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Relationship Between Rapport And Empathy

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I can competently implement the concept of rapport and empathy in my own practice, as I currently attempt to build rapport each with all of the clients that I service currently while also displaying empathy. I also completely understand the importance of each. Rapport is the foundation of the working relationship that includes building understanding, trust, and allowing the social worker to indicate that they are staying with the client through their situation. Empathy is the social workers ability to put one’s self into the situation of the client, to gain an understanding, without actually experiencing the situation. Rapport and empathy is the key to building a strong healthy working relationship. I quickly realized that when clients are mandated to participate in services it can be extremely difficult to build rapport for one of many reasons and it can be difficult to break down the barriers to build the need rapport even when the social worker has the ability to display empathy. I can consistently identify the concept of countertransference when observing and analyzing practice activities. Countertransference is an emotional reaction from the social worker to the client. As social workers we often times spend a great deal of time with client allowing us to know a great amount of information about the client, which can allow the social worker to become emotionally involved with a client. There are many warning signs that a social worker should evaluate frequently

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