Discussion 1: Social, Economic and Environmental Justice

The Center for Economic and Social Justice  defines “social justice” as “giving to each what he or she is due.”  “Economic justice” is concerned with determining what an individual’s  “due” actually encompasses.

For this  Discussion, select a case study in this week’s Readings. Review the case  study, focusing on the social or economic justice issues at play in the  situation described.

Reference:  Center for Economic and Social Justice. (n.d.). Defining economic  justice and social justice. Retrieved from June 11, 2013, from  http://www.cesj.org/thirdway/economicjustice-defined.htm

By Day 3

Post a description of a social  or economic justice issue that is evident in the case. Suggest two  strategies the social worker might employ to address the issue.

By Day 5

Respond to at least two colleagues by suggesting an alternative to one of the strategies your colleague described.

Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma: The Case of Angela Angela is a 27-year-old, Caucasian female, who first came to counseling to address her history of sexual abuse. She graduated from college with a BS in chemistry and has since been employed by pharmaceutical companies. After obtaining a new job, she relo-cated to an apartment in an East Coast city where she knew no one. Both of Angela’s parents live on the West Coast, and she has one younger brother who also lives in a different state. Angela has limited  contact  with  both  her  mother  and  brother  and  does  not have any contact with her father. Angela is obese and disclosed a history of struggling with her weight and eating issues. She has few friends, and those she does have live far away.Angela has a long history of trauma in her life. She was sexually abused between the ages of 9 and 21 by her father, sexually assaulted at the age of 14 by a classmate in school, and mugged as a young adult. There was domestic violence in the home, also perpetrated by her father. Angela’s father is considered an upstanding member of the community, and he is well liked and respected by others. Noone in  Angela’s  family  believes  that  she  was  sexually  abused,  and  her father joined a “false memory syndrome” group and is outspoken about that issue. There has been little discussion in her family about what took place in the home while she was growing up.Angela  struggled  with  daily  functioning  and  exhibited  symp-toms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She had a history of  cutting  herself  and  binge  eating  and  displayed  some  charac-teristics  of  borderline  personality  disorder.  Angela  also  mildly dissociated when under duress. Angela suffered from depression and anxiety and had trouble establishing new relationships, both socially  and  at  work.  Although  Angela  has  a  stable  job  and  was able  to  complete  her  work  each  day,  at  times  she  became  over-whelmed  by  her  emotions  and  retreated  to  the  bathroom  where she cried and sometimes cut herself before returning to her work-station. Angela relied on writing, artwork, and her cat for solace

SOCIAL WORK CASE STUDIES: FOUNDATION YEAR30and  comfort.  She  was  also  very  active  outdoors,  often  hiking, biking,  and  going  on  camping  trips  by  herself.  Her  goals  in  life were to own her own home, lose weight, enjoy relationships with others, and find peace with her traumas.As a result of the abuse she experienced, it was necessary to begin treatment focusing heavily on establishing trust and a rela-tionship with the client. After 1 year of therapy, deeper process work  was  being  done  around  her  traumas,  and  she  was  able  to open up much more. She disclosed more painful experiences to the therapist and began expressing her feelings, including intense anger at her family members.Angela also joined a group for survivors of sexual violence in the  same  program  where  she  was  receiving  individual  therapy. She  was  thus  able  to  meet  other  survivors  and  engage  them  in relationship  building  and  obtain  support.  Over  time,  she  lost 100 pounds and made new friends, and her level of functioning increased  dramatically.  Six  months  into  the  group,  however,  I noticed boundary issues between the members of the group and the  group  facilitator.  After  speaking  with  the  group  facilitator about these concerns and others regarding her clinical judgment and boundary crossing, the decision was made to terminate her.As a new group facilitator began engaging the group, I noticed that  Angela  was  not  sharing  as  much  in  her  individual  sessions and,  overall,  seemed  guarded.  I  tried  on  numerous  occasions  to address the shift, and while Angela acknowledged that trust had become an issue, she would not directly express her concerns or feelings. After some discussion, I explained to Angela that while I could not discuss the issues concerning the group facilitator, she should feel free to talk about her feelings and concerns in general. However, it became obvious that trust could not be rebuilt, partic-ularly in light of the professional boundary issues with the group facilitator. I asked if she wanted to terminate counseling with me and find a new therapist, and Angela agreed. I provided Angela with  three  referrals  so  that  she  could  continue  her  treatment.  I learned that Angela and the former group facilitator had become friends and remained so after both had left the program in their respective capacities.

APPENDIX105activities as Veronica did. She went to school every day and did not  appear  very  different  from  other  children  in  her  area.  It  is important to note that families in poverty-stricken countries like Guatemala  are  deceived  by  traffickers  who  offer  them  money equivalent to a year’s income in exchange for their children. All the details of this case are not clear as of yet but it is believed that the maternal aunt was working in conjunction with someone else.9.Describe any additional personal reflections about this case.This was a hard case to digest. It is one of those cases that you end  up  taking  home  with  you  in  your  heart.  This  13-year-old girl has been through a lifetime of exploitation. For the first few weeks  she  would  just  look  at  me  as  if  she  were  looking  right through me. She needed a lot of coaxing to participate. Although she still has a great deal of healing ahead of her, Veronica is in a much better place and is making every effort to live a normal life.Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma:The Case of Angela1.What  specific  intervention  strategies  (skills,  knowledge, etc.) did you use to address this client situation?Knowledge of trauma and child sexual abuse was key as was active  listening,  validation,  boundary  setting,  and,  at  times, confrontation.2.Which theory or theories did you use to guide your practice?I  applied  relational,  cognitive  behavioral,  empowerment,  and strengths-based theories.3.What were the identified strengths of the client(s)?Angela’s  strengths  were  her  ability  to  persevere  and  be  resil-ient,  as  well  as  her  ability  to  find  time  for  self-reflection  and self-care.  Despite  everyone  around  her  telling  her  otherwise, she was still able to stand firm in the knowledge that she was sexually abused and therefore needed to have clear boundaries with those who did not believe her.4.What were the identified challenges faced by the client(s)?Angela’s challenges included an occasional inability to function at work, self-harm, and isolation.

SOCIAL WORK CASE STUDIES: FOUNDATION YEAR1065.What were the agreed-upon goals to be met to address the concern?The  goals  were  to  increase  functioning,  enhance  ability  to create and sustain relationships with others, reduce isolation, address  and  increase  self-esteem,  refrain  from  cutting,  and work through early sexual trauma.6.What local, state, or federal policies could (or did) affect this situation?The  statute  of  limitations  in  both  civil  and  criminal  cases affected Angela’s case.7.How would you advocate for social change to positively affect this case?I would advocate with legislators in the state to eliminate the statute of limitations so that survivors of sexual abuse could prosecute and/or sue their perpetrator when they were ready.8.Were there any legal or ethical issues present in the case? If so, what were they and how were they addressed?There  were  ethical  issues  regarding  boundaries  and  dual relationships. The group facilitator in this case was inappro-priate with her clients and became personal friends with this particular client along with the other women in the group. I addressed this by trying to work with the group facilitator, as well as by encouraging her to discuss this in her off-site clin-ical supervision. Because no change was occurring, eventu-ally the group facilitator was terminated.9.How can evidence-based practice be integrated into this situation?The  use  of  a  sequenced,  titrated  approach  using  relational theory to address complex PTSD is incredibly helpful, espe-cially  for  those  survivors  of  sexual  trauma  with  multiple victimizations and difficulty with daily functioning.10.Describe any additional personal reflections about this case.As  the  individual  therapist,  this  case  was  heartbreaking  for me.  The  relationship  and  trust  I  had  built  with  this  client  was destroyed,and I was placed in a very precarious position. The client  did  not  want  to  discuss  the  changing  dynamic  and  had

APPENDIX107clearly been influenced by the group facilitator, who was incredibly friendly and outgoing. There was no other choice but termination, and the realization thatthe damage could not be repaired was disappointing. However, had I disclosed “my side” of what was happening, I would have been making the same errors as the group facilitator and involving myself in a dysfunctional and unhealthy dynamic, including crossing boundaries—exactly what survivors do not need. There are times when you must “swallow your pride” to  do  what  is  right  and  best  for  the  client,  especially  given  the different variables and considering the ethical issues at play.Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma: The Case of Brenna1.What  specific  intervention  strategies  (skills,  knowledge, etc.) did you use to address this client situation?I  used  reflective  listening  and  reframing  to  assist  Brenna  in setting goals and determining her unmet needs. I used knowl-edge  of  local  systems  and  social  service  agencies  to  provide referrals and to secure needed services.2.Which theory or theories did you use to guide your practice?I utilized systems theory.3.What were the identified strengths of the client(s)?Brenna’s  strengths  were  her  resiliency  and  self-sufficiency. Brenna  viewed  her  desire  to  provide  a  better  future  for  her child as a strong motivating factor for changing her life.4.What were the identified challenges faced by the client(s)?Brenna  lacked  a  familial  support  system  and  network  of  friends, and she was socially isolated. Upon entry to the shelter, she lacked medical care, employment, income, and housing. Brenna also strug-gled  with  difficulty  reading  and  writing.  Brenna  had  experienced trauma and violence in her past and would be raising her child alone.5.What were the agreed-upon goals to be met to address the concern?Brenna  and  I  agreed  to  secure  medical  care,  a  housing  plan, and a source of income. Brenna also set goals to improve her mental health