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Reflective account on personal development
Personal growth reflection essay
Reflective account on personal development
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Learn to “sit in the fire” is probably one of the most challenging things I will have to push myself through and learn as a social worker. Extreme emotions are overwhelming, and intense experiences are often very hard to process. One thing that I tend to do is try to jump in and fix people’s problems, whether they be small like not knowing the answer to a question, or big like conflicts between friends, but as I have gone through the process of learning how to be a social worker, I have learned the importance taking a step back and realizing that not only can I not fix everyone’s problems, but also, some problems can’t be solved. The text discusses not simply being a passive bystander, but to be engaged in other peoples’ lives and what they are experiencing. Finding this balance will be a critical skill to combat burnout as I grow into a professional social worker.
This skill is particularly important to me, because I have seen it modeled throughout my life unconsciously, and through learning
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This is quite possibly the biggest challenge I think I will face in my career and life. It is easy to want to advocate for others but the role of an ally is delicate and doesn’t always come naturally. Being an ally, just like sitting in the fire, does not mean fixing people’s problems for them, but supporting them. Allies are critical for support to people in oppressed statuses, yet it is important that their voice does not overpower the voice of the oppressed. This balance is hard to find and it is easy for allies to become overeager in helping a cause. One phrase discussed in the text, that I find most challenging states “Do not try to be my friend. I deserve more than that. Get to know me. We may become friends. . . . Do not tell, correct, and lead. Listen, support, and follow. Do not work on me. Work with me.” This school year has taught me a lot about being an
Urdang’s article is well written and highly informative. It maintains the reader’s interest and provides applicable information to social workers. After reading the article, I will continue to focus on myself, who I am, and what I know is right. This well help me to become more self-aware and avoid burnout, inappropriate relationships and emotional distress. It can be assumed that most people after reading this article felt the same way. This article contributes to social work students by pointing out big issues in the field of social work and then offers methods and solutions to avoid these
The overwhelming poverty that Sylvia (Toni Cade Bambara, "The Lesson" p.543) and Abner (William Faulkner, "Barn Burning" p.250) experience dooms them both to a life of self-destruction. Though from different worlds, Sylvia and Abner both experience hate, confusion, and anger because of their lowly positions in life. Instead of trying to better themselves, they choose to vent their dissatisfactions on others, and ignore the cause of the discriminations they face.
Entering the field of social work you must be prepared to encounter many personalities. Knowing this, you have to become aware of people with different backgrounds and morals. By doing this you will be able to help your clients to the best of your ability, without forcing your personal beliefs or values on to them. A value is a set of rules or or beliefs that affect your every day decisions (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2011). Applying your personal values to every situation is very important, however, you must learn to separate what you know and what is in actuality the best outcome for your client. I will be discussing the ways I feel about the “Vignette’s”, while also incorporating different things I have learned from the readings and class discussions.
This paper will entail my reflections on three main areas pertaining to my own personal experiences. I will describe the influence of my own life experiences, give my particular world view, and describe what advantages and disadvantages, power, and privileges I will bring to my interaction as a social worker.
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.
This paper will explore what the primary mission of social work as a professional means to me. Through self-reflection of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, I will delve into why I chose social work as a career, the type of social worker I want to become, and ponder what challenges and obstacles may impede my chosen path.
This is why social workers must also be critical thinkers. Critical thinking applied to the social work profession involves “the ability to define an issue, stressor, or problem; to distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge to formulate a tentative practice direction” (Gitterman & Knight, 2013). Theories, as well as research, “about phases of individual, family and group development; about ethical, racial, religious, spiritual, and sexual identity development; and about individual, family, and group development” provide social workers with a basic starting point for a more complex and situational-based intervention plan that will later be developed. In social work practice, intervention plans and assessments are not blindly developed, but rather based off theory and research. Therefore, although social work is a profession of artistry and creativity; it is also a scientific profession enhanced by the use of theory and
Advocating for vulnerable persons creates emotions and feelings that could lead to inappropriateness amongst clients. As social workers, we walk a very thin line sometimes in the aspects of helping a client. This makes it easy to stray away from policy and procedure and go with our own personal feelings. The consequences which can result from not establishing appropriate boundaries can be detrimental to my career as a social worker and to a client.
Working with others and improving own learning and performance are highly essential skills in social work. In this essay I will reflect on how well I have developed these two skills and what I need to do to improve them.
Over the course of the semester, I have learned a variety of many things regarding social work. These things vary from learning how to help oneself to understanding how to help others. Not only were the textbooks very useful, but also the materials that furthered this textbook learning. The in class presentation, activities, and guest speakers gave us insight and a different perspective on the material we were learning. I feel like this course has given me a good foundation and prepared me as a future social worker (1).
Social Work is a profession that prides itself on the ability to cultivate positive relationships with people who may be very different from us. There may be differences in age, race, personality, gender, socioeconomic status, health, sexual orientation, rank, power, and privilege, as well as beliefs regarding religion and politics. The experience of these differences can cause a Social Worker to feel emotionally and cognitively disturbed. The ability to become aware of and consciously attend to these internal disturbances can positively affect the quality of relationship we are able to
To promote social change is at the core of what it means to be a social worker. Change is necessary to achieve growth. Historically there have been uprisings and movements that have called for change that is much needed to a broken system. As a social worker our existence and purpose is to move, to rise up and not only be the change that is needed but to also start the conversations and see it to its end. It is important to build up those who have been put down and to give a voice to those whose voices have gone unheard or ignored. This passage means to not sit ideally by as communities remain suppressed,
Social workers level the playing field for individuals and families that have experienced hardships, terminal illnesses, mental health disorders and other adverse environmental situations that inhibit their ability to thrive within society. Social workers accomplish this by providing individuals and families the resources necessary to ensure that their needs are being met. Social workers serve an essential role to the functioning of our society, as they are committed and dedicated to increasing the quality of life for underprivileged community members. I fully intend on actively contributing to this endeavor, as I believe social workers have the responsibility to ensure that all community members have their needs met and the opportunity to
The social work profession is defined as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people (ISFW, ‘Global Definition of Social Work’, 2016).” The definition may be true about the profession but it is more in depth than just that. To me, the profession’s primary focus is to help others through life as much as we can while letting them make their own choices and guiding them. In society, social workers are utilized in many different nonprofit and government roles. They serve the community in many different ways from monitoring parent visits to helping people through mental illnesses. Human beings are so complex and things that happen
Putting yourself in someone else 's shoes is not an easy task to do, however, by trying to understand how others think and feel aids in sharpening one of the most vital skills of a social worker, which is the ability to be empathetic towards others and their situations.