[Episode 52] Today's podcast looks at the human relationship betwixt theory as well as clinical social piece of work practice. I spoke alongside Joseph Walsh, professor of social piece of work at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), as well as writer of the Brooks/Cole text, Theories for Direct Social Work Practice, which came out inward a 3rd edition inward 2014. We talked nigh why social workers should larn do theories, the differences betwixt practice, developmental as well as personality theories, the deviation betwixt a theory as well as a model, as well as why in that location are so many dissimilar do theories. We talked nigh how knowing theory makes for improve social piece of work do as well as how existence "eclectic" isn't nigh eschewing theory, but existence good grounded inward a few theories as well as making intentional choices nigh when as well as how to pull from them. Joe suggested that social workers inward the acre tin contribute to theory refinement past times thinking seriously nigh how good the theories they utilization piece of work alongside the clients they serve. We ended our conversation alongside some data on resources for social workers who are interested inward learning to a greater extent than nigh do theories.
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Joseph Walsh is a professor of social piece of work as well as affiliate professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has been a straight service practitioner inward the acre of mental wellness since 1974, inaugural of all inward a psychiatric infirmary as well as afterward inward community mental wellness centre settings. He has specialized inward services to persons alongside serious mental disease as well as their families. Joe came to VCU inward 1993 as well as teaches courses inward generalist practice, clinical practice, human behavior, as well as research. He continues to render straight services to clients at the University’s Center for Psychological Services. He has published widely inward social piece of work as well as related journals on topics related to clinical practice, as well as is the writer of numerous books, including Theories for Direct Social Work Practice (2014), Mental wellness inward social work: a casebook on diagnosis as well as strengths-based assessment, DSM-5 Update (2014) Clinical instance management alongside persons having mental illness: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 relationship-based perspective (2000), and The social worker as well as psychotropic medication: toward effective collaboration alongside clients, families, as well as providers (2013). Joe was the 1998 recipient of the National Mental Health Association’s George Goodman Brudney as well as Ruth P. Brudney Social Work Award, given annually to recognize important contributions to the attention as well as handling of persons alongside mental illness.
Transcript [pdf download
]Jonathan Singer: Before nosotros acquire to the interview, I wanted to acknowledge that theory is i of those topics that really makes a lot of people uncomfortable. It tends to brand social piece of work students groan, makes practitioners throw upward their hands as well as shrug, as well as incites all sorts of debate amid social piece of work scholars. I think it is because patch theory is past times Definition abstract, in that location is a debate inward social piece of work every bit to whether or non theory improves the lineament of practice, enquiry as well as policy. I also want to acknowledge that the topic of theory is huge as well as this podcast cannot encompass all of it. But, inward monastic say to render a context for the interview, I'm going to pass a few minutes defining some basic ideas around theory, seat dissimilar types of theories, as well as utter nigh some of the pros as well as cons of theory inward social piece of work practice, enquiry as well as policy.
A Definition of theory
In a 2001 article, Bruce Thyer, i of social work's most outspoken critics of theory, defined theory every bit “attempts to retrospectively explicate as well as to prospectively predict” (2001a, p. 16). This is just i of many definitions, but I similar it because it suggests 2 functions of theory. The inaugural of all is to explicate or assist us empathise – to render some insight – into why something happened. For example, yous are working alongside a adult woman whose children were removed past times kid welfare for neglectful parenting. Why did this happen? During your conversation alongside her it becomes clear that she learned how to nurture past times watching her parents every bit good every bit the people around her. Is that data important? It is according to Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory, which says that people larn behaviors past times watching others. This woman nurture modeled her parenting on what she saw around her. This brings us to the 2nd business office of theory - to predict what mightiness hand off inward the future. Taking this same example, social learning theory would predict that if yous model protective parenting behaviors, your customer volition larn how to nurture her children inward ways that are neither abusive nor neglectful. But, yous mightiness hold out call for yourself, isn't in that location to a greater extent than to parenting than just behaviors? Yes. And this suggests the limits of relying on a unmarried theory to essay to explicate or predict human behavior. While some theories do a improve labor of explaining as well as some do a improve labor of predicting, all theories guide hold limitations. And existence an informed consumer of theories agency knowing nigh dissimilar types of theories as well as specifically nigh dissimilar assumptions of do theories. So, let's utter for a infinitesimal nigh the dissimilar types of theories.
Types of theories
There are many types of theories that clinicians demand to know about, such every bit developmental, personality, as well as do theory. Social piece of work students larn nigh developmental theory inward their Human Behavior as well as Social Environment courses. Some examples of developmental theory are Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Kohlberg as well as Gilligan's theories of moral development, as well as Erik Erickson's psychosocial theory. Developmental theories tin hold out useful inward agreement why someone is doing something at a detail phase inward life. Personality theories explicate human demeanor inward price of personality traits, such every bit existence to a greater extent than introverted or extroverted, or to a greater extent than dominant or submissive. But neither developmental theory nor personality theory utter much nigh what you, the practitioner, tin do to help. That's where do theories come upward in. Practice theories oftentimes contain components of developmental as well as personality theory, but the focus is on why someone is having a specific laid of problems as well as how nosotros tin resolve those problems. The why as well as how vary past times the do theory.
Practice theories are oftentimes divided into 4 broad categories, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, as well as postmodern. If I recorded this podcast inward the 1950s non only would I hold out a technological genius, but I would utter exclusively nigh the variations of Freudian psychosexual theory. By the 1970s, social workers could guide betwixt psychodynamic, cognitive-behavior as well as humanistic theories. In the 1980s, postmodern theories became popular. These categories are non exhaustive, but do work organization human relationship for most do theories that are unremarkably applied to treating individuals. I'm going to pass a few infinitesimal describing each of these 4 categories of do theories. To larn to a greater extent than nigh these categories, yous tin hear to a number of other social piece of work podcasts, or read social piece of work do theory texts past times Coady as well as Lehman, Malcolm Payne, or today's guest, Joe Walsh.
Psychodynamic theory. These theories, including drive or id psychology, ego psychology, object relations, as well as self-psychology, guide hold their roots inward the piece of work of Sigmund Freud as well as the belief that electrical current problems tin hold out traced dorsum to childhood traumas or developmental challenges. These theories emphasize insight as well as personality change. More recent psychodynamic approaches, such every bit brief psychodynamic therapy maintain the emphasis on insight but focus interpretations on electrical current issues.
Cognitive-behavioral theories. Although they developed separately, cognitive as well as behavioral theories are by as well as large considered component of the same broad category because, inward practice, most behavioral interventions guide hold a cognitive component, as well as most cognitive interventions guide hold a behavioral component. In contrast to psychodynamic theory's focus on the past, cognitive demeanor theories focus on the acquaint inward monastic say to alter futurity behavior. However, CBTs acknowledge that electrical current problems alongside demeanor as well as thinking oftentimes guide hold roots inward the past. Although today's cognitive-behavior therapists concord that the therapeutic human relationship is primal to the alter process, the original writings of Albert Ellis as well as Aaron Beck described the therapeutic human relationship every bit to a greater extent than of a teacher-student human relationship the therapist was didactics the customer nigh their patterns of thinking as well as behavior.
Humanistic. This category of do theories has its roots inward the piece of work of Carl Rogers, who held the humanistic belief that people guide hold inside them all of the resources needed to arrive at their total potential. Humanistic therapies reckon the therapeutic human relationship every bit primal to the alter process. Rogers is famous for proverb that inward monastic say for alter to occur, therapists must hold out authentic, genuine, as well as demonstrate unconditional positive regard for their clients. Humanistic therapies focus on the present, alongside fiddling emphasis on the past times or future.
Postmodern. Practice theories inward this category, most notably Michael White as well as David Epston's Narrative Therapy, are critical of approaches that privilege some ideas at the expense of others. Postmodernists believe that since reality is a social construction, the therapeutic human relationship is primal to change. Postmodern approaches combat that the primary do goodness of labeling a laid of behaviors every bit “dysfunctional” is to lift those without that label. In this way, traditional social services, the medical model, as well as most handling approaches are tools used past times those inward ability to maintain control.
Within each of these categories, specific do theories essay to tackle to a greater extent than broad or narrow ranges of experience. For example, traditional Freudian psychoanalysis is considered a grand theory that tries to work organization human relationship for the experience of all people. In contrast interpersonal psychotherapy is to a greater extent than of a do model inward that it uses ideas from psychodynamic theory, but makes real narrow assumptions nigh who tin hold out helped past times the intervention as well as inward what fourth dimension frame.
Arguments against theory
So far I've defined theory, talked nigh types of theories, as well as specific categories of do theories. The concluding thing I want to utter nigh before nosotros hear the plainly pro-theory interview alongside Joe Walsh is that in that location are iii compelling arguments against do theories.
First, in that location are no unique social piece of work do theories. That is, in that location are no theories that derive from social piece of work values as well as specifically reverberate social work's assumptions nigh the human condition. But wait, you're saying, what nigh ecological systems theory? Ecosystems theory is non a do theory – it is a framework. Katherine van Wormer, inward her majority on Human Behavior as well as the Social Environment noted that systems theory is also broad to hold out researchable inward whatever practical way. Ecosystems theory reminds social workers of the broad arrive at of influences on a person's life but doesn't render guidance on how to intervene.
Second, in that location is express empirical back upward for the utilization of most do theories alongside various populations. Narrative therapy, i of the few do approaches that explicitly focuses on societal construction of disadvantage, was developed past times Michael White, a social worker.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 3rd declaration against theory has to do alongside the express amount of empirical back upward for do theories every bit a important factor inward customer change. Jerome Frank, whom Joe Walsh volition reference inward this interview, argued that 4 “common factors,” the therapeutic relationship, mutual therapeutic procedures, a healing setting as well as the client's belief inward a ground for their problems, accounted for most therapeutic change. In 2001 Bruce Wampold published a meta-analysis of psychotherapy studies as well as concluded that Frank was right. He flora that all do approaches piece of work nigh the same as well as that mutual factors accounted for significantly to a greater extent than alter than did the specific handling approach.
You mightiness hold out wondering, ok, so those are pretty goodness reasons against do theories, should I fifty-fifty bother to hear to the residual of the podcast? Well, I would say yes, because despite the critiques against theory inward social work, the truth is that to a greater extent than people would combat for it than against it, Joe is a neat interview, as well as I'm going to tell your professor if yous don't goal the podcast. I'm just kidding nigh that concluding one. But, a goodness social worker volition get together lots of data before making a decision. So, inward the spirit of gathering information, on to the interview alongside Joe Walsh as well as Theories for Clinical Social Work Practice. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 quick banking concern annotation before nosotros start the interview – I used Skype to tape the interview; Joe was inward Richmond, Virginia as well as I was inward Philadelphia.
Interview
Jonathan Singer: Joe, thank yous so much for existence hither today on the Social Work Podcast to utter alongside us nigh theories as well as the social piece of work practice. My inaugural of all inquiry is: Why should social workers larn theory?
Joe Walsh: Well, to me a theory is just a way to brand sense out of real complex behavior, as well as I think that at its core, human demeanor is way also complex for whatever of us to empathise inward its entirety so a theory is just a perspective or a “lens” that nosotros assume so that nosotros tin narrow downwardly what we’re looking at as well as do the best nosotros tin at agreement people as well as their experiences. It’s sort of a way to brand sense out of confusing experiences. I believe that everyone operates from a theoretical perspective whether they are aware of it or not. So, I believe that it’s of import for social workers to larn theory because inward the process, they larn nigh their ain beliefs, their ain assumptions nigh people as well as how problems develop, as well as how they tin assist people to change. I’ll just add together hither at the offset that I do non suggest whatever detail theory every bit existence the best or improve than others because I believe that a social worker’s mastery of whatever theory volition enable that someone to do the best piece of work alongside their clients.
Jonathan Singer: You’ve written a whole majority on do theory as well as I’m wondering, how does it differ from other types of theories that social workers larn nigh developmental theory or personality theory?
Joe Walsh: Well, I think of developmental theory, which is what our students acquire inward their human demeanor as well as the social surround courses, every bit existence theories nigh how people develop, what makes people tick, why people conduct the way they do, natural changes that people locomote through inward their lives. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 personality theory, which I’m real interested inward but guide hold no expertise in, is about, how does a personality develop? What is a personality? Are personalities fluid or are they firm? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 do theory is dissimilar inward that, every bit I reckon it, it’s a theory nigh how to assist people brand changes when they want to brand changes. What is it nigh talking or doing alongside clients that tin assist them brand the changes that they want to make? So, that’s how it’s dissimilar from the other 2 kinds of theories.
Jonathan Singer: So, what’s the deviation betwixt a do theory as well as a do model?
Joe Walsh: Ok, a do theory is a real general, broad, abstract thing. Most do theories, although non all, include concepts nigh human development. They include ideas nigh how problems develop, nigh how people change, as well as how the social worker tin assist people to change. But a model is narrower. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 do model is taking some of those concepts that a theory provides as well as using it to apply to a sure form of customer population. For example, nosotros guide hold interpersonal theory which actually, inward my view, is a do model because it takes concepts from psychodynamic thinking as well as cognitive behavioral thinking as well as applies them to how people tin resolve human relationship problems. So, that’s a to a greater extent than narrow application of those 2 theories. Dialectical behavioral therapy is some other i that is real unremarkably used nowadays alongside persons who guide hold gist abuse as well as personality problems as well as it also takes ideas from a brace of theories as well as applies them to a sure form of a customer population that is believed to hold out amenable to responding to applications of those theories. Now, personally, I guide hold spent most of my do career working alongside clients who guide hold severe mental illnesses similar schizophrenia. And I similar to utilization ego psychology inward my piece of work alongside them. The ground I would telephone outcry upward this a model is because I believe that alongside persons who guide hold severe mental illnesses, the client-worker human relationship is very, real of import because this is a customer population that typically has difficulty alongside human relationship evolution as well as trust, as well as so forth. And so I accept some concepts from ego psychology that guide hold to do alongside the human relationship as well as I pay detail attending to those things when I piece of work alongside that customer population. I’m non using the whole theory, the whole psychodynamic arrive at of ideas; I’m just using a part. And as well as so I also utilize a lot of behavioral techniques which comes from a dissimilar theoretical perspective but I discovery that that is also useful for that population. So, I would telephone outcry upward what I do using a do model: a narrow application of some ideas that come upward from several theories.
Jonathan Singer: So, the deviation betwixt a do theory as well as a do model is that a do theory is broader inward orbit as well as a do model is sort of to a greater extent than narrowly defined. And yous gave some examples of do models, such every bit interpersonal psychotherapy as well as dialectical behavioral therapy, both of which nosotros guide hold podcasts on. And so, I gauge i of my questions is, why are in that location so many do theories that students larn nigh inward their schools of social work?
Joe Walsh: Well, every bit I said earlier, a theory is just a way to brand sense out of the complexity of the human condition. And in that location are many ways to do that that people guide hold flora useful over the decades. Psychodynamic theory is a real quondam theory compared to the others as well as of class it came out of a detail fourth dimension as well as a detail culture, as well as I think that depending on the civilisation i lives in, that nosotros alive inward for example, nosotros prepare sure beliefs as well as assumptions nigh human behavior. Those alter over time. Cognitive demeanor became real pop inward the fifties as well as the sixties when, for a variety of reasons, it was believed that, hey, this id, ego, superego materials is really amorphous as well as abstract as well as it seems to hold out giving life for these real abstract concepts, shouldn’t nosotros acquire to a greater extent than concrete as well as shouldn’t nosotros just focus to a greater extent than on people’s cognitive thinking? Again, I don’t think that in that location is whatever theory that is the “correct theory.” I similar ego psychology inward component because it is what I learned first. I came upward inward the seventies as well as dorsum as well as so it was nevertheless a real pop approach.
And the other thing that I demand to emphasize that I forgot to say a infinitesimal agone is that a theory has to brand sense to the someone who is using it or else it volition hold out useless to them. So I believe that nosotros guide hold a lot of theories because in that location are just a lot of ways to conceptualize human demeanor as well as some of those are related to the times, to the culture, as well as others are belike related just to the personalities of the people that come upward up alongside the theories. While I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to really experience comfortable alongside a lot of theories, I tend to think that whatever of us tin experience comfortable alongside working alongside iii or 4 as well as so those are the ones that nosotros are going to latch onto.
Now, the ground nosotros guide hold so many do models, as well as I think this is wonderful, is because every bit the clinical social piece of work do acre has developed, nosotros guide hold identified things similar “attachment problems” that are real severe that touching on people throughout their lives that maybe didn’t acquire all that much attending 20 or xxx years ago. PTSD related to sexual trauma, things similar incest sexual abuse, became real widely studied beginning, I think, inward the seventies as well as eighties. Then nosotros had, of course, personality disorders that became to a greater extent than of a focus as well as to a greater extent than was learned nigh those. So, nosotros larn to a greater extent than as well as to a greater extent than nigh the intricacies of human existence as well as human demeanor as well as how people are affected. And I think it’s neat that a variety of thinkers inward social piece of work as well as other fields are able to accept whatever theories are available as well as essay to figure out, ok, how tin nosotros utilization these alongside this population inward a way that’s going to hold out helpful? So I think that component of the ground nosotros guide hold models is that nosotros guide hold to a greater extent than specifically identified customer populations that we’re trying to serve.
Jonathan Singer: So, models prepare out of a specific need, as well as it sounds similar they’re drawn from these broader ways of agreement how the globe plant as well as nigh how people work. You know, in that location mightiness hold out a skeptic out in that location who mightiness say that do theories are less useful these days than do models like, IPT or DBT, or fifty-fifty solution-focused therapy or motivational interviewing, all of which are included inward your book. What would yous say to somebody who says, basically, theory doesn’t matter, it’s just sort of having a framework that is most important?
Joe Walsh: I think nosotros all operate from theoretical perspectives, going dorsum i time to a greater extent than to what my ain Definition for a theory is. So, nosotros owe it to ourselves every bit self-aware professionals to empathise the terra firma from which nosotros are trying to assist people. And if somebody says to me, as well as they do, they say this a lot, that theory doesn’t matter, I just disagree alongside that. I think this someone is non aware of the fact that they do adhere, again, whether they are aware of it or not, to sure theoretical perspectives.
Jonathan Singer: So, I think this is really interesting, yous say that yous utilization ego psychology as well as cognitive demeanor theory when yous piece of work alongside your clients. That sure fits inward alongside your thought that social workers tend to piece of work from at to the lowest degree a brace of dissimilar theoretical perspectives. It seems that most social workers these days would consider themselves “eclectic,” important that they do non adhere to i specific theory. And I acquire that you’re proverb that it’s really non realistic to think that somebody does non come upward from whatever perspective, that they’re alone eclectic, that they just sort of piece of work alongside somebody completely individually based on how they encounter them as well as that’s it. That everybody has sort of some theoretical terra firma for what they’re doing. I was wondering if yous could utter about, what are the pros as well as cons of existence theoretically eclectic?
Joe Walsh: Well, the pros of existence theoretically eclectic, which past times the way, I would define every bit having knowledge of as well as mastery of several theories, as well as also having knowledge as well as mastery of accompanying models of practice, as well as existence able to brand decisions nigh which of those approaches is most suitable for this customer or customer arrangement I’m working with. I, for example, I maintain proverb this, I tend to hold out ego psychological but a lot of times when I piece of work alongside clients I pose that completely aside as well as piece of work behaviorally, for example. So, I think eclecticism among, again, a express number of theories alongside which i is familiar is the pro.
On the con, many people who are theoretically eclectic mightiness think that they’re prepared to pull from, let’s say, twelve theories depending on what the needs of the customer are. And I would just challenge that someone to hold out sure that they really understood the terra firma of all those approaches they’re drawing from as well as guide hold an agreement of why as well as how i or several of those would hold out useful to apply to a situation. The con of existence theoretically eclectic is sloppiness. “Oh, I think I’m going to do some narrative therapy hither because narrative therapy seems to apply.” Now, if I don’t really know much nigh narrative therapy, I volition non trust that that social worker is going to do a goodness labor trying to utilization narrative therapy alongside a customer if they don’t really empathise the process. And allow me dorsum upward for a minute. Narrative theory is radically dissimilar from most of the other theoretical perspectives that I’m aware of as well as it has radically dissimilar assumptions nigh identity as well as the influence of civilisation as well as it’s of import for the someone to empathise that or else I think what they’ll hold out doing alongside the customer is something that’s really the form of vague, ambiguous as well as non really existence done inward a way that they really empathise the kinds of goal that narrative theory tends to espouse.
I really guide hold some pleasant arguments alongside my colleagues around hither alongside regard to solution-focused therapy. Now, I reckon that every bit a model, non a theory. I am reluctant to instruct students nigh solution-focused therapy unless I am prepared to do it exhaustively because if yous just acquire a fiddling chip of solution-focused therapy, you’re left alongside the agreement that yous ignore the past, yous just await to the future, yous discovery out what the client’s goals are as well as yous assist them prepare ideas for ways to arrive at those goals. It ignores a lot of the HBSE concepts that I personally believe are of import as well as I just think that a pupil or a social worker should empathise that before they start using solution-focused therapy. I experience similar I’m rambling now, but I think my basic bespeak hither is that the cons of existence theoretically eclectic is that it tin hold out a mish squelch if yous really do non empathise the terra firma of what your various approaches are about.
Jonathan Singer: So, those are some of the pros as well as cons of existence theoretically eclectic, but I’m wondering if yous could give an illustration of how theory really informs practice.
Joe Walsh: Sure, I’d similar to utter nigh menage unit of measurement theory hither for a infinitesimal because I was non a menage unit of measurement practitioner for the inaugural of all 10 years of my do career. I came upon menage unit of measurement piece of work afterward as well as I was aware when I got to that bespeak that didn’t really know a lot nigh menage unit of measurement theory. So, I did some enquiry as well as I flora out nigh Murray Bowen’s menage unit of measurement systems theory which I telephone outcry upward “family emotional systems theory” just to locomote far a fiddling to a greater extent than distinctive, as well as and so Minuchin’s structural menage unit of measurement theory. Now, those 2 approaches to me are very, real complimentary. They assist me to think nigh how to piece of work alongside a arrive at of families. I’ll say also that when I learned nigh menage unit of measurement emotional systems theory, I learned a whole lot nigh myself because my ain menage unit of measurement of origin issues seemed to hold out addressed real good inward that approach.
But, I piece of work right right away at a counseling centre that is a component of Virginia Commonwealth University here. We acquire a lot of students coming inward that are going through a lot of adjustment problems related to existence at college as well as away from their families. One thing that Bowen’s menage unit of measurement systems theory does is it helps us to explicate that, yous know, the patterns of attachment that nosotros larn inward our families of origin remain alongside us long after nosotros leave of absence those families. And patch nosotros oftentimes think that nosotros guide hold separated appropriately from our families of origin, nosotros may hold out real much attached as well as maybe fifty-fifty enmeshed alongside that menage unit of measurement to a greater extent than so than nosotros are aware as well as fifty-fifty willing to admit. So, I’ve learned to utter a lot alongside students who are going through serious adjustment problems to college nigh their menage unit of measurement histories, just to acquire an thought of what those relationships were like. Are they trying to escape a negative menage unit of measurement experience mayhap also abruptly? Do they guide hold unresolved issues alongside siblings, parents? It informs my do greatly to think nigh concepts similar differentiation, emotional cut-off, enmeshment. My piece of work alongside those kinds of students, as well as again, these are individuals non families, but the menage unit of measurement theory really is applicable to whatever size customer system. I’m much to a greater extent than comfortable assessing those clients. I experience much to a greater extent than clear nigh the form of questions I should hold out call for as well as because I pass a lot of fourth dimension trying to empathise those menage unit of measurement of origin concepts, I think I’m inward a improve seat to assist the someone think nigh how to appropriately displace on inward a way that feels goodness to them.
Now, a 2nd illustration of menage unit of measurement theory as well as how it informs my do is Minuchin’s structural menage unit of measurement theory because he developed his approach from working alongside multi-problem families. There’s a lot of chaos, disruption, in that location are a lot of problems going on as well as it’s all nigh looking at inward a concrete way nigh how a menage unit of measurement is structured as well as trying to assist the appropriate people inside the menage unit of measurement address the structural problems, which mightiness hold out parent-child conflict, nurture to nurture conflict, i sibling subsystem versus some other sibling subsystem. The way I think nigh Minuchin’s theory is that he’s real concrete as well as he helps me to understand, inward families where there’s a lot of behavioral acting out amid i or to a greater extent than members, what’s going on in that location structurally that mightiness hold out facilitating that. And his approach also provides me alongside ideas for how to amend those challenges as well as he talks to a greater extent than nigh activities, giving assignments, tasks for menage unit of measurement members to achieve.
Going dorsum to Bowen, Bowen is non every bit much nigh doing tasks. Bowen is to a greater extent than nigh agreement as well as developing insight. So, depending on the menage unit of measurement that you’re working with, i mightiness hold out to a greater extent than amenable to behavioral interventions, to address structural or boundary problems. And as well as so alongside Bowen, his approach is to a greater extent than nigh just helping a someone or helping sure people inward a menage unit of measurement empathise to a greater extent than clearly why things are the way they are alongside them so they tin displace past times it as well as non just hold out stuck somewhere without realizing it.
So, in that location are 2 examples from my ain do of how theory has had a whole lot to do alongside how I interact alongside the various clients that I have. Again, I also piece of work alongside families of people who guide hold schizophrenia as well as yous reckon a lot of sort of menage unit of measurement disruption so I discovery that the action-oriented, task-centered kinds of interventions seem to piece of work good alongside them.
Jonathan Singer: As you’re talking, it makes it real obvious that existence familiar alongside both Bowen’s as well as Minuchin’s approaches to menage unit of measurement therapy allows yous to hold out to a greater extent than flexible as well as to a greater extent than comprehensive inward the services that yous render to your clients.
Joe Walsh: And I should add together something to your previous questions nigh the pros as well as cons of existence eclectic
Jonathan Singer: Uh huh
Joe Walsh: One of the of import pros of existence eclectic is that it does imply that yous are going to hold out flexible.
Jonathan Singer: Mm hmm
Joe Walsh: And I do want to emphasize that there’s a lot of flexibility that I encourage inward working alongside whatever form of customer because every bit nosotros guide hold just been talking, depending on the menage unit of measurement presentation it would hold out real useful to guide hold several ways to locomote every bit far every bit how to empathise the family, assist them empathise themselves also, as well as intervene when it’s effective.
Jonathan Singer: I guide hold a brace of other questions that are related, a fiddling chip distinct, but related. One of them is, what’s a goodness do theory? Another i is, tin social workers prepare their ain do theory? And if so, what are the components of a do theory? So, they’re all nigh how clinicians/social piece of work students tin think nigh how they tin hold out theoretically grounded when they practice.
Joe Walsh: I think that the mutual components of a do theory include the next things. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 theory has to guide hold some core ideas that suggest, how is it that people prepare problems? How is it that people locomote nigh changing? What ways tin social workers utilization to assist people brand the changes they want? Also, what does this approach say nigh the appropriate nature of the worker-client relationship? Any theory that a social worker uses should assist them experience comfortable inward predicting as well as explaining what is going on alongside clients. The theory should convey monastic say to their work, acre of report to the piece of work that they do, past times giving them a focus.
The other thing that a theory does is that it helps us to prepare whatever knowledge gaps that nosotros guide hold nigh a client. For example, if I’m trying to empathise the nature of the interpersonal problems that a customer has, as well as I’m talking right away nigh a customer who has severe as well as persistent human relationship problems, object relations theory helps me to organize, what do I demand to know nigh this customer historically? This helps me to hold out able to proceed to essay to assist them to alter inward ways that they would want to change. So, identifying knowledge gaps, I think, is also real important.
Jerome Frank wrote a majority called Persuasion as well as Healing as well as what he did, he studied helping professionals around the world. He wanted to essay to discovery out, what are the mutual elements of “good helping,” inward our terms, “good practice?” And he came upward alongside things, as well as these guide my ain piece of work as well as my ain didactics quite a bit. We guide hold to hold out confident inward whatever approach nosotros are using. It has to resonate alongside our ain beliefs as well as stance of the world. We guide hold to operate inward such a way that the customer perceives us to hold out competent as well as caring. Whatever interventions that I utilization alongside the client, based on my theory, in that location should hold out some rationale to that that makes sense to my client. And my customer every bit good every bit myself demand to believe that what I am doing as well as the reasons why are a valid agency of improving their function.
There’s some other researcher, as well as I don’t know the person’s name, who also did a cross theoretical report to figure out: What are the mutual elements of help, no thing what theoretical perspective somebody uses? And this is quite elementary as well as I dearest this as well as I concord alongside this. What this someone flora is that inward monastic say to hold out theoretically equipped to do goodness piece of work alongside a client, yous guide hold to hold out able to inform the client, after yous do the assessment, of course, of how yous volition essay to assist them as well as why inward ways that brand sense to the customer as well as yourself. And the only other thing that nosotros demand to do is seek feedback every so often, call for the client, “How is this working for you?” “Do yous guide hold whatever questions nigh what I am doing?” “Do yous guide hold whatever questions nigh why I say or inquire the things that I do?” What all this agency is that a goodness do theory is i inward which the social worker has belief, i that provides useful intervention strategies, i that is consistent alongside the practitioner’s values, as well as also i that has enquiry support.
You’ll notice that I haven’t said anything nigh enquiry back upward up until right away as well as that’s non a mistake. I may acquire inward problem alongside some of the other podcasters as well as some of the people who hear to this. I really don’t guide hold a lot of enthusiasm for evidence-based do because I don’t think that yous tin accept people every bit diagnostic groups as well as just seat a theoretical or do perspective that applies to this diagnostic grouping as well as create upward one's heed from that what yous should do alongside other clients from that same diagnostic group. To me, theory is also nigh the human relationship that yous prepare alongside your customer as well as I haven’t seen real much enquiry inward that area, at to the lowest degree that calls itself evidence-based. Now, yous asked the question, tin social workers prepare their ain do theory?
Jonathan Singer: Yes
Joe Walsh: And, I guide hold non done that, so I gauge I would say that sure social workers belike could but they’re going to hold out a lot smarter than me. What I do think social workers tin prepare is their ain do model and, inward addition, I think that social workers inward the acre tin contribute a neat bargain to theory refinement, meaning, I instruct my students a variety of approaches, they locomote out inward the field, they’re working alongside clients who are increasingly complex, as well as they are inward the best seat to discovery out what approaches piece of work as well as what don’t. And they’re inward the best seat to form of refine what a theory mightiness guide hold to say or suggest as well as maybe fifty-fifty improve on it. I wishing that to a greater extent than practicing social workers wrote nigh theory. It’s unfortunate that it’s mostly the academics who do that because, yous know, fifty-fifty though I, for example, locomote on to hold out a practitioner, I don’t reckon 20 clients a calendar week anymore, I reckon nigh 5 and, yous know, I’m just non inward the mix every bit much every bit I used to be. So I really do encourage social workers to essay theory as well as prepare their ain models if they are inclined to do so as well as they tin contribute a lot to the profession inward those ways.
Jonathan Singer: I think that concluding bespeak that yous made is really interesting. That social workers tin contribute to theory refinement past times thinking nigh what it is they’re doing as well as seeing if that really works. And what comes to heed is, say somebody is using cognitive behavioral therapy and, to a greater extent than specifically, they’re using Beck’s cognitive theory, as well as they’re really looking intently at this thought of the cognitive triad, thoughts nigh the self, nigh others, nigh the future, as well as really existence critical about, yous know, does this concept play out alongside my clients? Does it really check the way it’s supposed to check inward price of depression, core beliefs, schema, as well as that sort of thing? I know that when I was inward schoolhouse I never had a professor who said you’re learning theory non just, yous know, to fulfill some sort of requirement, but also to improve your practice. And recollect that yous tin contribute to theory. You tin really render feedback that volition brand theory a living, breathing, active, daily thing. Just because yous read it inward a majority doesn’t hateful that it’s done, that in that location are ever things that tin hold out added to theories. So I think that that’s a really of import point.
Joe Walsh: Related to that, i ground why many theories acquire criticized is because alongside so much awareness of, as well as attending to customer diversity, it’s believed that all these theories were developed alongside observe to some type of menage unit of measurement or some socioeconomic degree of client. And yous just can’t generalize across ethnic groups, racial groups, etc. And this is where I think students who graduate as well as locomote into the field, it’s sure i surface area where they tin brand major contributions, because they are going to hold out getting so much of that experience as well as they’re going to discovery out what does piece of work alongside this type of customer or that type of client, or how is this approach express when faced alongside a customer from this culture?
Jonathan Singer: Joe, this has been real informative as well as I know it’s been interesting for me, as well as I promise for our listeners, inward clarifying nigh the role of theory as well as do models. If somebody wanted to discovery out to a greater extent than nigh social piece of work do theories, do yous guide hold recommendations of resources for them?
Joe Walsh: What I ever suggest to students is that if they’re interested inward a detail theory, like, let’s say, cognitive theory, that they read an original text, inward other words, a majority written past times i of the pioneers which would hold out Albert Ellis or Aaron Beck dorsum inward the sixties as well as seventies. And as well as so that they also read a to a greater extent than electrical current text on the dependent because they acquire a sense of how it has evolved over the years as well as how it’s been flora both to hold out useful across generations as well as also how it’s had to adapt across generations because that’s real interesting as well as it helps to empathise just what it is nigh an approach that plant or that seems to hold out helpful. I guide hold a majority out on social piece of work do theories that just came out inward the 2nd edition through Brooks Cole as well as you’re sure all welcome to accept a await at that. It’s called Theories for Direct Social Work Practice. Francis Turner had written a majority dorsum inward 1996 called Social Work Treatment that summarizes quite a few theories related to social work. I would recommend that anybody who is interested read the majority Persuasion as well as Healing past times Jerome Frank which, again, is an early on as well as classic cross cultural consideration of, what is it nigh the helping professions that seems to brand a deviation when yous essay to acquire downwardly to just the core elements? That’s all I tin think of off hand, Jonathan. I promise that’s helpful enough.
Jonathan Singer: Yeah, no that’s great. And I’ll pose links to the books that yous mentioned on the social piece of work podcast website at http://socialworkpodcast.com so that the listeners tin locomote in that location as well as discovery those resources. And I ever update the social piece of work podcast website alongside links that I discovery long after the interview is over so that volition locomote on to hold out a resource. Joe, thank yous so much for talking alongside us today nigh social piece of work do as well as theory. I really appreciate yous taking the fourth dimension out.
Joe Walsh: I was real happy to do it, Jonathan. It’s been neat fun, I dearest talking as well as thinking nigh theory. And the concluding thing I’ll say is that to anybody out in that location who’s a teacher, is that, inward my view, none of this has to hold out complicated. Most theories boil downwardly to a few key ideas as well as that if nosotros tin acquire our students excited nigh those, excited nigh trying them out, as well as so the profession volition hold out inward goodness shape.
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References as well as Resources
Books past times Joe Walsh
Bentley, K. J., & Walsh, J. (2014). The social worker as well as psychotropic medication: toward effective collaboration alongside clients, families, as well as providers (Fourth edition). Belmont: Brooks/Cole.
Corcoran, J., & Walsh, J. (2015). Mental wellness inward social work: a casebook on diagnosis as well as strengths-based assessment (Second edition, DSM-5 update). Boston: Pearson Education.
Walsh, J. (2000). Clinical instance management alongside persons having mental illness: a relationship-based perspective. Australia ; Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Walsh, J. (2013). Theories for Direct Social Work Practice (3rd Ed). Belmont, CA: Cengage.
Other references:
Chaiklin, H. (2004). Problem formulation, conceptualization, as well as theory development. In A.R. Roberts & K. R. Yeager (Eds.), Evidence-based do manual: Research as well as result measures inward wellness as well as human services (pp. 95 – 101). New York : Oxford University Press.
Fiske, S.T., & Taylor, S.E. (1991). Social knowledge (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Inc.
Gomoroy, T. (2001a). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fallibalistic reply to Thyer’s theory of theory-free empirical enquiry inward social piece of work practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 37(1), 26-50.
Gomoroy, T. (2001b). Critical rationalism (Gomoroy’s blurry theory) or positivism (Thyer’s theoretical myopia): Which is the prescription for social piece of work research?. Journal of Social Work Education, 37(1), 67-78.
Merton, R.K. (1967). On theoretical sociology. New York: Free Press.
Miller, S.M. (1995) Do nosotros demand theory? Social Policy, 26(2), 51-53.
Robbins, S.P., Chatterjee, P., & Canda, E.R. (1999). Ideology, scientific theory, as well as social piece of work practice. Families inward society: The Journal Of Contemporary Human Services, 80(4), 374-384.
Simon, B.L. (1994). Are theories for do necessary? Yes! Journal of Social Work Education, 30(2), 144-148.
Stoesz, D. (1997) The halt of social work. In M. Reishch & E. Gambrill (Eds.), Social piece of work inward the 21st century (pp. 386-375). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Thyer, B.A. (1994). Are theories for do necessary? No! Journal of Social Work Education, 30(2), 148-152.
Thyer, B.A. (2001a). What is the role of theory inward enquiry on social piece of work practice? Journal of Social Work Education, 37(1), 9-23.
Thyer, B.A. (2001b). What is the role of theory inward enquiry on social piece of work practice? Journal of Social Work Education, 37(1), 51-66.
Witkins, S.L., & Gottschalk, S. (1988) Alternative criteria for theory evaluation. Social Service Review, 62, 211-224.
Psychodynamic Theory
Berzoff, J. (Ed.) (1996). Inside out as well as exterior in: Psychodynamic clinical theory as well as do inward contemporary multicultural contexts. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Goldstein, E. G. (1995). Ego psychology as well as social piece of work practice (2nd. ed.). New York:
Free Press.
St. Clair, M. (1999). Object relations as well as self-psychology: An introduction (3rd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Cognitive / Behavioral Theory
Berlin, S. (2002). Clinical social piece of work practice: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 cognitive-integrative perspective. New York: Oxford.
Corcoran, J. (2005). Building strengths as well as skills: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 collaborative approach to working alongside clients. New York: Oxford.
Mattaini, M. A. (1997). Clinical do alongside individuals. Washington, DC: NASW Press.
Family Theories
Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy inward clinical practice. New York: Jason Aronson.
Kerr, M. E. & Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation: An approach based on Bowen theory. New York: W. W. Norton.
Laird, J. (Ed.) (1999). Lesbians as well as lesbian families: Reflections on theory as well as practice. New York: Columbia University Press.
Minuchin, S. (1978). Families as well as menage unit of measurement therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Minuchin, S., Lee, W., & Simon, G. M. (1996). Mastering menage unit of measurement therapy: Journeys of increment as well as transformation. New York: Wiley.
Minuchin, S., Montalvo, B., Guerney, B. G., Rosman, B. L., & Schumer, F. (1967). Families of the slums: An exploration of their construction as well as treatment. New York: Basic Books.
Satir, V. M. (1964). Conjoint menage unit of measurement therapy: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 guide to theory as well as technique. Palo Alto, CA: Science as well as Behavior Books.
Other Theories as well as Related Topics
Frank, J. D., & Frank, J. B. (1993). Persuasion as well as healing: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 comparative report of psychotherapy. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins.
Frankl, V. E. (1988). The volition to meaning: Foundations as well as applications of logotherapy. New York: Meridian.
Garvin, C. D. & Seabury, B. A. (1997). Interpersonal do inward social work. Boston, MA: Allyn as well as Bacon.
Lantz, J., & Walsh, J. (2007). Short-term existential intervention inward clinical practice. Chicago: Lyceum.
Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for change (2nd ed). New York: Guilford.
Monk, G., Winslade, J., Crocket, K., & Epston, D. (1997). Narrative therapy inward practice: The archeology of hope. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Thyer, B. A., & Wodarski, J (2006) (Eds.), Social piece of work inward mental health: An evidence-based approach. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Turner, F. J. (Ed.) (1996). Social piece of work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches. New York: Free Press.
APA (6th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2009, June 21). Theories for clinical social piece of work practice: Interview alongside Joseph Walsh, Ph.D. [Episode 52]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from /search?q=theories-for-clinical-social-work
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