Social Work Theories
James Tucker
April 29, 2010
SSW – 502 Spring 2010
The field of social work is constantly being influenced by new theories and ideology that affects how social worker’s engage and interact with their clients. The new ideology of the theories can impact the values of social worker’s. The purpose of this paper is to explore and inform how the concepts of relationship or alliance with clients from the work of the RCT theorist, Judith Herman, and Paulo Freire has influenced my values and developing sense of social work practice.
As a student of social work I am taught to use a combination of theories in order to enhance my knowledge with helping clients. Some theories focus on understanding individuals on a micro level. There are some theories that focus on understanding individuals on an macro level, but from what I’ve learned from the newer theories is that it’s extremely important to understand individuals on all levels. Jean Baker Miller along with her colleagues influenced the field of psychology by developing the Relational Cultural Theory. The field of psychology is typically male dominated in every aspect, but finally the Relational Cultural Theory sled light on the development of females which have been lacking since the study of psychology began. The Relational Cultural Theory acknowledges the larger context of socio-cultural and the ways in which it assist in creating growth-fostering relationships. The Relational Cultural theory model focuses on the importance of connections in females lives. It is critical that females have continuing growth fostering relationships in their development. I believe that development of women have been forgotten in the previous years of psychology. In Judith Herman’s book “Trauma and Recovery” she explores how women have been oppressed for many years. Judith Herman informs and explores traumatic disorders such as: terror, child abuse, sexual
April 29, 2010
SSW – 502 Spring 2010
The field of social work is constantly being influenced by new theories and ideology that affects how social worker’s engage and interact with their clients. The new ideology of the theories can impact the values of social worker’s. The purpose of this paper is to explore and inform how the concepts of relationship or alliance with clients from the work of the RCT theorist, Judith Herman, and Paulo Freire has influenced my values and developing sense of social work practice.
As a student of social work I am taught to use a combination of theories in order to enhance my knowledge with helping clients. Some theories focus on understanding individuals on a micro level. There are some theories that focus on understanding individuals on an macro level, but from what I’ve learned from the newer theories is that it’s extremely important to understand individuals on all levels. Jean Baker Miller along with her colleagues influenced the field of psychology by developing the Relational Cultural Theory. The field of psychology is typically male dominated in every aspect, but finally the Relational Cultural Theory sled light on the development of females which have been lacking since the study of psychology began. The Relational Cultural Theory acknowledges the larger context of socio-cultural and the ways in which it assist in creating growth-fostering relationships. The Relational Cultural theory model focuses on the importance of connections in females lives. It is critical that females have continuing growth fostering relationships in their development. I believe that development of women have been forgotten in the previous years of psychology. In Judith Herman’s book “Trauma and Recovery” she explores how women have been oppressed for many years. Judith Herman informs and explores traumatic disorders such as: terror, child abuse, sexual
Cited: Freire, Paulo. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. (pp. 56, 64). New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc.