Social Work Reflection Essay

The article that stuck out to me the most from this week’s readings was Naming Privilege in a Justice-Centered Social Work Practice. My main career goal is to work in an adult psychiatric or crisis ward in a hospital, so the experiences discussed in the reading seemed to speak to me more than I imagined readings on diversity would. I feel like part of being a social worker is to be empathetic and helpful to all people, even when we are aware that a client may line up with a bias that we understand we hold. The way the student in the article spoke about the man who came into the ER appalled me. A social worker should not hold judgment, and actively discriminate against, their client. I understand that no one is perfect, and venting about the

The majority of the time, however, I believe people are truly in dire need of help, and finding the courage to do something about it is a big step, so putting them down and refusing to help them is a surefire way to discourage them from seeking help ever again. I cannot visualize myself acting that way toward clients, even though I know I have biases that I have identified, as well as have yet to identify. In such an intense setting, like an ER or crisis unit, I can see how “true colors” can slip out without much thought, but I also believe it is possible to be in-tune with yourself and your mind enough to be able to train yourself to prevent that most of the time. Another setting I would be appalled to hear someone refuse to help a client would be at my practicum. When you are working a suicide hotline, some of the worst things you could tell the person on the other end is that you do not believe them, you have no desire to help them, you believe it is their fault for being in the situation they are in, among many more judgmental and thoughtless