Ethics of Professional Use of Self: When Your "Stuff" is Similar to Theirs

Ethics of Professional Use of Self: When Your "Stuff" is Similar to Their "Stuff"

Jennifer Wolfe-Hagstrom, BS Edu, MSW, LICSW

Workshop description

As professionals in the social work and allied fields we are taught to compartmentalize our lives from our work but sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what to share and how to share with clients, we are human beings after all. Managing our own disclosure to clients can be challenging especially when aspects of ourselves are similar to those of our clients. Sometimes it can be helpful, sometimes it can be extremely harmful. In this workshop we will explore self-disclosure dos and don’ts, gray areas, and what to do when you feel pulled to share with your clients. 

We will specifically explore topics which can often align between provider and client including race, culture, spirituality, feminism, LGBTQIA+, fatphobia, neurodivergence, ableism, relational patterns, life events, and history of abuse & poverty. 

Jennifer Wolfe-Hagstrom, BS Edu, LICSW brings their lived experience to this training incorporating aspects of self that often intersect with clients she serves. Jennifer will share about her experiences (positive and negative) over 13+ years of clinical experience and clinical supervision while guiding participants to be reflective about their own “stuff” that comes up in their work. 

Objectives 

1. Participants will be able to define the clinical social work definitions of use of self and self-disclosure. 
2. Participants will identify at least 3 personal aspects of themselves that are challenging to navigate disclosure when working with clients.
3. Participants will leave this workshop with a clear step-by-step plan of what to do when feeling pulled to self-disclose. 

About the Presenter

Want to pay by check? Please email Emryn - elessie.naswnh@socialworkers.org

You will be sent the zoom link and any handouts prior to the workshop

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