Social Worker Engagement

Engagement Before selecting an intervention, a social worker must first engage the client by building rapport. Israel, Gorcheva, Burnes, and Walther (2008) interviewed 42 LGBT individuals in regards to their experience with therapy. Factors that influenced feelings of therapy included the therapists’ attitudes towards clients’ sexual orientation and gender identity (Israel et al., 2008). Stage of identity development, social support, and confidentiality of the therapy setting also influenced feelings of therapy (Israel et al., 2008). Based on the results, it is imperative that the social worker recognizes that not all clients have publicly announced their sexual orientation and gender identity. Therefore, the social worker must
find a place where the client will feel safe to disclose and talk about such private information. One way to accomplish this is by discussing confidentiality with the client and having session in a private area. A way to build rapport with the client can be to ask how they identify themselves and the terms they prefer. For example, if they feel more comfortable with the word homosexual or gay. Asking for their gender pronouns will not only show that the social worker cares about them, but it will also show they have professional experience with the LGBT community. Validating the client’s feelings and thoughts is another way to build rapport with the client. LGBT middle adolescence youth may be concealing their sexual orientation and gender identity from their families and friends. LGBT middle adolescence youth may not have support from their families and friends, or fear that their family and friends will not be supportive if they disclose their sexual orientation and gender identity to them. Therefore, it will not always be possible for the social worker to meet and engage with the client’s family members. However, it is imperative for the social worker to be aware of cultural factors that might be causing clients from disclosing to their families, or the family not being supportive of their sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, Duarté-Vélez, Bernal, and Bonilla (2010) discussed issues faced by a gay Latino adolescent through an interview. In the interview he discussed various issues he faced, such as coming from a machista, or patriarchal, family who are very family-oriented and had negative views of homosexuality (Duarté-Vélez, 2010). He also deliberated on being a religious Christian, which tends to view homosexuality as sinful (Duarté-Vélez, 2010).