Social Work Case Analysis

Introduction As a therapist, most are aware of how the first impression can become influential towards the therapist understanding of a client. In the Social Work profession relating to clients is an important as we constantly receive new cases or clients. The way we engage with the clients become crucial to developing a connection with the case. We begin to understand the vignette of LaShonda, describing and unemployed 32 years old African American female examining the engagement process. Furthermore, literature reviews give clear examples on how similar situations present similar obstacles and engagement methods to solve the client’s situation. Further analysis of the case explains engagement obstacles, connect with our clients, and find

We need to communicate interest in having a relationship with our clients to explore their problems. One would need to be prepared and have a psychological and physical commitment towards the professional relationship. During our interaction with LaShonda, we need to be aware of our body postures, eye contact, and out attentiveness towards cultural gestures that LaShonda might portray through the engagement process. During this stage of engagement, it is okay to have periods of silence, which might feel awkward to some, but be needed for clients to explain the whole

Countertransference relates to the professional’s understanding of the client based on his or her own present or past values and experiences (Perks, Lecture, September 9, 2016). Because every individual comes from different backgrounds I can have a prejudgment when engaging the client during the first meeting. The primary problems would arise from my lack of knowledge about the African-American culture. From my understanding of the client, I believe LaShonda shows resistance to therapy because of how her culture views on such services. In African American culture, they do not believe in therapy. In connection, Chinese culture also believes that people who have a mental disability or depression should be outcasted. We believe that mental health issues are not considered dire medical problems that need to be addressed. I can see that she feels hopeless because of her situation and that happens to me when I lost my job because of the various reason that I did not understand. It was not to the same extreme situation like LaShonda, but it did bring me some negative feels. Because of her situation of unemployment from her racial provide, I feel annoyed because she is not willing to engage in the conversation. She has already been seeking therapy already because of her depression diagnosis, but now she comes with a more severe situation of suicidal actions. Her actions of overdosing on