Social work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Social work - Essay Example I have learned to empathize and see the perspective of the service-user I counsel without crossing the boundaries of professionalism. I work with victims of domestic violence. I am aware that they need to be understood but not patronized in a way that makes them feel pitied. I have also learned to control my feelings and not allow them to get in they way of my pursuit of professionalism. For example, there was a service user who was very agitated when she came to the refuge. Her emotionality caused the other workers to panic or become defensive which further provoked her. Although I was nervous, I approached her calmly with a firm but gentle voice and asked her what was bothering her. I did not mirror her actions and reactions or else it will just be encouraged, so I did the opposite and talked to her in a low, calming voice to soothe her, assuring her everything will be alright but she needed to relax. My approach worked because she did calm down. A little while later, she was ready to talk about her issues. In my dealings with service users, I have learned to ask questions that would elicit more information about them and their cases. As much as possible, I ask open-ended questions to enable them to answer with more information instead of just a ‘yes’, a ‘no’ or any other one-word answers. I am learning so much from my placement experiences although I know I have a long way to go. I take every opportunity to hone my skills, enhance my knowledge and build my professionalism. I receive appropriate training, support and supervision to help me in the successful implementation of my duties (Thompson, 2009). I read books, online articles or simply engage in deep conversations with available mentors in placement. â€Å"Social work is a profession and a social science committed to the pursuit of social justice, to quality of life, and to the development of the full potential of each individual, group and community in a society.† I am fully aware