2. The importance of knowing self or
personal awareness
• For us to effectively support persons with
terminal illness we must know who we are
and once you understand that then you can
ably appreciate the fact that patients and their
families have their own values and beliefs that
are different from our own.
3. Knowing Thyself / Personal
Awareness
• + In order to communicate effectively, you need
to know yourself.
• + Knowing yourself enables you to help others
better.
• Communication is a two way transmission
between a transmitter (sender) and a receiver.
• The way we talk and listen depends on WHO WE
ARE!
• Communication therefore begins with our selves.
4. Personal awareness
• Personal awareness is the ability
for one to know, recognize,
understand and appreciate who
they are with their value and
belief systems as well as the way
we relate to others, their
character, attitude, emotions and
feelings and physical appearance.
5. • The importance of self-awareness in provision
of palliative care is that we get more in charge
of our lives, which is necessary in service
provision and at the same time we are able to
reflect our own experiences in life. This helps
us to help others
6. Why be more self aware?
• We are more in charge of ourselves
• We develop more sensitivity to our own
feelings and to those of others.
• Reflecting on our own experience in life can
help us to help others.
7. Developing personal awareness
• Some steps to consider and work through:
• Where am I in life’s journey?
• Birth → child bearing → middle age → golden
age → death
What social and cultural factors influence me?
• My country
• My tribe
• My social norms
• By beliefs
• My conscientious objectives
• From birth influence survive in me
• From my family
8. From the family I marry into
• Education
• Opportunities
• Work
• Friends
My physical appearance
• How do I see myself?
• Am I satisfied with my appearance?
• On a new day, Do you like what you see in a mirror
before you begin a new day?
• How about the dressing?
• The whole day may be bad if you did not like what you
saw in the mirror in the morning.
Intelligence
9. • Inherited
• Opportunities
My value system (hierarchy of values)
• Wealth
• Education
• Children
• Husbands
• Social status
10. My vulnerabilities: we are all wounded
• What frightens me?
• What makes me angry?
What is my image of God?
• Distant or near?
• Loving father, friend, or
• Judge?
11. Health care profession is a caring profession.
Caring is made up of five elements beginning
with the later ‘C’:
• Compassion
• Competence
• Confidence
• Conscience
• Commitment
12. Before we counsel, we must review our feelings for
this person.
Counseling is not handing out advice or giving
solutions to other peoples’ problems.
• Are we open or closed as we approach?
• Am I distracted by my own worries?
• Have I decided what should be done before I
listen?
• Do I need help from each other and God, to put
these aside and open our hearts with a loving
compassion?
• Do I have the qualities, attitude and skill
necessary for good communication?
13. The Johari Window
Public Self (free)
(Known to Me and others)
Private Self(hidden area)
(known to Me only)
Hidden Self (BLIND area)
(known to Others, but
Not to me)
Unknown Self
(dark area/mystery)
(Not known To me or
Anyone else)
14. Free (Open)
• The part of yourself known to you and to others,
e.g. behaviors, feelings, thoughts, sex, profession.
• It is the area of mutual understanding.
Blind area
• This is the part of you which is known to others
but unknown to self, e.g. tone of your voice,
conflict you may have been involved, good trait
which you are not aware, may all be in this area.
15. Hidden area
• It is that part known to yourself but unknown to
others.
• These are our secrets and we don’t want other people
to know. What is hidden may best remain hidden but
also it might clear the air, and build trust and make
communication easier if more of your self were known
and shared.
Dark area/Mystery
• It is that part of yourself which is unknown to self and
unknown to others.
• Here are talents and abilities which you do not yet
know you have and others have never seen, but they
are part of you nevertheless and may one day come to
the surface.
16. • Health care profession is a caring profession. Caring is made up of five elements
beginning with the later ‘C’:
• Compassion
• Competence
• Confidence
• Conscience
• Commitment
• Before we counsel, we must review our feelings for this person.
• Counseling is not handing out advice or giving solutions to other peoples’
problems.
• Are we open or closed as we approach?
• Am I distracted by my own worries?
• Have I decided what should be done before I listen?
• Do I need help from each other and God, to put these aside and open our hearts
with a loving compassion?
• Do I have the qualities, attitude and skill necessary for good communication?
