How may the dinner invitation affect Raymond and Jacob differently?

Question

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.

Answer 1

Angelina may have been considering how outcomes might differ for the two brothers. Raymond and Jacob were at different points in their process of overcoming addiction. Raymond was working at IMH as a mentor for other recovering addicts, and had already moved into Zion after completing his time at The Communion House and The Walking Bridge. In contrast, Jacob had recently relapsed and re-entered The Communion House to repeat an earlier stage in his healing process. While Raymond might be able to handle the role differentiation, especially because Angelina was also his supervisor, Jacob might struggle with entering into a different relationship with his social worker.
Another possible outcome might be that her clients would develop an unhealthy dependence on Angelina as their social worker or that Angelina, herself, might confuse her professional roles with her personal life. Although her clients often stopped by for quick nonpersonal visits, thus far she had been able to avoid having her clients over for more intimate visits; dinner seemed like her personal life was bumping up too closely to her professional role at IMH. Inviting clients into Angelinaís personal life, especially her role as wife and homemaker, could possibly negatively impact her professional work with Raymond and Jacob. Role confusion or change might occur, and having them over for dinner might encourage that. After having them in her home for a dinner she prepared, Angelina might find it difficult to continue being their social worker, and at IMH, since she is the only social worker, she could not refer them to another worker.
Lastly, Angelina may have considered that canceling the invitation to Raymond and Jacob could cause conflict regarding Philipís role as their fellowship group leader. Philip, too, had developed an important role with her clients, and asking them not to come might impact how they participated in the group, perhaps even causing them to leave. At minimum it could interfere with the authentic, supportive human relationships Philip had established with them.