Practice models - Lecture notes n/a PDF

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Practice Models in Social Work Social work practice models are ways social workers can implement theories in their practice. Just like a social worker may use various theories to guide their interventions, social workers may also use various practice models depending on the problems their clients encounter. 1. Cognitive behavioral therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy External link focuses on how thoughts and feelings influence behaviors, as well as how self-destructive behaviors can lead to psychological problems. Social workers using cognitive behavioral therapy methods help clients identify self-destructive thoughts and behaviors that influence negative emotions and behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used with individuals who are experiencing mental health issues, mental illness or depression resulting from crisis or trauma. Social workers using cognitive behavioral therapy help their clients eliminate destructive thoughts and behaviors and prevent negative outcomes from them. 2. Crisis intervention model The crisis intervention model is used for clients who are experiencing crisis and trauma, such as victims of domestic violence, and for clients who require intervention to prevent physical harm or suicide. Albert R. Roberts, PhD, and Allen J. Ottens, PhD, developed a seven-stage crisis intervention model External link with the following stages: Take a psychosocial and lethality assessment. Rapidly establish rapport. Identify the major crisis cause(s). Enable the client to express their feelings and emotions. Generate and explore safe alternatives for coping. Create an action plan. Follow up after the intervention. This social work model is commonly used for clients who are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm or who have undergone an acute crisis, like rape or violence. 3. Narrative therapy Narrative therapy External link is the process of removing an individual from their problem(s) and helping the individual to see that they have the power to change their life story, also known as the narrative. Narrative therapy helps individuals realize that they are not their problems, but that they’re separate from them and can fix them when they view the narrative from an outside perspective.

Using narrative therapy, a social worker would help an individual to create a new narrative with different positive actions. The social worker helps an individual understand how the broader context is contributing to their narrative, so they can be aware of things to avoid and ways to tackle their problems. 4. Problem-solving model The problem-solving model External link was created by Helen Harris Perlman, a social worker and author of “Social Casework: A Problem-solving Process.” With the problem-solving model, a social worker helps an individual identify a problem, create an action plan to solve it and implement the solution. Together, the social worker and individual discuss the effectiveness of the problem-solving strategy and adjust it as necessary. The problem-solving model enables the social worker and individual to focus on one concrete problem at a time. Perlman argued that this method is effective because long-term psychotherapy isn’t always necessary and can hinder an individual’s progress. 5. Solution-focused therapy Solution-focused therapy involves the social worker and client identifying a problem and creating a solution based on the individual’s strengths. It’s a short-term practice model that focuses on helping clients to cope with challenges using specific behaviors. Instead of focusing on changing who a client is, solution-focused therapy concerns changing a client’s actions in certain situations to achieve more favorable outcomes. In solution-focused therapy, the social worker and the client work together to devise solutions. This gives the client the opportunity to play an essential role in the positive changes they’re going to make and helps them to implement those changes since they had a role in suggesting them. 6. Task-centered practice With task-centered practice, a social worker breaks down a problem into manageable tasks. The individual has deadlines to complete the tasks and agrees to meet them. Task-centered practice is a goal-setting form of social work that helps individuals make constant gains toward improving their lives. Task-centered practice is a form of social work brief therapy, that provides time-limited treatments to move individuals closer to success as they complete tasks. Instead of focusing on the past, social workers using task-centered practice focus on the present and how the work individuals do on certain tasks will positively impact their future....