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Strengths Oriented Assessment And Practice For Change : Family Client System Paper

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Oneida Oliver-Sanders Strengths-Oriented Assessment and Practice for Change: Family Client System Paper Social Work Practice I The family in the Case Study consists of Raul, Nora, Santiago, Yolanda, and Paul. Raul and Nora are the parents of Santiago and Yolanda and Paul is the fiancé of Yolanda. Raul is a Mexican American in his forties who has sought marital counseling. He works two jobs and is often sleep deprived due to his schedule. Raul has experience some physical abuse as a child and admits to not knowing how to express his feelings. Nora, Raul’s wife is also in her forties who has realized through therapy that she has marital issues. She is trained as a Physical Therapist but now runs a gift shop. …show more content…

Nora’s perception of men due to her traumatic experiences spilled over into her marriage and caused her husband to suffer the consequences of her past hurts. It appears that Raul works long hours in order to stay away from his issues at home. Although this family has suffered trauma, they have some strengths to draw upon that can benefit them in their therapeutic process. Both Raul and Nora grew up poor. However, they have both managed to go on and secure reputable careers. Raul as a Master Builder and Nora, as a Physical Therapist. This is evidence that they possess the skills that are needed to overcome adversity and negative cultural expectations. Solution-Focused Therapy would come into play so that the practitioner would engage in conversation to ask questions to help Raul and Nora realize their strength. “The practitioner 's role in the solution-focused process is continually to invite clients to explore and define two matters: (1) what it is they want different in their lives (goals) and (2) what strengths and resources they can bring to bear on making these desired differences a reality. The practitioner affirms and amplifies client definitions of goals, past successes, strengths, and resources as they emerge through conversation. Consequently, these conversations focus more on building solutions than on solving problems.” (Berg and DeJong, 1996). In assessing Raul and Norma, it would be imperative for the therapist to encourage input and

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