Comparative Perspectives in Social Work Practice

Although many social workers endorse eclecticism as their preferred approach to practice, there is surprisingly little consideration of comparative perspectives that help clinicians think critically about differing theoretical systems and integrate elements from a variety of approaches in efforts to facilitate change and improve outcomes. This course introduces critical pluralism as an orienting perspective in an effort to sponsor practice across theoretical traditions, reviews the defining features of the major schools of thought, and presents an integrative approach to psychosocial intervention that draws on psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic contributions.
The first part examines representative models of psychosocial intervention, as set forth in psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic traditions, and identifies the defining features of each school of thought as well as common elements, basic principles, and methods of intervention that operate across the systems.
The second part introduces an integrative approach to psychosocial intervention informed by the work of Paul Wachtel, drawing on psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, and systems perspectives. Limited to clinical concentration students or with consent of instructor.