Description
Imagine a social worker and client meeting in a healthcare setting to discuss the client’s needs. Culture is unfused throughout the interaction, rather than being an afterthought. The client is assessed within the unique context of their culture, and advocacy strategies and interventions are tailored to that. The practitioner might ask the client, “What is important to you?” rather than just assuming based on their own frame of reference. They might also ask, “What do you understand to be the cause of your illness?” This gives the client space to share how their cultural beliefs inform understandings of health and wellness. Overall, a culturally grounded social worker asks the right questions, listens, and assesses, all with culture at the forefront. Theory contributes to this because it gives the social worker a lens through which to view the client, their culture, and their development, behavior, and current circumstances. In this Discussion, you engage with the use of particular theories in culturally grounded social work practice. To prepare: Review the Learning Resources on theoretical perspectives and select one theory to use for this Discussion. Also review the Learning Resources on culturally grounded social work. Consider what it takes to be culturally grounded, and any challenges you may experience in practice. Main Assignment: Identify your chosen theory and describe how it relates to diversity. Explain how the chosen theory can assist social workers in being culturally grounded. Overall, explain what it means to be a culturally grounded social worker. Identify a challenge that you may have in practicing culturally grounded social work. Reflection: Compare your chosen theory with another different theory Argue a different perspective based on the challenge you wrote about. Provide a strategy you could use to address the identified challenge. Marsiglia, F. F., Kulis, S. S., & Lechuga-Peña, S. (2021). Diversity, oppression, and change: Culturally grounded social work (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. Chapter 6, “Theoretical Perspectives on Diversity” (pp. 113–130)Download Chapter 6, “Theoretical Perspectives on Diversity” (pp. 113–130) Credit line: Diversity, Oppression, and Change: Culturally Grounded Social Work, 3rd Edition by Marsiglia, F.; Kulis, S.; Lechuga-Peña, S. Copyright 2021 by Oxford University Press. Reprinted by permission of Oxford University Press via the Copy