IFLAS Occasional paper 5 - Early recollections as a research method for finding fuller meaning in the values of wellbeing

During a global pandemic practitioner wellbeing is an important topic, many people are working from home and delivering their usual services over video conferencing technologies. Whilst this may have some benefits for a better work life balance and is hugely reducing the environmental impact of travel, many people are feeling more isolated which can reduce wellbeing.

This paper was written based on a workshop delivered at the International Committee of Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes (ICASSI) in July 2019. Although the workshop was delivered before the pandemic, the topic is more relevant than ever as it is looking at a research method that enhances practitioner wellbeing. Adler was a contemporary of Freud and although his idea’s are most often drawn upon for psychotherapy, they also have wider uses in areas such as coaching and professional development. This paper explores using Adler’s ideas to create a research method for self-studies particularly Living Theory which was created by Jack Whitehead. You can read more at www.actionresearch.net. This paper is focused on how creating an Adlerian syllogism based on a practitioner’s early recollection of living their values increases self-awareness and can be useful as a learning stage in understanding and identifying how to improve values-based practice. Sonia Hutchison has written a number of papers looking at her own values-based practice in the leadership of charities and how her development of her living-theory of caring as mutuality may influence others learning. You can read more at https://cumbria.academia.edu/SoniaHutchison. Dr. Robyn Pound based her thesis on her living-theory of alongsideness and continues to write about how her ideas have developed since gaining her doctorate in 2003. You can find out more about Dr. Robyn Pound’s recent work at http://www.spanglefish.com/RobynPound Download here