Beginning practice module 10

Social Work has often been criticized as being a non-Intellectual discipline and yet much of this work requires strenuousness that other professions lack.

Social work requires the creativity and willingness of being able to see and craft a story from various angles. As Fook (2002) discusses, the social worker has to have the capacity of being able to frame the situation in various ways, which match the discourse of the group to whom the problem applies. Each of the various members see, and experience, the problem in a different way, and the social worker has the challenging task of having to step into each of these perspectives and craft the story form his or her vantage point. This means letting go of power and assuming willingness to adopt a new language, and identity that echoes that of the other. By doing so, the worker changes from one who recommends and proffers advice to one who is one with the clients in their different settings. By doing so and flitting from one perspective to another, the worker not only manages to explore other quadrants usually closed to her, such as the strengths and barriers of others, but also becomes more acquainted with their own strengths and barriers in the process. In this way, Cowger's (2006) Assessment Quadrant model reminded me of the Johari Window. The discussion of the critical and strength-based assessment remind me of the Johari Window used in counseling where the counselor is aware that others see her n ways that she cannot see herself and that their opinion can tell her more about her real self and help her develop it into something more of her 'ideal', This in turn will help her better able to counsel clients where the same construct/s situation applies. In other words, in the counseling session the counselor supplies shortcomings and insights that remain concealed or overlooked by the client.

Fook's (2002) insights also have relevance to the writings of case history that the social worker conducts since case history, rather than objective saga, is the perspective of one individual - the social worker -- at a specific point in time. Another individual, for a different perspective and possessing other aspects of the story may quite likely relate the story in different ways resulting in a different narrative. The client, himself, for instance may view his situation as deterministic, himself as hero, and his character victimized by others. He may see his future in glowing terms and view himself as proving an exemplary figure of fortitude and endeavor. The social worker, on the other hand, may see the client as a renegade whose life hangs on the balance and who lacks the self-discipline to seek employment or cease smoking, drugs, or sex. His life may seem hopeless and the social worker, coming from a very different background, may rue the client's lack of schooling. Differences in socio-economic background, cultural experiences, personal experiences, biological makeup, and so forth may cause client and social worker (as well as others) to craft a different case history.