What We Bring to Practice

Abstract

This article describes "What We Bring to Practice," an innovative seven-week course designed to help students confront difficult questions about professional use of self. The course content concerns emotional reactions evoked by the client in the therapist, a phenomenon traditionally known as countertransference, and requires students to explore the basis of these reactions. In many public agencies supervision has become mainly administrative, allowing little time for reflection or guidance in dealing with difficult client situations. This course gives fourth semester MSW students tools for examining their reactions to clients and provides a model of peer supervision that they can carry with them into their careers. The article describes the background on teaching professional use of self in social work, describes the teaching meth-

Human Rights-Based Approaches to Clinical Social Work

“…In the process, they seek to become change agents, using themselves (in part) to effect positive change and growth in those they work with. For decades, social workers have spoken about the key role of the use of self in their work, and that the social worker himself or herself becomes the instrument of change through the development of an effective therapeutic relationship (Chapman, Oppenheim, Shibusawa, & Jackson, 2003;Heydt & Sherman, 2005). By this, social workers mean that they deliberately and determinedly interact with those they serve to facilitate change using his or her abilities, energy, and enthusiasm (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2003;Heydt & Sherman, 2005).…”

“…Postgraduate training and ongoing clinical supervision by a seasoned licensed clinician with relevant experience is strongly recommended to develop one's ability to do this and monitor and address challenges as they emerge in practice. Chapman et al (2003) teach MSW students a model of peer supervision given the reality that many public organizations do not have the resources to provide as in-depth and frequent clinical supervision as is needed. Self-knowledge and awareness are essential in order for social workers to discern the countertransference, transference, and other key dynamics in their relationships such that they can engage in effective helping relationships at both the micro and macro levels (Jacobson, 2001).…”

“…Chapman et al (2003) explicate the key features of a course designed to teach MSW students in their final semester how to effectively, ethically, and professionally use themselves in their practice. Social work students are taught to deeply understand the difference between conscious and unconscious use of self (Chapman et al, 2003;Heydt & Sherman, 2005).…”

“…Chapman et al (2003) explicate the key features of a course designed to teach MSW students in their final semester how to effectively, ethically, and professionally use themselves in their practice. Social work students are taught to deeply understand the difference between conscious and unconscious use of self (Chapman et al, 2003;Heydt & Sherman, 2005). Through experiential activities, they are guided to examine how their personal characteristics and history serve as the basis of their emotional reactions to those they provide therapy to (countertransference) and affect their work together (Chapman et al, 2003).…”

“…Social work students are taught to deeply understand the difference between conscious and unconscious use of self (Chapman et al, 2003;Heydt & Sherman, 2005). Through experiential activities, they are guided to examine how their personal characteristics and history serve as the basis of their emotional reactions to those they provide therapy to (countertransference) and affect their work together (Chapman et al, 2003). Some may have had little exposure in their coursework to process-oriented training and, in contrast, may have encountered media images of therapists such as in the films Good Will Hunting and The Prince of Tides that depict unethical and sometimes dangerous clinicians who violate ethical boundaries, yet the people they work with get better (Chapman et al, 2003).…”