Sustainable Healing BLOG

This is the place in our Council efforts where we share commentary about educational and research initiatives congruent with the Council for Sustainable Healing’s emphasis on deeper, more lasting solutions.

As part of our efforts to provide support for those seeking more lasting healing, there are several review projects we are working on in the new year.  In each case, we believe these projects have real potential to make a difference in encouraging and guiding more people towards what it takes to find more sustainable healing. Both financially, and in terms of people interested in assisting directly in the research, we welcome your inquiry (contact Dr. Jacob Hess at sustainablyheal@gmail.com).

In particular, this blog will address forward progress being made in the following three categories:

1. The Suicide Risk Factor Review

With increasing calls for a public health approach to suicide, those among us who are interested in this facet of outreach and education are volunteering our personal time and professional expertise to review the literature on risk factors and “map out” the patterns identified across many thousands of studies – in hopes of better appreciating what a multifaceted, risk-factor oriented prevention initiative would look like. Our volunteer researchers have completed similar reviews for depression, ADHD, infertility and autism – and find they are helpful in highlighting the full breadth of the risk factor load contributing to current problems. Associated with, and drawing on this review, our volunteer researchers will also be releasing some additional recommendations for consideration in ongoing efforts to curb and reduce suicide in 2020.

2. Patterns Across Recovery Narratives

With all the research that’s been done on mental/emotional challenges, it’s surprising how little attention has gone to the actual stories and voices of those who know the experience best.  In one review of a famous scientific journal over a period of several years, for instance, David Karp pointed out that in twelve volumes of the periodical, he could not find one word spoken by a person who experiences depression in his/her own life – noting, “research about a feeling disorder that does not get at people‘s feelings seems, to put it kindly, incomplete” (Speaking of Sadness, p. 12)

Our focus is to shine a light on people’s own stories to see what more can be learned.  For instance, although many people have found more lasting healing from serious mental health challenges, very few people know about these accounts. In addition to  gathering available stories to share, those leading this research effort are studying patterns and themes across these accounts as a part of helping people understand key issues and dynamics involved in the process of finding more lasting healing.

3. The Best Practices Review

Many doctors feel constrained in treatment options due to “best practices” documents that they must follow, in order to avoid being sued. We are pleased to have the volunteer efforts of members of our community who are also competent professionals currently reviewing 11 of the most recent depression best practices documents – across a variety of variables (scope of interventions considered, funding source, long-term vs. short-term attention, etc.) This research is being conducted to provide more critical attention to the composition of these documents and their relevance in current treatment practices. This is the first of a series of similar reviews, as part of a larger effort to better support physicians who are overwhelmed by the current demand, find ways to lead people towards more lasting healing.

If you or someone you know would have interest in getting involved in any of these projects, or supporting us financially to complete them, please let us know. Click here to make a donation, or contact us directly to ask questions or discuss further details here:  sustainablyheal@gmail.com and 385-343-9696.