Deficits-Based vs. Strengths-Based Language
Language has power. We want to use strengths-based language instead of deficits-based language, which emphasizes the whole person rather than the medical or behavioral experiences they may be navigating.
For example:
Rather than describing someone as an "unfit parent," we want to describe them as "a person experiencing barriers to successful parenting."
Hyams, K, Prater, N., Rohovit, J., Meyer-Kalos, P.S. (2018). Person-centered language. Clinical Tip No. 8 (April, 2018): Center for Practice Transformation, University of Minnesota.
