Five Mind Model
The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders offers standard criteria for the classification of disorders. This information is essential for providing a toolbox of coping skills to treat mental health concerns. Personalising treatment for precision goes beyond challenging thinking and treating avoidance behaviours to allow people to embrace their authentic self.
The Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach educates people on how different minds function (to embrace their strengths) and the legacy of such minds in terms of the benefits to society. The different minds that will be briefly discussed includes; The Focused Mind, The Awe of the Autistic Mind, The Problem-Solving Mind, The Existential Mind, and The Entrepreneurial Mind.
The theory of the Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is grounded by the therapeutic benefits of integrating a healthy sense of self, in which your cognitive capacity and emotional energy is directed towards growth and allows you to immerse yourself in what provides you with meaning, connection and creativity. Blocking your emotions and masking (repression of emotion and camouflaging) can lead to burn out. You don’t grow out the way your mind works, rather you grown into it. A great tragedy is going through life disconnected from our brilliant minds, because we see the self as broken. The theory of a Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is grounded by the therapeutic benefits of embracing the authentic self, to promote a sense of purpose, in which clients feel empowered to embrace their unique strengths and abilities to contribute to society in ways that feel authentic and meaningful to them. The assumptions and narratives that dominate different minds play an important role in the mental health and wellbeing of our clients.
The Focused Mind
The focused mind leads to distress when intrusive thoughts are centred around death anxiety, health anxiety, and/or thoughts do not align with the persons values (e.g., not being able to control a distressing thought and thinking this will lead to terrible consequences).
Fusing with an intrusive thought is when the person considers the thought to be important, dangerous or saying something about them as a person. When the focused mind is under high levels of distress, there is an intolerance to uncertainty, perfectionism, excess sense of responsibility and an overestimation of danger. Intrusive thoughts are catastrophic, in which a person may imagine the worst feared possible outcome and feel traumatised as if it is happening. The strength of judgement is overused and obsessive thinking about feared outcomes develops. Subjugating (pleasing at the expense of the self) can lead to exhaustion and guilt. Self-esteem fluctuates in relation to if the person is achieving, pleasing or gaining reassurance.
The Awe of the Autistic Mind
The Problem-Solving Mind
The Problem-solving mind can lead to inattention, impulsivity, and hyper-activity. Adults who present with ADHD often describe their frustration of the mind leading them towards new topics of discussion and questions of great importance (which presents as the mind wandering, tangential thinking and disengaging), and a sense of not feeling satisfied (a craving for stimulation). Rejection Sensitivity and emotional hyper arousal precipitates clinically significant symptoms of distress. The ADHD mind has an interest based nervous system that is not motivated by rewards and consequences and this can eventuate in motivational and time challenges, and achieving below potential (e.g., not finishing what one starts). A strength-based perspective does not deny that ADHD carries potentially life threatening risks and deficiencies, however it also seeks to acknowledge the talents, interests and skills upon which the person can build a life of success and joy. If a person is genuinely proud of who they are, it helps them to navigate the world better. In this way expectations become more realistic, and do not require the person to meet standards that are unreasonable. Flexibility allows people to minimize the negative and leverage on the positive.
The Existential Mind
When existential thoughts are directed towards the self in a punitive-way they have nothing encouraging to say and there is a sense of overwhelm. When your mind wanders to an existential headspace (what is the meaning of life, where do I fit in) it is difficult to focus on the present moment and challenge unhelpful thinking. Existential thoughts directed on a macro level evaluate the way human beings act towards one another, nature, and/or the cruelty of animals. This may be particularly detrimental to a person’s mental health when they believe that they have used up their responses in their coping repertoire and develop maladaptive thinking about their plight. This may be further perpetuated by avoidance behaviours such as disengaging and isolating one-self and/or self-medicating. The values people hold (authenticity, integrity, fairness, kindness) tend to match peoples triggers of anger. One of the strongest factors in fuelling anger and keeping it going is when attitudes and expectations clash with the real world (I need the world to be fair and just).
In clinical practice I have often treated symptoms of clinical depression by helping the client to problem solve how they can find meaning, connection and creativity in their individual lives. Clients often report that their day to day functioning (concentration, mood, appetite, sleep etc.) returns to their authentic way of being once this resolution is achieved. Existential thinkers report a distinct difference in which the mind continues to obsessively return to an existential head-space to question the overall meaning of life (beyond the individual self) and they report not being able to find peace and fulfilment without pondering this question. Existential thinkers acknowledge suffering in the world and imagine a better way. The character strength of transcending provides existential thinkers with meaning, connection and creativity.
The Entrepreneurial Mind
The creativity, energy, productivity, charm and euphoria of the Entrepreneurial Mind can create businesses (in a variety of industries) that have a positive impact on society. Innovations that may improve our standard of living may include alternative energy, health awareness and education. Entrepreneurial ventures can also create jobs and conditions for a prosperous society. Unfortunately, these perceived advantages are only temporary and, for most people, progress to increasing mania, disruptive lifestyle choices, poor impulse control, and increased substance abuse and can lead to psychosis. Bi Polar Disorder requires ongoing management with the right medical support (psychiatric care), to achieve an overall sense of balance and prevent symptoms from exacerbating. Increased optimism and grandiosity can lead people to underestimate/dismiss the potential negative consequences of their behaviour, rush into an activity or make decisions without carefully considering the pros and cons, and/or only focus on information that confirms their beliefs whilst ignoring evidence to the contrary.
Applicability
To all, of the beautiful minds I have had the privilege of working with, I acknowledge the valuable contribution you bring to this world with the upmost respect. The ripple effect of these beautiful minds benefits many people for years to come. What each of these minds share in common is an altruistic concern for the wellbeing of the collective. Jung quotes – “If you are a gifted person, it doesn’t mean that you gained something. It means you have something to give back.” Greatness can be achieved through diversity.
Please find below videos of professionals and celebrities who embrace neurodiversity.
The Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is not proposed to replace the important work of the dominant psychological therapeutic interventions. Schema therapy is a powerful therapeutic intervention that allows clients to identify psychological defences and self-defeating patterns that begin early in life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy educates clients on how to challenge problematic cognitions (thoughts and core beliefs) and behaviours that can amplify distress. Acceptance Commitment Therapy encourages people to be mindful of their emotions in a curious and non-judgmental manner, which allows them to change how they pay attention to an emotion and sets the framework for managing distress in a healthy way.
Please note DSM-V diagnosis, psychological and psychiatric (appropriate use of medication and psychiatric care) treatment provides the key to understanding, resources and support. The Functional Legacy Mindset™ Five Mind Model should not be used to replace a face to face clinical interview to assess diagnosis of mental health concerns and material on this website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional difficulties, you should contact your GP to obtain a referral to see a qualified professional.
The Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach was designed by Dr Kerry Chillemi (Clinical Psychologist) to
- Educate people on how different minds function (to embrace their strengths) and the legacy of such minds in terms of the benefits to society. The different minds that will be discussed includes; The Focused Mind, The Awe of the Autistic Mind, The Problem-Solving Mind, The Existential Mind, and The Entrepreneurial Mind.
- Acknowledge the contributions and richness (the unique constellations of strengths and challenges) of each of these minds and advocate for accommodations in schools and workplaces.
- Explain how the narratives that dominate these minds plays an important role in the mental health and wellbeing of our clients. The theory of a Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is grounded by the therapeutic benefits of integrating a healthy sense of self (embracing the authentic self).
- Educate people that blocking your emotions and masking (repression of emotions and camouflaging) can lead to burn out. Diagnosis provides understanding, resources and support.
- Address environmental factors that may be adversely impacting neurodivergent minds and propose that the way forward is to systematically process information obtained from the lived experience of neurodivergent clients to learn more about the adverse impact of blocking and masking.
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