Strength In Social Work

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Empathy is an essential strength to have when counseling patients in problematic situations given it allows for an unbiased comprehension of one’s perspective and allows for the creation of an individualized action plan. Empathetic professionals can guide clients through their trials and tribulations regardless of their varying ethnicities, religions, criminal histories and abilities. For instance, if an adolescent female disclosed that she was prostituting herself to earn enough money to pay for drugs, an empathetic social worker would attempt to ascertain the root of her problem instead of passing judgments and informing her of the risks of these behaviors. From there, the social worker can work alongside the client to identify the reasons behind her decisions and then formulate a treatment program tailored to her specific needs. With this strength, a social worker can ensure that their client does not feel alone and judged because only then can a client feel safe enough to divulge information that may be pertinent to their treatment.
I have had the opportunity to refine my empathetic personality during my extensive community service, including volunteering with the intellectually disabled at Special
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In order to prepare myself for a position as a social worker, I need to work on eliminating my tendency to judge people based upon common misconceptions, which is a tough feat in a society that stresses using one’s appearance to make assumptions about others. For instance, if I see a homeless person on the street panhandling, I still do not hand them money because I cannot be sure that the money will go to food or basic necessities instead of alcohol or illicit drugs. I also find myself hesitant around those who have a psychiatric illness, even though I have been hospitalized for one because I am afraid of what they are capable