Each response must be at least 150 words and no more than 250 words. If you do not stay within thelimit guidelines, points will be deducted. Your response to your classmate is a substitute for the in classroom discussions; therefore, your answer should beengaging and provide clear support for your perspective. 1
Week 4 Discussion Replies
Discussion 1:
Bray (2022) states that self disclosure, when used appropriately and cautiously, can
significantly strengthen the therapeutic relationship between the client and the
counselor. Bray (2022) further states that this is because self disclosure often leads
the client being able to open up more and trust the counselor, as well as strengthens
the counselor’s ability to empathize with the client’s situation. Bray (2022) also
mentions that a popular area that counselors tend to have self disclosures are when
grief is being discussed. I think this is interesting because when discussing grief,
something that the client said likely caused the therapist to make a personal
connection and while this may not be advice giving, Bray (2022) states that self
disclosures should be focused on the client and validating their thoughts and
experiences. Therapists have to be careful about knowing when it is appropriate to
give self disclosures during therapy and definitely need to ensure that whatever self
disclosure is given, it will be client driven and will guide the client in the right direction
rather than backsliding. Often times, clients will feel more connected to a therapist
that provides self disclosures because they see ways that they can relate to the
therapist and how even therapists face similar obstacles to those that are being seen
for counseling now. When it comes to the field of substance use disorders, selfdisclosures can become a little trickier. Some clients may feel that you are not able
to provide them adequate treatment if they know you are a recovering addict as well,
whereas some clients may feel that you are more competent on their situation and
could provide the best treatment.
Bray, B. (2022, July 15). Counselor self-disclosure: Encouragement or impediment to
client growth? Counseling Today. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from
https://ct.counseling.org/2019/01/counselor-self-disclosure-encouragement-orimpediment-to-client-growth/
Discussion 2:
Clinicians and social workers may practice in a specific setting due to their own
experiences. As a future clinician that is also my intention. Many of the classmates I
have met, and professionals that I have encountered, have established that it was
something in their lives that brought them into this line of work. Some may say social
work was not found by them, but the profession found them. Somewhere along the
way they wanted to spark change and make a difference. Working towards sobriety
is not an easy task in itself. A lot of the time individuals abuse substances, or alcohol
due to reoccurring trauma, past or secondary trauma which can all begin in early
childhood experiences (Hoffmann, 2022).
The benefit of self-disclosure is that the client can effectively express themselves
because they are sitting across from someone that has experienced something
similar to what they are going through. This can allow to also establishing a better
rapport with the client when someone is empathetic toward his or her experience.
2
Empathy is based on putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, and for clinicians
what comes to mind is being the person they wish they had when they needed
support or help.
It can also be wrong because if you’re stepping out of professional boundaries then
you’re compromising your ethical values and principles as a social worker. Such as
discussing details about your personal life in each session, and the focus then will
shift more towards you than the client. The interventions, treatment, and planning
must be guiding the client not the clinician. Also, what may work for you may not
work for the next person. So, a specific treatment may have worked when the
clinician was receiving services, but that does not mean that will work for each client.
Each client requires and deserves a treatment plan that is geared towards and
working toward their milestones and achievements.
Overall, the concern becomes whether or not empathy is used to include the
clinician’s perspective and enforce their thoughts or beliefs on the client ( Myers &
Salt, 2019). Clinicians may use their empathy is used out of a passion to be there as
the client figures out what it is that they desire to work on and if they are ready to
work towards a goal or achievement of sobriety. Although it is not encouraged to
impose thoughts, or beliefs on anyone else. It is an essential part of this profession
for clients to find their way so that when there is a termination of services the client
can walk away with something they can utilize if a situation similar to their previous
were to occur.
References
Hoffmann, A., Benzano, D., Ornell, F., Kessler, F. H. P., von Diemen, L., & Schuch,
J. B. (2022). Childhood trauma subtypes may influence the pattern of substance use
and preferential substance in men with alcohol and/or crack-cocaine
addiction. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 44(4), 416–
419. https://doi.org/10.47626/1516-4446-2021-2352
Myers, P. L., & Salt, N. R. (2019). Becoming an addictions counselor: A
comprehensive text. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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