Frameworks
All names have been changed to preserve the confidentiality of clients.
1. Practice Framework:
Crisis Intervention Model
This model is used to help someone in a crisis such as a
highly stressful experience. During this
time, the modes of coping and acting are ineffective, leaving the individual in
a state of distress. Long term or
serious problems may develop if effective ways of coping are not found. Using crisis intervention, the social worker,
assists the client in recognizing their situation, gathering strength to try
something new and then to act. It
requires much direction from the social worker as the client tends to not be in
a position to do so themselves.
Specific client/situation:
At Aspiro, many of the adolescents were brought into the program after being awaken in the early morning hours by two strangers and told to get in the car. Then they were taken to the airport, put on a plane and end up in a different state, only to be taken out to the middle of nowhere and told they were to stay in a wilderness program. One student names Jon had this happen to him. When I met Jon, he was angry, scared and in shock. Jon tried first to lie on his sleeping bag, not moving or speaking for hours. Then he tried to run away. We followed. It was raining and he did not put on his shoes or take a jacket. He did not get very far. Then he tried throwing rocks at the staff. During the time when he was running away and throwing rocks he was demanding we take him home. These were his ways of coping.
I could clearly see Jon was in a situation where his
previous coping patterns, such as yelling, and becoming violent, were ineffective in achieving what he desired. Knowing this, I decided to use the crisis
intervention model to help him clearly see where he was, and to help him gather
the strength to handle his present situation.
Description of what I did:
We arrived back at base camp with Jon after he had run away and thrown rocks at us. He had been at Aspiro less than 24 hours and felt abandoned by his family. From his perspective, he had been “kidnapped” in the middle of the night and drug out to the middle of nowhere Utah. In hopes of being returned home he tried running, screaming and throwing rocks. These are the behaviors that got him sent home from the last program he was put into. But they were not working here. After Jon was able to get out of the rain in warm, dry clothes and fed he began to calm down.
I sat down next to Jon and asked him how he got to Aspiro. He explained being wakened in the night and taken by strangers. He expressed how traumatized he felt by being kidnapped and abandoned by his parents. Next we discussed why he thought his parents would do that and what troubles he was having at home. I told him about where he was and what it would be like at Aspiro. I told him that the reality of his situation was that he was here and he needed to choose to try to participate at Aspiro. He then began crying, laid down and refused to move for the next two days.
At this time, the intervention did not appear to work at
all. However, after the two days of
refusing to move, Jon was able to gather enough strength and courage to try to
participate at Aspiro.
2. Practice Framework:
Family Theory
Framework overview:
This framework is designed to utilize the family when working with an individual. Often problems arise because of what is or is not taught in the family. By considering the family and incorporating them into the solution, the changes the individual is making can be reinforced. Using the family is beneficial as they are more likely to be there for the individual in their times of need more than the social worker will. Family theory requires the social worker to work with both the individual and the family as a whole to be a part of the solution.
Specific client/situation:
At Aspiro, we use family theory. One situation in particular that I used family theory was at a parent’s seminar. Every month, Aspiro holds workshops for families to help them understand what their child is experiencing and provide an opportunity for the child and parents to meet and work towards resolving conflicts. Family theory is invaluable during this time as, the problem the child has tends to reflect what occurs in the home. For example, the parents do hold boundaries. Then as their child begins acting inappropriately, the parents try to set up boundaries. Yet they do not know how to keep them, nor does their child know how to respect the boundaries. Through family theory the parents are involved in changing their own behaviors, while the child is changing theirs as well. With the parents involved, longer lasting change is able to occur.
Description of what I did:
I sat at a
round table with 5 students’ dads at Aspiro at a parent’s seminar. I asked the dads what they perceived their
child’s problem was. Answer’s varied
from, “I am too hard on him” to “My child misbehaves so much that we have given
up on trying to enforce anything.” I
then asked if they could think of anything that they did that would cause their
child to turn to those behaviors. This
caught them off guard. One dad said his
son reacted to stress in the same way that he did. We then spoke of the changes their children
had been making while at Aspiro. I asked
them to think of what they were going to do to help their child once they
return home. The dads made the
connection that if they continued to model certain behaviors that they did not
approve of in their child, there would continue to be conflicts. Each dad then was asked to make a plan of
what they could do to be a part of the solution of reducing conflicts.
3. Practice
Framework:
Systems Theory
Framework overview:
Systems theory states that an individual’s behavior and functioning is determined by biological and social systems impacting them. When a part of the system breaks down it impacts the functioning of the whole. This framework is effective at the beginning of assessments to identify what needs to change for the behavior and functioning to be at the desired level. In my example below, I was in the social system. My actions caused a change in the behavior and functioning of the student I was working with.
Specific client/situation:
During my
last week on trial, I found myself continuously dealing with angry teens. One
in particular, Kyle, a 13 year old with Aspergers, decided as we were
backpacking in Coyote Gulch, Escalante (a desert canyon) that he was not going
to hike any farther unless we agreed to hike 5 more miles to a spring to get
water and eat breakfast, instead of stopping at the stream 200 yards away. We
sent the rest of the group with one guide ahead to the stream to eat, while Jon
(a guide) and I stayed with Kyle. After attempting to talk with Kyle, and him
only growing in anger, he finally stood up and began walking off. Jon and I
followed and as it became apparent that he was not going to stop soon we knew
we needed to intervene. The day before we had followed Kyle for 2 1/2 miles in
the desert, away from the group before he stopped. We could not have a repeat
for insufficient water resources.
Jon, who is 6' 10", went up to Kyle, gently hugged him from behind, and
then sat on the ground with him. Kyle kicked, screamed and attempted to stab
Jon with a stick. When Kyle saw me in view, he picked up rocks and began throwing
them at me. Jon held his wrists out to the side to stop him, only making him
more upset.
I chose to apply systems theory because I was currently a part of Kyle’s social system. Systems theory says that when one thing is working in a certain way, another thing cannot. Something has to change. Usually, it is the person’s behavior and functioning that change.
Description of what I did:
Feeling at a loss for helpful words, I followed my gut.
Bending down in his view, I picked up rocks and began throwing them at the
ground. I kicked. I stomped. I yelled as loud as he was, and then some. I made
it as comedic as I could, matching and mirroring what he had been doing.
Not only did this tantrum startle my co-guide, it also startled Kyle. He
struggled to not laugh. Soon, he was willing to talk and continue on to water. Systems theory denotes that two people can't
be crazy and out of control at the same time. I took the crazy position. Kyle
saw the craziness and returned the situation to a stable place.
4. Practice
Framework:
Strength Perspective
Framework overview:
The focus of the strengths perspective is to identify those
characteristics that are strengths to the individual in helping them to solve
problems and work through difficulties.
As a social worker I help them identify their strengths and help them
not compare them to others. I empower
others by building on their knowledge, skills and resources.
Specific client/situation:
Joe and I were hiking with the rest of our group in the dark of night. The terrain was rocky, the way rough. Joe was a student who struggled with anxiety. I knew when he came to walk by me it was because he needed help. This night, Joe felt overwhelmed by the challenge of the activity and felt we were lost. He was scared. When scared and anxious Joe tends to catastrophize. I knew we were in a place that would be dangerous to have an emotional breakdown, so to help, I chose to use the strengths perspective. By helping him identify his strengths, he gained courage to accomplish this hard task. It also helps him practice new ways of thinking when anxious.
Description of what I did:
The following is a dialogue held between myself and Joe:
Joe: Jessica, I am scared.
Jessica: It’s okay to be scared Joe. You are doing so well to keep going right now.
Joe: Jessica, will you help distract me?
Jessica: Sure. Joe, tell me 3 things you are good at?
Joe: I am good at skating.
Jessica: That’s great! I remember you telling me how much like it. What else are you good at?
Joe: Well…I don’t know. I guess I am nice to other people.
Jessica: You are right. You are nice.
Joe: I also can rap well. Do you want to hear?
Jessica: Yes.
Joe proceeds to rap.
Jessica: That was really good. You sure have a talent for music.
Joe: Jessica?
Jessica: Yes Joe.
Joe: I feel better now. I am going to go hike by Kent and show him my rap.
I drew upon Joe’s strength, particularly those things he is good at, to help calm his anxieties.
5. Practice Framework:
Task Centered Work
Framework overview:
The key with task centered work is baby steps. It is breaking a large goal into small, accessible, attainable steps. When using task centered work, the steps must be clear and they must start where the client is. If the tasks are too difficult for the client, they may become overwhelmed or disappointed. It may make it harder for them to want to try again in the future. It is also important to never do anything the client can do for themselves.
Specific client/situation:
I wanted to empower my client and help them accomplish
things for themselves. When working at
the hospital I worked with mothers who were pregnant and who were staying at the
hospital so the doctor’s could keep them pregnant. One woman I worked with was pregnant with
triplets. She was at the hospital for 3
weeks prior to her delivery; at least we were hoping she would stay pregnant
for the next 3 weeks before delivering. The
family was concerned about finances even though the mother was on WIC and the
father was working triplets would cause some great expenses. They asked me if there were any manufactures that
had multiple gestation programs. They
did not even know how to look for something like that, yet alone how to apply. I chose to use task centered work to help
them develop a step by step, simple plan so they would be able to help themselves
as they applied for multiple gestation programs. To create this plan, it required me to do
some research using resources I have.
Description of what I did:
After some research I created a list of places such as Pampers, Huggies, Luvs, Enfamil, Ringling Brothers and more who have programs and how to apply. When I presented them to the parents, I helped them create a plan to accomplish applying for these programs such as identifying who they knew who would allow them to borrow a laptop for the mother to use while at the hospital. I created a detailed step by step list for them of what information they would need to gather to send into these programs, along with addresses. The mother and father were then able to follow the plan to receive additional assistance.
