Strategies Used in CBT to overcome Negative Cognitions

Effects of Trauma

Part 1

How have you demonstrated professional behavior in compliance with the NASW Code of Ethics and the profession’s history, mission, and responsibilities in relation to clinical social work?

Social workers should respect the client’s right to privacy when interacting with them (NASW Code of Ethics, 2017). To gain clients’ trust, we should ensure they are comfortable with us, and they can share sensitive information when ready knowing that we will not disclose such information. Due to the sensitive nature of social work, we are at times forced to seek private information from the client. However, the information we seek should be what we need to accomplish our professional responsibilities. My client was a 15-year-old boy referred to the clinic with symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Additionally, Liam had started cutting himself. Liam informed me he was gay and struggled with it due to his worry about what would happen if his parents found out. The referral came from school because the school administrator had noticed Liam was withdrawn and did not want to participate in sporting activities as he had done before. Liam willingly shared the information about being gay, and he was not ready to let his parents, peers, or teachers know of his sexual orientation because he feared being victimized.

The school administrator has requested a report on Liam’s condition so they can understand how to assist him in school. The challenge was how to disclose the information without breaching Liam’s privacy since he was not ready to let the world know of his sexual orientation. Liam has the right to determine what information can be shared regarding their sexual orientation, behavioral challenges, religious beliefs, and political ideology. Therefore, I did not have any right to disclose any information he did not want. As Liam’s social worker, I have to disclose information that poses threats to Liam’s health and safety. I had to disclose his cutting behavior to the school administrator and parents. However, I did not disclose information about his sexual orientation.

Part 2

Shock and anger are the emotions that got stirred up in me. It makes you wonder why African Americans are treated differently from whites in America, yet there is no difference between the two races. Also, we have made race an issue where it should not have been, and we see others based solely on skin color. Without understanding why a person has a different skin color, we make assumptions about the person. One gets angry because they have to work twice as hard to achieve what others achieve quickly. African Americans are seen differently in terms of being criminals, lazy, or educationally challenged, making it hard for them to get jobs or opportunities. Skin color determines how others will treat a person or how they will react when the person approaches them. For example, in the movie, we can see how Noah admits that there is an advantage to being white, which is true in real life. White people are treated differently from African Americans who are black. Noah confirms that being white accords one some privilege that being black doesn’t (California Newsreel, 2003). Noah states that when he tries to assist a woman on the street, he is not given a weird glance like he is trying to steal or harm the woman. However, if he had been African American, even if his intentions were good, the woman would first assume he was trying to steal from her.

There is always something new to learn every day, and this transcript offered new content regarding who we are and how similar we are to others we do not share skin color with. One knows they are closely related to other Africans with African American roots, and they would expect the same. Interestingly, it can be shocking that they share similarities with some African and not all Africans, showing that we are innately different even though we share skin color or origins. Being an African American, aspects of the movie shape and offer further information regarding my view on myself. The reality is that it has been well known that one is treated differently, and they have to work harder to attain things that white people take for granted. It is nice to know that we are not as different as we are treated, and there is nothing genetically significant about my skin color to justify how we are treated. From the transcript information, one can change their perception about their race and skin color and have some confidence that it does not matter how one looks because we are all identical and we all came from the same race in Africa. Therefore, being African American only means that we migrated later than others, so we have yet to fully acclimatize and mutate in terms of skin color. Others view African Americans as lazy, thieves, or criminals. However, some people see a person for whom they are and not their skin color. You can never be sure about how a person views you, and sometimes we might make assumptions that others will see differently, yet there is no proof.

There are instances when a person I was trying to assist assumed I had ill intentions. It was in high school when I tried to help a lost girl find her way home. The girl did not have an issue, but a stranger approached as I gave her directions and assumed I was bothering the girl. The stranger came to me strong and assumed I was misdirecting the girl and even blocked me from interacting with her. I did not protest, and I let them listen to the girl. After the little girl informed them about what I was doing, they looked at me and realized I had no ill intentions. They then started apologizing profusely, demonstrating society’s view on people of color. The population that will be difficult to work with is white people. They will see me as someone who cannot assist them due to my race. Being African American, white people will judge you first before they accept assistance from you, making it hard to reach them and offer services. Race plays a vital role in society, and African Americans are viewed as lowly like they are the ones to receive and not offer support.

Part 3

Share an experience when you learned about, observed, or experienced disproportionality or disparity in systems, communities, schools, and families. Share your ideas of what you as a social worker can do to impact change within the systems you will be working in.

There is a widespread disparity in the American education system. Public schools do not receive equal funding, forcing some schools to lack the necessary resources vital for the education of students. I visited a low-income community and noticed how dilapidated the buildings were, and the area looked so unkept, making me wonder why the neglect. Low-income areas are inhabited by criminals, drug lords, and drug users trying to escape the reality of life. However, with proper structures and systems, such communities would thrive. It was shocking coming from a different location, and what I saw shocked me. The state has communities of different levels, and one would expect that standards would be similar. The schools in the community were even worse, with graffiti on all walls inside and outside the school. Classrooms are dark with shielded windows. Even worse was the lack of resources like textbooks, teachers, and school administrators. Students who strive to get an education are forced to attend the school since they cannot move to a different school outside their neighborhood due to zoning restrictions. The funding received by the school is proportionate to the area’s income, meaning there will never be a time when the school will ever attain any reforms unless the area’s income levels improve. The bordering community offers a different outlook, and it was surprising that one area is well to do and the other looks like a slum. The majority of the people who live there are African Americans, and they struggle to provide for their everyday needs like food, shelter, and clothing.

I met with people who told stories of how they had dreams of making it in life, and they ended up being discriminated against by the system repeatedly until they lost all hope. These individuals have struggled to make ends meet, and the system discriminates against them. The options availed to them are limited, and they even get fewer resources to pull themselves up. Discrimination is rampant even when they try to seek opportunities in other towns. Continued discrimination forces them to stay within their confines and accept what life offers them. With schools lacking enough resources, children do not receive equal education opportunities, and most have low scores, even those who can perform better with support from teachers. Therefore, the community faces an endless cycle of poverty and disparity.

To impact change, a social worker should become an advocate for such communities in Congress and local councils. Without enough resources, the community will never change, and continued neglect will lead to further discrimination. Children have no role models since they look up to people who have been discriminated and they only share negative stories of their lives. With advocacy, we can give the people a voice so they can start speaking about the disparity they face. A social worker would coach them on what they can speak about and how they can push for what they need. The community members can be educated on what services should be provided because most of them might not be aware of the necessary services that their council should provide. The social worker can identify NGOs that can offer services to the community members like building schools, refurbishing the schools, or mentoring the children and youths. These NGOs can be encouraged to visit the area and support the community members in one way or another. Community leaders can approach the NGOs through the guidance of the social worker and present their case and why they should be supported. In Congress, the social worker can petition members of Congress to legislate so that other neglected communities can receive the funding they need to increase their resources. Schools should receive better funding regardless of the income status of the community.

Part 4

Ethnographic Interviewing applied to Elena and her family

To assist Elena and her family, we need to be aware of our values and beliefs and how they can influence how we perceive Elena. Understanding how deeply held our beliefs are, the harder it would be for us to accept any differing opinions. Therefore, the first step would be to learn about Elena’s culture and its influence on her life and parenting. I should be aware of my privilege and power and understand its impact on my work (Child Welfare Fundamentals Study Guide, 2018). For example, we should not make any judgement on Elena when interacting with her, and we should change our beliefs and values.

Having cultural knowledge will empower us to communicate better with Elena and her family since we would be considerate of their culture. There should be no assumption that we know more about the family, and we should let them tell their story. Understanding that they are the experts on their problems will make it easy for them to speak about their issues and not feel victimized by the social worker. One can incorporate global questions like “how was it like when you were growing up?”

To offer culturally competent services, one should have the skills to manage differences effectively. The goal is to ensure that we can avoid cross-cultural discrimination when interacting with the client. We should demonstrate a willingness to enter into the client’s life and view it as valid. For Elena, we should enter into her current world and see how valid it is for her (Office of Training and Professional Development, 2009). As she states, ever since Carlos was deported, life has not been the same for her. Therefore, we should understand how deeply connected she must have been with Carlos.

One can respond to Elena by telling her they understand her current situation and how difficult it was to have a love of her life deported. Another interesting question could be why she has never thought of reconnecting with him by visiting him in the Dominican Republic? Her children are essential in her life, and she is willing to do what it takes to keep them safe and have visitation rights. Elena recognizes she needs to change her life to see her children again.

Part 5

Compare and contrast how a major depressive disorder is different from sadness

Sadness is a normal reaction to a loss, problem, or disappointment a person might experience (Szaban & Trzop, 2018). It is usual for any human being to feel sad from time to time, and in most cases, the feelings of sadness will quickly go away, and one can resume their everyday life. Different terminologies describe sadness, like feeling down, feeling low, and feeling blue. There are instances when you might hear a person say they are feeling depressed, but if their depression goes away and does not impact their daily life, it wasn’t the illness of depression. We tend to refer to sadness as depression without knowing and fully understanding what we are saying. Several life events can make a person sad or unhappy. The loss of a loved one, job loss, divorce, financial trouble, or family issues can affect an individual’s mood, making them sad. Other sadness triggers could be failing an exam or not getting a job.

When sadness or low mood lasts longer than two weeks, the person is not considered sad but depressed. According to Kennis et al. (2020) depression is a mental disorder that affects a person’s emotions, behavior, thinking, and physical well-being. In contrast, a sad person will be feeling low for a short while. A person with clinical depression will have symptoms like withdrawing from others, losing interest in activities, drastic appetite changes, or difficulty sleeping. These symptoms must last for two weeks or more for the person to be considered to have clinical depression. Depression can come up from nowhere, and people who suffer from depression feel hopeless or worthless. Sadness is one of the symptoms of depression. However, normal sadness is not a depressive disorder. Provided sadness does not last for extended periods, it cannot be considered depression.

Depression and sadness look similar in that there are cases where depression could start as sadness due to the loss of a loved one, and the person is unable to cope with the loss or come to terms with the loss. In such a situation, the person will start as sad, and with each passing day, their sadness increases or does not ease. If the sadness lasts for two weeks and impacts their ability to perform their activities of daily life, then they would have developed depression and need to seek medical attention. The confusion between the two terms arises because many people will refer to depression when they feel sad. Therefore, more people begin to relate sadness to depression without understanding the diagnosis. Sadness does not make a person unable to perform their daily activities (Szaban & Trzop, 2018). It gives them a low feeling where they are consumed by the events that have taken place, and they are trying to make sense of the loss or the event.

When depressed, the person can be easily agitated, gain or lose weight uncontrollably, and stop caring about their hygiene (Kennis et al., 2020). The signs demonstrate a person feels hopeless or worthless and might even have suicidal thoughts. Their low mood would persist for long periods even when they are out with friends. However, feelings of sadness can be easily forgotten when a person engages in an activity they like or spend time with a person they like. A depressed individual will not want to keep company, and they would prefer to keep to themselves most of the time. Sadness can be overwhelming at times, but there should be moments of relief where one can laugh and feel comfortable. Depression, on the other hand, will affect all aspects of a person’s life, making it hard for them to find enjoyment in anything. There are no brief moments of relief or comfort, and the person is constantly feeling the same way or having low moods.

Part 6

The Use of Virtual Reality in Patients with Eating Disorders: Systematic Review

Eating disorders are associated with severe psychological and medical outcomes, high public health costs, and a high risk of death. Therefore, there are endeavors to create prevention programs like media literacy and psychoeducation. The prevalence of anorexia nervosa is 0.9%, bulimia nervosa is 1.5%, and 3.5 for binge eating disorders among women (Clus et al., 2018). These rates are based on DSM-4 and would be higher if DSM-5 is applied. The article is a literature review that aims to identify the impact of virtual reality on managing patients with eating disorders. Clus et al. (2018) searched numerous libraries seeking studies that have focused on the use of virtual reality and eating disorders. Their search generated 311 articles, and 149 were removed as duplicates. Clus et al. (2018) settled for 26 unique studies that met their inclusion criteria.