SOCW 6210 Week 9 Post Responses

MB’s post states the following:Top of Form

Post a Discussion in which you explain how considerations about clients' worldviews, including their spirituality or religious convictions, might affect your interactions with them. Provide at least two specific examples.

Social workers work with populations of people with different beliefs spiritually and religiously. As social workers we must learn to respect someone else’s values and beliefs. We also need to learn that people’s different values and beliefs influence their behaviors and interactions with people.  We need to make sure that we respect other beliefs and not act on our own personal beliefs when working with clients. We need to be mindful of other cultures and their beliefs on such things like abortion and the roles of women. As a social worker I may believe personally that a woman should have the right to abort a baby but my client may believe abortions are not an option and may go against their religious beliefs. We must be mindful not to force our views on them. Another example would be in certain cultures they believe that the man is the head of the household and all communication and decisions will be made through the man. As the social worker we must honor that and not disrespect that by doing the opposite of what they believe just because its “normal or right” to us.

Explain one way your own spirituality or religious convictions might support your work with a client, and one barrier it might present.

As a social worker I must put my bias to the side and not let it get in the way of my professionalism. As a Christian I should not judge others this would be key in social work practice. This belief would remind me to stay open minded about others and why they may behave they way they do. A barrier would be me being judgmental and continuously bringing up my beliefs, forcing it on them and not respecting them.  This is wrong and could cause a client to not feel comfortable or respected.

Finally, share one strategy for applying an awareness of spirituality to social work practice in general.

One strategy for applying awareness of spirituality to social work practice is knowledge and education. According to Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman (2016), “The goal of incorporating religious and spiritual beliefs in social work curricula should include a broad array of knowledge of many different religious and spiritual beliefs, primarily to expand understanding and sensitivity” (p.694). This strategy starts as being a social work student understanding the importance of being educated on different religions and being sensitive. As social workers you don’t know what person you may work with and what their beliefs and values are. You may not know all the different religions, but you at least need to know how to conduct yourself and be competent enough not to let your personal beliefs get in the way of helping others.

Reference

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Crisp, B. R. (2011). If a holistic approach to social work requires acknowledgement of religion, what does this mean for social work education?. Social Work Education, 30(6), 663–674.

AR’s Post states the following

Considerations about client's world views, spirituality or religious convictions, might affect my interactions with them.

      As social workers it is important to remember to protect an individual' s human rights. Social workers must show the same treatment, to every one regardless of their views, religion, sexual orientation, age, or values and beliefs. It is important as social workers we respect a clients right to self-determination. Growing up as a Christian, we have a perception that abortions are considered bad. If a client comes to me for support in receiving resources on abortions. I will not interject my view on abortions on the client nor will I only supply pro-life resources to the client because of my spiritual beliefs. That would not be ethical nor would it not be allowing them their right for self-determination. If I did not respect their right towards self- determination, this would affect my interactions with them by placing my views on them. Placing my moral and beliefs on them. This situation could also create bias and build a barrier within the working relationship because of the client's choice to abort a child. As a social worker I will not be any help for the client due to me not being able to place my bias aside to effectively meet the client's needs.

My own spirituality or religious convictions might support my work with a client, and a barrier it might present.

 Social workers, should be able to place their bias to the side to be able to provide support for the client to meet their needs. Social workers should gain an understanding of one culture, background and their family dynamics to understand their values and personal beliefs. Understanding the layers of every individual's structure and the effect that religion and spirituality have on a person can be an advantage to the client and also the social worker.The social worker can acquire certainty as a professional in helping individuals explore through life's difficulties better, and the client picks up a feeling of importance a reason in figuring out how to conquer anything that comes across their path (Allick, 2012).  My own spirituality or religious convictions might support my work with a client, by providing empathy to an individual's religion. Just like I have choose my faith as a Christian and choose to fellowship and worship. I have an understanding of someone else decision to do the same thing with their chosen religion. To understand and to respect and honor one's faith is a great way to understand a person life since it is the simple place that their importance and feeling of the reason is found were morals and values are.  Some barriers may include not being able to bring up certain beliefs, being fearful of the different perspectives from the client and believe they cannot relate (Nickles, 2011).

One strategy for applying an awareness of spirituality to social work practice in general.

As a social worker it is important to self- reflect, gaining your own understanding of your biases, perspectives, values and beliefs. When you are self- aware you are more cautious of some issues that may become triggers, you may need to receive support with understanding some underlying issues. This will allow you to feel comfortable when speaking on topics and issues that do not necessarily align to your own beliefs. This will allow you to be able to support and meet the needs of the client.

Reference

Allick, David M. (2012). Attitudes toward Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice

Nickles, T. (2011). The role of religion and spirituality in counseling. California Polytechnic State University: College of Liberal Arts.

SR’s post states the following:

Faith is seen as that which brings people together and provides a unifying concept and sense of belonging for family, congregation, and society. Determining a client's spiritual beliefs and possible membership in organized religion can lead to various means of empowerment (Zastrow, 2016). When considering clients' worldviews, including their spirituality or religious convictions, and how they might affect interactions with clients one must consider how a person's religion could become either a tool or a speed bump. For example, a client who is a part of a group whose main focus is on racial segregation would not be willing to work with anyone who is not their race, just as some others may feel that men and women should not work together. This can become an issue when the client isn’t getting the care or services they need because of their religious beliefs. A way religion could play a positive role in client care would be that outside sources needed could be an option, such as food or shelter assistance or even counsel. It could allow the client to see a light at the end of their hard road.

Baha’i believes in peace, justice, love, altruism, and unity. The Baha’i teachings promote the agreement of science and religion, the equality of the sexes and the elimination of all prejudice and racism (Baha’i, 2019). I follow the Baha'i belief in that I believe in equality and unity rather than exclusion.  I believe that this is a very useful tool in life and in social work practice as it promotes the belief that we are all the same and do not place judgment on others. This helps to understand that one's religious beliefs sometimes play a big part in their life and that judgment is not to be made, only to help them along their path. A barrier that I could foresee is that some may not believe in equality, they may feel they are better or worse than others. They may believe in something other than GOD, and may not understand my way of equality. This makes it important to focus on the client and not my personal beliefs.

Spiritual self-care was even more essential for those who provided emotional care for others. Social workers can assist their clients by maintaining a mindful witnessing perspective. Spirituality entails cognitive, philosophical, experiential, emotional, as well as behavioral aspects (Weinstein, 2008). One strategy for applying awareness of spirituality to social work practice, in general, would be to use mindful mindful practices This would help the client to reflect on behaviors or their needs and decide ways that they can approach them in a new light. For example, a client who suffers anxiety could utilize meditation practices. As a worker, it would be useful to try and see things from the client's view allowing the worker to develop care plans based on the needs and preferences of the client. Forcing a religion on anyone would only hinder the relationship.

References