyond: The professional helper
person’s natural language, the Tidal practitio- and the person work together to construct an
ner conveys the simplest yet most powerful appreciation of what needs to be done “now.”
respect for the person. Any “first step” is a crucial step, revealing the
3. Develop genuine curiosity: The person is writ- power of change and potentially pointing to-
ing a life story but is in no sense an “open book.” ward the ultimate goal of recovery. Lao Tzu said
No one can know another person’s experience. that the journey of a thousand miles begins with
Consequently, professionals need to express a single step. We would go further: Any journey
genuine interest in the story so that they can begins in our imagination. It is important to
better understand the storyteller and the story. imagine—or envision—moving forward. Craft-
Often professionals are interested only in “what ing the step beyond reminds us of the impor-
is wrong” with the person or in pursuing particu- tance of working with the person in the “me
lar lines of professional inquiry—for example, now”: addressing what needs to be done now, to
seeking “signs and symptoms.” Genuine curiosity help advance to the next step.
reflects an interest in the person and the person’s 7. Give the gift of time: Although time is largely
unique experience, as opposed to merely classify- illusionary, nothing is more valuable. Often,
ing and categorizing features, which might be professionals complain about not having
common to many other “patients.” enough time to work constructively with the
4. Become the apprentice: The person is the world person. Although they may not actually “make”
expert on the life story. Professionals may learn time, through creative attention to their work,
something of the power of that story, but only if professionals often find the time to do “what
they apply themselves diligently and respectfully needs to be done.” Here, it is the professional’s
to the task by becoming apprentice-minded. We relationship with the concept of time that is
need to learn from the person what needs to be at issue, rather than time itself (Jonsson, 2005).
done, rather than leading. Ultimately, any time spent in constructive inter-
No one can ever know a person’s experience. personal communication, is a gift—for both par-
Professionals often talk “as if” they might even ties). There is nothing more valuable than the
know the person better than they know them- time the helper and the person spend together.
selves. As Szasz noted: “How can you know more 8. Reveal personal wisdom: Only the person can
about a person after seeing him for a few hours, know himself or herself. The person develops a
a few days, or even a few months, than he knows powerful storehouse of wisdom through living
about himself? He has known himself a lot the writing of the life story. Often, people cannot
longer!” The idea that the person remains en- find the words to express fully the multitude,
tirely in charge of himself is a fundamental complexity, or ineffability of their experience,
premise” (Szasz, 2000). invoking powerful personal metaphors to convey
5. Use the available toolkit: The story contains something of their experience (Barker, 2002b).
examples of “what has worked” for the person A key task for the professional is to help the
in the past, or beliefs about “what might work” person reveal and come to value that wisdom,
for this person in the future. These represent so that it might be used to sustain the person
the main tools that need to be used to unlock throughout the voyage of recovery.
or build the story of recovery. The professional 9. Know that change is constant: Change is in-
toolkit—commonly expressed through ideas evitable because change is constant. This is the
Continued