Stratus2675 said:
OK...I'll bite...Harm Reduction Conference?
harm reduction is a way of interacting with clients/patients/friends/self that applies to all sorts of things, from substance use to managing an abusive relationship to minimizing risk in sexual relationships to people who exercize too much for their own good. basically, it's a alternate way to work with people who engage in some sort of unhealthful activity.
the basis of HR is the acceptance of everyone involved that people (again, clients/patients/friends/self) don't change unless they want to, and even if they want to, until they are ready to change. that the motive force has to come from the individual, not any external like a doctor telling the what to do. it is the anti-intervention. it is the anti-12-step-abstinence model. it's based on prochaska's "stages of behavior change," which i reccommend highly. basically, people are at some stage in the cycle (with relapse as a natural and accepted part of it) and all a practicioner can do is to try help the person move to the next step. sometimes that is giving them referrals to rehab, if that's where they are and what they want (and not just what they think you want them to want), and sometimes that's asking open ended, non-judging questions about what they are doing, because just articulating it out loud without the need for the inherent defensiveness that comes from discussing "risky" behavior with someone who you know thinks it's bad can help people to start to see their self-destruction, and that's the first step. or there's the person who doesn't really know all the risks, and you teach them about it. basically, you never say to someone "you know, i'm a doctor, and i'm telling you X is bad for you. you need to stop that."
in addition, when it comes to disease/health risk, there's the "action" component, where in one helps people to find safer ways to keep doing the behavior, so that while the behavior is the same, the risk of health effects is less. that is, a reduction in the secondary harm from the activity. with injection drug use, that's clean needles and supplies, vein care education, overdose prevention education, etc. with sex that's alternate practices, barrier use, negotiation strategies, etc. and it can be applied to just about anything.
it's really empowering for the client, and a lot of these behaviors develop because people feel powerless and/or lack other coping strategies. just becasue i don't suggest cutting down or rehab to every client doesn't mean that i'm not trying to help them be healthy. i'm just recognizing their own rights and power to make their own decisions, and often the act of that can really help them help themselves.
where ya gonna be stopping?
...blah blah...hey...she's kinda cute 
