Empowerment Practice With Families In Distress

For more than 150 years, empowering practices have been used by social workers in their work with families, but the techniques of today differ significantly from those of the pioneers or even from those of a few years ago. Today's practitioners recognize that empowering others is impossible; social workers can, however, assist others as they empower themselves. This book integrates time-honored approaches with today's more modest goals, mindful of what empowerment can and cannot do. Synthesizing several theoretical supports—the strengths perspective, system theory, theories of family well-being, and theories of coping—the author responds to the question "What works?" with today's families in need. Practice illustrations are provided throughout to bring concepts to life and, more important, to present families describing their own experiences with achieving empowerment.

Whether it's physical, psychological, social, historical, or ongoing, trauma is a universal experience, and this book provides professionals with the approaches necessary for successful and empowering interventions across the trauma spectrum. Part one examines the steps individuals take to heal their traumas. Nicolas survives an attack by his own dog; Tay rebuilds her life after years of incest; Claire speaks out about being molested by a program participant at her mental health clinic; and Erma copes with the shattering memories of childhood abuse. Part two focuses on interpersonal dynamics. Frank is held accountable for his violence toward his wife; Erin and her mother confront the reality of bullying and victimization in schools; Beth faces discrimination because of her sexual orientation; and staff members at a transitional housing shelter deal with the death of a client. Part three recounts stories of resilience and healing at the social and community level. Salome and her family process the historical trauma of the massacre of her American Indian ancestors. A group of boys who became fatherless after 9/11 respond to experiential ways of coping with their grief. Jennifer and Kim live daily with the social trauma of poverty. Three Liberian families survive torture, flight, refugee camps, and resettlement. Amory struggles to find meaning and move on from his experience as a combat veteran, and the story of Angelina Batiste epitomizes the loss and resilience of those who lived through Hurricane Katrina. Trauma Transformed provides insight into the psychological and spiritual resources practitioners need to help victims move forward and improve upon their circumstances. Readers will also learn to strengthen their sense of self to prevent secondary trauma.

This text will provide a comprehensive overview of traditional and evolving theoretical models of family therapy and intervention techniques. The objective of this text is to enable a student to gain beginning proficiency as a family therapist along with understanding the impact of a client's race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender issues, age, socioeconomic status, disability, and differences from the “traditional” family on family assessment and intervention. The book has six goals, as follows: (1) acquaint students with the theoretical underpinnings of various approaches to assessing and intervening with families (2) assist students in understanding the similarities, differences and strategies of change among the major models of family therapy (3) introduce the student to the current available research on the effectiveness of different approaches to family intervention (4) help students assess family functioning from a life cycle perspective and make a valid plan, taking into account client's race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender issues, age, socioeconomic status, disability, and differences from the “traditional” family (5) help students develop techniques and strategies related to stages of the intervention in family therapy (6) enable the student to critique the appropriateness of the theoretical models and its intervention techniques according to family developmental factors as well as the particular needs of the family. Features: (1) Comprehensive coverage of familty therapy theory and research 2) Presentation of clinical process issues unique to family therapy (3) Inclusion of family live cycle and developement issues and the impact on family assessment and treatment planning (4) Interventions in diverse family structures (5) Interventions with special family issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence and poverty (6) An emphasis throughout on helping students to develop beginning competencies in family therapy practice (7) Numerous case examples

Surviving Domestic Abuse examines how formal and informal supports and services can mitigate the damaging, and sometimes fatal, social cost of domestic violence. The book highlights victims’ perceptions of supports and lays a foundation for professionals and family members to effectively assist victims of domestic abuse. The book offers actionable recommendations and multiple-use cases to fill gaps in the understanding of the complexities that exist in domestic violence dynamics. Dr Finneran uses real-life interviews with victims to inform action and intervention for policy, strategy and decision-making for support and service providers including law enforcement, healthcare, social services and employers. Identification of successful supports and services can assist in preventing victims from returning to their abusive relationships, and the author provides real-life examples and a sounding board for the voices of real women who have endured domestic abuse. Spanning the gulf between research and practice, this is the ideal book for a range of professional communities including psychologists, social workers and healthcare professionals, and victims and survivors themselves. It’s also suitable for academics and researchers, and students taking domestic violence treatment and prevention courses.

A trusted course text and professional resource, this comprehensive book delves into all aspects of planning and conducting strengths-based group work with adolescents. In an accessible, down-to-earth style, Andrew Malekoff spells out the principles of effective group practice. Extensive clinical illustrations show how successful group leaders engage teens in addressing tough issues--including violence, sexuality, prejudice, social isolation, and substance abuse--in a wide range of settings. Normative issues that adolescents face in the multiple contexts of their lives are lucidly explained. Packed with creative ideas and activities, the book helps readers develop their skills as confident, reflective practitioners. New to This Edition *Significantly revised chapters on group work essentials, school-based practice, and trauma. *Additional topics: social media and cyberbullying, expressive and animal-assisted therapies, mindfulness, adolescent brain development, and more. *Updated practice principles, information, and references. *Numerous new practice illustrations.

A trusted course text and professional resource, this comprehensive book delves into all aspects of planning and conducting strengths-based group work with adolescents. In an accessible, down-to-earth style, Andrew Malekoff spells out the principles of effective group practice. Extensive clinical illustrations show how successful group leaders engage teens in addressing tough issues--including violence, sexuality, prejudice, social isolation, and substance abuse--in a wide range of settings. Normative issues that adolescents face in the multiple contexts of their lives are lucidly explained. Packed with creative ideas and activities, the book helps readers develop their skills as confident, reflective practitioners. New to This Edition *Significantly revised chapters on group work essentials, school-based practice, and trauma. *Additional topics: social media and cyberbullying, expressive and animal-assisted therapies, mindfulness, adolescent brain development, and more. *Updated practice principles, information, and references. *Numerous new practice illustrations.

This innovative and timely book examines the nature and meaning of 'empowerment' in child welfare and protection, using the family group conference (FGC) approach to decision making as an example. In response to the growing clamour for 'evidence-based practice', the book addresses the central question of how the idea of empowerment can be operationalised and evaluated. One of the aims of FGCs is to empower children and their families by enabling them more effectively to participate in the decision-making process and by affording them greater control over the outcomes of that process. Empowering practice? critically assesses the available evidence on the empowerment potential of FGCs and examines the implications of the approach for professionals, their agencies and the children and families involved. Empowering practice? is essential reading for academics and professionals working in a wide range of health, education and social care areas.