A place in the conversation

1.In the video, Mrs. Bargas, episode 2 (Walden University, 2016), the social worker uses moments of silence effectively in some instances, but there is a place in the conversation where silence could have complimented my colleague’s chosen moment of silence even better.

When Mrs. Bargas becomes emotional while talking about her daughter Amy, the social worker remains silent and nods her head to show understanding. This is an effective use of silence, allowing the client to process her emotions and feel supported. However, there is a point after this moment when the social worker could have used silence more effectively to encourage further reflection.

When the social worker asks Mrs. Bargas what type of support she would like to have for her daughter, instead of immediately offering potential solutions or resources, it may have been beneficial to remain silent for a bit longer. This would have given Mrs. Bargas the opportunity to think more deeply about her needs and possibly identify resources she was unaware of or hadn’t considered. In this scenario, silence could have fostered a deeper exploration of the client’s concerns and promoted a more client-driven approach to problem-solving.

By finding the right balance between verbal and nonverbal responses, social workers can create a more conducive environment for clients to open up, reflect, and explore their emotions and concerns.

References

Barnard, A., & Ganca, L. (2011). Using Communication Skills for Difficult Conversations in Palliative Care. CME: Continuing Medical Education, 29(7), 282–284.

Cummins, L., K., & Sevel, J., A. (2017). Social work skills for beginning direct practice: Text, workbook, and interactive web based case studies (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016). Southside Community Services: Mrs. Bargas, episode 2 [Video file]. Walden University Canvas.  https://waldenu.instructure.com/

2. In the video  Southside Community Services: Mrs. Bargas, episode 2, there were a few times where the conversation stopped and there was silence. Cummins & Sevel, p. 91, says that social workers should resist the urge to fill every instance of silence and that using silence the right way can be effective when communicating with clients.

The first noticeable silence is when the social worker is asking Mrs. Bargas about her former job as a nanny. Mrs. Bargas hesitates several times during this topic, trying to recall how long ago the experience was and whether she could do that work at this point in her life. The silence gives Mrs. Bargas the space to think back on the work experience and add more detail. This was helpful to the conversation because talking through it made Mrs. Bargas realize that nannying wasn’t a good fit for her now, and since it was so long ago, the social worker knew that the experience wasn’t relevant to finding a job now. Mrs. Bargas seems a little stressed, but hopeful.

The second silence is towards the end of the video after the social worker tells Mrs. Bargas that it’s ok to be upset. At this point Mrs. Bargas seems lost in her thoughts and doesn’t even realize the social worker is speaking to her. The silence is uncomfortable and worrisome. I don’t think it necessarily hurts the conversation, and it possibly helps the social worker to understand how deep the despair is for Mrs. Bargas. It also gives her the opportunity to reach out and use physical touch to show her she is present and available to help. This will help the relationship between the social worker and her client be more open and trusting.

 

References

Cummins, L. K., & Sevel, J. A. (2017).  Social work skills for beginning direct practice (4th ed.). Pearson.

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016). Southside Community Services: Mrs. Bargas, episode 2 [Video file]. Walden University Canvas. Retrieved from  https://waldenu.instructure.com/

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