How might social workers attend to a client’s spirituality in ways that are helpful and harmful? How can the social worker exercise appropriate caution when addressing this area of a client’s life?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

This discussion can be organized around the following points:
Spirituality can be understood as a person’s search for, and adherence to, meanings, purposes, and commitments that lie outside the self. Spiritual meanings can be summarized into four categories. Belief systems may be religious or secular. One can believe in the teachings of the Baptist faith because of its divine origins, or in the Golden Rule (act toward others as you want them to act toward you) because of purely humanitarian concerns. Social concerns include commitments to social causes. One can demonstrate such a purpose, for example, in volunteer service of various types, commitments to bettering the quality of life for certain oppressed groups, or environmental concerns. Creative pursuits include art, music, and literature, but may also include approaches to one’s work (for example the development of innovative agency programs). Also included in this category is the experience of creative pursuits that bring meaning to one’s life. Hope includes the defiance of suffering. This comes to the forefront of existence at those times when one experiences great self-doubt or despair, but recognizes that he or she values life enough to persist in overcoming the adversity.
Spiritual concerns help people manage anxieties produced by confrontations with death, isolation (being alienated from others), and freedom (the responsibilities involved in making choices), as well as concerns about their place in the world. While we may not deal with these concerns on a daily basis, they influence how we organize our lives.
Spiritual issues are not appropriate to address with clients in all practice situations. They may not be appropriate to raise with clients who are absorbed in immediate problem situations for which they are seeking practical assistance. On the other hand, purpose-in-life issues may be appropriate for intervention when the client is troubled by anxiety, guilt, and shame or demonstrates inclinations to look beyond the self and immediate situation in understanding personal dilemmas.
With regard to utilizing spiritual themes in social work practice, challenges to social workers are fourfold:
• To understand his or her own existential issues and their impact on practice
• To consider client functioning within a broad context of meaning (bring consistency to the client’s present and ultimate concerns)
• To encourage client disclosure of spiritual concerns when appropriate
• To help clients identify meanings and purposes which can guide them in making growth-enhancing decisions

Spiritual discussions can encourage the client’s investment in constructive life activity, encourage the client to look externally for solutions to problems (rather than be preoccupied with internal emotions), and encourage the client to care about something outside the self.