When I first jumped into public writing and social media many years ago, I didn’t give much thought to specific values guiding my work. I just knew I wanted to talk about how to help others improve their mental health and wellness, drawing from my many years of experience as a clinical psychologist.
But after a short period of time, I stopped to consider what the overall values are which drive my communications. Here’s what I came up with, and they still hold very true even now.
My Communication Values
Helpful
I strive to share information which can help others better understand mental health issues and hopefully take away something to manage their mental health concerns a little more easily.
Clear
If the information I share isn’t clear and easy to understand, it won’t be very helpful. I’ve read far too many articles on mental health issues that are almost incomprehensible because of unclear or technical language. I want the information I share to be crystal clear and easy to use.
Effective
There’s so much information out there about ways to deal with mental health issues that have absolutely no scientific evidence to back them up. I won’t write or talk about something unless I know there’s solid evidence that it works.
Encouraging
Talking about mental health issues isn’t easy. There is so much stigma and fear about disclosing our personal struggles that it’s difficult to open up about them to others. I want to offer support and encouragement and say that it’s ok to talk about these issues.
Inclusive
I will do my best to be inclusive, equitable and welcoming to people regardless of their race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or disability, and pledge to not include or promote material which furthers bias, hate or discrimination.
Hopeful
This one is so important. Coping with a mental illness can be incredibly difficult, but effective treatments are available and people really can get better. Not all the problems will go away, but quality of life can definitely improve and hope can be found again!
Interesting
I really don’t want to be boring. You will zone out immediately if stuff you read is deadly dull. On the other hand, if information is engaging and interesting, you’re more likely to pay attention to it and get something meaningful from it.
Respectful
I’m sensitive to the fact that a lot of people who read my material are going through a very tough time with mental health concerns. I want to be careful to be respectful and to recognize the inherent dignity and worth of each person.
Having gone through this exercise has proven to be really helpful for me. I now have a solid set of values which guide all of my communications. And I guess it’s no surprise, but I’ve found that these same values work quite well for my day-to-day in-person interactions with friends, family, and co-workers. Perhaps you would also benefit from undertaking a similar process to firm up your core values for your communications with others.
Here’s a question: What are your core values for how you want to communicate with others? Leave a comment. Also please consider subscribing to my blog and feel free to follow me on X (formerly Twitter), “like” my Facebook page, or connect on LinkedIn. Thanks!