Role of Social Worker as a Psychotherapist

Published on December 2016 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 32 | Comments: 0 | Views: 298
of 11
Download PDF   Embed   Report

Social work

Comments

Content

1

ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER AS A PSYCHOTHERAPIST
AND COUNSELLOR

Submitted to

:

Mr. Naqeeb Hussain Shah
(Lecturer Social

work)
Submitted by

:

Tehzeeb Ali
(BS 5th Social work)

Department of Social Work & Sociology
Faculty of Social Sciences

2

KOHAT UNIVIRSITY OF SICIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
KOHAT
Table of content

S.No

Topic

Page No

1

Disaster effects

3

2

Role of social worker in disaster

3

3

Psychotherapy

3

4

Social worker as a psychotherapist

4

5

Helping Children after a Natural Disaster:

4

6

Possible Reactions of Children and Youth to Disasters

4

7

What is counseling?

5

8

Social Worker as a Counselor

5

9

Social worker give Information to Parents and Teachers

6

10

Remain calm and reassuring

6

11

Acknowledge and normalize their feelings

6

12

Encourage children to talk about disaster-related events.

7

13

Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills.

7

14

Emphasize children’s resiliency

7

3

15

Strengthen children’s friendship and peer support.

7

16

Take care of your own needs.

7

17
18

Helping Children Adjust to Relocation after a Natural Disaster

References

7.8
9

Disaster effects
People all over the world know the destruction produced by weather, the
devastation of geological disaster, the havoc of industrial and transportation
accidents.Many know, as well, the misery of terrorism, chronic political
violence, and war. Overthe last quarter of a century, more than 150 million
people a year have been seriouslyaffected by disasters.The physical effects
of a disaster are usually obvious. Tens or hundreds or thousands of people
lose their lives. The survivors suffer pain and disability. Homes,workplaces,
livestock, and equipment are damaged or destroyed. The short-term
emotional effects of disaster -- fear, acute anxiety, feelings of emotional
numbness, and grief -- may also be obvious. For many victims, these effects
fade with time. But for many others, there may be longer-term emotional
effects, both obvious and subtle.Some of the emotional effects are direct
responses to the trauma of disaster. Other effects are longer-term responses
to the interpersonal, societal, and economic effects of the disaster. In any
case, in the absence of well-designed interventions, up to fifty percent or
more of the victims of a disaster may develop lasting depression, pervasive
anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other emotional disturbances.
Even more than the physical effects of disasters, the emotional effects cause
long-lasting suffering,disability, and loss of income.
Role of social worker in disaster
The social work profession has long been involved with disaster relief, both
through the profession’s roots in the provision of wartime relief, and its
concern with the physical environment of people. Beginning with the Civil
War and continuing with the formal role of social workers in Vet Centers,
social workers have helped treat the trauma resulting from wartime
deployment. In the social work perspective, the environment is included
among the physical, biological and social factors influencing the welfare of
individuals, groups, and populations. Since the late nineteenth century social
workers have intervened in the microenvironments of people to improve

4

their health status, residential living environment, workplace conditions, and
social and psychological functioning.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term for treating mental health problems by
talking with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health provider.
During psychotherapy, you learn about your condition and your moods,
feelings, thoughts and behaviors. Psychotherapy helps you learn how to take
control of your life and respond to challenging situations with healthy coping
skills.
There are many specific types of psychotherapy, each with its own approach.
The type of psychotherapy that's right for you depends on your individual
situation. Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy, psychosocial therapy
or, simply, therapy.

Social worker as a psychotherapist
Helping Children after a Natural Disaster:
Natural disasters can be especially traumatic for children and youth.
Experiencing a dangerous or violent flood, storm, or earthquake is
frightening even for adults, and the devastation to the familiar environment
(i.e., home and community) can be long lasting and distressing. Often an
entire community is impacted, further undermining a child’s sense of
security and normalcy. These factors present a variety of unique issues and
coping challenges, including issues associated with specific types of natural
disasters, the need to relocate when home and/or community have been
destroyed, the role of the social work in lessening or exacerbating the
trauma, emotional reactions, and coping techniques.
Children look to the significant adults in their lives for guidance on how to
manage their reactions after the immediate threat is over. Social worker,
Parents, teachers, and other caregivers can help children and youth cope in
the aftermath of a natural disaster by remaining calm and reassuring
children that they will be all right. Immediate response efforts should
emphasize teaching effective coping strategies, fostering supportive
relationships, and helping children understand their reactions.
Possible Reactions of Children and Youth to Disasters

5

The severity of children’s reactions will depend on their specific risk factors.
These include exposure to the actual event, personal injury or loss of a loved
one, level of parental support, dislocation from their home or community, the
level of physical destruction, and pre-existing risks, such as a previous
traumatic experience or mental illness. Adults should contact a social worker
if children exhibit significant changes in behavior or any of the following
symptoms over an extended period of time.
Preschoolers—thumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging to parents, sleep
disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and
withdrawal from friends and routines.
Elementary School Children—irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess,
nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from
activities and friends.
Adolescents—sleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in
conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.
A minority of children may be at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Symptoms can include those listed above as well as re-experiencing the
disaster during play and/or dreams; anticipating or feeling that the disaster is
happening again; avoiding reminders of the disaster; general numbness to
emotional topics; and increased arousal symptoms such as inability to
concentrate and startle reactions. Although rare, some adolescents may also
be at increased risk of suicide if they suffer from serious mental health
problems like PTSD or depression. Again, adults should seek social worker
help for children exhibiting these symptoms.
What is counselling?
There are various forms and definitions of counseling. One version is that
counseling is a working relationship in which you are able to explore and
manage
what
is
happening
in
your
life.
The main goal of counseling is to provide opportunities for you to work
towards a more satisfying and manageable experience of life. Counseling
also equips you with information and resources aimed at informing and
empowering you. Of course, each individual’s needs are different.
Counseling may assist with:


Experiences of violence, abuse and trauma



Personal development issues



Addressing and resolving specific problems or conflicts

6



Making decisions



Coping with crisis



Developing personal insight and knowledge



Improving relationships with others



Dealing with depression or other mental health issues



Coping with grief



Working though addictions



Exploring anger management options

Or any other issues, big or small, which come up in everyday life.
The social worker’s role is to work with you in ways that respect your values
and culture. Remember that you are the expert of your own life and
counseling helps you realize your own strengths and potential.
Social Worker as a Counselor
Social workers are trained to assist you, and those close to you, in dealing
with practical problems, or the social and emotional changes caused by any
type of disaster. Social workers can help you regain a sense of control over
your life. As each individual’s experience of their arthritis is unique,
counselling is provided based on a person’s identified needs, and the way in
which the person with arthritis wants their concerns addressed. Through
their support the social worker hopes to provide a person with arthritis with
the tools and confidence to achieve and maintain an improved quality of life.

A social worker may be able to help a person with arthritis to achieve the following goals:



Understand and access appropriate community resources



Improve communication with their health care team



Create financial stability



Overcome bureaucratic or institutional barriers

7



Manage a specific crisis



Live successfully with chronic illness



Obtain emotional support



Obtain support for pre-surgery concerns



Improve relationships with spouse, partner or family members



Create a new life plan
Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellors address the employment challenges
encountered by people who have disabilities and support persons with
physical and cognitive disabilities to explore their employment potential.
Clients are assisted to develop a vocational plan, such as returning to a
previous position or the learning of new job skills through education and
training. A vocational rehabilitation counsellor may be able to help a person
with arthritis to achieve the following goals:



Develop a vocational action plan



Facilitate a graduated return to work



Liaise with employers and insurance companies



Refer for funding for job accommodations and disability-related
workplace supports



Provide a vocational assessment and assistance with career decisionmaking



Refer to government programs for vocational assessment, education,
and training



Refer to government programs for job placement and assistance with
self-employment



Provide education about disability discrimination rights in relation to
employment
Social worker give Information to Parents and Teachers

8

Remain calm and reassuring. Children take their cues from you, especially young
children. Acknowledge the loss or destruction, but emphasize the
community’s efforts to cleanup and rebuild. To the extent it is possible to do
so, assure them that family and friends will take care of them and that life
will return to normal.
Acknowledge and normalize their feelings. Allow children to discuss their feelings
and concerns, and address any questions they may have regarding the
event. Listen and empathize. An empathetic listener is very important. Let
them know that their reactions are normal and expected.
Encourage children to talk about disaster-related events. Children need an
opportunity to discuss their experiences in a safe, accepting environment.
Provide activities that enable children to discuss their experiences. This may
include a range of methods (both verbal and nonverbal) and incorporate
varying projects (e.g., drawing, stories, music, drama, audio and video
recording). Seek the help of the school psychologist, counselor, or social
worker if you need help with ideas or managing the conversation.
Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills. Activities should teach children
how to apply problem-solving skills to disaster-related stressors. Encourage
children to develop realistic and positive methods of coping that increase
their ability to manage their anxiety and to identify which strategies fit with
each situation.
Emphasize children’s resiliency. Focus on their competencies. Help children identify what they
have done in the past that helped them cope when they were frightened or upset. Bring their
attention to other communities that have experienced natural disasters and recovered (e.g.,
Miami, FL and Charleston, SC).
Strengthen children’s friendship and peer support. Children with strong emotional
support from others are better able to cope with adversity. Children’s
relationships with peers can provide suggestions for how to cope and can
help decrease isolation. In many disaster situations, friendships may be
disrupted because of family relocations. In some cases, parents may be less
available to provide support to their children because of their own distress
and feelings of being overwhelmed. Activities such as asking children to work
cooperatively in small groups can help children strengthen supportive
relationships with their peers.
Take care of your own needs. Take time for yourself and try to deal with your own
reactions to the situation as fully as possible. You will be better able to help
your children if you are coping well. If you are anxious or upset, your children
are more likely to feel the same way. Talk to other adults such as family,
friends, faith leaders, or counselors. It is important not to dwell on your fears
or anxiety by yourself. Sharing feelings with others often makes people feel

9

more connected and secure. Take care of your physical health. Make time,
however small, to do things you enjoy. Avoid using drugs or alcohol to feel
better.
Helping Children Adjust to Relocation after a Natural Disaster
The frequent need to relocate after a disaster creates unique coping
challenges. It may contribute to the social, environmental, and psychological
stress experienced by children and their families. Children will be most
impacted by the reactions of their parents and other family members, the
duration of the relocation, their natural coping style and emotional reactivity,
and their ability to stay connected with friends and other familiar people and
activities. To the extent possible parents and other caregivers should:


Provide opportunities for children to see friends.



Bring personal items that the child values when staying in temporary
housing.



Establish some daily routines so that the child is able to have a sense
of what to expect (including returning to school as soon as possible).



Provide opportunities for children to share their ideas and listen
carefully to their concerns or fears.



Be sensitive to the disruption that relocation may cause and be
responsive to the child’s needs.



Consider the developmental level and unique experiences of each
child; it is important to remember that as children vary, so will their
responses to the disruption of relocation.

10

Refrences
United States Executive Office of the President. (2005). Catalog of federal domestic
assistance programs. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
<http://www.cfda.gov>
Westberg, G. (1962). Good grief. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Zastrow, C., & Kirst-Ashman, K. (2001). Understanding human behavior and the social
environment. (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole-Wadsworth.
Zastrow, C. (2004). Introduction to social work and social welfare. (8th ed.). Belmont,
CA: Brooks/Cole-Wadsworth.
Sherwood, D.A. (1998). Spiritual assessment as a normal part of social work practice:
Power to help and power to harm. Social work & Christianity, 55(1), 75-84.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Free Press.

11
Spiegel, A. (February 14, 2006). Favored psychotherapy lets bygones be bygones. The
New York Times, D5.YT.
Tangenberg, K.M. (2005). Faith-based human services initiatives: Considerations for
social work practice and theory. Social Work, 50(1), 197-206.
Baum, A. (1987). Toxins, technology, and natural disasters. In G. R. VandenBos & B. K. Bryant (Eds.),
Cataclysms, crises, and catastrophes: Psychology in action (pp. 9-53). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
Bell, B. D. (1978). Disaster impact and responses: Overcoming the thousand natural shocks.
Gerontologist, 18, 531-540.
Bolin, R. (1986). Disaster characteristics and psychosocial impacts. In B. J.

Phifer, J., & Norris, F. (1989). Psychological symptoms in older adults following natura disaster:
Nature, timing, duration, and course. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences

Sponsor Documents

Or use your account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Forgot your password?

Or register your new account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Back to log-in

Close