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The Quality of Life Feedback Loop

The Quality of Life Feedback Loop (Baum, 1999, 2000) is a graphical representation of the dynamic relationships between the Person, the Environment and the Behaviour.

When the Feedback Loop is negatively charged by ill-being energy, it will promote low self-esteem which will manifest in challenging behaviours further causing a stronger, more negative environmental reaction.

Alternatively, when the Feedback Loop is positively charged by well-being energy, it will cultivate better self-esteem and self-confidence, which will eventually eliminate the person’s aggressive, non-verbal behavioural expression.  Such a change in the nature of the behavioural communication will further promote positive environmental reactions. 

A positive reaction from the environment will enhance personal and emotional growth and development, ability to learn, reduction of stress and challenges and will ultimately lead to an improved quality of life. 

The Quality of Life Feedback loop represents the mode by which MukiBaum relates to, supports and treats the people it serves.

The Whole Person as Viewed by the Multi-Focal Approach

The Multi-Focal Approach, developed by Dr. Baum in 1971, is based on the belief that when you attend to the core areas of a person (emotional, sensory and psychological) you help facilitate the individual’s development, which manifests in the evolvement of abilities and talent, ultimately opening the door to the actualization of the person’s full potential.  The Multi-Focal Approach is the approach MukiBaum implements in all of its’ programs.

MukiBaum's Multi-Focal Approach

MukiBaum’s secret to uncovering the human treasures beyond disability is through its unique, person-centred, holistic Multi-Focal Approach developed in 1971 by Dr. Nehama Baum.  This approach enables the child or adult to actualize their potential and develop their talents and abilities by first working through their emotional, psychological and sensory blockages.

Seeing the person as a whole human being rather than only attending to his or her challenges and disabilities creates the foundation for a humanistic quality of life based approach that opens the door for growth and development. Through the Multi-Focal Approach we attend to the causes of the challenges rather than solely focusing on their symptoms.  For example, we perceive behaviour as a means of communication, a non-verbal expression of needs, challenges, wants etc, as well as a reaction to environmental messages.  Attending to the underlying emotional, psychological and sensory needs of the person eliminates the challenging behaviour and provides the child or adult with a sense of being heard, seen, accepted and respected. This results in growing self confidence, better self esteem and improved quality of life.

The Multi-Focal Approach opens an inner space within which children and adults at MukiBaum can develop, achieve, excel, actualize and succeed for, what may be, the first time in their lives.