Striking a Balance

Person-Centered Thinking Tools challenge both the person who is the focus of the planning and their team to figure out how to create a balance between what is important for a person, which in general focus on health and safety, and what is important to, which may be related to the person’s with whom and how the person spends their time.  

Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) begins with learning BOTH what is Important to a person and what is important for a person, the balance between them, and discussing trade-offs. 

Balance between health and safety and choice is shown with a series of two seesaws. Each have importance for and to, but they have to have a balance.

Important For Includes:

  • Health
  • Safety
  • Being valued

Important To Includes:

  • People
  • Purpose
  • Status and control
  • Things to do
  • Places to go
  • Routines
  • Pace of Life
  • Things to Have

As you can tell both what is important for and to are equally important and the goal is to ensure that neither side overtakes the significance of the other. 

Aida - the trainer

Watch this video from Dr. Michael Smull about Person-Centered Thinking and using it in a time of crisis.