Reframing the future: Optimistic thinking

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, Jan-Mar 1999 by Finke, Linda

I was fortunate to be one of four nurses who represented psychiatric nursing at the Rosalynn Carter Fourteenth Annual Symposium on Mental Health Policy in November, 1998. Advocates for those with mental health issues have a loyal and passionate friend in the Carters since 1978, when President Jimmy Carter established the Commission on Mental Illness. We are fortunate to have such passionate and effective policy makers in our corner. This was my first opportunity to attend the annual symposium, and I received a message at that meeting I think we could all take to heart.

The 1998 Rosalynn Carter Symposium was titled "Promoting Positive and Healthy Behaviors in Children." The two-day meeting focused on the presentation of effective programs that have proven positive outcomes. What a refreshing idea. It is so easy for us to get stuck in our day-to-day problems of working with children and their behavior problems that we can easily lose perspective. There are positive outcomes and effective programs. We spent the first day hearing about programs that make a difference, such as Head Start and new programs such as the Health Communities/Health Youth program developed by the Search Institute in Minneapolis. The programs all had common threads, such as broad collaboration to include various community groups such as employers, churches, schools, criminal justice systems, politicians, foundations, and youth groups. Another thread focused on goals that have the common aim to make a difference on child development. The second day of the Symposium, participants strategized how to implement effective programs in more communities. What policies need to be put in place? What alliances need to be drawn? Who should be responsible for doing what? The conclusion of the Symposium was very positive because the political figures and national leaders in child development were present, and the ideas were already being put into action.

The Symposium dinner speaker was Martin Seligman, President of the American Psychological Association, who spoke about teaching optimism to children. Teaching children to think optimistically is an important concept, but it seems to me we first have to teach ourselves to think optimistically. If young children can be taught to reframe events and feelings, there is hope for those of us who care for children as well.

I heard two messages at the Symposium that went beyond the programs for healthy children. First, many of us are associated with very effective programs that have positive outcomes for children. We need to take time to celebrate our successes. I imagine many of you are like me in that I sometimes have to remind myself how many things are going right and give myself a chance to feel good about my accomplishments. It is easy to get wrapped up in all the violence, drug abuse, and behavior problems and forget about all the children who are doing well or are reaching for higher levels. We need to tell others about our successes. If you play a role in a program that has positive outcomes, please share your success with the rest of us. Two ways to tell others about effective programs are to write an article for JCAPN or offer a presentation at a conference. Few days go by that we not need to be reminded that our work produces healthy outcomes for many children and their families. Share your successes with the rest of us. Each one of us could use some refreshing ideas to incorporate into our own work.

The second message I received at the Symposium had implications for the new Alliance for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses, which is just beginning. Collaboration plays a key role both in the success of effective programs for children and in accomplishing our goals in psychiatric nursing. As a group, we need to focus on the positive outcomes we will gain from coming together. We already know that we are a much stronger voice when we stand together, and there already have been many positive outcomes from our collaboration. There is a tremendous amount of synergy that comes from the joining of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, the International Society of Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Nurses, and the Society for Education and Research in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. The energy we provide together is very powerful. Iam very optimistic about our future, and I hope you are as well.

I like the idea of focusing on the positive as we begin a new year and end a century. The positive focus gives me enthusiasm to tackle the hard work ahead. If we all adopt a philosophy that focuses on the positive while working on problem areas, we will move quickly through rough spots. I propose that we all try a little "Pollyannaism," with our feet still planted squarely in realism as we join together to better the lives of those with mental health problems. Our focus should be on what might be possible, not what is missing. Our work should take advantage of opportunities and not berate about steps not taken Our vision must focus forward. We can learn from others and benefit from the positive focus of the Carter Symposium. There is a great deal to celebrate and together we can accomplish much more. Think positive.