The main goal of social work is providing guidance as the client learns to work through his or her own challenges and struggles. There are many approaches that a social worker can take to aid the client in the treatment process. One approach that is widely accepted is the strengths-based approach. The strengths-based approach allows a client to pull through their challenges by shifting the focus on personal strengths. Regardless of any conflict or pain, a client can pull through any problem by focusing on positive attributes (Kisthardt, 2006). A better understanding of how the strength based perspective can be applied to a client can be seen through the exploration of character identification, significant relationships, community analysis, …show more content…
or Pat is a white Italian-American male who has lost everything to include, his house, his job as a high school teacher, and his wife Nikki Solitano. Pat caught his wife with another man and chose to severely punish the man with a beating. The beating led Pat to serve a court mandated order of at least eight months at the Baltimore Maryland mental health institution. After serving the eight-month minimum stay, Pat with the help of his mother has been released. Pat is needing help to get back on his feet, so he is currently living with his mother Dolores and father Patrick Sr. During the treatment process Pat, has learned that he is suffering from Bipolar disorder. Pat’s main goal is to do whatever it takes to get his wife Nikki back. Although Pat has been asked to take medications such as Lithium, Seroquel, and Abilify to help with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, he is refusing because of the side effects. Instead of taking medication Pat is currently taking a holistic approach to treating the bipolar. He is working out by running, trying to read, and holding a spiritual motto of excelsior, which is Latin meaning ever upward. One of Pat’s largest strengths is he realizes that his strengths are greater than his Bipolar disorder. The internal strengths that Pat displays are his coping mechanisms, his resiliency, and his overall determination in …show more content…
The mechanism range from primitive and immature, to intermediate, and all the way to mature methods of coping (Dombeck, 2006). Each mechanism helps to aid in a client’s ability to cope with his or her current challenges and struggles. Pat is well known to deploy coping mechanism to deal with his life stressors. One of the immature coping mechanisms he uses is acting out (2006). When Pat caught his wife and lover in the shower together, he did not act rationally instead he acted out by going into a rage and without thinking of the consequences or legal repercussions of the rage he beats the man up. Another coping mechanism that Pat uses that is intermediate is reaction formation. Unconsciously Pat has anger and rage toward what his ex-wife Nikki has put him through, but he is only aware of his desire to do whatever it takes to get back with her. The last coping mechanism that Pat uses is the mature method of sublimation. Pat is choosing to take the negative emotions of what he is feeling and put them in a positive light by working out and living a healthier lifestyle. In addition to the coping mechanism, Pat also has the strength of
Social workers address people’s problems every day, but it’s the identification of people’s strengths that provides clues for how to solve their problems and improve their life situations (Saleeby, 2013, pp.17-20).
Utilizing strengths based perspective with clients enables social workers to focus on the client and family strengths and abilities instead of focusing on the client and family’s problems, bad behaviors and pathologies. The strengths based perspective applies six principles that guide the social worker professional in assisting client’s with the strengths based model; we all have areas of strength, but sometimes it takes an unbiased third party to notice and help others clearly see what they are capable of achieving, even in the midst of their crisis.
Social Workers are very important to everyday life. They are the ones that help people in need when they have nobody else to turn too. Also, they provide resources and better understanding of predicaments that you could be experiencing. I will reflect on how the class has affected me, my own experiences and how some theories have connected to my life experiences, and lastly, if the class helped toward my major. This class is important for someone that wants to become a social worker and wants to learn about the different theories used. Also, learning about me during this process of completing this class is fun and a way to see if the social work profession is right for me. There was many theories explained throughout this class but many will not be said because it wasn’t the main points that I was trying to get across. There are two tools that are used that can help a social worker organize a client’s life: Bubble map and Briefcase exercise. There are so many different ways a social worker can help a client deal with their problems and come up with a solution. It is up to that social worker to identify the client’s problem and see what theory fits.
Strengths and Limitations of Social Work Practice in Colombia: A View from Canadian Social Work
The person-in-environment approach views a client’s problems by how they react to the environmental contexts within their environment and how they occur. According to Gordon and Richmond, it has been stated that the person-in-environment approach is the “cornerstone” of social work practice. (as cited in Rogers, 2016, p.24). A clients’ systems are the interrelated aspects of a clients’ lives where all parts come together to function. Social workers utilize and focus on a clients’ systems when applying the person-in-environment. A clients’ system is anything that they interact with and hold roles in their lives. These systems can be on a micro level which is the individual and their biology, personality, and genetics. The individuals’ mezzo level would include their immediate environment, family, school, friends, or work. A macro level would include the larger social aspects of a clients’ life such as government policies, discrimination, oppression, or social class. Social workers incorporate these interactions and how they impact clients’ and their presenting problems. This theory and approach are beneficial as it allows a social worker to find out what resources are available to the client during their time with the worker (Rodgers,
Preferences in this context pertain to what the client deems important to succeed through the treatment process. Examples of preferences are appointment times, specific program, and or a gender of the therapist. Strengths, on the other hand, refer to attributes that help the client cope with stressful situations. Some examples of strengths are principles, religious beliefs of an individual, supportive friends, supportive family, being able to work, being able to care for others despite own problems, and hope. A client-centered treatment plan recognizes the importance of family and community supports and places health professionals as equal partners in the client’s treatment process (Pee Dee Mental Health Center,
Lamb, F., Brady, M., & Lohman, C. (2009). Lifelong resiliency learning: A strength-based synergy for gerontological social work. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52(7), 713-728. doi:10.1080/01634370802716216
Assessment is a basic skill of generalist social workers. As my current place of employment does not employ any defined assessment, I will utilize information from a generalist text and a sample assessment. The parameters of a generalist assessment are often defined by the specific practise agency (Birkenmaier, Berg-Weger, & Dewees, 2011). The assessment is utilized to identify relevant information such as demographics and the major areas for work such as the client’s goals (Birkenmaier et al., 2011). Many theories such as psychoanalytic or strengths perspective can influence a generalist assessment based on the assessing social worker’s theoretical preference (Birkenmaier et al., 2011). The sample generalist assessment used focuses on the client’s: living skills; health and disability; educationemployment; legal issues; housing; significant relationships; understanding of the issue; demographics; and crisis management (National Council of Social Service, 2006). The social worker has the opportunity to delve further into those areas if deemed necessary by their agency (National Council of Social Service, 2006).
This article differs from the previous article because it uses an ecological, strengths-based and victim-centred approach to inform social work practitioners. This research study found that the aforementioned approaches are integral aspects that can benefit survivors and professionals especially around coordinated efforts, trust-building and increase cultural competence (p.1). Individuals who are
Lester is entrenched in his beliefs that he is a loser and his wife and daughter contribute to his beliefs with their current state of hostile communication. In sessions it will be important that as the therapist that it does not appear that I am aligning with any particular family member as I work to draw out their strengths. Additionally, it may be difficult for the family members to identify strength-based goals that apply to the family as a whole, as opposed to goals that infer an individual needs to change. Lastly, one drawback of this process can be with the therapist. The intention of a strength-based perspective in therapy is to not mollify our dialogues, but to find respectful ways of having difficult conversations about family members (Zie,
Practice: Purpose, Principles, and Applications in a Climate of System’s Integration. In Saleebey, D. (Ed.), The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. Fourth Ed. 171-196. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
The generalist model in the social work profession was drawn from a social system’s theory in the late 1960 's due to the complexities of problems and challenges faced by human beings. It was needed to assist social workers in assessing and interviewing clients. Rather than make the client fit the model, the generalist model seeks to find the approach that best fits the client, as well as emphasizing respect for client self-determination and the use of client strengths with empowerment as an expected client system outcome. A generalist practice model is used in all areas of social work field in ethical and effective helping based on the eco-systems perspective using problem-solving strategies and practice skills requiring a strengths perspective
The focus of this chapter is recognizing success. It discuses how to evaluate and monitor the success of the social work effort to sustain client motivation, establishing effective strategies, and recognizing effective results. “empowerment- based social worker the purpose of evaluating goes beyond simply measuring outcomes an process. It also affirms the accomplishments made by clients and confirms the effectiveness of social service and social policies” (Miley, O'Melia, Dubois, pg. 407). It was also discussed the involvement of research, practice evaluation and the use of single-system designs.
As an upcoming social worker I understand there are certain traits I portray that are strengths in the social work field. I also understand that were there are strengths, there are weaknesses. I did not realize what my strengths and weaknesses were until I began to practice in the field. Some strengths I have found in myself are good listening skills, ability to handle stressful situations, and time management skills. Along with those strengths I have found my weaknesses are speaking what I believe about a situation, procrastination, and taking on too much responsibility.
Weick, A., Rapp, C., Sullivan, W., & Kisthardt, W. (1989). A Strengths Perspective for Social Work Practice. Social Work, 34(4), 350-354.