The Leap Method

Situations can change pretty fast these days and sometimes it can feel like there’s not a lot of room for mistakes. So as I raced through rush-hour traffic to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to counsel my good friend’s young son, something inside told me I might only get one chance to help.

I needed a solution for someone in need. I needed a sure thing. The right touch. I needed an answer. And fast. 

I needed to do what a lot of us do when we need some help. I phoned a friend.

I called Tim Davis, the Program Director at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Westside Los Angeles, for some quick words of wisdom. 

He told me, “Use the LEAP Method.”

The LEAP Method. Listen, Empathize, Agree and Partner. 

Just four letters and four words and they really, really work.

The LEAP Method is the work of internationally renowned clinical psychologist Doctor Xavier Amador, CEO of the LEAP FOUNDATION.

When we meet someone with a diagnosis, we tend to focus on their illness rather than their wellness.

Dr. Amador says we should first LISTEN with an open mind. Hear who they are and how they feel.

Then we should EMPATHIZE. Put yourself in their shoes. Really feel what they’re feeling.

Then just AGREE. Agree it must be challenging. Validate their feelings. Compliment them for seeking solutions. Sometimes it’s not what you say but how you say it that matters. Just agree and be a friend. Mean what you say and say what you mean but don’t say it mean.

Finally, PARTNER. Work together. Focus on the fix. What do they need? How can you help? Become a team and craft the first few steps of a solution.

And that’s just what we did. We showered my friend’s son with the LEAP Method. We LISTENED, EMPATHIZED, AGREED and PARTNERED, and now he’s doing so much better. Try the LEAP Method the next time you need a sure-thing solution in a relationship, on the job or with a family member. And remember…

When you take the “I” out of “ILLNESS” and replace it with “WE”, you get WELLNESS. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and share. And remember to always, always, always go where the love is. Namaste.