Christianity and Social Work


Book Description

Christianity and Social Work is written for social workers whose motivations to enter the profession are informed by their Christian faith, and who desire to develop faithfully Christian approaches to helping.







Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice


Book Description

This new edition of Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice provides a broadly synthetic approach to selecting theoretical concepts crucial to one's activities in casework. Centered on the notion of the client as an individual, Roberta Greene and the contributing authors examine the biological, psychological, and social aspects of development, and evaluate their utility for social work practice.Social work is characterized by a dynamic helping process and a diversity of roles, and functions. The aims of social work--to improve societal conditions for individuals, families, and groups--are put into action across all fields of practice and realized through a variety of methods in a range of settings. To work in the field, it is important to acquire conceptual frameworks that help one understand the complexities of contemporary practice. This volume is concerned with the application of knowledge about behavior in the social environment that serves as the theoretical underpinning for direct practice in social work. The chapters explore the ways in which specific theories have contributed to understanding the person in the environment construct and examine the idea that all clinical social work intervention is anchored in reshaping the context of the person in the environment configuration.The book explores the challenges and limitations of the various theories in use and addresses many relevant questions: What does the theory offer for understanding development across the lifecycle? What does each theory suggest about the interaction among biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors of human development and functioning? What does the theory suggest about healthy/functional and unhealthy/dysfunctional behaviors or wellness? Is theory universal in its application, and may it lend itself to cross-cultural social work practice? What role does theory propose for the social worker as an agent of change? Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice is an original contribution to social work theory, and will be mandatory reading for anyone pursuing a career in the field.




Religion, Belief and Social Work


Book Description

This book examines how religion and related beliefs have varied impacts on the needs and perceptions of practitioners, service users, and the support networks available to them. The authors argue that social workers need to understand these phenomena, so that they can become more confident in challenging discriminatory and oppressive practices. The centrality of religion and associated beliefs in the lives of many is emphasised, as are their potentially liberating (and potentially negative) impacts. In line with the Social Work in Practice series style, the book allows readers to explore issues in depth. It focuses on knowledge transmission, and the encouragement of critical reflection on practice. Each chapter is built around 'real-life' case scenarios using a problem-based learning approach. This book is the first to deal with social work and religion so comprehensively and will therefore be essential reading not only for social work students, but also for practitioners in a range of areas, social work academics and researchers in the UK and beyond.




Religious and Spiritual Aspects of Human Service Practice


Book Description

Promotes the importance of understanding spirituality and religious belief in health and human service care Although health and human service professionals traditionally receive extensive training in the emotional and physical aspects of caring for a person, they rarely receive adequate instruction in an area often as essential—spirituality and religious belief. Recognizing the importance of religion to a large share of the population, Religious and Spiritual Aspects of Human Services fills this gap in human services literature. James W. Ellor, F. Ellen Netting, and Jane M. Thibault address the challenge of understanding the client's perspective—even when it involves a religious tradition unfamiliar to the practitioner—and consider the impact of the client's needs on the agency and on public policy.




Spirituality Matters in Social Work


Book Description

Offering a focus that is lacking (or not clearly evident) in most spirituality books, Dudley addresses specific ways of incorporating spirituality into practice and integrates many of the contributions of other writers into an overall eclectic practice approach. His approach revolves around many of the core competencies of the EPAS accreditation (CSWE, 2008). Most of the core competencies are addressed with an emphasis on professional identity, ethical practice, critical thinking, diversity, practice contexts, and, a major practice framework of the book, the practice stages of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation.




Spirituality in Social Work Practice


Book Description

First published in 1996. Currently there is a strong trend in the metal health professions to look at the whole picture when dealing with clients. Religion and spirituality are now officially accepted as a major portion of this picture. In keeping with this trend this book assesses the role of spiritually oriented assessments and interventions in clinical practice. By providing examples of both spiritual cosmologies and anthropologies, it offers a cross-cultural theoretical orientation and therapeutic rationale for spirituality in clinical settings. The book is an essential resource for social workers, mental health counsels, bereavement specialists, professional clergy, and others in the helping professions.




Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice


Book Description

Social workers and helping professionals serve many people who draw upon religion and spirituality to find meaning, thrive, and overcome oppression and obstacles in their lives. The third edition of Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice provides a comprehensive framework of values, knowledge, and skills for spiritually sensitive and culturally appropriate practice with diverse religious and non-religious clients. This classic text contains forty different case examples and stories that vividly illustrate the professional values and ethical principles that guide spiritually sensitive practice. Learning activities at the end of each chapter encourage readers' personal and professional development through self-reflection, dialogue, creative expression, outreach to the community, and skill application. The book also draws connections between spiritual and cultural diversity, gender, and LGBTQI issues. It introduces beliefs, values, and social welfare applications of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Indigenous spiritual perspectives, Islam, Judaism, Existentialism, and Transpersonal and Deep Ecological Theories. Skills for spiritual assessment and spiritually sensitive practices include mindfulness, meditation, ritual and ceremony, forgiveness, spiritually sensitive administration, and engagement with community-based spiritual support systems. For social workers and other professional helpers committed to supporting the spiritual care of individuals, families, and communities, this definitive guide offers state-of-the-art interdisciplinary and international insights as well as practical tools that students and practitioners alike can put to immediate use.




Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice


Book Description

Weaving together interdisciplinary theory and research, as well as the results from a national survey of practitioners, the authors describe a spiritually oriented model for practice that places clients' challenges and goals within the context of their deepest meanings and highest aspirations. Using richly detailed case examples and thought-provoking activities, this highly accessible text illustrates the professional values and ethical principles that guide spiritually sensitive practice. It presents definitions and conceptual models of spirituality and religion; draws connections between spiritual diversity and cultural, gender, and sexual orientation diversity; and offers insights from Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Indigenous religions, Islam, Judaism, Existentialism, and Transpersonal theory. Eminently practical, it guides professionals in understanding and assessing spiritual development and related mental health issues and outlines techniques that support transformation and resilience, such as meditation, mindfulness, ritual, forgiveness, and engagement of individual and community-based spiritual support systems.