THE BROADER PICTURE
There's more to understand than what we can see
Above the Surface What we may notice
- Mood or emotional changes
- Changes in behavior
- Sleep difficulties
- Withdrawal or isolation
- Agitation or irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in daily functioning
- Physical complaints or discomfort
- Alcohol or other substance use
Beneath the Surface Factors that may influence one another
Physical and neurological health
Mental health and personal experiences
Environment, development and daily life
Read all categories
Above the Surface
What we may notice in how someone feels, behaves, or functions.
- Mood or emotional changes
- Changes in behavior
- Sleep difficulties
- Withdrawal or isolation
- Agitation or irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in daily functioning
- Physical complaints or discomfort
Beneath the Surface
What may be contributing. These factors can overlap and influence one another.
These overlapping perspectives are not diagnostic categories or mutually exclusive explanations.
Physical and neurological health
Illness, pain, medications, sleep, neurological and developmental changes.
- Physical illness or infection
- Pain or untreated discomfort
- Medication effects or interactions
- Sleep disruption or fatigue
- Neurological and cognitive conditions
- Developmental or hormonal changes
Mental health and personal experiences
Trauma, stress, grief, mental health, and past experiences.
- Trauma and past experiences
- Stress, grief, or major life changes
- Mental health and psychiatric conditions
Environment, development and daily life
Relationships, communication, sensory needs, routines, and unmet needs.
- Neurodevelopmental differences and disabilities
- Sensory or communication needs
- Relationships and environment
- Unmet needs or difficulty expressing distress
Not everything beneath the surface needs to be fixed. Some conditions and differences are lifelong. The goal is to understand the person, recognize what may be affecting their well-being, and identify where care or support may help.
Current reveal:
What we notice matters. So does what may be happening beneath the surface.