Getting Ready to Help: A Primer on Interacting in Human Service

What is the purpose of helping? Why have I become involved in a helping profession? How can my interactions get me in a better position to help? Are there ways of interacting that can improve the quality of our lives?

Direct support staff who serve individuals with a wide range of disabilities—including developmental, psychiatric, and traumatic brain injuries—will explore these and many other questions in this practical, provocative, and inspirational handbook. This concise guide is written by a veteran of the direct support field, who draws on more than 30 years of service in diverse settings to shed light on what works and doesn't work. Readers will get straightforward, real-world advice on key issues like:

• recognizing and avoiding potentially harmful interactional styles
• developing a deeper understanding of behavior
• forming relationships that benefit both the helper and the person being helped
• promoting autonomy and independence in individuals
• creating personal intervention plans
• using positive reinforcement to increase desired behavior
• finding joy in the experience of helping others

Sensitively written and enriched with stories from the author's personal experience, this easy-to-read book is ideal for staff training seminars, new employees, or seasoned professionals seeking a fresh perspective on helping.

Martin J. McMorrow, M.S., received his degree in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University. He recently started a staff training and consulting company called Proactive Behavioral Design, Inc., and is Coordinator of Strategic Development and Growth at the Center for Comprehensive Services (CCS) in Carbondale, Illinois, which is part of the National Mentor ABI Netwrok. Marty co-developed the social skills training program Stacking the Deck, the language training program Looking for the Words and numerous other behavioral clinical interventions with his colleagues at the Behavior Research Lab at the Anna Mental Health and Development Center. He also led the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Personal Intervention Neuorbehavioral Rehabilitation Program at CCS. Having had numerous opportunities to interact with people with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and acquired brain injuries, Marty's primary interest is in translating behavioral technology into proactive and applicable interactions that will make a difference in the lives of both the people being helped and the people doing the helping–the subject matter of this book.