Domestic Violence Reflection

Social work practice has been a part of our culture for over 400 years. Beginning with Charitable Organizational Societies and Settlement Houses, social workers have been tasked with providing services to people from a diverse community in which there could be differences in cultural backgrounds, lifestyle choices, and coping styles. As a practitioner, it is our job to be impartial, nonjudgmental, and objective when intervening with clients. As a woman who believes in equal opportunity for women and seeks to decrease gender-related violence in our homes, domestic violence is an arena that can be problematic for clinicians to remain impartial and objective, not to mention emotionally neutral. Domestic violence can be defined as …show more content…
It would be an area that I am concerned about working with as I venture into furthering my career within the human service field. What I did not realize is that exploring the issue of domestic violence in greater depth, I would discover that it was not the abuse that results in an emotional reaction as before thought. It is the underlying motivations, self-concept, and level of hope that has been generationally engrained that causes the emotional reaction when dealing with clients faced with domestic violence. My view of domestic violence was of weak people (primarily women) who allow their partners to control and dictate their lives. In examining the literature, I have a deeper understanding of the generational implications and impact of domestic …show more content…
Clients need to be viewed critically, objectively, and most importantly individually. Patterns exist in every arena that I could explore within the social work field. However present the patterns may be, each client needs to be viewed through their life experiences, family history, and life structure. My professional growth will focus on this area – despite the population view – so that I do not group clients into a pattern that may or may not exist. In addition, I plan to spend extra time working with women in a domestic violence shelter to be able to understand their experiences on a different level. Transference and countertransference are two aspects of this field that will always be present at some level. It is key for my success to be able to find and process any feelings that arise when working with a client. To be able to understand a client’s story prior to creating my clinical view will be created through focusing on a correct assessment and evaluation process. My choices for electives and, or research opportunities will focus on the area of assessment and diagnosis so I can develop a reliable clinical plan, and not allowing my preconceived ideas dictate treatment. In addition, if I continue to struggle in this area, I will seek outside guidance with a mentor or therapist to decide if any additional roots to the reaction the population of domestic