How The Strengths Approach To Social Work

The strengths approach to social work practice values empowerment of individuals seeking services and advocates a relationship of collaboration as opposed of one of authority. Recognizing the resilience of individuals and believing in the potential of all humans, the focus is changed from one of limits to one of potentials, building on strengths, interests, abilities, knowledge, and capacities (Grant, Cadell, 2009, p.25). The formula is simple; rally client’s interests, capacities, motivations, resources, and emotions in the work of reaching their hopes and dreams (Saleebey, 2013, p.50). The strengths perspective obligates workers to understand that, however downtrodden or sick, individuals have survived (and in some cases even thrived). They
He concludes that it is important for social workers and counselors to be sensitive to men’s culture of masculinity and engage them in meaningful work by means of strengths to be found within the code of masculinity (p.312). Blundo defines the code of masculinity as a set of meanings embedded within the social interactions on all levels of social discourse both overt (like the Rambo movie character) and covert (the langue and behavior adults use around boys). The cultural code of masculinity not only requires men to hold back tears and emotions, but it also demands that they be competitive, aggressive, dominant, self-sufficient, problem solving, achievement oriented, unafraid, and willing to take risks and avoid any hint at being feminine (p.308). The case worker in this case study referenced Tony, and his experience as street fighter to his ability to control his own behavior. I feel the case worker used his code of masculinity to challenge him to see how his behaviors of violence do not truly fit with someone who is out of control. The case worker referenced in the case study how the “Invoking the image of the battle-scarred street fighter unable to control himself with his wife provided tremendous leverage throughout the course of
He states that the work of helping clients who have experienced trauma hold an inherent risk of creating work-related trauma for therapists. (p.239). Personal histories of substance abuse, mental illness, and dysfunction may create unresolved counter transference issues for social work students, and students with personal issues of exposure to violent may experience PTSD symptoms (p.241). He concludes that traumatic life experiences can have a positive impact on social work students’ development by leading them toward a greater capacity for empathy or may have a negative influence by being a catalyst for problematic counter transference. A key issue in the appropriate use of self, of course, is the level of self-awareness the social worker brings and a sufficient level of resolution of the trauma in order to be able to maintain appropriate boundaries in the therapeutic alliance