participatory action research approac hes (Kock & Kralik, 2006, p. 25) can im·olvc 1be following: (1) Direct observation where the nurse-res eanhcr can immerse herself in t11e research site to unc. lerstand the context of the 'lived experiences ': (2) Seek out tbe stakeholders and involve their active pnrticipation to nmlcr:;tnnd their cxpcricnce5/ conte:-.-tua l knowledg e, issues and discover their accus and priorities; (3) Story telling through inter·de,,· techniques thnt encourage people t<. i sh:1rc their e~pl. 'riencc. <: in Lhc past, describing what "·orke<l or hasn't work am. l why"?: (4) Umlerstamling context through pn:scncc hy being with participan ts in the area where they hvc m order to have a feel for context, observing. listening, learning issnc.-;, !iccking iss11<!5, exploring solutions. opportunities, and mapping nnd/ or diagranuni11 g resources an<l fo1<lings; (s) Case stories shared hy :111 indi"i<lua J, a family or population aggregat e: (6) Group meetings with people sharing common fe;ulurcs. con..,erns or is..<:ucs whic. h pmvidc rich data generation and mo Liva tion for action: (7) Timelinl. '. ~,md chani;c an;ily~is invohing listing of major events and experiences with ;ipµroximatc dates, people's acco11nts of the past. of how customs. practices and things dose to them have d1:1ngc<l: (8) Shared pre::;eulalion:, and analysis. where local people :111d/ or outsiders. t!Specinllr at communit1· meetings use maps, models, di,1gr<1111s lo prc11e11t their finding:;; and, (9) Contrnst comparisons where one group is asked 10 anal)·r. c the rcspuascs from another group and vice versa, particularly useful in situ,1tions where gender awareness is import~u1t. CBPR can enhance commun ity nursing practice on at least two perspect ives. 111c nurse-catalyst-researcher aud the community participo nts as co-rc.,cm chers can generate data to understand the processes related to lived c~7)ericncc:: on hcaltl1, illness, inequity/access problems, concerns :md issuci; Lhat sustain status quo. Based on a clear un<lerslanding of these pn1t:esses, both can guide one unulhcr in unleashing the empower ing potent. in! to iinprove sense of control and choice tu move beyond status quo and use workable and effective options to create an environment supporti\'e of behavior chtmge and healthy lifestyle. Through the nurse's capability for. malnta. ining true presence {Parse, 1995, p. 82), t\11: person, family or com. munity participants are provided the moti\'ation and support to explore the depths of ideas, i. ssues, or events as they choose lo shed light on the linxl experiences that appear like apathy, passivity or hardiness to ·outsiden; looking in'_ 111e process of helping community participants describe. and dwc. 11 on lived e Kperienccs can be done through commu nication techniques like: "Tell us about your experience when you (or your family member) got sick of... ; Describe what was hardest for \'OU at that time; How was it like to you when that incident happened?; How did you feel when that happened?; What does it mean to you to... ?; Why do you think this wnv?" Lived experiences of families and commun. ily participants explicated as coping or ;daptnlion realities can be understood as lack of or inadequate sense of control or choice over problems or issues rather than apathy, passivity or indifference. Helping commun itv participan ts as co-researchers think about options to transcend tl1esituationand move on can be done through questions like: "What matters to vou now? Wl1at do \'OU think you can do? Describe what you would most like to change; How might you do things differently? ; \Vbat do you think would work?" ENHANCING EMPOWERING POTENTI AL: THE HUMAN RESPONSE PERSPECTIVE The com. munity health nurse (CHN) is continuously cha Jlenged by practice issues and gaps_ These are rooted in a multi-dime nsional and complex in1er. 1ction between epidemiologica l, socio-cultural, behavioral, political and economic factors affecting morbidi ty and mortality realities in the Philippines nnd many other countries. The 433 --