System Safety Plan - Plain text version This RTF/text document brought to y’all by Rev. Criss “The Crisses” Ittermann of Eclectic Tech, LLC & Liberated Life Coaching. See also: PluralityResource.org for the free companion course, Kinhost.org/Books/ for the United Front series. Much of our free work helping folk build internal community is sponsored by our http://patreon.com/crisses supporters. 2020 v0.1. © Rev. Criss Ittermann. Permission to print & distribute freely, without payment or fees. System Safety Plan A place for important information for your system courtesy of Criss “The Crisses” Ittermann & Liberated Life Coaching. Whether y’all have trauma, immune disorders, autism, or anything that flares or can get progressively worse at times of distress, y’all can have a plan in place to remind whomever’s Front of options when y’all need to take great care of yourselves. For these plans to be most useful, use pencil so they’re easy to update. Take your time and don’t overwhelm yourselves; tweak & tune your answers over time as things come to mind, or as things work or don’t work. A gradual process is best especially the page on triggers. Get in a habit of keeping your plan up-to-date. You might decide to keep it in a separate looseleaf binder so it’s easy to replace pages over time. We hope this printable will help y’all start your& plan, give you a place where you can jot ideas to start with for your main plan, or allow y’all to carry around an abbreviated version of your full plan for quick reference. You& can make an even smaller copy of your written plan to carry around if desired. There are more elaborate instructions to create a plan in the book United Front: Recruits or in the free “System Safety Plan” online course on https://pluralityresource.org. Contents of safety plans are usually things that “make sense”. Our information is based on the U.S. DHHS, SAMHSA, & CMHS publication SMA-3720 Action Planning for Prevention and Recovery — a pamphlet you can get for free. It’s available through the online course as well (you don’t need to sign up or enroll to get the download. We’ve modeled this section of the planner after the pamphlet; their instructions (before the dash) apply to the sections in the Ship’s Log (after the dash): • Developing a Wellness Toolbox — Crew Equipment Review. Much of this will be used for other exercises, including Staying in “Ship Shape” left column. • Daily Maintenance Plan: Feeling Well — “Safe Water Mark” both columns, with the modification of specifying internal vs. external. • Daily Maintenance Plan: Dreams & Goals — Your& Ship’s Missions.
• Daily Maintenance Plan: Daily List — Staying in “Ship Shape” right column.
• Daily Maintenance Plan: Reminder List — Checking for Barnacles. Also use the Quarterly Plan starting page 11. Add checklists to refer to during internal meetings or while working on your planners, etc.
• Triggers — Foul Waters. Identifying in the left column, Action Plan in the right column.
• Early Warning Signs — Navigating Dangers. Identifying in the left column, planning in the right column.
• When Things Are Breaking Down or Getting Worse — Batten the Hatches. Signs in the left column. Selves-directives in the right column. Note the Crisis Plan in the pamphlet is not in this planner. We would call it “Heavy Weather”— those times when things are so bad folk go to port or hang on for dear life. In the worst of times when y’all can’t take care of yourselves, these are pre-written instructions for your& care y’all already gave to others when y’all were OK. So this is a packet y’all should create for mental health proxies or supporters to help you when things go sideways in spite of your& best efforts to prevent it, and y’all can no longer care for yourselves. When y’all make one, make extra copies & carry one with y’all, and to give one to each of your& mental health proxy or carers. It is not a legally binding document; for that you want to look into Psychiatric Advance Directives (consult a lawyer because we are not a lawyer, and they’re often contested). Review these plans occasionally until certain y’all will take good care of yourselves. Emergency Numbers / Crisis Numbers Below, list the emergency/crisis numbers y’all need to call if no one knows y’all are in crisis. You& can add people, support or crisis lines that y’all might call before you& get into a crisis. Note: many US areas have a help line to call (211) for service referrals. Crew Equipment Review A Toolbox Brainstorm Make an exhaustive list of things that y’all enjoy, love, are passionate about, that help your& mood, etc. The more the merrier. Use both columns, invent more columns, better yet: bring scrap paper to the party. “Safe Water Mark” All’s Well Signals What are the signs that things are going well for y’all? What do you do, who fronts, how do y’all feel, how do y’all or other people know that y’all are doing just fine? External signs we’re doing well. Internal signs we’re doing well. Your& Ship’s Missions Plans, Goals, Dreams, Wishlist, etc. Individual or group goals, however far-fetched or mundane any of y’all think they are. What might you want to do one day, or look back and know y’all accomplished? Shorter term plans & goals. Wild dreams, ideas, wishes. Staying in “Ship Shape” Things that help us feel better when things aren’t going well. On the right list selves-care items y’all must do everyday to be and stay well. On the left, pull in toolbox items y’all can do to help feel better on a low-spoon day. Things that help us feel better. Daily maintenance that helps us stay well. Checking for Barnacles Timely reminders to prevent problems later. What selves-care, household, financial, paperwork, etc. do y’all need
to stay on top of to prevent distress and problems? (Med refills, laundry, bills...) Do we need to...this week? Do we need to...this month? If it’s a for a specific month, or time of year, you can add it to the Quarterly Plan
at the end of this pamphlet. Foul Waters When there’s dangers in your environment. These are triggers that cause more than just annoyance but an actual increase in your& symptoms (i.e. flares, anxiety, depression, self-harm, panic, despair, intrusions, flashbacks...) Things that increase unwanted symptoms. What y’all will do to comfort yourselves. Navigating Dangers Becoming your own maritime pilot. (A ship’s navigator who pilots a vessel through rough waters, sandbars, reefs, etc.)
What are internal signs of upcoming danger, & what can y’all do when things are about to get rough? Signs that we’re heading into danger. Ways we’ll help ourselves navigate through. Batten the Hatches In your worst of times... What behaviors mean things are degrading & y’all may lose control. Agree on some very clear & direct actions to take. Distressed folk may not be able to think, decide or make choices. Signs that we’re in over our head. Directives for whomever is fronting: Quarterly Plan A high-level view to see annual/seasonal reminders: events, habit/goal planning, big picture, “penciling in” holiday/vacation prep, TBA conferences to check on, class schedule, submission deadlines, contests, subscription renewals, car maintenance schedule, long events, seasonal sales wishlists theme party ideas, marketing calendar, and much more. January February March April May June July August September October November December