Comments on: Why social work matters http://saynotostigma.com/2012/03/why-social-work-matters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-social-work-matters a blog of The Menninger Clinic Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:19:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Tim H http://saynotostigma.com/2012/03/why-social-work-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-1611 Tim H Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:08:15 +0000 http://saynotostigma.com/?p=1586#comment-1611 As a former M-PIC patient, I second Dr. G's remarks and add that exploring a patient's family background and social structure does something far more important than educate doctors about their patients and demonstrate to patients that clinicians care about them. Both are worthy objectives in themselves, but the direct therapeutic benefits of this activity cannot be overestimated in my opinion. In many cases this is essential to a recovery that will endure beyond the hospital's grounds. Exploring my relationships with family and others actively as a team with my social worker educated ME about how my issues have affected them, how theirs have affected me, and how we can better support each other's needs in the future. It's remarkable how often I heard other patients echo my own experiences about this. Nearly every day a patient shared with me how deeply affected he or she had been by a SW-pt phone call or meeting with a spouse, child, parent, co-worker or friend. A talented social worker will direct attention, with compassion for all but as the patient's advocate, to issues patients and others may be unwilling to address or unable to see as vitally relevant. Such encounters often rekindle feelings of mutual understanding and love, but more importantly in my estimation, they bring clarity to the patient about his or her relationships and thereby advance the patient's planning and enhance the patient's prospects for a sustained recovery. The social worker-directed therapies at M-PIC were in my experience as helpful as therapies directed by any other clinicians on the unit. As a former M-PIC patient, I second Dr. G’s remarks and add that exploring a patient’s family background and social structure does something far more important than educate doctors about their patients and demonstrate to patients that clinicians care about them. Both are worthy objectives in themselves, but the direct therapeutic benefits of this activity cannot be overestimated in my opinion. In many cases this is essential to a recovery that will endure beyond the hospital’s grounds. Exploring my relationships with family and others actively as a team with my social worker educated ME about how my issues have affected them, how theirs have affected me, and how we can better support each other’s needs in the future. It’s remarkable how often I heard other patients echo my own experiences about this. Nearly every day a patient shared with me how deeply affected he or she had been by a SW-pt phone call or meeting with a spouse, child, parent, co-worker or friend. A talented social worker will direct attention, with compassion for all but as the patient’s advocate, to issues patients and others may be unwilling to address or unable to see as vitally relevant. Such encounters often rekindle feelings of mutual understanding and love, but more importantly in my estimation, they bring clarity to the patient about his or her relationships and thereby advance the patient’s planning and enhance the patient’s prospects for a sustained recovery. The social worker-directed therapies at M-PIC were in my experience as helpful as therapies directed by any other clinicians on the unit.

]]> By: Michael Groat http://saynotostigma.com/2012/03/why-social-work-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-1593 Michael Groat Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:26:24 +0000 http://saynotostigma.com/?p=1586#comment-1593 I really appreciate the way the social work staff at Menninger helps our treatment teams understand the context of patients--the developmental context, family context, and cultural context from which they have come. This work incrementally adds to our understanding of patients, and helps us provide better care. It also powerfully demonstrates to patients that the entirety of their lives matter to us. Thank you to all of our terrific social work staff. I appreciate you. I really appreciate the way the social work staff at Menninger helps our treatment teams understand the context of patients–the developmental context, family context, and cultural context from which they have come. This work incrementally adds to our understanding of patients, and helps us provide better care. It also powerfully demonstrates to patients that the entirety of their lives matter to us.

Thank you to all of our terrific social work staff. I appreciate you.

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