Artistry in Social Work Practice
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Social work has been identified, from its beginnings as a profession, as predominately an art. This essay contends that social work practice is an art in that it has the essential attributes of works of art. Social work practitioners are artists, who use artistry to create works of art. These works of art are performances, experiences and events in social work practice that have significant aesthetic, harmonic form. They stimulate aesthetic experiences and are evaluated as being beautiful, true and helpful. We examine significant aspects of social work artistry, especially in the practitioners use of self, in relationships and communication with clients, in knowing and understanding, in improvisatory performances, that help provide transformative, aesthetic and spiritual experiences in the helping process.
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About the Book
Artistry in Social Work Practice deals with the aesthetics of helping practice. Th ere is a focus on the features of artistry that give effectiveness to the work of assisting people with their problems in social living and improving their personal and communal welfare.
Consideration is given to such elements as the use of self, form, relationships, creativity, communication, style, performance, and to aesthetic and spiritual experiences as part of the helping process.
This book is an alert to the much neglected but crucial artistic aspect of social work. Max Siporin, a long time innovator in thinking about social work, calls practitioners to engage more deeply the aesthetic, creative, dynamic, symbolic, and spiritual qualities of our helping relationships and transformative activities.
Ed R. Canda
This is a book that has been badly needed in social work. Siporin has given the artistic dimension of social work practice its just due. It is a practice that can be done with a creativity, skill, style, and wisdom which achieve a helping experience that is a thing of beauty.
Ed Sherman
About the Author
Artistry in Social Work Practice deals with the aesthetics of social work helping, with features of artistry that give effectiveness to the work of assisting people with their problems in social living and of enhancing the social welfare of people in society. Consideration is given to such elements as the use of self, form, relationships, creativity, communication, style, performance, and to aesthetic and spiritual experiences as part of the helping process. Examples and references to of practice applications are widely included.