1. Building Healing and Helping Relationships - the Heart of Our Work
Module 15
Where It Begins.
Building Healing and Helping Relationships - the Heart of Our Work
15.0.1

2. Learning Objectives
15.0.2

3. Agenda
15.0.3

4. Developing Relationships with Families
Unit 15.1
Developing Relationships with Families
15.1.4

5. Learning Objectives
15.1.5

6. Relationship Building:
foundation
sets the stage for the future
promotes caring relationship
begins trust
15.1.6
Is the foundation for any casework practice
sets the stage for future communication
promotes the development of a caring relationship with families
begins the development of a trusting relationship

7. First Impressions Introduction Core conditions Strengths Culture
Perspectives
Immediate needs
15.1.7

8. Introducing Yourself to the Family
name and program area
agency
ID card
purpose of the visit
permission to come inside
other family members
where you sit
something positive
15.1.8

9. Core Conditions Concreteness Empathy Respect Genuineness Competence
15.1.9

10. Family Centered Values
Families
know their family best
are doing the best they can
maintain solutions that they create
have strengths
are our partners

11. Family Strengths Mitigating Risk Reducing Well Being related 15.1.11
Recognize and use a person’s strengths.

12. Strength Based Language
focuses on what is strong, not just what is wrong
reframes deficits as opportunities for growth
acknowledges and builds on successes
presumes a desire for and the possibility of a positive outcome
holds the belief that families can and do change, with support and resources
models empathy and offers support

13. Protective Capacities
Protective Factors
Protective Capacities
Strengths
Distinguish between a family strength, a protective factor and a protective capacity. Describe the importance of family strengths to family stability.

14. Personal Biases
How do your personal biases color decision making and relationship building with families?
Define and describe ‘personal bias’.

15. Cultural Considerations
Summarize cultural considerations in engagement and rapport building..

16. Difficulties in Establishing Relationships
intrusion
commit to change
trust
overwhelmed
indifferent
ignore
Family members may
•resist intrusion
•find it difficult to commit to change
•not trust strangers or be open with them
•be so overwhelmed, issues are difficult to discuss
•be indifferent to your efforts and may even see you as the problem, or
•simply ignore you
Overcoming family members‟ past negative experiences with the agency will present a challenge to the formation of a positive relationship.

17. Unit 15.2
Self Disclosure

18. Learning Objectives

19. Intentionally revealing information about yourself.
Self Disclosure
Intentionally revealing information about yourself.
Self-Disclosure responses may or may not be appropriate

20. Is it Appropriate to Discuss?
Lifestyle
Goals
Needs
Religious/spiritual beliefs
Fears
Personal abuse issues

21. to Answer all Questions
Personal Beliefs
It is Not Necessary
to Answer all Questions
Simply decline
Explore the client’s motivation

22. Demonstration 15.2.22 Trainer Demonstration and Discussion
•Use the Trainer Demonstration - Self-Disclosure on the next page to present examples of appropriate/inappropriate self-disclosure. Use another trainer or a learner to read the part of the parent. Or, share your own case work examples.
•Once you have completed the demonstration, facilitate discussion:
What else could have been said to appropriately disclose personal information to the parent?
What are the consequences to inappropriate disclosure as in the second example?
How would you respond if the parent asked you, “What would you do if your teenage daughter acted like mine?

23. Feel free not to answer & explain why
Provide a short, factual response
Return focus to family member
If you are not comfortable answering a personal question:
Feel free not to answer and explain why

24. Do you have any children? Do you and your wife/partner ever fight?
Your Turn
How old are you?
Do you have any children?
Do you and your wife/partner ever fight?
Do you drink?
Have you ever used drugs?
Are you from the south?
Do you believe in God?

25. Challenging Family Dynamics
Unit 15.3
Challenging Family Dynamics

26. Learning Objectives

27. Barriers to Effective Communication

28. Common Challenging Behaviors
Anger/Hostility
Resistance
Manipulation
Avoidance/Denial
Depression
When challenging behaviors occur, point out that working to build rapport helps to minimize them.
Provide handout ‘Behaviors that Challenge’ the Interview and review techniques.
Read Barriers to Effective Communication and discuss the questions below.
Large Group Discussion: If you demonstrated some of the inappropriate responses, how do you think you will be received by parents? What kinds of negative behavior might they use in response to your efforts to communicate? How will authority enter into their reactions?
Discuss persistent denial and how to address it.
Which of these barriers do you think you might use most frequently?
Which ones have you demonstrated or caught yourself thinking?
Which ones do you think parents or family members might demonstrate?
Invite class to share situations in which they have been the recipient of some of these inappropriate responses. Ask how it felt to be received in this manner, and how they responded.
Since it is not always possible to predict or prevent these behaviors from occurring during an interview, brainstorm with participants’ techniques they might use to manage or diffuse them.

29. Anger
Hostility
Anger is a feeling of resentment or vengeful displeasure resulting from injury, mistreatment, or violation of one’s rights.
Hostility is a long lasting emotional response connected to a belief and value system. It can be directed against an individual, a nation, a culture, an organization, government, etc.

30. Reasoning is NOT possible. Reduce level of arousal.
De-escalation
Keep in Mind:
Abnormal
Freeze, fight or flee
Reasoning is NOT possible.
Reduce level of arousal.

31. Resistance is a behavior that opposes or works against something.
It is intended to keep one from yielding to or accepting.
Some Reasons for Resistance
• Fear
o of being exploited
o of the unknown
o of failure
o of loss of control
o of loss of self-esteem
• Lack of trust
• Learned response to protect personal and family integrity and boundaries
• Learned response based on group history
• Learned response to experience power (self-empowerment either active or passive)

32. Resistance as a Strength

33. Manipulation .

34. Manipulative family members may:
Intellectualize.
Rationalize
Fantasize
Compensate

35. Manipulation
Listen to the distortion of reality or the discrepancy in what the person says. When responding to manipulation confront the distortion, not the person!

36. Avoidance/ Denial

37. Identify structured activities
Depression
Provide support
Recognize strengths
Build self-esteem
Identify structured activities
Use tasks with specific words and time limits

38. Special Situations Under the influence Mental Illness
Human trafficking
Jail, Hospital
Deaf and hard of hearing
Foreign language speakers

39. Role Play
With your group- come up with a realistic example of a work situation when you might deal with this particular type of person

40. The Child Welfare Professional’s Safety in Building Relationships
Unit 15.4
The Child Welfare Professional’s Safety in Building Relationships

41. Learning Objectives

42. Tips for Ensuring Safety
weapon?
history?
unmanaged mental illness?
under the influence?
selling drugs?
isolated location?
dangerous location?
after hours?
violent or hostile?
removal?
gang members?
dangerous pets?

43. Safety Considerations?

46. De-escalation Move The Situation Control of Self Environment
Physical Stance
Do Not Try To Be A Hero!!!