Describe the strategies that can be used to respond to clients who experience anger at termination

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Clients may experience anger at termination, especially when termination occurs because the social worker leaves the agency. Because the termination is not goal related and occurs with little forewarning, reactions are sometimes similar to those that involve other types of sudden crises. The social worker may need to reach for the feelings evoked by his or her departure, as clients may have difficulty expressing negative emotions while they are simultaneously experiencing sadness or anxiety about the impending loss. It is important to encourage the verbal expression of emotions and respond empathically to them. It is vital, however, not to empathize to the extent of overidentification, thereby losing the capacity to assist the client with negative feelings and to engage in constructive planning.
When the social worker's departure is caused by circumstances outside his or her control (such as layoffs or firing), it is important that the practitioner not fuel the client's anger to satisfy his or her own indignation or desire for vindication. Not only is this clinically unhelpful to the client, but it is at odds with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.