Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons

by Mallon; Gerald P

• ISBN13: 9780789003485
• ISBN10: 0789003481
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-01-06
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Focusing on the pragmatic aspects of social work with gay and lesbian persons, this book offers a knowledge base of practice that will better prepare students and practitioners for working more competently and effectively with lesbians and gay men. Written by scholars and practitioners in the social work profession, Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons teaches you how to develop practice approaches that are sensitive to issues of sexual orientation as well as how to work with this population in the contexts of practice with individuals, couples, families, groups, communities, and organizations. The book's sensible strategies and case studies provide you with critical information that will help you deal with homophobia and heterocentrism and enact a professional commitment to pursuing economic and social equality for diverse and at-risk client populations. A foundation-level text on social work practice with gays and lesbians, this book is designed to provide social work students, academics, and practitioners with an understanding of the values and ethics fundamental to practice with this group of clients. Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons summarizes the variety of issues, dynamics, and techniques required to work effectively with gay and lesbian clients who are at different points in their development and life cycles. To further help you in your practice, it also discusses: providing skilled professional assistance to gay victims of hate crimes how homophobia can prevent lesbians and gay men from receiving adequate services the obstacles social workers sometimes face when trying to integrate the core set of professional values and ethical principles into their practice practitioner self-disclosure regarding sexual identity developmental milestones for lesbian and gay persons alcohol and substance abuse among lesbians family therapy concepts of fusion and enmeshment same gender socialization assessing issues of sexual expression Counselors, social workers, and students and academics in gay and lesbian studies will find that Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons greatly expands the social work knowledge base to disrupt the impact of institutional, individualized, and internal homophobia on social workers, their clients, and the institutions in which social workers practice. Its flexible and creative treatment approaches to therapy with sexual minorities are sure to help you sensitize your therapeutic techniques and improve the quality of care you deliver.

Table of Contents

About the Editor	xii	(1)
Contributors	xiii	(2)
Foreword	xv	(2)
Carol T. Tully
Acknowledgments	xvii
Chapter 1: Knowledge for Practice with Gay and Lesbian Persons	1	(30)
Gerald P. Mallon
An Ecological Approach	2	(1)
Sources of Knowledge	2	(1)
Practice Wisdom	3	(1)
Personal Experience	4	(1)
History and Current Events	5	(3)
The Professional Literature	8	(2)
Research	10	(2)
Theoretical and Conceptual Analyses	12	(2)
Self-Awareness	14	(1)
Knowledge Derived from the Individual Case	15	(3)
Conclusion	18	(13)
Chapter 2: Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons	31	(16)
Peg McCartt Hess
Howard J. Hess
The Profession's Core Values and Ethical Principles: Application in Practice with Lesbian and Gay Clients	32	(13)
Identifying, Analyzing, and Resolving Ethically Challenging Practice Problems and Dilemmas	45	(1)
Conclusion	45	(2)
Chapter 3: Negotiating Conflicts in Allegiances Among Lesbians and Gays of Color: Reconciling Divided Selves and Communities	47	(30)
Karina L. Walters
Previous Research on Racial Identify, Gay/Lesbian Identity, and GALOC Identity	49	(2)
Applying the Life Model: The Stress-Coping Process Revisited	51	(1)
Paradigm of the Stress Process	52	(1)
Heterosexism, Racism, and Sexism: Creating Conflicts in Allegiances	52	(2)
The Root of Conflicts in Allegiances: Pressures for Unity via Homogeneity	54	(5)
Conclusion	59	(18)
Chapter 4: Individual Practice with Gay Men	77	(28)
Michael Shernoff
Introduction	77	(1)
Definition	78	(1)
Assessment	79	(2)
Ethnic and Cultural Diversity	81	(2)
Rural Gay Men	83	(1)
Depression and Developmental Issues	84	(3)
Chronically Mentally Ill Gay Men	87	(1)
Substance Abuse	87	(1)
Domestic Violence	88	(1)
Antigay Violence	89	(1)
Aging	90	(1)
AIDS	91	(1)
HIV-Negative Men	92	(1)
Living with HIV and AIDS	93	(2)
Death and Dying	95	(3)
Conclusion	98	(7)
Chapter 5: Individual Practice with Lesbians	105	(26)
Audrey I. Steinhorn
Who Is Your Client?	106	(1)
Married Lesbians	106	(2)
Adolescents	108	(1)
Gender Bias	109	(1)
Couples	110	(1)
Domestic Violence	111	(1)
Lesbian Mothers, Children, and Families	112	(1)
Lesbians of Color	113	(2)
Differently Abled Lesbians	115	(1)
Rural Lesbians	115	(2)
Case Vignette	117	(2)
Health	119	(1)
HIV/AIDS	120	(2)
Alcohol and Substance Abuse	122	(2)
Older Lesbians	124	(1)
Religion	124	(1)
Conclusion	125	(6)
Chapter 6: Group Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians	131	(14)
George S. Getzel
Societal Context	131	(2)
Merits of Group Work	133	(1)
Literature Review	134	(1)
A Group Work Approach	134	(2)
Case Illustrations	136	(5)
Discussion	141	(4)
Chapter 7: Social Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians Within Families	145	(38)
Gerald P. Mallon
Definition of Family	147	(3)
An Ecological Perspective	150	(1)
Gays and Lesbians in the Context of Their Families of Origin	151	(2)
Disclosure to Families of Origin	153	(1)
Disclosure to Parents	154	(8)
Creating Families	162	(12)
Conclusion	174	(9)
Chapter 8: Social Work Practice with Lesbian Couples	183	(26)
Chrystal C. Ramirez Barranti
Fusion and Enmeshment: Strength or Pathology?	184	(3)
Influence of Same-Gender Socialization	187	(1)
The Impact of a Nonnutritive Environment: Homophobia and Social Exclusion	188	(2)
Internalized Homophobia	190	(1)
Lesbian Identity Development and Couplehood	191	(2)
Sexual Intimacy Issues	193	(4)
Fusion and Enmeshment as Functional and Adaptive: High Emotional Closeness	197	(1)
Fusion as Pathology	198	(1)
Therapist-Specific Issues	199	(3)
In Summary: Therapeutic Goals and Interventions	202	(1)
Conclusion	202	(7)
Chapter 9: Social Work Practice with Gay Male Couples	209	(20)
L. Donald McVinney
Internalized Homophobia, Heterosexism, and Gay Identity	212	(3)
Coupling Dynamics	215	(3)
Male Gender Role Socialization	218	(1)
Joining	219	(1)
Assessing Presenting Concerns	220	(1)
Interventions	221	(1)
Case Illustration	221	(2)
Implications for Social Work Practice	223	(2)
Conclusion	225	(4)
Chapter 10: Social Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians Within Communities	229	(20)
Joyce Hunter
Gerald P. Mallon
Practice with Communities Within an Ecological Framework	230	(1)
Disempowerment and Social Pollution	230	(1)
The Search for Community Within the Context of the Coming-Out Process	231	(2)
Habitat	233	(3)
Niche	236	(5)
The Transgendered Community	241	(1)
Implications for Social Work Practice	242	(7)
Chapter 11: Social Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians Within Organizations	249	(22)
George A. Appleby
Code of Ethics	252	(1)
Organizational and Political Realities	253	(4)
Contemporary Practice	257	(3)
Strategies for an Inclusive Workplace	260	(5)
Coming Out at the Workplace	265	(1)
Self-Advocacy Revisited	266	(1)
Resources	266	(5)
Appendix: Definitions of Key Terms	271	(8)
Gerald P. Mallon
Index	279