Clinical Social Work: Definition, Practice And Vision

What exactly is social work? What do social workers do? Rachelle Dorfman is the right person to answer these questions, after years of social work experience as clinician, author, and innovator. Writing for students at the graduate level, those just starting out in the field, and those contemplating an MSW, she has made Clinical Social Work both a resource/reference and a guide for newcomers to the helping professions. Dr Dorfman beings by placing social work in a historical setting. She introduces the social reformers and settlement workers who inaugurated many aspects of the field, and then moves on to today's movers and shakers. She lays out the philosophical and ethical foundations upon which clinical social work is built, and offers concrete definitions of the 'what, where, and how' of the profession. There is a full description of the phases of client contact - from initial interview and assessment to intervention strategies and eventual termination of therapy. Another chapter provides acomprehensive evaluation of clinical practice, and a detailed selection of recommended readings spans assessment, couples and families, groups, models, diversity, and clinical social work research. In keeping with the author's emphasis on imparting a full and practical view of the field, she offers an unusual chapter, addressing issues that do not often receive attention in traditional educational formats, but are nonetheless some of the most sensitive and important for the clinical social worker. Here, Dr Dorfman considers such key questions as, What do I do about a sexually seductive client? Is clinical social work dangerous? Why do some social workers seem not to care? Is it OK to advertise? How does managed care affect me? Clinical Social Work is a 'must read' for those already in the field, as well as anyone contemplating social work as a profession, because it provides a sense of the challenges and possibilities that await. This multidimensional perspective is invaluable for helping to turnprinciples into effective - and fulfilling - practice.

Rachelle A. Dorfman, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Social Welfare, School of Public Policy and Social Work, University of California at Los Angeles.