Psychoanalytic social work requires that one should be able to understand racial and ethnic background of one’s clients. This helps the social worker have the basis to handle his or her clients. However, this factor has been ignored and has been recompensed with the quality of services which are offered to the clients. According to the article, it is equally important to know the religion, race, and ethnic background among other factors so as to deliver effectively and efficiently to clients.
Ethno-cultural transference and counter transference are also emphasized in training social workers. This includes the social worker doing away with over compliance and friendliness, denial of ethnicity, and culture. Through this, the social worker is not sided to anyone despite the place of his or her origin when delivering the services. Friendliness is eliminated from the work place making the delivery of services be in the right direction.
Inter-subjectivity has been emphasized in this article as there is need to interact with the clients. This helps the worker understand clients in the context of their environment. According to the article, one is committed to work with people from all diversities including the poor, and those who come from marginalized areas. This gives an understanding of client in relation to where they live through their interaction. It helps them accept the realities of the environment in which they work. This, in its turn, ensures avoidance of alliances in therapy.
Race and transference have been debated over the past few decades and should be incorporated in study of social workers. Race is a factor which, if left to prevail in working environment, will make services vary from one person to another. However, if the social workers have knowledge concerning different races, they will be in a better position to deal with clients. Today, students should be left alone to discuss among themselves which is the best way to deal with the patients leaving alone the study of different theories which they go through (Bonner, 2002).
Reference
Bonner, C. E. (2002). Psychoanalytic Theoryand Diverse Populations:Reflections on Old Practices and New Understandings. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 11.