Unit VI PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SELF AWARENESS What? Self Awareness (SA) Why? How? WHAT IS SELF? Who am I? Self-Concept: Who are you? • Self-concept refers to your subjective description of who you think you are. • Self-image is your view of yourself in particular situations Self-Concept Components • Attitude: a learned predisposition to respond to a person, object, or idea in a favorable or unfavorable way. • Beliefs: The way in which you structure your understanding of reality (true/false). • Values: Enduring concepts of good and bad, right and wrong. One of Many Selves? • The Material Self • The Social Self • The Spiritual Self The Material Self • The material self is a total of all the tangible things you own: – Your body – Your possessions – Your home The Social Self • The social self is that part of you that interacts with others: – You change based on interaction with others. – Each relationship you have with another person is unique. The Spiritual Self • The spiritual self consists of all your internal thoughts and introspections about your values and moral standards: – It is the essence of who you think you are. – It is a mixture of your spiritual beliefs and your sense of who you are in relationship to other forces in the universe. How the Self-Concept Develops • Our communication with other individuals • Our association with groups • Roles we assume • Our self-labels Self-Concept: Association with Groups • Our awareness of who we are is often linked to who we associate with: – Religious groups – Political groups – Ethnic groups – Social groups • Peer pressure is a powerful force in shaping attitudes and behavior. Self-Concept: Assumed Roles • Your self-concept likely reflects the roles you assume: – Mother – Brother – Teacher – Student • Gender asserts a powerful influence on the self-concept from birth on. WHAT IS SELF AWARENESS? Self awareness is the process of understanding one's own beliefs, thoughts. motivations, and recognize how they affect others (Boyed, 2005) • SA is a personal understanding of the very core of ones own identity. • It is the ability to assess one’s personality, behaviors & skills accurately • SA is the ability to perceive ones own existence including ones own traits, feelings and behaviors Self awareness Contd…) • It involves objectively examining one’s personal beliefs, attitudes, motivations, strengths and limitations • Understanding another begins with understanding oneself…. • To effectively use the self as a tool ‘ nurses must possess knowledge of their personal response pattern s, strengths and limitations (Stuart & Laaia, 2005; EckrothBucher,2001) Why Self Awareness? The Social Worker must examine personal feelings, actions and reactions. A firm understanding and acceptance of self allows the Social Worker acknowledges clients differences and uniqueness Social Workers who care for biological, psychological, and socio-cultural needs of the patient see a broad range of human experience; They must learn to deal with anxiety, anger, sadness and joy in helping people throughout their life. Why Self Awareness Contd…) • It allows an individual to interact with others comfortably, to accept the difference in others and to observe each person’s right to respect and dignity • Self awareness allows the Social Worker to observe, pay attention to, and understand the subtle responses and reactions of clients when interacting with them Why Self Awareness Contd…) • The process of self awareness compels Social Workers to examine their own value positions so these biases and prejudices are not projected on to others, and so Social Workers do not reject others who do not share similar values Why Self Awareness Contd…) • Knowing thyself is a basic principle of Social Workers • The process of self awareness in important because the Social Workers psychological state influences the way clients information is analyzed • The process of personal introspection adds dimension to the Social Workers -client relationship and is pertinent to understanding client responses, thus enabling the Social Workers to explore these issues with their client Why to Become Self Aware • To improve performance • To manage yourself – Set appropriate goals, choose appropriate careers, manage stress • To understand differences between you and others – Understand why others react to you the way they do – Adapt your communication to others’ needs – Develop interpersonal skills HOW TO LEARN SELF AWARENESS? How to Become Self Aware • Know your prejudices • Know your motivation and needs • Know your responses Feedback from friends & family Feedback from peers (Active listening and openness) Feedback from yourself How to Become Self-Aware: Some Ways of Thinking about Yourself Personality Specific Traits Knowledge Abilities Learning Styles Preferences Skills Values Goals Motives “Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.” Tao Tzu Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship What is the Social Worker-client relationship? series of purposeful, goal directed interactions that focus on the client’s needs… – Confidential – Reliable – Consistent – Mutually defined Collaborative – Goal oriented – Professional relationship – With clear boundaries DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL WORK-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP (Problem Solving Approach) • Relationship consistently focused on the client's problems and needs • Potential solutions to problems discussed • • • • • Explore feelings/ alternate solutions Discuss strategies for change Explore strengths and limitation Assist to select alternative New coping skills develop • Behavioral change encouraged • Give positive feedback for efforts • Evaluate outcome Self-Concept: Communication with others • We don’t come to know ourselves in a vacuum. • Charles Horton Cooley advanced the notion of the figurative looking glass. • Self-concept development begins at birth Self-Concept: Association with Groups • Our awareness of who we are is often linked to who we associate with: – Religious groups – Political groups – Ethnic groups – Social groups • Peer pressure is a powerful force in shaping attitudes and behavior. Self-Concept: Assumed Roles • Your self-concept likely reflects the roles you assume: – Mother – Brother – Teacher – Student • Gender asserts a powerful influence on the self-concept from birth on. Self-Concept: Self-Labels • Self-concept is affected by others but we are not blank slates. • Self-reflexiveness is the human ability to think about what we’re doing while we’re doing it. • Through self-observation we discover strengths which encourage us to assume new labels. Self-Esteem: What is your value? • While self-concept refers to your description of who you are, self-esteem refers to your evaluation of who you are. • Your self-esteem can fluctuate and rise or fall within the course of a day. Self-Esteem: Gender Differences • In patriarchal cultures, women and girls suffer loss of self-esteem to a greater degree than men and boys. – Boys often feel better able to do things than girls. – Differential reinforcement (athletics) Self-Esteem: Social Comparisons • We become more aware of ourselves by measuring ourselves against others, a process called social comparison. • It can be self-defeating to take social comparisons too far, to cause your selfesteem to suffer because you compare yourself unrealistically to others. Self-Esteem: Self-Expectations • Self-expectations are those goals we set for ourselves. • Self-esteem is affected when you evaluate how well you measure up to your own expectations. • Be weary of placing unrealistic demands on yourself. Self-Esteem: Self-Fulfilling Prophecy • The self-fulfilling prophecy refers to the idea that what you believe about yourself often comes true because you expect it to come true. • Your level of self-esteem affects the kinds of prophecies you make about yourself and colors your interpretation of events. Communication & the Enhancement of Self-Esteem • Our feelings of low self-worth may contribute to many of our societal problems. • Communication is essential in the process of building and maintaining selfesteem. Communication & Self: Engage in POSITIVE self-talk • Intrapersonal communication involves communication within yourself – self-talk. • Your self-concept and self-esteem influence the way you talk to yourself. • Your inner dialogue also has an impact on your self-concept and self-esteem. • Self-talk is related to the building and maintaining of one’s self-concept. Communication and Self: Visualize • Visualization involves “seeing” yourself exhibiting some desirable behavior. • Apprehensive public speakers can manage their fears by visualizing positive results: – Reduce negative self-talk – Enhances confidence and speaking skill Communication and Self: Develop Honest Relationships • Have at least one other person that will give you honest, objective feedback. – You need a “straight scoop” • Stuff that’s the hardest to hear about you • Nobody else would dare tell you • Trust enough to deal with the tough stuff Communication and Self: Lose your baggage • Avoid constantly re-living negative experiences. • Let go of past experiences that cause your present self-esteem to suffer. Communication and the Enhancement of Perceptual Accuracy • Increase your awareness • Avoid stereotypes • Check your perceptions – Indirect perception checking – Direct perception checking Positive and negative aspects of the worker’s self and their effects on the client and the Social Work Process. VALUES, ATTITUDES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS MEANING OF VALUES Values provide the basic foundation for understanding a person’s attitudes, perceptions and personality. Values contain judgmental element as to what is right, good, or desirable. Values have both content and intensity attributes. Content attribute describeswhat is important; intensity attribute describes- how much is it important. DEFINITION OF VALUES Edward Spranger defines the values as the constellation of likes, dislikes, viewpoints, shoulds, inner inclinations, rational and irrational judgements, prejudices, and association patterns that determine a person’s view of the world. M. Rokeach defines values, as a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence, personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence. TYPES OF VALUES G.W. Allport and his associates have identified six types of values. Theoretical: high importance to discovery of truth through critical and rational approach. Economic: Emphasis on useful and practical. Aesthetic: Highest value on form and harmony. Social: Highest value to the love of people. Political: Emphasis on acquisition of power and influence. Religious: Concerned with the unity of experience and SOCIAL WORK’S CORE VALUES 1. Value: Service Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems. 2. Value: Social Justice Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice. 3. Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person Ethical Principle: Social Workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person. 4. Value: Importance of Human Relationships Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships 5. Value: Integrity Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner. 6. Value: Competence Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise. DESIGNING VALUE BASED ORGANISATION A value-based organisation promises sustainability and prosperity to its endeavours. For designing value based organisation, based on suggestions of Tannenbaum and Davis, following points may be useful. Treat people with trust. Be respectful to human being. Treat people as dynamic entity. Accept and utilise human differences. Treat individual as a whole person. Encourage appropriate expression of feelings. Promote authentic behaviour. Use authority and networking for benefit of organisation. Encourage appropriate confrontation. Encourage willingness to take calculated risks. Set process which shall take care of effective accomplishment. Emphasise collaboration. ATTITUDES Consider following three statements: Statement 1 : Male executives are high achievers in comparison to female counterparts; Statement 2 : Anything with a tag “Made in Japan” is reliable; Statement 3 : Discipline can be established through coercion only. You might have heard the statements mentioned above, or you might have yourself used such statements sometime in recent past. In all the three statements you are inclined to evaluate something. The first, second, and third statements are attempts to evaluate groups (male versus female), objects (anything made in Japan), and an issue (maintaining discipline) respectively. These statements may or may not be true in overall sense. However a person giving such statements is revealing his/her own attitude towards the DEFINITION OF ATTITUDE • According to Baron, Attitude is defined as, lasting evaluations of people, groups, objects, or issues- in fact, of virtually any aspect of the social or physical world. • Petty and Cacioppo state, Attitudes are general evaluations people make about themselves, other persons, objects, or issues. • Breckler and Wiggins state, Attitudes are enduring mental representations of various features of the social or physical world. They are acquired through experience and exert a directive influence on subsequent behaviour. Functions of Attitude According to Katz, Attitudes serve four important functions for individuals: • Adjustment Function: People tend to develop favourable attitude towards rewarding and beneficial functions as well as relationship. Similarly people develop negative attitude towards such functions and relationships, which shall attract punitive actions. • • Ego-defensive Function: Attitude can serve as devise for protecting self-image. • • Value-expressive Function: Attitude supports expression of core values. • • Knowledge Function: Attitude serves as standard or frame for understanding and interpreting people and events around them. PROCESS OF FORMATION OF ATTITUDE There are basically two sources of formation of attitude: • Social Learning : It is acquiring attitudes from others. There are broadly three processes of acquiring attitudes through social learning: Classical Conditioning, Instrumental Conditioning, and Modeling. • Direct Experience : Attitudes are also formed through real life experience, which may be also called as direct experience or personal experience. Various studies suggest that strength of the attitudes acquired through direct experience is stronger than the strength of attitudes acquired indirectly. Attitudes acquired through direct experience are held more confidently and are more difficult to be subjected to change. If you hold strong attitude about an object, issue, or a person, and you want others to properly understand your stand, it is better to let others have direct experience with the attitude object. Three processes of acquiring attitudes through social learning: Classical Conditioning is a basic form of learning in which one stimulus regularly precedes another. It is learning based of association, that when first stimulus is present, the second would follow. Prejudices and preferences are created through classical conditioning. Classical Conditioning can play a role in the development of attitudes. Instrumental Conditioning is concerned with learning to express the “right” views. Instrumental Conditioning is created through rewarding a desirable behaviour and discouraging an undesirable behaviour. Thus a particular type of attitude is created towards a particular type of action through Instrumental Conditioning. Modeling as a concept, deals with individuals acquiring new behaviours through observing the actions of others. Individuals tend to do what others do, not what others say. Thus attitudes may be transmitted from one person to another, or from one group to another, or from one generation to another. WORK RELATED ATTITUDES Job Satisfaction: The various attitudes people hold towards their jobs are referred to as job satisfaction. It is individuals’ cognitive, affective, and evaluative reactions towards their jobs. Job Involvement: It indicates how far individuals identify Themselves with the job, and whether outcome of the work is attached to self worth. Organisational Commitment: It explains how people feel toward their organisations. It is an attitude, which reflect the extent to which people identify with and are involved with their organisations and are unwilling to leave them. PERSONAL ATTITUDE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER THE SOCIAL WORKER IS ALSO A HUMAN BEING. She /he will experience all the emotions that a human being experiences. As she/ he is in the position of helping others, there is a tendency to feel superior. Sometimes when the client is narrating. His/her sad, past experiences, the social worker will identify with her/his client, experience the same feeling as the client. Sometime the social worker may tend to see the client as a mirror image of herself/himself. All this may have its roots in the worker's early life and experience. She/he has to understand her/his own feelings and control them while being professionally involved in the helping role. She/he must accept the feelings of the client as they are. She/he should not get them mixed up with her/his own. She/he must focus on helping the client by constructive and positive use of the client's emotions and resources. PROFESSIONAL ETHICS ETHICS Ethics also called moral philosophy is concerned about what is right and what is wrong. It can be divided into two sections - normative ethics and metaethics. Normative ethics deals with the principles we live by. Metaethics has a larger concern and its deals with the nature and methodology of moral judgments. In other words, it deals with the basis on which decisions should be made. Should the ultimate consequences of the decision, for example be promoting happiness or promoting perfectionism in society? Religious people base their decisions on what they believe to be the will of god and on god's word. As social workers we are interested in ethics so that our relationships with clients, our colleagues, our superiors and our subordinates are within the framework of social work values. The Nature of Ethics Ethical dilemma: A situation that involves a decision about appropriate behavior. Generally involves situations in which welfare of one or more individuals is affected by the results of the decision. MEANING: PROFESSIONAL ETHICS The social worker having a knowledge of theory, training, specialisation and professional organisation are controlled by professional ethics. THESE ETHICS ARE RULES OF CONDUCT. NEED FOR ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR IN SOCIAL WORK • Social workers during their interaction with clients and their significant others have to sensitive information • Social workers are often in situations where their decisions can cause serious damage to the client • Social workers occupy positions of authority in governmental and non governmental organisations • Social workers are often in positions where they can allocate resources • Social workers have to preserve professional autonomy PURPOSE OF A CODE OF ETHICS According to the National Association of Social Workers, USA (NASW) Code of Ethics serves six purposes: 1. The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based. 2. The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession's core values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice 3. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional obligations confilictual or ethical uncertainties arise. 4. The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work profession accountable. 5. The Code socializes practitioners new to the field, to social work's mission, values, ethical principles and ethical standards. 6. The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. PROFESSIONAL ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIAL WORK: A social worker has ethical responsibilities towards his clients, the employing agencies, his colleagues, his community and towards his profession. The social worker should give greater importance to professional responsibility rather than over personal interests. The social worker should respect the individual differences among clients and should not any discrimination on a non-professional basis. The Social worker has an ethical responsibility towards his employers and should be loyal to them. He/she should provide correct and accurate information to his employer. The social worker should be held accountable for the quality and extent of service, observing the regulations and procedures of the agency. The social worker has to respect his/her colleagues and should help in fulfilling their responsibilities. PROFESSIONAL ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIAL WORK……….. The social worker should assume the responsibility of adding to Her/his knowledge. She/he should treat all without discrimination and should cooperate with other research and practice. The social worker has an ethical responsibility towards the community in protecting it from unethical practices. She/he has to contribute knowledge and skills for the betterment of the community. Above all, the social worker has an ethical responsibility towards her/his own profession. She/he should defend her profession from unjust criticizism or misinterpretation. She/he should sustain and enhance public confidence through Her/his self-discipline and personal behaviour. The social worker should always support the view that professional practice requires professional education. STRESS What Is Stress…? • Stress is the body’s automatic response to any physical or mental demand placed on it. Adrenaline is a chemical naturally produced in our body as a response to stress . • Experiencing events that are perceived as endangering one’s physical or psychological wellbeing. • Events = stressors • Reaction = stress response DEFINITION OF STRESS • Stress is the “wear and tear” our body and mind experience as we adjust to our environment. • When we perceive a threat, our nervous system releases hormones which increase heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. This is known as the fight-or-flight response. Examples getting into an argument with your roommate, forgetting an assignment is due, giving a speech, etc. EXAMPLES OF STRESSFULL EVENTS • Major changes - affecting large numbers of people, e.g. war, nuclear accidents, earthquakes. • Major changes – affecting the individual e.g. moving to new area,changing jobs, getting married, losing a friend, serious illness • Everyday hassles – e.g. losing wallet, stuck in traffic • Source of stress within the individual – CATEGORIES OF STRESSFULL EVENTS • Traumatic events • = Situations of extreme danger outside the range of normal human experience. • e.g. natural disasters, disasters caused by human activity, physical assaults, catastrophic accidents GOOD AND BAD STRESS What the heck is good stress? As stress increases so does performance and efficiency, but only to a point. Beyond that point performance and efficiency decreases. Example-going out on a date Is All Stress Bad? • Moderate levels of stress may actually improve performance and efficiency • Too little stress may result in boredom • Too much stress may cause an unproductive anxiety level How do you know you’re over stressed? There are four areas where Stress affects you: 1. Feelings 2. Thoughts 3. Behaviors 4. Physiological response Feelings • • • • • • Anxious Irritated Fear Depressed Angry Embarrassment Thoughts • Negative self-talk • Difficulty concentrating • Forgetfulness • Dwelling on possible negative outcomes Behaviors • Acting impulsively • Difficulty speaking • Increased smoking or alcohol use • Change in appetite • Nervous laughter • Performance reduction Physical • Headaches • Sleeping problems • Tight muscles and/or stomach • Fatigue • Racing heart • Sweaty, cold hands • Neck and back pain Identifying Stressors Situations, activities, and relationships that cause ‘trauma’ to one’s physical, emotional, or psychological self Stressors • • • • • • • • • School Work Family Relationships Legal Finances Health/illness Environment Living Situation Negative Effects of Stress 1. Physical Weight gain/loss Unexpected hair loss Heart palpitations High blood pressure 2. Emotional Mood swings Anxiety Can lead to depression • Can also lead to unhealthy coping strategies (i.e. alcohol, drugs, etc) STRESS REACTIONS OF SOCIAL WORKERS PHYSICAL STRESS SIGNS COGNITIVE STRESS SIGNS Headaches Exhaustion Teeth grinding Negative rumination Insomnia Inability to focus on a task Irritability, anger Reduced libido Muscle tension Reduction in joy Gastric disturbance Mental fatigue High blood pressure Feelings of futility Rapid heartbeat Devaluing of co-workers WHAT IS BURNOUT? STRESS VS. BURNOUT • Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. STRESS BURNOUT Characterized by over engagement Characterized by disengagement Emotions are over reactive Emotions are blunted Produces urgency and hyperactivity Produces helplessness and hopelessness Loss of energy Loss of motivation, ideals, and hope Leads to anxiety disorders Leads to detachment and depression Primary damage is physical Primary damage is emotional May kill you prematurely May make life seem not worth living Social Workers Become Stressed • As Social Workers---here are talking about professional work ---we are less effective when under extreme stress. • The purpose of this training is to identify how stress can have a negative impact on us. We will then offer some ways to manage this. Defining Terms… There are a number of terms out there as they relate to stress reactions… • Vicarious Trauma • Secondary Traumatic Stress • Compassion Fatigue • Burnout Vicarious Trauma • Vicarious Traumatization (VT) (McCann & Pearlman, 1990) refers to harmful changes that occur in professionals’ views of themselves, others, and the world as a result of exposure to graphic and/or traumatic material. • VT can be seen as a normal response to ongoing challenges to a helper’s beliefs and values but can result in decreased motivation, efficacy, and empathy. – K. Baird & A. C. Kracen Secondary Traumatic Stress • Secondary traumatic stress (STS) (Figley, 1995; Stamm, 1999) refers to a syndrome among professional helpers that mimics post-traumatic stress disorder and occurs as a result of exposure to the traumatic experiences of others. – K. Baird & A. C. Kracen Compassion Fatigue • Compassion fatigue is experienced by caregivers who are overly focused and upset by the cumulative trauma of those they are trying to help. • The symptoms are similar to those of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compassion Fatigue • Compassion Fatigue is the cumulative outcome of caring – caring too much and for too long with no end to be seen. • You are absorbing the trauma from the eyes and ears of your clients. • A natural consequence of working with people who have experienced extremely stressful events (Figley, 1995). So what can I do to be psychologically healthy? –Address the three primary factors that affect your stress: • Mind • Situation • Body Managing Stress • Stress Relief Strategies 1. Body relaxation exercises - breathing techniques - guided imagery 2. Physical exercise -yoga -work out routine 3. Meditation 4. Counseling -talk therapy -life coaching Other Helpful tips • • • • • • • Changing perceptions and expectations Break jobs/tasks into manageable parts Set reasonable/realistic goals Avoid procrastination Set boundaries Don’t compromise your values/beliefs Schedule “me” time Managing your stress The ABC strategy A=awareness What causes you stress and how do you react? B=balance Where’s your line between positive and negative stress? C=control What can you change? Change your behavior Become more assertive Get organized Ventilation Humor Step away from the stressor Benefits of Stress Management • Physical health gets better -more energy and stamina • Emotions stabilized -positive attitude -hopeful/happier • Ability to focus improved -able to learn and achieve Relax • Our brain fires electrical waves at 14 or more cycles a second. • These are beta waves and are great for getting tasks done, but not for learning new things. • Taking a few minutes to relax deeply slows your brain waves down. • These slower waves are alpha waves. • They occur at between 7 and 14 cycles a second • Studies show alpha waves improve learning. Burnout DEFINITION -BURNOUT • ERIC Thesaurus: – Burnout: Negative feelings and/or behaviors resulting from unsuccessful attempts to cope with stress conditions -- characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion, chronic negative attitudes, very low productivity, etc. What Does Burnout Look Like? • Exhaustion: first reaction to the stress of job demands or major change • Cynicism: minimize involvement at work and give up on ideals • Ineffectiveness: growing sense of inadequacy. Symptoms of Burnout Physical • Elevated blood • • • • pressure Coronary heart disease Poor immune system Increased occurrences of illness Physical exhaustion Mental • Depression and mental • • • • exhaustion Change in professional goals Psychological withdrawal from work Growing concern for self instead of others Negative attitude towards life in general Symptoms of Burnout Emotional Emotional exhaustion or detachment • Inability to empathize with patrons • Blaming patrons for their inability to understand concepts or tools • Feelings of reduced personal accomplishment …………. SOCIAL • Feelings of isolation from colleagues and profession • Rude towards patrons • Irritable or impatient • No time for colleagues or activities • Unwillingness to help patrons • Depersonalization Burnout Symptoms……….. • Physical symptoms include: – fatigue, low energy – poor sleep and headaches – irritability • Emotional symptoms include: – anxiety and depression – hopelessness – aggression and cynicism – substance abuse What Causes Burnout? • Herbert Freudenberger coined the term “burnout” 1974. (1980) • “over dedication, over commitment, and having unrealistic goals”. • “…whenever the expectation level is dramatically opposed to reality and the person persists in trying to reach that expectation.” • “Burnout is pretty much limited to dynamic, charismatic, goal-oriented men and women or to determined idealists.” (Becker, 1993) Why Burnout is Thriving According to Christine Maslach, “Burnout is always more likely when there is a mismatch between the nature of the job and the nature of the person who does the job” We feel overloaded We lack control over what we do We are not rewarded for out work We’re experiencing a breakdown in community We aren’t treated fairly More Contributors to Stress & Burnout • Technology • • • Constantly changing Email Virtual Reference & Techno stress (Van Fleet) • Performance anxiety • Info overload • Loss of personal identity • Downsizing, layoffs and/or retrenchment have forced employees to take on the work of those who have left. • Public service workers are spending more time on administrative drudgery • Multitasking • Bringing work home • Busy home lives make it difficult to find relief outside of the workplace • Economic stagnation - salaries vs. purchasing power Five Steps to Help Burnout • • • • • Recognize the signs of burnout Assess what you can handle Seek help from others Develop prevention techniques Emotional Restoration Assess what you can handle Emotional Restoration Recognize the Signs Develop Prevention Techniques Seek Help from Others Recognize the Signs Recognize the Signs William Glasser’s Five Basic Needs Survival Love / Belonging Power Freedom Fun Seek Help from Others Seek Help from Others • Regular professional supervision with an experienced senior colleague. • Developing and maintaining professional networks. • Seek a culture of support (or seek to create this culture in your workplace). Prevention Techniques Develop Prevention Techniques • Schedule “re-charge” times in your day where you cannot be reached (no cell, email or phone). • Identify healing activities and attend to spiritual needs. • Learn the techniques of “cycle breathing” Prevention Techniques Develop Prevention Techniques • Take time for relaxation and for lunch, and take at least two consecutive weeks for vacation. • Take care of your body, through diet and exercise. • Set boundaries between home and work: Don't play therapist in personal relationships. Emotional Restoration Emotional Restoration Emotional Restoration is the process of reducing mental fatigue, increasing attentional capacity, and restoring emotional well-being. – Kaplan (1989) Emotional Restoration Emotional Restoration • Create a ‘no-stress zone’ or ‘safe space’ in the office environment such as an outdoor court yard for breaks. Encourage (and model) using vacation days that allow for physical time away. • Create outdoor break space away from the dumpster and not overlooking the parking lot. Emotional Restoration Emotional Restoration • Boredom is extremely stressful and enhances feelings of burn-out. Change up the office routine, move furniture, do more interesting task at ‘low’ points in the day and get the tedious tasks done first. Emotional Restoration Emotional Restoration • Restorative spaces support the needs and relaxation of the people using them. Don’t take your staff on a nature walk up a mountain if the staff is not a group of hikers. • Move your ‘no-stress zone’ in the office away from the fax machine and telephone. How to Help Others • When approaching your colleagues about their stress, compassion fatigue or burnout---make sure to have this conversation while they are not distracted or overly stressed. • Identify stress-relief solutions such as retreats and workshops. Steps for Breaking Out of the Negative Stress Cycle 1. Stop the negative messages flooding your mind. 2. Breathe by taking a deep breath and slowly letting the air out. 3. Reflect on the situation 4. Choose to find a solution (Managing Stress, p.27) From: Get a grip! Overcoming Stress and Thriving in the Workplace. • Find some downtime at work • Stay away from office politics • Avoid the grapevine • Deal with change better • Watch what you say to yourself • Do a plus-minus analysis • Do not bring it home • Find some time to relax at home • Hang out with positive people • Turn off the TV • Count your blessings every day • Do not sweat the petty stuff • Rituals versus Change • Get a thorough exam • Get enough sleep • Learn to manage your anger • Share problems with others • Smile a lot! SOCIAL WORKERS BEWARE “Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” - Friedrich Nietzsche SELF HELP METHODS Self-Help Techniques • Know the normal reactions to stressful events • Be aware of your tension and consciously try to relax • Use the buddy system • Talk to someone you trust and with whom feel at ease • Listen to what people close to you say and think about the event Self-Help Techniques (cont.) • Work on routine tasks if it is too difficult to concentrate on demanding duties • If you cannot sleep or feel too anxious, discuss this with someone you can trust • Express your feelings in ways other than talking: – – – – Draw Paint Play music Journal Self-Help Techniques (cont.) • Do not self-medicate • Go easy on yourself • Avoid inflated or perfectionistic expectations • Seek professional advice if reactions continue SELF-LEARNING: Knowles delineates self-learning with the following justification: Self-directed learners are better learners. They learn more things easily. They are fully capable of taking charge of their own learning. (Therefore self-directed learning is more in tune with natural process of their psychological development). They look for opportunities for development of appropriate skills. They are in favour of change in education and learning in Spirituality and Growth What is “Spirituality”? The spiritual dimension is considered equal to the physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing of each person. For many people, it is the simple yet sacred act of connecting with something greater than oneself – often referred to as your higher power, the divine, or the absolute. For Marianne Williamson, it is about “inviting God into your life.” The 3 C’s of Spirituality: Connection Compassion Contribution ~ Bill O’Hanlon How do we restore a new energy to our lives? Is there a way of building into our days a ground, a center, and a reminder of what is at the heart of all our endeavors? An extraordinary thing is that it isn’t really the amount of work we do that wears us out. Burn-out has more to do with the absence of enthusiasm and dedication. When we work with a passion, everything changes. - Daniel O’Leary To have a firm persuasion in our work – to feel that what we do is right for ourselves and good for the world at the exactly same time – is one of the great triumphs of human existence. Blake called this sense of dedication a firm persuasion. “My fingers emit sparks of fire with expectation of my future labors.” - David Whyte To have a firm persuasion in our work – to feel that what we do is right for ourselves and good for the world at the exactly same time – is one of the great triumphs of human existence. Blake called this sense of dedication a firm persuasion. “My fingers emit sparks of fire with expectation of my future labors.” - David Whyte TASK-ORIENTED VALUES PERSON-ORIENTED VALUES Emphasis on: Job Production Product Competition Efficiency Comparison Conformity Person Growth Friends Cooperation Love Uniqueness Diversity Attitudes: Prove yourself Judgment from outside (producing feelings of guilt) Utilitarian Functional Striving, straining Sense of accomplishment Time measured by rhythm of clock Become yourself Judgment from within (producing conditions of peace) Creative Expressive Non-grasping, non-striving Sense of wonder Rhythm of nature The Symptoms of Inner Peace A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experiences. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. A loss of interest in judging self and others Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation Experiences of deep connectedness with all of creation. Frequent attacks of smiling through the - Jeff Rockwell eyes of the heart Putting Spirituality Into Practice Learn to forgive Practice gratitude Demonstrate appreciation Give and receive Cultivate compassion Honor the sacredness of all life It is not how much you do but how much love you put into the doing and sharing with others that is important. - Mother Teresa We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Need for Spirituality • It is a motivating force in personal and public life • It is connected to moral development and ethical behavior • Growth, meaning, development and purpose in life are not separate from Spirituality • Workplace is a critical avenue for the expression of spiritual in contemporary life. Five Human Values Human Values at Work (HVW) focuses on how you can work in accord with your own spiritual view of life and five Human Values that are found cross-culturally in all spiritual traditions: – – – – – Truth Righteousness Peace Love Non-violence learning opportunities • Identify your spiritual view of life, from which you work and grow your career • Expand and unfold your natural ability to express each Human Value at work • Integrate what you think, say and do in accord with your spiritual view of life and the Human Values • Make your work an arena for spiritual growth, and to apply that growth at work Inspired by the universal teachings of Sathya Sai Baba • • • • We are spiritual beings first and foremost. Divinity is the very core of our humanity. Spiritual values are Human Values. All spiritual traditions share five Human Values. • The spiritual essence of the Human Values is that “Divinity resides in all creation.” • An indicator of spiritual growth is purity and unity of thought, word and deed. Benefits of the Human Values at Work • • • • • Truth fosters trust and open, honest communications Righteousness fosters high quality work and keeping of agreements Peace fosters creative and wise decisions, and a focus on resolving issues rather than blaming Love fosters service based on sincere caring for others' well-being Non-violence fosters win-win Practices of the Human Values at Work • • • Truth – speaking honestly with employees and customers; speaking openly and caringly rather than behind someone’s back Righteousness – conducting business with fair prices and ethical practices; keeping agreements with all stakeholders; taking responsibility for problems, rather than making excuses Peace – practicing equanimity, even in crises or loss; seeing yourself as the Practices of the Human Values at Work • • Love – connecting to a higher purpose in life in which you can care for and serve others through your work; listening generously and compassionately to others rather than being judgmental Non-Violence – conducting business that is environmentally friendly; finding winwin solutions to problems, rather than winning at another’s expense Christianity (Gospels in the Bible) • The truth shall make you free (Truth) • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Righteousness) • Peace be with you (Peace) • Love one another (Love) • Love your enemies (Non-violence) Confucianism / Taoism • • • • • (various sources) He who knows the truth is not equal to him who loves it. (Truth) Confucianism The man of honour thinks of his character; the inferior man thinks of his position. (Righteousness) Confucianism To a mind that is “still”, the whole universe surrenders. (Peace) Taoism Love the world as your self; then you can care for all things. (Love) Taoism All men have a mind which cannot bear to see the suffering of others. (Non-violence) Confucianism Hinduism (Baghavad Gita Ch. 16) • Be sincere and truthful (Truth) • Give freely and control the senses (Righteousness) • Be fearless and equanimous (Peace) • Be loving, and show goodwill to all (Love) • Don’t harm any living creature and don’t slander (Non-violence) Islam (Hadith – Sayings of Muhammed) • Speak the truth (Truth) • Perform what you promise (Righteousness) • Keep your heart free from malice towards anyone (Peace) • Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow-beings first (Love) • Withhold your hand from striking (Nonviolence) Judaism (Book of Proverbs, Bible) • They love him who speaks what is right (Truth) • The righteous man walks in his integrity (Righteousness) • A man of understanding is of a calm spirit (Peace) • What is desired in a man is kindness (Love) • If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat (Non-violence) SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL WORK India is a home for in any religions and has a rich spiritual heritage. In Hinduism the Vedas and the Upanishads form the basis for spirituality. They provide a method to control one's own inner forces to realise the ultimate truth. The truth is the key for knowing one's own identity and the purposes of life. It gives a detachment from oneself and helps in controlling one's own emotions. Similarly other religions also help their adherents to reach these ends. SERVICE TO MAN IS SERVICE TO GOD • We believe that service to humanity is service to God. Humanitarianism is the basic principle of social work. It respects the human worth and dignity. Social work believes in the creativity and inherent potentialities of the individuals. In addition to prayer and study, other spiritual practices include Meditation Centering exercises such as deep breathing to reduce stress Visioning exercises Building shared values Active, deep listening Making action and intention congruent Using intuition and inner guidance in decisionmaking. SOCIAL WORK AND SPIRITUALITY Why do Social Workers Pray? God has called us into a relationship with Himself. Relationships require communication. Prayer is communication between a holy God and a beloved you and me. God wants to be in relationship with us. And He knows we need what He can give. Through prayer, we experience life-transforming, life-renewing intimacy with the Creator of the universe. We learn more and more about His character and how His perfect will is working itself out in our own life. Deepening our understanding of God also deepens our faith and desire to worship. As we become increasingly aware of our limitations, we can rest in the knowledge that our God is omniscient. Availing ourselves of God’s counsel is a We Communicate our Love to God The purpose of the various prayer experiences is for each individual to be able to find a way to experience God in their lives and to discover God’s intimate will for their lives. To understand the meaning of prayer, we must first believe that God exists, and that Heis a personal being, a person who can be addressed and who responds. We must believe that God knows us, cares for us and loves us, even more than we love ourselves. In fact, some describe prayer as “talking and listening with God.” Others call it “love letters” to God. Since prayer engages and expresses our relationship with God, the essence of prayer is communication. The conversation of prayer deepens our intimacy with God by drawing us into the communication with him that leads to ultimate communion. In the process, prayer conforms us to the Lord we love so that, as Saint Teresa of Avila says, “the will becomes united in some way with the will of God.” Religion, Spirituality and Health • There is a favorable association between religiousness and suicide risk, drug use, alcohol abuse, delinquent behavior, and criminal behavior (Gartner, Larson & Allen, 1991) • Couples who attend church regularly as less likely to divorce—of course they may stay unhappily married! Models of Religious and Spiritual Development • STAGE 1: RAW CREDULITY – Children believe everything they hear about religion and spirituality – Children cling to their beliefs because of the bond with their parents – “Authority based” approach – Sometimes continues to adulthood Models of Religious and Spiritual Development • STAGE 2: SATISFYING RATIONALISM – Begins in adolescence – Questioning previously held beliefs – Rebellion/rejection of parental values – Some youth retain their childhood values & beliefs Models of Religious and Spiritual Development • STAGE 3: RELIGIOUS MATURITY – Occurs after adolescence – Ability to remain connected to a tradition but approach it critically – Keep meaningful beliefs; reject those that do not make sense – Religion & spirituality are positive Models of Religious and Spiritual Development • Some adults retain childhood faith • Other adults have more faith than doubt • Other adults have equal amounts of doubt and faith • Some never reach “religious maturity” • Some have meaningful life without religion or spirituality Working with Patients’ Religious and Spiritual Issues • View the patient as a whole person. Avoid splitting religious and spiritual issues from health or psychological concerns. • Accept patients’ religious or spiritual stories as just that without attempting to reframe them as psychological Strategies for Addressing Religion & Spirituality • SCRIPTURE & SACRED TEXTS – Work within patients’ belief systems – Avoid power struggles & debates – Be prepared to refer – Make use of metaphor and narrative (Richards & Bergin, 1997) SOCIAL WORKERS GET :Consolation in Prayer What are the feelings of consolation in prayer? 1. It directs our focus outside and beyond ourselves . 2. It lifts our hearts so that we can see the joys and sorrows of other people. 3. It bonds us more closely with our human community. 4. It generates new inspiration and ideas. 5. It restores balance and refreshes our inner vision. 6. It shows us where God is active in our lives and where he is leading us 7. It releases new energy in us. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK IN INDIA BILL 1993 NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL WORK THE NEED…? The University Grants Commission had appointed the Second Review Committee on Social Work Education in 1978 which submitted its recommendations to the UGC. One of the important decisions of this Committee was to establish a National Council on Social Work Education for the promotion and development of Social Work Education in India. As this decision required action to be taken by the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry constituted a working Group to deliberate on the matter and to prepare the draft Bill for the establishment of the Council. WHY….? In order to upgrade and enhance the quality of professional education and practice, and also to make the profession more accountable to the public, that the proposed Bill on the National Council of Professional Social Work in India has been drafted. WHAT DOES THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK IN INDIA ACT SAY…. 'Professional Social Work' means a form of practice which follows acknowledged methods of social work carried out by professional social workers. (v) 'Field Work' means the prescribed supervised instructional component of professional training through suitable field placement. (vi) 'Social Work Professional' means a person who has undergone prescribed courses of study and field work in social work and has passed the examination from a recognised institution at the undergraduate and/or postgraduate level. (vii) 'Paraprofessional' means a person who holds qualifications other than Bachelor's or Master's degree in social work. (viii) 'Social Work Educator' means a person who holds a prescribed social work qualification and no is or has been engaged in teaching and research on a permanent and full time basis in a recognised social work institution. (ix) 'Social Work Practitioner' means a person who holds a prescribed social work qualification and who is engaged in professional social work practice. (x) 'Social Work Researcher' is a person who holds a prescribed qualification in social work and is engaged in full time research in social work. IMPORTANCE It shall be the general function of the Council to take, in consultation with the Universities or other bodies concerned, all such steps as it may think fit for the promotion, maintenance of standards of education, co-ordination of social work education, training, research and practice; and for the propose of performing its functions under this Act, . Every person, whose name is borne on the Register, shall be entitled to work as Social Work Educator or practice Social Work in any part of India. • Role of Social Worker and the Government in Promoting Social Work Profession in India. REFER NCSW Ethical dilemma in working with individuals and families. Refer to the written notes……………….