As a social worker, how would you motivate a discouraged client?
What will be an ideal response?
?
The key variable in determining if clients will make positive changes in their lives is whether they have the motivation to make the efforts necessary to improve their circumstances. Failure in counseling or social work generally occurs when clients do not become motivated. To motivate a discouraged person, the social worker has to be an "encouraging person." According to Lewis Losoncy, an encouraging person does the following:
Has complete acceptance for the discouraged person with no conditions attached. She or he should not, however, convey acceptance of the deviant behavior that needs to be changed.
Has a nonblaming attitude so that the discouraged person no longer feels a need to lie, pretend, or wear a mask.
Conveys empathy that she or he is aware and can to some extent feel what the discouraged person is feeling.
Conveys to the discouraged person that she or he is genuinely interested in the counselee's progress and conveys that the counselee is an important, worthwhile person. For discouraged people to believe in themselves, they generally need an encouraging person who conveys the idea that they are important and worthwhile.
Notices (rewards) every small instance of progress. This is particularly valuable during the beginning of the relationship.
Conveys to the discouraged person that she or he has confidence in that person's capacity to improve.
Conveys sincere enthusiasm about the discouraged person's interests, ideas, and risk-taking actions.
Has the capacity to be a nonjudgmental listener so that the discouraged person's real thoughts and feelings can be expressed freely, without fear of censure.
Has the time to spend listening and understanding the discouraged person as fully as possible.
Has a sincere belief in the discouraged person's ability to find a purpose in life.
Allows the person to take risks without judging him or her.
Reinforces efforts made by the discouraged person.
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Solution-focused practice:
a. relies on the worker to guide the client to appropriate outcomes. b. is grounded in modern theory. c. is a pathology-oriented perspective. d. is grounded on the assumption that people are resilient, resourceful, and have competence.
How can she build in safeguards for herself and her clients? Given the lack of professional social work supervision in this situation, where can Angelina seek consultation?
Social worker Angelina Pettit enjoyed practicing in a faith-based agency, where she found deep personal meaning in her work with clients. However, the work was complicated by the agencyís integral connections with her church. Her husband, Philip, a group leader in their church, invited Jacob and Raymond, two single men in his group and the church who were also Angelinaís clients, to their home for Christmas dinner. Angelina generally felt successful in managing her dual relationships, but it seemed this situation was hitting ìtoo close to home.î Their coming to dinner could challenge her sense of professionalism regarding dual relationships. But, she felt compelled to follow her faith and belief that individuals should not be alone during the Christmas season, and that celebrating community and being loved within the church family was important.
"Positive connotation" refers to the:
a. positive aspects of the family. b. positive aspects of problematic behavior. c. strengths of the family. d. positively stated goals.
The term defined in the text as the ability to move people on a chosen course to produce
an effect or achieve some goal is:
A. Acclaim B. Privilege C. Power D. Empowerment