Discussion: Using Research to Select a Therapeutic Modality Imagine that some of your colleagues mention using cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and reality therapy. Your colleagues continue to say that based on their experiences, they really like these therapies and that they appear to work. Your instincts also tell you…

Week 6: Cognitive Theory and Cognitive Behavior Theory By now, you may recognize that no one theory will explain and predict every phenomenon.   Theory guides the development of specific therapeutic modalities. To understand a therapy, it may be helpful to first review the historical forces of psychology. The first force was psychoanalysis, the second…

Application of Crisis Theory and Resiliency Theory to a Case Study It is common for social workers to be presented with a crisis situation brought forth by clients, families, communities, and/or organizations. The ultimate goal is to restore the client to equilibrium. The five stages of the crisis are (1) the hazardous event, (2) the…

Discussion: Instruments Measuring Resiliency Social workers strive to make informed decisions about the interventions they implement. These decisions should be driven by what the research data say. As a result, social workers have been called to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions they implement. A common way to evaluate interventions is to use a…

Psychosocial Theory and Role Theory Social work takes a holistic view to social problems, arguing that they are complex and multilayered, often contributed to by a number of individual, psychological, and social processes. Consequently, psychosocial theory is a theoretical lens that has been employed in social work to apply to an array of problems and…

Assignment: Application of Role Theory to a Case Study This week, you will use role theory to apply to your chosen case study. In other words, your theoretical orientation—or lens—is role theory as you analyze the case study.   Use the same case study that you chose in Week 2. (Remember, you will be using…

Crisis Theory and Resilience Theory Social workers often confront crises that are brought to them—a crisis experienced by a client, a family, a community, or an organization. The goal of crisis theory is to intervene to help restore equilibrium and to reduce long-term psychological and social distress. Given the nature of social workers meeting clients…

Discussion: Psychosocial Theory and Diverse Groups There will be times when a social worker is presented with a case where they are not familiar with the surrounding psychosocial issues. Because social workers are on a continual journey in learning, it is important to read pertinent literature. This Discussion provides an opportunity to visit Walden Library…

Discussion: Evaluating Psychoanalytical Theory Sigmund Freud is often hailed as the father of psychoanalytical theory. His theory was the first to point to the influence of early childhood experiences. However, psychoanalytical theory has received a lot of criticism. Although theories are supposed to be objective and value-free, they are developed within a sociocultural and political…

Assignment: Application of Attachment Theory to a Case Study As you have read, theory guides the conceptualization of the client’s problem and how social workers assess and intervene relative to the problem. However, theory can also shape the self-reflective questions social workers ask themselves. Clients often come to social workers under stress or distress. This…