Social Work is a profession founded
on the ability to cultivate positive
relationships with people who may be very different from us.
There may be differences
in age, race, personality, gender, socioeconomic status,
health, sexual orientation, rank,
power, and privilege, as well as beliefs regarding religion
and politics. The experience of
these differences can cause a Social Worker to feel
emotionally and cognitively
disturbed. The ability to become aware of and consciously
attend to these internal
disturbances can positively affect the quality of relationships
we can establish with
the people we serve.The skill of self-awareness refers
to the ability to recognize our thoughts, beliefs,
emotions, personality traits, personal values, habits,
biases, strengths, weaknesses,
and the psychological needs that drive our behaviors. It
includes the ability to recognize
how we react to cues in the environment and how our emotions
affect our way of
relating to others.Compassionate cultivation of
self-awareness is an essential skill vital to the
professional growth and development of being a competent
Social Worker. It requires
dedication and commitment to an ongoing practice of mindful
non-judgmental attention
to what is happening inside of us with our thoughts,
emotions, and physical body
sensations as we interact with others.
Completion of this Field Assignment
requires a written paper on how self-awareness
can effectively be used by the Social Work field student
with a specific client in our field
lab. This assignment should be 3-5 pages, double-spaced,
and completed in a
narrative format. The following points can be considered
in the completion of this
assignment:
Developing a self-awareness inventory of one’s experiences
in relation to a specific
Client (ALICIA) including:
● Emotions: As I heard her story, I
felt a lot of anxiety and nervousness
● Thoughts (what thoughts comes to mind):
● Physical body sensations: I felt my ears start to
heat up and feel in the pit of my stomach. I started to play with my fingers as
a way to be in control of my emotions. These
internal experiences are difficult to have because they bring out some physical
movements that I might not be aware of. For example, playing with my finger. It
might seem to the client like I am not actively listening, but I am. That
example alone may negatively affect the cultivation of rapport and relationship
with the client. It is natural to feel these internal experiences because I am
a human being but being in control and not interrupting the client’s flow of
thought is also needed in a session, especially in complex cases.
● Beliefs regarding similarities and
differences in:
○ Race: We are both black
○ Age: Client age is 15 years old;
I (social worker) am 23 years old
○ Gender: We are a woman
○ Personal history: We cut ourselves
from an early age to cope with how we feel about ourselves and feel in control
of things. Lives with our mom.
Difference: client also takes unknown
pills as a way to cope. Was taught how to cut by a friend.
○ Identify at least two specific
interventions that can be used in a positive
response to the disturbing experiences so
that they do not negatively
affect the cultivation of rapport and
relationship development with the
client
○ Identify one’s personal values (such as
“Paying one’s bills is very
important.”) Describe how these personal
values influence interactions
with the client
A personal value that I do is to never self-medicate to
help cope with my depression. So, hearing that the client not only cuts herself
but takes her mom’s pills that are in her sight without knowing what it does makes
me a bit anxious to hear. It does bring a set of different emotions and a bit
of protective side to want to ask about why she takes pills and would she think
about stopping.
○ Identify one’s personality traits (such
as being extroverted or introverted) I am an extrovert with friends and introvert
with strangers.
○ Describe how these personality
traits influence interactions with the client
○ Identify what you consider your
personal strengths:
I am very empathetic to others; I am an active listener.
○ Describe how your personal strengths
are an asset in the relationship
development with the client
○ Identify what you consider your
personal areas of growth: My personal areas of growth would be not being attached
to a client or case. When I get a case that is very sad and upsetting, I don’t want
to carry that emotion with me. My emotions need to be in check in order to best
help the current client and the next one.
○ Describe how this can affect
relationship development with the client
○ Describe the benefits of developing the
skill of self-awareness as a Social
Worker
○ Describe the risks of developing
self-awareness in the practice of Social
Work
○ Describe a plan for how you can
continue developing your social work
self-awareness skills on a daily basis
References to use if needed:
Rothman, Juliet C.,
The Self-Awareness Workbook for Social Workers,
Allyn and Bacon, 1999 (ISBN 0-205-29029-9).
www.bu.edu/ssw/files/2010/10/Awareness-of-Self-A-Critical-Tool.pdf
“Awareness of
Self-A Critical Tool,” Esther Urdang, Social Work Education,
Vol. 29, No. 5, August
2010, pp. 523 – 538
Heres is the link to the video of the client
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Any3bARp-PUZiQOAmz5SEUn23Kgd?e=xboh6k
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