A tool for solving drama.
Last week’s email introduced the concept of personality disorders. You can read it here: https://homelesstraining.com/people-dont-call-them-mentally-ill-they-call-them-jerks/ This week I want to share a quick tool for managing the drama created by someone suffering from a personality disorder. It comes directly from Dr. Gregory Lester, who is this month’s webinar. If you want to watch my interview […]
There are no Saints.
There are only two types of people in this world: Type 1: Good People They are kind and patient. They volunteer at homeless shelters. They help little old ladies across the street and find lost cats. They watch documentaries, read the BBC, listen to NPR, drive the speed limit and cross the street at crosswalks. […]
Stop telling your staff to be compassionate.
I love empathy. I’m a big fan of compassion. I think that professionalism is the bee’s knees. I also think that telling your staff to be empathetic, compassionate, and/or professional is REALLY bad advice. How to coach your staff to get better at de-escalation It is very natural to try to inspire your staff to […]
The problem with prejudice
I love people. When I ran a homeless shelter, I saw hundreds of thousands of acts of kindness. My heart has been forever warmed. In my 46 times around the sun I have seen countless people help strangers simply because it is the right thing to do. Every time, my soul overflows with gratitude. My […]
Abusive people on the phone.
Dear Ryan, I answer the phones at a shelter. The problem is that our shelter is full. I put people on our waitlist and provide them with information on other options (none of which are good). Some people are “not very nice” to me when I tell them we are full. I’ve been cursed at, […]
Two types of aggression
There are two types of aggression. They have almost nothing to do with each other. Proactive Aggression Proactive aggression is violence (or the threat of violence) used as a tool to get what you want. Pulling a knife on someone in an alley and demanding their wallet is proactive aggression. It is done rationally, intentionally […]
Why everyone lost the recent Supreme Court case on homelessness
Last Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that cities and towns can punish people for sleeping in public places (City of Grants Pass, Oregon vs. Johnson). On its face, cities won, and homeless folks lost. In reality, though, the cities also lost… They just don’t realize it yet. The case highlights the fact that most people […]
Homeless Tip: When you lose your temper…
Sometimes you will lose your temper. You’re human. It happens. When you lose your temper, though, you have a choice: When you lose your temper, take a moment to reflect on why you became so upset. Something about the interchange was a trigger for you. It is very helpful to know your triggers. Once you […]
Mental Illness Risk Assessment
There are three things you need to know to assess risk from someone who suffers from severe mental illness. FIRST: Most people with severe mental illness are not violent. 97.1% of people with a severe mental illness are not violent. If you add substance abuse to severe mental illness that number drops to 90%. So, […]
Most people would call Fred a jerk.
Fred lives in a homeless shelter I used to run. Most people would call Fred a jerk. He yells at people… a lot. He tells people when they have gained weight. He interrupts people when they are mid-sentence. He is moody. Fred is not a jerk. Fred suffers from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traumatic Brain […]