Socw 6210 Week 9 Spiritual Development Through Your Coursewo

Socw 6210 Week 9 Spiritual Developmentthrough Your Coursework In H

Socw 6210 Week 9: Spiritual Development Throughout your coursework in HBSE, you have explored many factors that influence an individual's behavior. This week, you focus on spirituality, a factor that contributes significantly to the way individuals view themselves and find meaning in their lives. Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman (2016) stated, "The spiritual domain is an important means by which many people organize their view of the world" (p. 132). As you explore the topic of spirituality this week, consider how a client's spirituality might influence your approach with that client.

In addition, consider how your own spirituality might influence your work and why your awareness of spirituality is essential to your effectiveness as a social worker. Furness and Gilligan (2010) stated, "There is a growing body of literature written predominantly for health professionals and more recently for social workers about the importance of developing and incorporating cultural and spiritual sensitivity and awareness in their work with others" (p. 2187). Spirituality, which may or may not include involvement with an established religion, contributes to human diversity and influences human behavior. An individual's spirituality may be an important factor in his or her social environment.

As a social worker, your awareness of a client's spirituality may help increase your understanding of the client and his or her needs. Sensitivity to and respect for your client's spiritual dimension reflects your appreciation of diversity. As you consider the potential impact of your clients' spirituality on their perspectives and behavior, you must also consider how your spirituality might influence your interactions with a client. For this Discussion, you consider the impact of spirituality on your interactions with clients. Assignment: Post a Discussion in which you: · Explain how considerations about clients' worldviews, including their spirituality or religious convictions, might affect your interactions with them. · Provide at least two specific examples. In addition, explain one way your own spirituality (Christian) or religious convictions might support your work with a client, and one barrier it might present. · Finally, share one strategy for applying an awareness of spirituality to social work practice in general. Proper English with no run-on sentences is an absolute requirement! The paper must contain at least 2 references and citations. Use the following resources for the references and citations . At a minimum, be sure to reference Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman and Plummer Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. · Chapter 3, Section "Relate Human Diversity to Psychological Theories†(pp. ) · Chapter 7, Sections "Review Fowler’s Theory of Faith Development," "Critical Thinking: Evaluation of Fowler's Theory," and "Social Work Practice and Empowerment Through Spiritual Development" (pp. ) · Chapter 15, Section "Spotlight on Diversity 15.2: Spirituality and Religion" (pp. ) Barker, S. L. (2007). The Integration of spirituality and religion content in social work education: Where we've been, where we're going. Social Work & Christianit, 34(2), 146–166. Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases. Crisp, B. R. (2011). If a holistic approach to social work requires acknowledgement of religion, what does this mean for social work education?. Social Work Education, 30(6), 663–674. Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases. Day, J. (2010). Religion, spirituality, and positive psychology in adulthood: A developmental view. Journal of Adult Development, 17(4), 215–229. Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases. Furness, S., & Gilligan, P. (2010). Social Work, Religion and Belief: Developing a Framework for Practice. British Journal of Social Work, 40(7), 2185–2202. Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases. Oxhandler, H. K., & Pargament, K. I. (2014). Social work practitioners 'integration of clients' religion and spirituality in practice: A literature review. Social Work , 59 (3), 271–279. Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases. Stirling, B., Furman, L., Benson, P. W., Canda, E. R., & Grimwood, C. (2010). A comparative survey of Aotearoa New Zealand and UK Social Workers on the role of religion and spirituality in practice. British Journal of Social Work, 40(2), 602–621. Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases. Document: Wagenfeld-Heintz, E. (2009). Faith and its application to the practice of social work. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, 21(3), 182–199. (PDF)(PDF)Faith and its application to the practice of social work by Wagenfeld-Heintz, E., in the Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging. Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader]. "The Logan Family" (pp. 9-10) Atchley, R. C. (2006). Continuity, spiritual growth, and coping in later adulthood. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, 18(2/3), 19. Hodge, D. R., & Bushfield, S. (2007). Developing spiritual competence in practice. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work , 101–127. Linzer, N. (2006). Spirituality and ethics in long-term care. Journal of Religion and Social Work, 25(1), 87–106. Nelson-Becker, H., & Canda, E. R. (2008). Spirituality, religion, and aging research in social work: State of the art and future possibilities. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, 20(3), 177–193. Nelson-Becker, H. (2005). Religion and coping in older adults: A social work perspective. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 45(1/2), 51–67. The Logan Family Eboni Logan is a 16-year-old biracial African American/Caucasian female in 11th grade. She is an honors student, has been taking Advanced Placement courses, and runs track. Eboni plans to go to college and major in nursing. She is also active in choir and is a member of the National Honor Society and the student council. For the last 6 months, Eboni has been working 10 hours a week at a fast food restaurant. She recently passed her driver’s test and has received her license. Eboni states that she believes in God, but she and her mother do not belong to any organized religion. Her father attends a Catholic church regularly and takes Eboni with him on the weekends that she visits him. Eboni does not smoke and denies any regular alcohol or drug usage. She admits to occasionally drinking when she is at parties with her friends, but denies ever being drunk. There is no criminal history. She has had no major health problems. Eboni has been dating Darian for the past 4 months. He is a 17-year-old African American male. According to Eboni, Darian is also on the track team and does well in school. He is a B student and would like to go to college, possibly for something computer related. Darian works at a grocery store 10–15 hours a week. He is healthy and has no criminal issues. Darian also denies smoking or regular alcohol or drug usage. He has been drunk a few times, but Eboni reports that he does not think it is a problem. Eboni and Darian became sexually active soon after they started dating, and they were using withdrawal for birth control. Her mother, Darlene, is 34 years old and also biracial African American/Caucasian. She works as an administrative assistant for a local manufacturing company. Eboni has lived with her mother and her maternal grandmother, May, from the time she was born. May is a 55-year-old African American woman who works as a paraprofessional in an elementary school. They still live in the same apartment where May raised Darlene. Darlene met Eboni’s father, Anthony, when she was 17, the summer before their senior year in high school. Anthony is 34 years old and Caucasian. They casually dated for about a month, and after they broke up, Darlene discovered she was pregnant and chose to keep the baby. Although they never married, Anthony has been married twice and divorced once. He has four other children in addition to Eboni. She visits her father and stepmother every other weekend. Anthony works as a mechanic and pays child support to Darlene. Recently, Eboni took a pregnancy test and learned that she is 2 months pregnant. She did not know she was pregnant because her periods were not always consistent, and she thought she had just skipped a couple of months. Eboni immediately told her best friend, Darian, and her doctor about her pregnancy. Her parents and grandmother learned about her pregnancy from her, and her mother and grandmother became upset. Darlene called her a slut and expressed her desire for her to have an abortion because she had a difficult youth as a single mother. Her father was shocked and thought it was a sin to have an abortion, and suggested she should have the baby. Eboni's doctor confirmed the pregnancy and recommended prenatal vitamins. She is considering her options, including keeping the baby or terminating it. Eboni is worried about her grades, college prospects, and how her pregnancy might affect her future. She is also feeling conflicted about her relationship with her mother and her own beliefs about the pregnancy. During her interactions with social services, she expressed fear and confusion, and her support system is divided regarding her choices. Her case highlights the importance of considering a client's spiritual and religious beliefs and their impact on decision-making. Social workers must be sensitive to clients’ spiritual and religious perspectives, as these can significantly influence their choices and coping strategies. Recognizing the diversity in spiritual beliefs enhances cultural competency, which is vital for effective social work practice.

Paper For Above instruction

In social work practice, understanding and respecting a client's worldview, including their spirituality or religious convictions, is essential for establishing trust and providing effective support. Clients’ spiritual beliefs often serve as foundational frameworks that influence their perceptions of life events, coping mechanisms, and decision-making processes. This consideration shapes how social workers approach interpersonal interactions, assess needs, and determine appropriate interventions.

For example, consider a client who refuses medical treatment because of religious convictions that prohibit certain medical procedures. Respecting this worldview requires social workers to explore alternative solutions consistent with the client’s beliefs, possibly involving faith leaders or culturally sensitive practices. Another example involves a client who finds comfort in prayer or spiritual rituals during times of crisis. Incorporating these practices into the intervention can enhance the client’s coping and foster resilience. For instance, if a client believes that divine intervention is vital to healing, supporting the use of prayer can strengthen the therapeutic alliance and uphold the client’s cultural values.

My own Christian spirituality can support my work by providing a foundation of compassion, patience, and understanding. Believing in forgiveness and unconditional love aligns with core social work principles of respecting client dignity and promoting hope. For instance, when working with clients facing moral dilemmas or feelings of guilt, my faith can reinforce the importance of compassion and non-judgmental listening. However, one barrier presented by my religious convictions might be the risk of imposing personal beliefs on clients. It is essential to maintain objectivity and respect for diverse worldviews, rather than allowing personal beliefs to influence professional boundaries.

One strategy for applying awareness of spirituality in social work practice is integrating spiritual assessments into initial client evaluations. This approach involves openly exploring clients’ spiritual beliefs, practices, and their significance in their lives, which can inform tailored intervention strategies. Additionally, training in cultural competence specific to spiritual diversity enhances a clinician’s ability to navigate these sensitive topics effectively. Recognizing and valifying clients’ spiritual identities can foster trust, promote engagement, and support holistic well-being (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2016; Furness & Gilligan, 2010).

References

  • Furness, S., & Gilligan, P. (2010). Social Work, Religion and Belief: Developing a Framework for Practice. British Journal of Social Work, 40(7), 2185–2202.
  • Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
  • Oxhandler, H. K., & Pargament, K. I. (2014). Social work practitioners' integration of clients' religion and spirituality in practice: A literature review. Social Work, 59(3), 271–279.
  • Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing.
  • Day, J. (2010). Religion, spirituality, and positive psychology in adulthood: A developmental view. Journal of Adult Development, 17(4), 215–229.
  • Barker, S. L. (2007). The Integration of spirituality and religion content in social work education: Where we've been, where we're going. Social Work & Christianit, 34(2), 146–166.
  • Crisp, B. R. (2011). If a holistic approach to social work requires acknowledgement of religion, what does this mean for social work education?. Social Work Education, 30(6), 663–674.
  • Nelson-Becker, H., & Canda, E. R. (2008). Spirituality, religion, and aging research in social work: State of the art and future possibilities. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, 20(3), 177–193.
  • Hodge, D. R., & Bushfield, S. (2007). Developing spiritual competence in practice. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 101–127.
  • Atchley, R. C. (2006). Continuity, spiritual growth, and coping in later adulthood. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, 18(2/3), 19.

Related Assignments