Competency 1: Demonstrate
Ethical and Professional Behavior
social workers utilize the code of ethics to make informed decisions. social workers are informed and continually educate themselves on historic and current methods of oppression that shape systems and client experiences. social workers make active efforts to build professional relationships and build networks that facilitate interprofessional practice. social workers understand the importance of and actively engage in self-reflection to better understand how their history has influenced their perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors. social workers, accordingly, are aware of their personal values, and keep them separate from their professional values. social workers actively engage in and prioritize self-care. Social workers engage in continuing education.
Demonstrated Skills & Projects
Self Care : Routine
When I began the BSW program, I recognized a need for structure. With the support of my therapist before starting the program, I was aware of my needs. Though, being in the program created a newfound commitment to myself to create structures that allow for mental stability. Accordingly, to stay on track and reduce the mental I was using to ensure I engaged in self-care activities that maintained my well-being, I came up with a morning and evening routine that is next to my bathroom mirror. Having morning and evening routines also reduces the mental energy I am using each day, and supports consistency in self-care activities that maintain my well-being.
I currently am enrolled in a Yoga class at GVSU. Once I graduate and have more time in my schedule, I am planning to go to yoga classes at least twice a week, and am really looking forward to that. I recently discovered that I enjoy cross country skiing in the winter. Other winter activities that enjoy doing are ice skating and going to winter festivities in Grand Rapids like the Christkindlmarket. In the warmer seasons I enjoy going on hikes with my dogs, swimming at the beach, camping, and trying new adventures in the outdoors.
Self-Reflection
This is a paper written at the end of my first semester in the Bachelor of Social Work program. Significant growth and learning is evidenced in this paper. Before beginning the social work program, I was unaware of social work ethics and values, and by the end of my first semester my awareness and knowledge in this area grew. Though volunteering at the child advocacy center and reflecting back on this time in this paper, it is evident that I was grappling with coming to terms with the realities, versus idealized outcomes when working to support clients. Since writing this paper, I have learned more about the child welfare system, and have come to understand that the understanding of the system on behalf of the CASA organization was not the full picture.
Navigating Ethical Dilemmas
In the last semester of getting my bachelors in social work, I had the opportunity to develop an ethical decision making framework to utilize when navigating complex situations and ethical dilemmas while engaging in practice. I utilized past experiences in the field of social work to develop a framework I can lean on when having uncertainty to support ethical decision making.
Self-Care: Mindfulness
This paper shows how I use mindfulness in my life to establish mental stability, strengthen relationships, recognize my needs, and to give my mind a resting place.
Impact Analysis & Key Insights
Reflection on Practice: I have developed a growing self-awareness throughout my time in the social work program. I have developed a strong ability to recognize my needs and have learned skills to act upon them to support my well-being and longevity in the field. I have also developed skills that support me to utilize ambivalence or uncertainty when working with clients as an indicator that I need to review the code of ethics, policy, and consult with supervisors to make ethical decisions.
Future Implications: While I have grown significantly in recognizing my needs and being able to identify how to support myself through them, I also recognize that self-understanding is ever evolving. As I continue to practice in the field it will be important for me to continue self-exploration and remain curious about my needs as I evolve as an individual and have new experiences that I have not yet navigated before. As I enter the field with my BSW, I plan to continue to engage in aforementioned self-care practices, in addition to attending regular therapy to take care of myself and work through secondary traumas that result from working in the field,