Identification of the Problem
Verbal abuse is a significant problem that is linked with long-lasting effects on one’s mental and physical health. The effects may be worse if the abuse is being facilitated by immediate family members including one's parents, siblings, or children. James & Green (2018) indicate that verbal abuse affects parts of the brain that are associated with increased likelihood for depression anxiety and disassociation. In as much as this form of abuse is associated with several negative psychological outcomes, victims rarely view it as worth reporting. Consider the case of a 40-year-old adult female who faces verbal abuse from her father. There is a possibility that the female would prefer to keep quiet about it by thinking that it is part of her upbringing. In such a case, social workers must let the victim understand that she needs to address the issue before it escalates to physical violence.
Description of the Problem
Verbal abuse is a form of violence that is not taken seriously by a significant proportion of people, considering that it does not result in physical harm or pain. The failure to address this issue exposes victims to both short and long-term effects which are as serious as those associated with physical abuse. According to Middleton et al. (2018), verbal abuse comprises attempts to isolate, scare, or control victims, as well insults, all of which pave the way for physical abuse. Perpetrators of verbal abuse are determined to control their victims and in this way, make them feel powerless and responsible for their predicaments. The 40-year-old woman is a victim of physical abuse that is being perpetrated by her father. Although she may be old enough to make decisions, the perpetual abuse has affected her confidence level. She is constantly afraid of making wrong choices and always seeking her father's approval, which is hard to get.
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The client represents many other individuals who struggle with relational aggression or violence yet do not take action to affirm their autonomy and freedom. Research indicates that up to 30% of students in the US are victims of relational aggression, which is usually occasioned through bullying (Flack, 2020). These statistics indicate that relational aggression is a significant issue that is yet to receive the attention that it deserves. According to Flack (2020), relational aggression has far-reaching effects as it harms one's self-appreciation, social standing, and relationship with others. Victims of this form of abuse feel inadequate, an aspect that may force them to delay their gratification, which ultimately reduces their quality of life. Perpetrators of relational aggression are keen on destroying their victims’ reputations through gossiping, humiliating, or spreading rumors about them so that they are excluded from social activities. The 40-year-old adult female knows how it feels to be humiliated by her father, an aspect that has interfered with her social and emotional well-being.
Session Notes
Student Name: _____________ Date of Session : February 20 Number of Session : 6
Identifying Information : Ms. C. is a 40-year-old adult woman. She is the daughter of Mr. W, a 68-year-old US Army veteran.
Presenting problem(s): Ms. C has a history of verbal abuse from her biological father which she fears will escalate to physical abuse if she is not assertive. She first came for consultation in December with the hope of regaining her self-esteem so that she can have an effective relationship with others. The agency requires that I engage with Ms. C once a month so that we can address the issue of verbal abuse.
The focus of the session
In this session, I have a face-to-face meeting with Ms. C. regarding how she is implementing the advice she has received and whether it is yielding the requisite results.
| Dialogue | Personal Reactions/Self-reflection | Knowledge base | Supervisors observations |
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Social Worker: How have you been since we last met? Client: I have been fine, things have never been better. Social Worker: Oh I see. How is your father? Client: He is trying very hard to maintain boundaries. Social Worker: What changed his attitude? Client: I have learned to affirm to him that I am an adult. Social Worker: How does it make you feel that finally, you stood up to him after all these years of being a victim of his wrath? Client: At first I was hesitant but the last few sessions taught me that I am responsible for my life choices. When I confronted him he was shocked at how assertive I had become. Social Worker: Wonderful. How are you going to maintain this stand? Client: Now that it feels good to be finally free of the abuse, I will not go back to being the victim. I will ensure that my father respects me by standing my ground. Social Worker: Good to finally see you happy and hopeful. However, you need an additional session. How about next Thursday? Client: I will be there. This is my ticket to freedom. Social Worker: See you then. |
I need to know if there are improvements. I am happy to hear that there is progress. At last, some good news. I need to be sure that the change is permanent. She appears quite excited and elated. I need to be sure that the client has internalized the fact that she is responsible for her life. She is glowing for the first time after being told that she would never amount to anything. I am curious to find out if she is committed to the plan. She is committed to her physical, social, and emotional well-being. It is not enough that she stood up to her father. It needs to become a habit so that she does not go back to being the victim. She is equally committed having seen the previous sessions’ benefits. |
Information gathering Affirmation. Active listening Patience Information gathering Advocacy Organization Communication Time management Persuasion |
Evaluation of Work-Phase Skills
This session was crucial in establishing if the client was practicing what she had learned in the previous sessions. During these sessions, I had helped the client to accept that she was a victim of abuse and it needed to end by asserting that she was an adult. I adopted various skills ranging from communicating, information gathering, organizing, affirming, and managing time. At the beginning of the session, I adapted information gathering in a bid to establish if the client had made a progress in asserting that she was responsible for her destiny. In this case, I aligned the session with the solution-focused model by helping the client to understand that she is responsible for implementing solutions. Al-Maseb (2020) notes that social workers need to help their clients know that they are not responsible for problems, but rather are a part of the solution. In the course of the session, I established that the client was ready to change her destiny, instead of entrusting it with her father. I helped her to realize that in as much as she had made progress, she needed to continue with the remaining sessions to enhance her resolve.
What I would have Liked to Do in Retrospect as I Evaluate the Session Process
The session was to establish if the client had learned to become assertive enough to let her father know that she ought to be treated with respect. In as much as I believe that the client has made great strides, I feel that I should have done more to ensure that it will not affect their relationship. Looking back at the dialogue, I realize that I emphasized her feelings without paying attention to how they would affect her father. There is a possibility that the client would take her assertiveness too far to an extent that she may no longer take any advice from her father. At this point, I think that I should have emphasized the need to replace the fear she has had of her father with mutual respect. More so, I ought to have let her know that it would take more time to recover from the verbal abuse she had experienced over the years. Nonetheless, I will do so in the next session to ensure that her new-found freedom and assertiveness do not ruin their relationship in case she feels that she is now in full control of her life.
What I Plan/Hope to Do Going Forward in my Direct Practice Work with the Client
The session has allowed me to see that my client is on the right path to recovery going by the exuberance and hope she displays. At the beginning of our dialogue, I could see that she was happier and more confident. However, I still feel that there is a need to focus more on how she uses her freedom. The fact that she has had a strained relationship with her father means that there is a need to find a solution. In this case, I will hold additional sessions with her to determine the extent of her emotional hurt, in a bid to start her recovery journey. In the same way, I will organize both separate and joint sessions with her father so that together we can deal with past failures. I believe that in the end, both of them will be in a position to move beyond their past and have a better relationship that is based on mutual respect.
References
Al-Ma’seb, H. (2020). Social support as a predictive factor: Solution-focused thinking in clinical social work. International Social Work, 63 (3), 323–336. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872818799432
Flack, T. (2020) Relational aggression and relational inclusion in adolescents: The role of empathic concern for victims of relational aggression and perspective-taking. Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties, 25 (3-4), 201-214. DOI: 10.1080/13632752.2020.1790798
James, F., & Green, J. (2018). Long-term effects of child abuse: Lessons for Australian pediatric nurses. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing , 35 (4), 42-51.
Middleton, W., Sachs, A., & Dorahy, M. J. (2017) The abused and the abuser: Victim–perpetrator dynamics. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 18 (3), 249-258. DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2017.1295373
