Social Work Skills Workbook Indiana University School of Social Work Exploring Chapter 9 Social Work Skills Workbook Barry Cournoyer Indiana University School of Social Work Supplements Developed by Patricia Clark, Northwestern State University of Louisiana ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Introduction As the beginning phase ends, the worker and client engage in a mutual exploration of the person-issue-situation. The worker uses exploring skills to encourage the client to share information, thoughts, and feelings about himself, the problem, the social context, and the environment. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Skills most applicable to the exploration phase are: Asking questions Seeking clarification Reflecting content Reflecting feelings Reflecting feeling and meaning Partializing Going beyond what is said ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Social workers adopt a person-and-situation perspective and attempt to identify client strengths and assets as well as challenges and obstacles in the client’s biopsychosocial life spheres and physical environment. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Biopsychosocial life spheres: Biological dimensions include genetic factors, health or illness, injury, alcohol and drugs, and environmental chemicals such as lead, pesticides, air and water pollution. Psychological dimensions include perceptions, cognitive beliefs, attitudes, and expectations. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Social dimensions include relationships within families, households, organizations, neighborhoods, communities, cultures, and societies as well as practices and traditions common within this environment. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Physical environment Problems and goals within the physical environment include housing, air and water quality, noise levels, access to food and clothing, personal privacy, and physical safety. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Once the beginning phase is over, clients often wish to discuss their most pressing problems. This involves four area of exploration. 1. Exploring the issue involves examining the present status of the problem or issue of concern—its intensity, frequency, and duration—and the context in which it tends to happen. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing 2. Exploring the person involves encouraging clients to explore aspects of themselves as individual human beings. 3. Exploring the situation involves examining current and, when applicable, past circumstances. 4. Exploring the future involves examining the issue, person, and situation as they may emerge in the future. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Ensure that treatment focuses on strengths and resources as well as on problems and issues. Social workers seek to help clients identify and explore strengths in two dimensions--beliefs and realities. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing By looking for competencies clients may discover useful traits and attributes associated with their sense of efficacy. By looking for social supports, clients are encouraged to identify and reflect on individuals and groups within the social environment that have been or could be resources. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Looking for success involves specific recognition of experiences of accomplishment and achievement that tend to contribute to feelings of competency and optimism. By looking for life lessons clients are encouraged to consider what they have learned and to acknowledge their own wisdom. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Asking Questions Social workers hope to foster a good working relationship where the client is a full participant in the process. Asking questions in the right way encourages client participation, whereas poor questioning technique can cause clients to become defensive and uncooperative. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Two types of questions Closed ended questions are phrased to elicit short answers. Open ended questions are phrased in a manner than encourages people to express themselves expansively and extensively. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Seeking Clarification Seeking clarification is an attempt to elicit more information from the client so that the meaning of the client’s words or gestures become clear. It is done by asking the client to expand on what he said. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Clients do not always clearly express themselves because: They are uncertain about what they think or feel. They are reluctant to ask directly for help because of a cultural or other reason. They are embarrassed. Words, phrases and gestures commonly used in one culture may be nonexistent in another. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Reflecting Content Reflecting content is the empathic skill of communicating understanding of the factual or informational part of a message. Restate the client’s words to demonstrate understanding. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Accurate reflections of content: Contribute to the development of a positive working relationship Promote a sense of collaborative partnership between client and social worker ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Reflecting Feelings Usually consists of a brief response that communicates understanding of the feelings expressed by a client At first reflect only those feelings that are verbally expressed. After a foundation of accurate reflections is established or when the nonverbal, emotional message is very clear, reflect the unspoken feeling. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Reflecting Meaning and Feeling Reflect both the clients’ emotions and the facts or beliefs associated with them ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Partializing The partializing skill is used to help clients break down several aspects and dimensions of the person-issue-situation into more manageable units so they can be addressed more easily. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Going Beyond Going beyond occurs when empathic understanding is used to extend slightly what was expressed. The worker uses knowledge, experience, and intuition to add to the feelings and meanings actually communicated. What clients say verbally is combined with what they express nonverbally. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Going beyond involves putting into words those thoughts and feelings that a person probably thinks or feels but which he has not yet expressed verbally. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing