Mikala Discussion: The Best Place to Talk About Anything

Discussion 2 

The Social Construction Approach is the point of view to the effect that, aspects of society that are perceived as characteristic or belonging to a certain group are not in reality existent and are creations by members of the society in order to create a hierarchy (Andrews, 2012). These characteristics include perceptions of class, sexual orientation, gender, race or mental illness. Nothing exemplifies this reality just as much as the perception of childhood in our society. As a child, I was not allowed to do any household chores in which water was employed due to the perception that, as a child, I did not have strong immunity and was therefore, more prone to illnesses such as flu upon exposure to cold water, relative to more mature cross-sections of this same society. I also realized that my older brothers would be scolded on playing with my toys because they were not considered young children. At some point, my dad lost his job while I was still young and although I felt obliged to look for jobs in order to supplement his income, he could not allow me to due to the labor laws, which prohibited children my age from participating in any form of labor. This shows that “childhood” is a societal construction, specifically triggered by the need for to create a lifestyle that is desirable for children. 

Reference  

Andrews, T. (2012). What is Social Constructionism? Grounded Theory Review. 11(1): 22-24 

Discussion 3 

A helping relationship is a relationship whereby one individual is assisted in recovering from a situation or from a condition by another individual. A good example of a helping relationship is the relationship between a doctor/ therapist/ counselor and a patient. In instances where the relationship is between a patient and a counselor, the patient is assisted to get better through being talked and listened to. 

The concept “Alliance” brings a new understanding to the term “Helping Relationships,” in that it emphasizes on a stronger connection and cooperation between the patient and the therapist. In this relationship, the patient is also an active participant in the healing process. The client and therapist also tend to have a common consensus as pertains to their activities and goals, and this keeps them both focused and thus, this approach is bound to be effective in regard to having the desired results. This alters the previous understanding of the helping relationship as it did not emphasize on a strong connection between the client and the therapist (Wilson, 1992). The therapist does most of the listening and talking and often has the upper hand in the relationship. The latter relationship in which there is an alliance between the client/patient and the therapist is the better relationship, seeing as the client is able to connect with the therapist’s openness, respect and honesty, in turn, assisting him/her to open up without fear of judgment. This creates a good environment for all issues to be addressed thoroughly and thereby bring about the change and healing that is desired. 

Reference  

Wilson, M. (1992) Empathy in the Helping Relationship. Journal of Community Health Nursing. 9 (1): 63-64. 

Discussion 4 

Conflicts between a client and a therapist can occur due to differing religious views. Most professionals will avoid bringing up issues of religion during therapy, especially if they do not agree with the views that have been presented before them due to the fear of creating tensions with their clients and thereafter, losing them( Balkin, Schlosser& Levitt, 2009). The counselor should always respect the client’s religious point of view, except in instances where the religious beliefs are detrimental to the well-being of the client. In such instances, it is important to make it clear to the client that his/her views are not designed to the best of their interests while at the same time, affirming the fact that they have a choice to make concerning the same. This leaves the client feeling respected and also avoids conflicts that would otherwise result from differing beliefs. 

Reference  

Balkin, S., Schlosser, Z. & Levitt, H. (2009). Religious Identity and Cultural Diversity: Exploring the relationships between religious identity, sexism, homophobia and multicultural competence. Journal of counseling and development. 87(4): 420-427. 

Discussion 5 

In instances where a child is in an abusive/ neglectful home, it is important to take measures aimed at evacuating the child to a better place while at the same time considering family preservation and child safety factors. Before coming up with the decision to remove a child from such a home, one must investigate and verify the child abuse claims and on confirmation of the same, involve the courts of law in order to have the child treated for any injuries (Kilpatrick& Holland, 2009). The reasons for the abuse and neglect should also be investigated as these could be due to poverty, drug abuse, and mental illness among others. After confirmation that indeed the child needs to be removed from the home, one should find out if there are any close relatives who are capable and willing to take care of the child. The relative should preferably be well-acquainted with the child and should have no history of child abuse or substance abuse. This is to ensure that the child is integrated into a family setting and that his/her security is also guaranteed. In cases where no relative meets these criteria, the child may be taken in by a willing foster family. 

References  

Kilpatrick, A. & Holland, T. (2009). Working with Families: An integrative model by level of need (5 th ) . Boston: Pearson Publishing. 

Child Welfare Information Gateway (2013 ). What is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms. Retrieved from www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/whatiscan/ 

Conclusion  

The social constructionist approach is the point of view that characteristic aspects of groups as viewed by the society are not the reality and that the society comes up with these characteristics in an effort to create a hierarchal order (Andrew, 2012). A helping relationship is an interaction between an individual who needs assistance and another who’s offering the same. The concept “Alliance,” when used in this context, refers to a more collaborative helping relationship. This relationship is more effective because the client participates more in the healing process, therefore, making it easier for the therapist to be effective. The need for caution when dealing with conflicting religious views with a client is also emphasized. It is also prudent to ensure that while removing a child from an abusive home, he/she is integrated into a family setting probably under a responsible relative or a good foster family.