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M14: Final Project Part Two Reflection Paper - Analysis of Video Session

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M14: Final Project Part Two Reflection Paper - Analysis of Video Session

Skills of the Generalist Intervention Model (GIM) in the Client-Worker Exchange

Many stages of the Generalist Intervention Model (GIM) are shown in the video. The

first interaction the social worker shows includes engagement skills, where use of empathy and

friendliness is used to establish a connection with the client. This is important because

engagement constitutes the stage of helping process, which defines the relations between the

helper and the helpe. The gaze, head inclinations, and paraverbal language are very important for

ensuring trust, including that the worker is listening and understands the client.

The assessment stage is apparent when the social worker engages the client and discusses

their issues and collects client data. This phase ensures that the counselor gains a deeper insight

of the client’s emotions, psychology, and even the physical requirements. Now worker makes

use of the clarifying questions with clients in an effort to get them expound on practices that

make them understand themselves better.

During the planning phase, the social worker explores some strategies that are applicable

for the case, such as gradually exposing the clients to CBT methods that enable the alteration of

negative thoughts. Seemingly, this step is vital to the intensity of the process as worker explains

to the client what kind of tool he or she can use to deal with all the problems. Unlike other line of

work, the worker does not dictate what is to be done but rather works with the client to come up

with what is best to be done.

In both of these stages, the Social worker shows consideration to the person-in-

environment perspective into consideration as she understand the roles that personal, familial,

and environmental factors may exert on the client. Here, the application of the GIM is seamless

as the social worker assumes different steps to work through the change process of the client.
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Core Values and Ethics in the Client-Worker Exchange

The specific profession introduced in the video embodies many of the fundamental

principles of the social work profession, such as the dignity and worth of each individual, the

focus on relationships between two or more people, and the pursuit of social justice. The

autonomy under consideration is evident from the fact that the social worker extends respect to

the client, respects the client’s individuality, and lets the client dictate the conversation flow.

This is the best value of self-determination as the worker understands that the client is the one

who understands his life best.

The worker’s non-emotional response goes a long way in demonstrating the dignity and

worth of the person, with the notion that one has to understand the client’s stance with no

prejudice. Moreover, when recommending sources and fighting for alterations in the

environment that affect the client (such as housing or employment requirements), the social

worker follows the applicable value of justice, striving to lessen oppression and unfairness.

I myself as a social worker, follow the NASW code of ethics which include respecting

the roles of the client, respecting the client’s rights of to be protected, embracing the culture of

the client. In identifying the client’s problem, the social worker demonstrates his or her ethical

decision-making by emphasizing the issue of power differences in the client-social worker

relationship. They achieve this by keeping cultural consciousness and awareness of bias between

parties, which makes the engagement fair.

Possible topics of ethical concern in the interaction may include the issue of dual

relationships because the social worker, and the client could be connected in the same social

circle. One of the most essential aspects that the social worker ought to have in mind is the issue
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of professionalism when dealing with his or her clients or other service providers in the process

of delivering his or her service.

A possible source of ethical concern could be the implementation of CBT intercessions.

CBT is often believed to be sufficient, but there may be a need for its adaptation for the client

and their cultural background. The social worker needs to be sensitive to the possibility that

indicated CBT techniques are culturally sensitive to the client and the client agrees to the use of

these techniques. This goes with the social work principle of competence because the

practitioners are supposed to apply the interventions within or beyond their training.

Attending and Communication Skills

As for the attention skills, the social worker demonstrates them in the highest level

throughout the session. In the case of the worker’s active listening, the employee gestures like

making eye contact, using verbal prompts, and echoing what the client has said, ensure the client

feels they are valued and listened to. Reflection and paraphrasing help to affirm the word of the

client and to eliminate any possibility of a misunderstanding of what has been said.

In the skills of structuring the interviews, the social worker is able to use probing

questions to elicit more information from the clients. For example, if client is angry, the social

worker may use probing behavior and may say: “May I know why you feel like this?” This type

of interviewing technique enhances follow up and ensures the worker gets into the client’s way

of thinking.

Also, the social worker uses the empathy concept whereby the social worker listens the

feelings of the client without any compulsion or reaction. This empathy comes out in a way of

handling the worker through the type of language used and no verbal or physical violence. Such
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aspects of gestural communication are very important especially when it comes to building a

rapport with the patient.

Role of the Social Worker/Counselor in the Client-Worker Exchange

The social worker is at the heart of the process in the video for the purpose of the

therapeutic intervention. In this particular session, social worker performs different functions,

such as that of a leader, a teacher or a promoter. The assertiveness of the social worker is

presented in the interactions where he or she guides the clients to freely speak out their ideas.

This is important to form client relationship and trust as the client must be allowed to express

themselves. Although there is no need to diagnose the presented problem, the worker should

empathize with the client and be open to listening to whatever she or he wants to share.

As educator, Specifically, the social worker uses cognitive-behavioral techniques (CBT)

and engages the client in psychoeducation that allows the latter to learn how to contest their

negative thoughts. This role is critical since it gives the clients the chance to understand

themselves and evaluate actions from other angles. Additionally, the advocate role can be seen in

a worker’s energy to attack the roots of the client’s problem, for instance, poverty, lack of

resources. The role of advocacy as a social worker embraces two of the primary values of the

profession namely social justice and dignity and worth of the person because it actively seeks to

alleviate limitations that hinder the client’s potential.

Personal Reflection: Strengths and Challenges

When analyzing the process recording done, I was able to outline some of the strengths

that I employed. Moreover, I should have also been more responsive to the gestures of the client

and practiced culturally responsive communication with the client. These skills enabled me to

establish positive relationship and made the clients to open up and express themselves.
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Furthermore, I felt that advocating CBT skills incorporated in addressing negative thoughts and

constructive responses of the client.

Nevertheless, I faced certain difficulties while working on such assignment as well. One

drawback was having a conflict between having professional distance and being empathetic. At

some point, I even wanted to provide solutions immediately, which potentially would impose my

ideas on the client. The other difficulty was to address the issue of culturally sensitive

approaches because I realized that some of the CBT approaches that I believed were suitable for

the client may not meet the cultural standards of the client. This pointed out the importance of

cultural understanding and willingness to modify the approaches used to address the situation

regarding the client.

In the next encounters, a reasonable approach to adopt is that of allowing the clients to

speak their mind out without volunteering information that may overshadow what they say.

Moreover, it is my intention to improve my cultural competence through getting more education

on effective adjustment of various therapies across the cultures.