Depression = persistent depressed mood or loss of interest + four or more of the following: low energy (or possible agitation), poor concentration, negative thinking (guilt, helplessness, hopelessness), sleep disturbance (typically early waking), appetite disturbance (typically loss of appetite); possible thoughts of death/suicide. Exercise Participants are divided up into pairs and take turns to administer SRQ8. The most important aspect is for participants to know how to ask the questions and how to screen based on the SRQ8 score. SUPPORT WORK (Mini lecture, discussion and role play) Definition of ‘support work’ Support work is a very special skill that involves active listening, learning, and understanding a person by talking about the problem until the person finds a way to resolve or at least cope with the problem. Change in the problem can come about through: • Changing the ways the person thinks about himself or herself, other people and the world in general; • Changing the ways a person behaves that could be increasing his or her problems; • Changing how a person copes with problems that cannot be changed; and • Problem solving. Qualities of a support worker Among the qualities that an effective support worker/listener should have are the following: • Empathy – i.e. understanding the client’s situation from the client’s point of view; in other words, ‘putting yourself into their shoes’; • Positive regard – i.e. seeing the person as a valuable and worthwhile person; • Respect – i.e. appreciating the client’s abilities, strengths and values; • Warmth – i.e. being interested and caring; • Being non-judgemental — i.e. not deciding that the person is right or wrong, good or bad, but accepting their views as they are; • Genuineness – i.e. the ability to be yourself, which involves self-awareness and being able to communicate feelings appropriately; and • Confidentiality – i.e. all client information should be kept confidential. Confidentiality is non-negotiable. A client can, however, share things with whom he or she wishes. How to do support work There are many different forms of support work. The work may involve a simple form of helping in problem solving. Four main steps are involved in this process: 1. Opening up and making the person feel at ease (establishing rapport); 2. Exploration of the problem; 3. Understanding; and 4. Deciding on a way of dealing with the problem (summarising). Module 7: Dealing with trauma, psychological healing and support 117 7