Social Mirroring In Social Work

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Mike Dooley once said that at this very moment, “there are people only you can reach…and differences only you can make.” Being a social worker this single quote is true every single day, because as a social worker we are able to reach those we interact with on a daily basis and make a difference in their lives. In the state of Florida, there exists a place called The Children’s Home Society that works with children and families. Very similar to a state’s department of children, this organization strives to help all children who enter their doors. As a social worker, like Mike Dooley said these are individuals only we can reach and working towards making a difference in any child’s life is something that social workers strive to do on a daily …show more content…

This is essentially when an individual from a specific culture attempts to mimic or mirror a different culture. This occurs when someone from one culture relocates to a new location. In an attempt to fit in, some Latinos have been reported as social-mirroring. They believe by doing so it will enable them to transition easier into their new surroundings. However, they have to deal with finding their identity as a result since they essentially lose it during the transition to American culture (Fong, 2004, pp. 1-2). Similar to social-mirroring is the strong family bond that exists within the Hispanic culture, as a result of this families lean heavily on their inner-family network, this means when a social worker becomes involved within a family they become an extension of the family. This means that a “professional” relationship should not be utilized when it comes to working with these families. Having a more open personal relationship can enable a strong social worker-client bond that may not exist in a professional relationship (Phillips, 2009, pp. 50-51). Social workers serve as an integral part when it comes to the Hispanic population in the United States. They are individuals who can quickly become more like family than with other cultures and are able to help transitioning families adapt to their constantly

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