Relationship-Centered Care

Relationship-Centered Care developed out of the criticism that person-centered care focused too closely on the individual and failed to consider the social and political contexts of care (Nolan et al., 2008).

The privilege of working therapeutically with clients inevitably surfaces both moments of inspiration and moments of challenge that may uncover personal edges of growth for the health professional.

The Numinus Perspective

It’s important to recognize that healing and growth are processes (not destinations) and to lead by example by remaining committed to a path and practice of personal healing and development, often stimulated by our work with clients.

Intersectionality

Relationship-Centered Care acknowledges that all relationships have power dynamics. Great care is taken to become aware of what these are and how participants can be optimally empowered. This requires both a trauma-informed approach and that the health professional is doing the work to become aware of their own and their clients’ positionality from an intersectional perspective.

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For example, an individual who is female, a member of a visible ethnic minority, and the LGTBQIA2S+ community will have a different lived experience because of these intersecting identities than would a White, heterosexual male, within a predominantly White patriarchal Westernized society.

Social constructs may either engender oppression or privilege, depending on current social ‘norms’.

Awareness of intersectionality provides health professionals with a lens through which to improve relationship-centered care via enhanced inquiry into one’s own implicit and explicit biases.

Hospitality and Trust

Health professionals are to remain mindful of their therapeutic role when outside of sessions and the treatment room. This means remaining open, considerate, client-centered, and supportive of the client’s total experience when engaging with clients outside of the therapy room. By showing respect and consistency of character and demeanour in all points of possible interaction, health professionals model a personal congruence that ultimately fosters deeper therapeutic trust. It is essential that when outside the session room the health professional be mindful of sound carrying in the space and the need to protect client confidentiality and privacy at all times.

As not just a health professional but also a session host, health professionals should strive to help clients feel comfortable and at ease, and remain aware of their physical needs (such as hydration, nutrition, movement, physical accommodation, or warmth or cooling). Some of these elements may be covered in Medicine Session protocols but should be engaged by health professionals in all sessions throughout the course of psychedelic-assisted therapy care. It is the health professional’s responsibility to inform other clinic and research staff about any specific needs or considerations that they should know related to an individual client. This helps to ensure care and congruency through the client’s interactions with everyone in the clinical space.

The Numinus Perspective

Numinus recommends a Land Acknowledgement at the beginning of psychedelic-assisted therapy with a client as part of honouring the hospitality of the Indigenous Peoples on whose unceded land we live, work, and play.

References

Nolan, M., Davies, S., Ryan, T., & Keady, J. (2008). Relationship-Centred Care and the ‘Senses’ Framework. Journal of Dementia Care, 16, 26-28.