Chapter 5 The Client

Defining Client Problems

*Clients define their problems! - Usually cause clients discomfort - Usually need to define the problem and a course of action for resolution - How clients perceive their situation and what they perceive their problems to be are important factors in problem identification ex. What brings you here today? What would you like to work on? - Helper and client may disagree, make note of it but don't express it to client, let it go.

Developmental Process

- *We grow and develop as we age - Human development is a continuous process - Certain phases and stages people experience during life span - Developmental theorists view life as process from birth to death - Erikson's stage model - Model may be useful to helpers because it is the typical experience

Defining Strengths

- Ask client what their strengths are - If they say idk or none ask "What would your best friend say about you? - Kids: "Who loves you to pieces? What do they love about you?"

Client Expectations

- Clients focusing more than ever on the quality of care they will receive - Many clients expect helper to have unbiased attitude toward them - Have experience in working with the problems client experiences - Expect helper to listen, help them decide what to do - Need assistance in dealing directly with environment - Clients often expect quick soluations

Client Evaluations of Services

- Clients have become more vocal about their expectations - Practical improvements such as better living arrangements, food, clothing, increased self-confidence, new skills - Often clients want helpers to get them something, take them somewhere, talk with someone for them, see someone with them and refer them

Understanding Client Problems

- Developmental and situational problems - Hierarchical needs - Needs created by societal change - Environmental influences

Client Problems

- Difficult to predict what individual will experience as a problem - Individual perspective is part of problem definition - Person often lacks resources or skills, or both, to solve problems - *Some problems may be managed but not solved - No guarantee that individual will seek help

Dissatisfaction

- Disconnect between what the client wants and where the helper is going with the process - Receiving unwanted help and advice - When there is a lack of clarity about the problem

Erikson's Developmental Perspective

- Engage in certain tasks or activities at differing times during life - Stages are experienced differently by each person - Social context affects movement through developmental stages

Environmental Influences

- Environmental influences could include where client lives, friends, family and groups the client belongs to - Think of environment in layers - The further out the layer, the less impact on client ex. Global -->Social institutions -->The Family -->The Individual

Barriers to Seeking Help

- How does client view problem - Client's perception of human services professional (strangers or experts) - Cultural factors can prohibit seeking help - Paying for services - Psychological cost - Giving helper power of care-giving if accept help

Societal Change

- Human experience problems as a result of rapid social changes ex. loss of job, moving, having a baby - Rapid changes leaves individuals in unfamiliar situations

Satisfaction

- Linked to client's perception of helper - Clients want to have a good relationship with human services professional - Want to participate in the helping process - Linked to the helper's ability to solve problems and the amount of change that clients think occurs during the helping process - A supportive environment

Situational Perspective

- Problems result from accidents, crimes, natural disasters, and major life changes - Problems often occur because person is in a particular place at particular time - Can lead to short term or long-term difficulties - Person often viewed as victim - Experience results in variety of feelings for the person

The Whole Person (Biopsychosocial Evaluation)

- Psychological, Biological, cultural, Social, Financial, Educational, Vocational, Spiritual - Problems for clients are rarely single issues - Professionals should expect more than one problem - Treatment plans are multi-problem focused - If only address a single issue, client may not become self sufficient

Ways of Getting Help

- Referrals (self or professional) - Involuntary Placement in the system (often difficult to work with) ex. doctor or police officer can start process, judge can officially blue paper an individual if person is incompetent (drugs or psych) - Involuntary and voluntary clients may feel differently about services - Inadvertent Services ( part of larger population targeted for services)

Reluctant Client

- Respect it - Self-protective - Designed to maintain personal integrity - Process requires inner strength and clients may lack this at the start of process with helper - *Before you write "Reluctant" look at yourself first! Instead say "Slow Progress" - Respect it - Clients don't trust easily

Homelessness

- Results for a variety of reasons - Nature of homelessness makes it difficult to acquire accurate data regarding numbers - Families with young children, dually diagnosed individuals, and teenagers comprise large numbers of homeless

Terms

Client- neutral, common, no power Consumer- power, control, educated, advocate. Now Used Customer- Shopping