Start of FGC training in Tokyo

Today, Friday 17 July 2015, was the first day of the training on Family Group Conferencing (FGC) in Tokyo. At 10 AM I went to the front desk of the hotel, to have a preparatory meeting with Rob, Hedda and Yoshi. Then we went to the conference-venue by taxi, where we first met Mari, Reiko and other organizers and staff of the training, and we had a nice buffet-lunch.
At 1300 the training-conference started. There were 50 people with diverse backgrounds, such as lawyers, researchers, service users, family, service providers and advocates/activists. First Rob, Hedda and I introduced ourselves, and then Rob and Hedda started with an introduction of the key values and principles of Family Group Conferencing. They explained that we are all experts about our own life, and nobody is really alone, we all have a circle of people around us, and sometimes we all need other people for help. The audience was asked to participate actively, by giving examples or feedback, and although we were told that this interactivity is not really common in Japanese culture, this went very well. After drafting a set of ground rules for the training, such as on confidentiality of personal testimonies, all participants were asked to form small groups and define their own goal of participation at this conference. Many people were hoping to learn how to empower or support persons in practice, how to realize independent living and inclusion, how to deal with conflicting interests of family and persons with psychosocial disabilities themselves, and some came to study the philosophy of the FGC model to relate that to their own practices. Then Rob and Hedda started explaining the origin of FGC, which comes from New Zealand, where in the late 80s, the Maori population felt colonized, and the NZ government was sensitive to this claim had to find a way to stop excluding the Maori population and Maori culture in their decision-making processes, and they came up with the FGC concept.

There were some questions coming from the audience, such as “what is the definition of family?” in reference to Family Group Conferencing. It is a fluid definition, relating to the circle of people who are around you. A quick inventory amongst participants showed that all persons have about 15-40 people around them, whom they can call when they would need something. The next question then was “what about persons who have been destructive to their network, and where the network has been worn out?”. We parked this question for a later phase of the training, but I did say that the network can vary from time to time, based on my own experiences. And someone stated that he had various circles around him, and he would select people depending on the topic, such as colleagues for work-related issues, and family for health issues. One of the key principles of Family Group Conferencing is to widen the circle, and to involve the persons who care. Together they have more heads, more hands and more hearts, and this can really help to find solutions and to make a plan together. The FGC model implies a shift of thinking. Instead of “professional knows best” it is “family knows best”. They know what are the problems, and they know what would help. Another response from the audience was about the common culture of exclusion of persons with disabilities, because traditionally the voice and functioning of the family is dominant in Japan, which can result in exclusion and institutionalization of the person in order to relieve the family from the “burden”. I really felt the need to respond to this discussion.

I decided to make an intervention, and I briefly explained how I saw the potential of FGC in the context of the mental health field, based on my own experiences. For example, my brother with Down syndrome is not so easily understood by outsiders, but as a sister, I know him well, and I understand his expressions, which is a typical skill of persons in the close circle. This also applies to a family member with psychotic episode: outsiders do not understand that easily, but as a closely involved person, I knew what was behind it. And it is a fact that I cannot take 24/7 care of this person in such an episode, but by Family Group Conferencing a care-schedule could be made to share the care so that nobody gets overloaded. And thirdly, I have also experienced rigid psychiatric interventions myself when I was called “a danger to myself” after a suicide attempt. The psychiatric system did not answer my real needs at all. Again FGC could have provided another answer to this situation. It is the people who are close, who have more understanding of the situation than a professional, and can therefore provide valuable input and ideas in the process.
Then it was 16.45, and I had to stop, because we had to leave the conference room. Tomorrow we will go on with the programme and the discussions. It has been a very interesting day. Today, we couldn’t take away all questions, but we have 3 full days of FGC training to come, and I am sure it will get clearer along the way. I got some very nice responses to my contribution, which is nice of course.

When I walked out of the room, I suddenly saw a great leaflet, announcing my lecture in Kyoto. Very colourful and strong texts. Big thanks to the Japanese National Group of Mentally Disabled People. I am so proud of it!!!! (I still need to prepare more for this event, within my tight and challenging schedule, but if necessary I can do it on my free day, 21 July)

After the conference, we Rob, Hedda (and her family) and me went with some of the organizers for a traditional Japanese dinner in a very cosy place, sitting on the floor, eating countless tofu dishes with chopsticks. It was very nice. It is hard to believe that this was my first day in Japan, because I already feel like it has been much longer. So yes, I am having a good time here.
Now it’s already past 0.30 and I should get some sleep. The next days will be exhausting too.
Good night!