Valleys &Mountains/ Needs & Goals

This morning I was thinking about my last fall hike or should I say climb with my son a couple weeks ago.  We were pressed for time, so instead of hiking to our nearest peak (Squaw Peak) I decided to take him up what I refer to as "danger" mountain.  I call it "danger" because I would never take my students up this terrain for it is far too steep and unstable (many loose rocks/gravel etc) and it's just a accident waiting to happen.  But it has such a pop at the top (when the view of the valley just pops into view) that I wanted to share it with my son.  My son enjoyed trying to help his old lady mom by telling me what stones to place my foot on.  Most of the time I didn't listen to him but just tried to scale the mountain without sliding around too much and protect my body at the same time. I know my own strengths and weaknesses and was not going to try to do the same things that my very athletic son did. Most of the time I was on all fours scrambling and trying to tread lightly.  We judged our performance by how much we didn't slide or how much avalanche we caused with each step. 

I loved having him go first over the ridge. It was so fun to share this moment with my son.  Challenging ourselves and doing something difficult together was a great way to spend mother-son time together. I found a great lookout and ate my PBJ while surveying my kingdom-the place I have called home for the last 30 years-Utah County.  My son loved the photo op. and took some great pictures with his fancy camera.  We need to do more of these challenging outdoor adventures together; they really do bond us together.  However we've had plenty of real world challenges bonding my little family together over the years that help us develop muscles we didn't even knew we had. I suppose that's one of the reasons those adventure types seek out problems or "challenges" on purpose- let's go climb a mountain. 

I understand a little why people seek out challenges for "fun" but why would I seek out problems on purpose?  Or why would you create a problem in the first place and tackle it? Some Recreational Therapists do exactly that-create problems. They use outdoor adventure, team building exercises and initiatives to challenge others to do hard things as a tool for insight into patterns of behavior and to encourage self-efficacy- creating a mastery experience.  Most of the time, we don't have to go looking for problems- there are plenty right in front of us. They are what makes life-life. I love how mountains can be a symbol for problems.  But what is the relationship between problems, needs, goals and strengths?

In the medical world we often use a  POR-Problem Oriented Record.  I mean, why would you ever seek out medical help unless you had some problem you were dealing with.  However, the medical community is trying to move from a POR to a Strength Based paradigm.  Instead of focusing on problems, we have to focus on strengths.  More specifically, as I use my assessment, I'm looking for needs and strengths in several areas of major functioning. I refer to a problem or need as a deficit.  I compare it to a valley.  Then I take that valley (need)  and turn it upside town to form a mountain (goal).  The whole point of the assessment is to come up with a goal for my client. Then having identified existing strengths, the client can then use them to start climbing his very own mountain.  And the kicker is that just trying to reach the goal not only utilizes strength but creates additional strength.  Once we pop over the ridge we also have additional perspective that comes from our expanded, elevated view of our circumstances and increased understanding of our overarching purpose. 

God has problems.  BIG problems.  The whole plan of salvation was laid out to address 2 big problems: DEATH and SEPARATION (physical and spiritual death).  I'm so glad he has a PLAN or goal.  His work or goal is for the immortality and eternal life of man.  I'm glad he provided a Savior for us to solve these problems and strengthen us through the enabling power of his atonement.  I'm grateful he has given us personal gifts and talents to give us additional strength on our ascent.  I too want an elevated view of life-to use these mountains to see these valleys with an elevated view of life.