“A person who seek to understand and empathize with others, he or she must seek first know himself or herself.” -Dr. James Malce Alo

1. Dr. James Malce Alo
RN, MAN, MAPsycho, PhD

2.  Dealing with physically and/or mentally ill
patients requires a great deal of patience
and understanding. However, before a
psychiatric nurse can understand and
empathize with others, he or she must first
know himself or herself.

3.  The process of knowing ones own principle,
beliefs, feelings, personality, strengths,
weaknesses, preconceptions, attitudes and
responses in different situations is called self
awareness.
 Discerning ones own capabilities and
limitations allow a nurse to consider, observe
and pay attention to the bizarre or subtle
reactions of clients.

4.  Self-awareness gives the nurse a skill in
establishing relationships with clients of
different values, beliefs, attitudes and
principles.
 This is achieved by the nurse’s utilization of
aspects in his or her personality, values,
feelings and coping skills commonly known as
the therapeutic use of self.

5.  Johari window is a psychological tool used
to develop self-awareness and promote
better relationships among people. It was
created by two American Psychologists
Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955.
 The word “JOHARI” comes from the first
names of its developers Joseph and Harry
(Joharry). It is also known as “disclosure or
feedback model of self awareness.”

6.  Utilizing this tool creates a portrait of
someone; this is done by giving the person a
psychosocial exercise. A list of 58 adjectives
is given to the subject and he or she is
instructed to choose five or six words that
best describe him or her. The same list is
given to the subject’s peers, friends and
colleagues. These people will also choose 5
or 6 adjectives that best describe the
subject. After the test, the answers are
mapped, compared and categorized in four
areas. The four areas are as follows:

8.  These pertain to the qualities known to
others and the subject himself.
 If quadrant 1 is the longest, it means that
the subject is open to others and has gained
self-awareness.
 If this area is the shortest, the subject shares
little about him or her.

9.  These refer to the subject’s attributes that
are unknown to him but are known by his or
her peers.

10.  The things that the subject knows about
himself.

11.  An empty quadrant which symbolizes the
qualities undiscovered by the neither the
subject nor others.

13.  The success of the test depends on the
honesty of the opinions given. A person is
represented with little insight if quadrants 1
and 3 have the smallest adjective listed. The
main goal the subject is to work towards
moving the qualities from quadrants 2, 3,
and 4 to the first area.

14. “A person who seek to understand and
empathize with others, he or she must seek
first know himself or herself.”
Thank you.
- Dr. James Malce Alo