WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.096 --> 00:00:03.735 (soft orchestral pop music) 2 00:00:09.693 --> 00:00:12.775 - Students tell us, and this is supported by research, 3 00:00:12.775 --> 00:00:14.791 that the field experience is perceived 4 00:00:14.791 --> 00:00:16.487 as the most important component 5 00:00:16.487 --> 00:00:18.674 of their social work education. 6 00:00:18.674 --> 00:00:21.276 We know that a successful field experience 7 00:00:21.276 --> 00:00:23.804 requires a number of components. 8 00:00:23.804 --> 00:00:27.569 This videotape includes five standalone segments 9 00:00:27.569 --> 00:00:31.270 that provide triggers for discussion and for reflection. 10 00:00:31.270 --> 00:00:32.849 Following each segment, 11 00:00:32.849 --> 00:00:35.201 we provide optional discussion prompts. 12 00:00:37.191 --> 00:00:39.171 (soft orchestral pop music) 13 00:00:45.471 --> 00:00:48.909 - Just as beginnings are important in our work with clients, 14 00:00:48.909 --> 00:00:52.578 beginnings are critical in developing a base for learning. 15 00:00:52.578 --> 00:00:56.657 The following are clips from two separate discussion groups. 16 00:00:56.983 --> 00:00:59.937 Experienced field instructors and first year students 17 00:00:59.937 --> 00:01:01.905 at the start of their practicum. 18 00:01:02.540 --> 00:01:03.767 Notice how these separate, 19 00:01:03.767 --> 00:01:06.779 unscripted discussions mirror each other. 20 00:01:07.365 --> 00:01:09.594 - [Voiceover] Orientation lays the the foundation 21 00:01:09.594 --> 00:01:13.442 for what the whole experience is going to be 22 00:01:14.928 --> 00:01:16.695 like for the student. 23 00:01:16.695 --> 00:01:18.957 - I think, for myself I try to 24 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:24.386 put myself in the shoes of the student. 25 00:01:24.606 --> 00:01:26.579 And I think about them coming both 26 00:01:26.579 --> 00:01:29.459 with some anticipation about the placement, 27 00:01:29.459 --> 00:01:31.197 but a fair bit of anxiety. 28 00:01:31.197 --> 00:01:33.725 - I, personally, was incredibly concerned about, 29 00:01:33.725 --> 00:01:36.605 you know, what was gonna happen when I first got there. 30 00:01:36.605 --> 00:01:37.576 Were people gonna look at me 31 00:01:37.576 --> 00:01:41.746 like I was a 15-year-old high school girl coming in, 32 00:01:41.746 --> 00:01:43.863 not really knowing anything? 33 00:01:43.863 --> 00:01:46.915 So I was more worried about how I was gonna blend 34 00:01:46.915 --> 00:01:48.334 with the rest of the team 35 00:01:48.334 --> 00:01:50.094 than the actual practicum itself. 36 00:01:50.094 --> 00:01:52.142 I was really comfortable with the field instructor 37 00:01:52.142 --> 00:01:53.603 from what I knew about them, 38 00:01:53.603 --> 00:01:56.152 so I wasn't as concerned about that relationship. 39 00:01:56.152 --> 00:01:59.149 It was more, everything else that was going on. 40 00:01:59.149 --> 00:02:00.692 - [Voiceover] I think to prepare myself, 41 00:02:00.692 --> 00:02:02.912 I thought about what I had done in the past 42 00:02:02.912 --> 00:02:05.215 that I could take with me as skills and things 43 00:02:05.215 --> 00:02:09.183 from volunteer work and from, you know, summer jobs 44 00:02:09.183 --> 00:02:11.338 that are social work-related. 45 00:02:11.338 --> 00:02:13.563 And when I thought of those things, 46 00:02:13.563 --> 00:02:17.280 then I didn't feel nearly as much like a beginner. 47 00:02:17.766 --> 00:02:19.643 - Going into this thing, sort of, with the hopes 48 00:02:19.643 --> 00:02:21.456 of learning and gaining a lot of things, 49 00:02:21.456 --> 00:02:23.707 so as far as preparing, I just sort of 50 00:02:25.104 --> 00:02:28.140 tell myself we're just sort of, let myself know that yes, 51 00:02:28.140 --> 00:02:30.647 I do in fact have, although I'm a student, 52 00:02:30.647 --> 00:02:32.833 I do in fact have some skills. 53 00:02:32.833 --> 00:02:34.156 I have something to offer. 54 00:02:34.156 --> 00:02:36.225 - [Voiceover] My field instructor I talked to 55 00:02:36.225 --> 00:02:38.263 on the phone prior to actually going in 56 00:02:38.263 --> 00:02:40.822 for my first day of my practicum 57 00:02:40.822 --> 00:02:43.820 and he encouraged me to read various articles 58 00:02:43.820 --> 00:02:45.515 on the population. 59 00:02:45.515 --> 00:02:48.929 - First day back after the break, I received a letter 60 00:02:48.929 --> 00:02:52.288 from the agency, not necessarily from my advisor. 61 00:02:52.288 --> 00:02:53.764 Just kind of saying, oh here, we're going 62 00:02:53.764 --> 00:02:55.493 to have a little orientation day and stuff, 63 00:02:55.493 --> 00:02:58.138 and that just made me feel way better. 64 00:02:58.138 --> 00:03:00.484 - Yeah, I was gonna say that I'm also concerned 65 00:03:00.484 --> 00:03:03.129 because I'm a person with a low vision, 66 00:03:03.129 --> 00:03:06.212 with a disability and that, of course, is always a concern 67 00:03:06.212 --> 00:03:07.727 going into a new setting. 68 00:03:07.727 --> 00:03:10.596 So I was concerned that I wouldn't 69 00:03:10.596 --> 00:03:13.358 that quickly enough accommodated at my setting 70 00:03:13.358 --> 00:03:16.947 and I wouldn't be able to keep up with the demands. 71 00:03:17.721 --> 00:03:21.208 But it's all worked out very well and I'm very pleased 72 00:03:21.208 --> 00:03:24.590 to know that, and to see that, they have, 73 00:03:24.590 --> 00:03:28.035 they take it as a priority, and they've enlarged everything 74 00:03:28.035 --> 00:03:31.901 and, you know, they've done as much as they can. 75 00:03:32.952 --> 00:03:35.218 (soft orchestral pop) 76 00:03:40.642 --> 00:03:42.477 - [Voiceover] The most important thing to me 77 00:03:42.477 --> 00:03:45.186 is to make the students feel welcome. 78 00:03:45.186 --> 00:03:48.119 So prior to starting their practicum, 79 00:03:48.119 --> 00:03:52.897 I would send a notice to everyone in the division 80 00:03:52.897 --> 00:03:55.500 telling them that students would be joining us 81 00:03:55.500 --> 00:04:00.076 and I would like them to help welcome the students. 82 00:04:00.076 --> 00:04:04.398 Any way they can help the student in making their experience 83 00:04:04.398 --> 00:04:07.256 a meaningful one would be appreciated. 84 00:04:07.256 --> 00:04:09.528 - Organize lunch for them for the first day 85 00:04:09.528 --> 00:04:13.058 to meet the social workers in the setting. 86 00:04:13.058 --> 00:04:15.330 So we have lunch together. 87 00:04:15.330 --> 00:04:17.378 We do all mundane things too, 88 00:04:17.378 --> 00:04:19.373 like showing where the washrooms are, 89 00:04:19.373 --> 00:04:22.048 where the office is. 90 00:04:22.048 --> 00:04:25.398 We have them on e-mail, voicemail, 91 00:04:25.398 --> 00:04:27.745 keys, library. 92 00:04:27.745 --> 00:04:29.580 - How the infrastructure of the place 93 00:04:29.580 --> 00:04:31.041 you're working at works. 94 00:04:31.041 --> 00:04:34.689 How everyone's connected and who talks to who. 95 00:04:34.689 --> 00:04:36.747 All of the little details. 96 00:04:36.747 --> 00:04:39.008 - Once we started, that was one of the first things we did. 97 00:04:39.008 --> 00:04:43.157 We spent some time going through where social work fits 98 00:04:43.157 --> 00:04:46.507 into this, sort of, multidisciplinary team 99 00:04:46.507 --> 00:04:48.682 and that sort of thing so I think that was really helpful 100 00:04:48.682 --> 00:04:51.008 in learning what my role is, where I would fit in 101 00:04:51.008 --> 00:04:52.885 and that sort of thing. 102 00:04:52.885 --> 00:04:55.327 So that was, yeah, quite helpful initially. 103 00:04:55.327 --> 00:04:57.833 But it was a concern at first. 104 00:04:58.663 --> 00:05:01.393 - [Voiceover] That's something that I have been learning, 105 00:05:01.393 --> 00:05:03.334 actually, in the setting where I am 106 00:05:03.334 --> 00:05:06.267 is this, working with other people, 107 00:05:06.267 --> 00:05:07.590 from what I'm able to observe, 108 00:05:07.590 --> 00:05:10.054 social workers work more with other staff 109 00:05:10.054 --> 00:05:14.360 than they actually do with the patients in the unit. 110 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:16.109 - Because we're a smaller agency, 111 00:05:16.109 --> 00:05:19.917 we can actually arrange for several 112 00:05:19.917 --> 00:05:22.743 face-to-face kind of meetings with people 113 00:05:22.743 --> 00:05:27.042 all the way from the executive director down to, you know, 114 00:05:27.042 --> 00:05:31.735 the receptionist, and really give the student 115 00:05:31.735 --> 00:05:34.950 a broad range of exposure. 116 00:05:35.350 --> 00:05:38.657 - Our orientation takes place over a number of weeks 117 00:05:38.657 --> 00:05:42.230 and we do it because of the multi-centered nature 118 00:05:42.230 --> 00:05:43.691 of the setting. 119 00:05:43.691 --> 00:05:47.083 They do it with various social work persons 120 00:05:47.083 --> 00:05:49.516 who are part of each service. 121 00:05:50.526 --> 00:05:52.801 (soft orchestral pop) 122 00:05:58.386 --> 00:06:01.031 - Perhaps not the first day, but as soon as possible, 123 00:06:01.031 --> 00:06:03.836 I like to bring all the students together 124 00:06:03.836 --> 00:06:08.060 and look at their own, their needs and setting up 125 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:11.078 their own agenda for the learning as a group. 126 00:06:11.078 --> 00:06:15.910 So as soon as I'm able to bring them together as a group, 127 00:06:17.140 --> 00:06:21.645 I would like to help them address some 128 00:06:21.645 --> 00:06:23.480 of the identity issues. 129 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:25.453 Looking at their own identities in relation 130 00:06:25.453 --> 00:06:29.933 to the diverse populations they work with at the setting. 131 00:06:29.933 --> 00:06:31.767 - I think the patients in my unit, 132 00:06:31.767 --> 00:06:35.394 most of them are still confused about who I really am 133 00:06:35.394 --> 00:06:39.700 because there are ambulatory staff 134 00:06:39.700 --> 00:06:42.016 who are all younger. 135 00:06:42.576 --> 00:06:45.388 And there are patients who are mostly older. 136 00:06:45.388 --> 00:06:47.334 And not ambulatory. 137 00:06:47.479 --> 00:06:50.942 And various assortments of wheelchairs. 138 00:06:50.942 --> 00:06:53.608 And then I come in and I've got keys, 139 00:06:53.608 --> 00:06:57.320 so I can actually go in and out and go where I want, 140 00:06:57.320 --> 00:06:58.856 but I've got grey hair and a wheelchair, 141 00:06:58.856 --> 00:07:00.947 so they sort of look at me, you know. 142 00:07:00.947 --> 00:07:02.408 I've been there a month now. 143 00:07:02.408 --> 00:07:05.266 I don't think they're still figured out really why I'm there 144 00:07:05.266 --> 00:07:07.240 and who I am. 145 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:09.950 - I'm being allowed to be a student. 146 00:07:10.073 --> 00:07:11.190 Like, that's encouraged. 147 00:07:11.190 --> 00:07:13.654 It's, you're a student, you're here, 148 00:07:13.654 --> 00:07:15.712 you're doing a practicum, you're here to learn. 149 00:07:15.712 --> 00:07:19.456 Your learning is the priority, pretty well, for you. 150 00:07:19.456 --> 00:07:20.853 - What I found helpful was to discuss 151 00:07:20.853 --> 00:07:24.885 what the expectations were from us as students 152 00:07:24.885 --> 00:07:26.954 with my supervisor. 153 00:07:26.954 --> 00:07:29.653 And then also having her give me the opportunity 154 00:07:29.653 --> 00:07:32.671 to give feedback as to what I would expect 155 00:07:32.671 --> 00:07:35.455 from the practicum and from the staff, 156 00:07:35.455 --> 00:07:37.844 from the supervisor, and negotiate that 157 00:07:37.844 --> 00:07:40.330 so that, if something were to come up, 158 00:07:40.330 --> 00:07:43.348 we would be able to have open dialogue around anything. 159 00:07:43.348 --> 00:07:44.788 - [Voiceover] I'm so impressed. 160 00:07:44.788 --> 00:07:46.481 I just thought, they really are practicing 161 00:07:46.481 --> 00:07:48.550 what they're a part of in terms 162 00:07:48.550 --> 00:07:50.822 of how they look after students. 163 00:07:50.822 --> 00:07:53.445 I just found, like telling me the same sort of thing, 164 00:07:53.445 --> 00:07:56.635 the open negotiation, at one point she kept checking in. 165 00:07:56.635 --> 00:07:57.904 You know, how are things, 166 00:07:57.904 --> 00:08:00.090 debriefing after the first meeting, 167 00:08:00.090 --> 00:08:01.552 and, was that too much. 168 00:08:01.552 --> 00:08:04.218 Checking everything out, such great attention to detail. 169 00:08:04.218 --> 00:08:06.721 And then, saying, and I said no, it was great, 170 00:08:06.721 --> 00:08:08.417 it was great. 171 00:08:08.417 --> 00:08:10.939 You know, I'm a little stressed the first week, but. 172 00:08:11.734 --> 00:08:13.942 And then at the end of it, she said, 173 00:08:14.722 --> 00:08:16.040 I had said, you know, it was all great. 174 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:18.919 She said, well hopefully there will also be space of like 175 00:08:18.919 --> 00:08:20.718 safety as we go along for you to tell me 176 00:08:20.718 --> 00:08:22.254 when things aren't good, too. 177 00:08:22.254 --> 00:08:23.481 I just thought, isn't that neat. 178 00:08:23.481 --> 00:08:25.725 We all need social work. 179 00:08:28.014 --> 00:08:30.883 - I learned by doing, I learned by just kind of jumping in 180 00:08:30.883 --> 00:08:32.376 and being thrown into it. 181 00:08:32.376 --> 00:08:34.413 So yeah, I kinda had the same concerns 182 00:08:34.413 --> 00:08:36.825 that no one was gonna let me do anything. 183 00:08:37.002 --> 00:08:39.580 That you were just gonna be sitting in some dark room 184 00:08:39.580 --> 00:08:42.310 reading article after article. 185 00:08:42.310 --> 00:08:43.515 - [Voiceover] I was concerned that they were 186 00:08:43.515 --> 00:08:45.931 just gonna throw me into it. 187 00:08:46.075 --> 00:08:48.347 I would have been happy if I had a couple days 188 00:08:48.347 --> 00:08:51.223 of reading, but I was concerned that they were gonna be, 189 00:08:51.223 --> 00:08:53.474 okay, here you go, start doing something. 190 00:08:53.474 --> 00:08:56.329 I wouldn't have known what to do. 191 00:08:57.188 --> 00:08:58.555 - [Voiceover] I guess one of my concerns was 192 00:08:58.555 --> 00:09:03.355 that it would be too quick to throw me into the fray. 193 00:09:03.955 --> 00:09:05.738 Not enough preparation. 194 00:09:07.238 --> 00:09:11.163 Like it would be, you'd be shown something once 195 00:09:11.163 --> 00:09:13.051 and then you'd be expected to remember it 196 00:09:13.051 --> 00:09:15.970 and do it always that way, the correct way. 197 00:09:15.970 --> 00:09:18.424 I guess that was one of my fears. 198 00:09:18.921 --> 00:09:23.209 - I guess my concerns were how to engage with clients 199 00:09:23.209 --> 00:09:26.298 that don't have very complex problems. 200 00:09:26.298 --> 00:09:28.020 - I like that, though. 201 00:09:28.069 --> 00:09:30.362 I like the fact that I wasn't thrown into a case 202 00:09:30.362 --> 00:09:32.687 where I would feel completely overwhelmed. 203 00:09:32.687 --> 00:09:35.055 I'm glad that the first couple of things that I've done 204 00:09:35.055 --> 00:09:38.543 have been easier, to kind of get the ball rolling. 205 00:09:38.543 --> 00:09:42.158 But I have watched more complicated assessments, 206 00:09:42.158 --> 00:09:44.974 so that when I see, or when I'm thrown into those, 207 00:09:44.974 --> 00:09:46.969 then I'll feel a little bit more comfortable. 208 00:09:46.969 --> 00:09:48.985 I think for me that's a lot easier. 209 00:09:48.985 --> 00:09:51.918 - We do try to give them a lot of leeway 210 00:09:51.918 --> 00:09:53.955 in terms of what they would feel comfortable with. 211 00:09:53.955 --> 00:09:55.552 Would you prefer me sit in with you 212 00:09:55.552 --> 00:09:57.781 in the first couple of sessions? 213 00:09:57.781 --> 00:10:00.896 Or do you think we should be behind the mirror 214 00:10:00.896 --> 00:10:03.861 and do you prefer that we not phone in too often? 215 00:10:04.251 --> 00:10:05.782 These kinds of things. 216 00:10:06.897 --> 00:10:09.099 (soft orchestral pop) 217 00:10:15.238 --> 00:10:17.947 - When I had a student in the first day 218 00:10:17.947 --> 00:10:21.333 they were shadowing me and sitting in on clinical sessions. 219 00:10:22.576 --> 00:10:25.680 Depending on the student and their experience, 220 00:10:26.160 --> 00:10:29.281 I like to, by the second week, 221 00:10:29.281 --> 00:10:30.721 have them have a case of their own, 222 00:10:30.721 --> 00:10:33.036 because I think if it goes on too long, 223 00:10:33.036 --> 00:10:36.193 they start to get very anxious and it becomes 224 00:10:36.193 --> 00:10:39.308 a much bigger issue than it needs to be. 225 00:10:39.308 --> 00:10:43.137 - Also I believe that an assignment, the direct assignment 226 00:10:43.657 --> 00:10:46.706 should come very quickly as they enter the practicum 227 00:10:46.706 --> 00:10:49.778 so they're not worried about, somebody else has cases, 228 00:10:49.778 --> 00:10:52.519 I don't have cases, what's gonna be expected of me, 229 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:54.887 how could we, well I need to have an interview. 230 00:10:54.887 --> 00:10:56.210 What will I do in that interview? 231 00:10:56.210 --> 00:10:58.066 Who's gonna help me know what to do? 232 00:10:58.834 --> 00:11:00.686 And I think the most important part, 233 00:11:00.686 --> 00:11:02.593 we have found, is the shadowing. 234 00:11:02.593 --> 00:11:05.099 Being able to sit it on various interviews 235 00:11:05.099 --> 00:11:09.558 and watch how professionals conduct interviews successfully 236 00:11:09.558 --> 00:11:11.115 and not always successfully 237 00:11:11.115 --> 00:11:13.856 so they can pick up various pitfalls 238 00:11:13.856 --> 00:11:15.221 that they might fall into. 239 00:11:15.221 --> 00:11:17.013 - [Voiceover] One of the things that I do with students 240 00:11:17.013 --> 00:11:20.256 in the initial orientation to the setting, 241 00:11:20.626 --> 00:11:25.319 as they're shadowing me, I ask them to, 242 00:11:25.319 --> 00:11:28.870 after the session, to go away and write up 243 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:34.720 a reflection log, if you will, of observing the session. 244 00:11:36.776 --> 00:11:39.144 It struck me that when you talk to a student 245 00:11:39.144 --> 00:11:41.117 after a session, you ask them, 246 00:11:41.117 --> 00:11:43.198 so do you have any thoughts on the session? 247 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:48.027 Often, you know, you'll hear, well it was interesting. 248 00:11:48.758 --> 00:11:51.073 So if you send them away and they have to think about it 249 00:11:51.073 --> 00:11:53.043 and the have to write stuff and you give them 250 00:11:53.043 --> 00:11:57.042 a structure of how you'd like them to write this down 251 00:11:57.042 --> 00:12:00.200 about observations of the sessions, 252 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:03.890 things they noticed about my interventions, 253 00:12:03.890 --> 00:12:07.335 questions they may have had, speculations they may have had. 254 00:12:07.335 --> 00:12:09.746 It's a really wonderful way to get a sense 255 00:12:09.746 --> 00:12:13.758 of where this student it at, what their thinking is. 256 00:12:14.713 --> 00:12:18.318 It's a good springboard for discussion and consultation. 257 00:12:18.318 --> 00:12:21.795 - [Voiceover] I think it really, in the end boils down to 258 00:12:21.795 --> 00:12:23.928 how do we build relationships. 259 00:12:23.928 --> 00:12:28.739 It's about helping students feel good in relation 260 00:12:28.739 --> 00:12:33.058 to each other as a peer group, to their field instructors, 261 00:12:33.058 --> 00:12:36.327 to the agency, to the people they're working with. 262 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:41.602 It's about building community in a very, kind of, quick way. 263 00:12:41.602 --> 00:12:43.970 I think the orientation begins that process 264 00:12:43.970 --> 00:12:45.666 in a very important way. 265 00:12:46.186 --> 00:12:48.813 It establishes a sense of belonging. 266 00:12:50.035 --> 00:12:53.443 I really think it's just like our work with clients. 267 00:12:54.184 --> 00:12:56.877 (soft pop music) 268 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:22.742 (soft orchestral pop) 269 00:13:28.689 --> 00:13:30.225 - Research informs us 270 00:13:30.225 --> 00:13:33.265 that a positive student, field instructor relationship 271 00:13:33.265 --> 00:13:36.547 is a critical factor in terms of student satisfaction 272 00:13:36.547 --> 00:13:38.292 with the practicum. 273 00:13:38.292 --> 00:13:40.798 Interpersonal dynamics between the student 274 00:13:40.798 --> 00:13:42.697 and the field instructor can be affected 275 00:13:42.697 --> 00:13:44.952 by the power imbalance. 276 00:13:45.555 --> 00:13:47.966 In the following segment, Brian brings 277 00:13:47.966 --> 00:13:51.629 a typical student dilemma to Tamara's attention. 278 00:13:52.062 --> 00:13:54.078 In the first scenario, Tamara 279 00:13:54.078 --> 00:13:56.461 is not effective as an educator. 280 00:13:56.979 --> 00:14:00.685 The second scenario demonstrates an improved version. 281 00:14:01.907 --> 00:14:03.938 (soft pop music) 282 00:14:09.821 --> 00:14:13.761 - I wanted to discuss the end of the practicum. 283 00:14:14.002 --> 00:14:16.572 Three weeks left and I'm having some issues 284 00:14:16.572 --> 00:14:20.807 regarding termination and one client in particular, Shawn. 285 00:14:20.807 --> 00:14:22.545 - Shawn, right, Shawn. 286 00:14:22.545 --> 00:14:25.095 - So I haven't mentioned the termination to him yet, 287 00:14:25.095 --> 00:14:27.889 but I'm sort of afraid because, 288 00:14:29.916 --> 00:14:34.766 he has no other form of support. 289 00:14:34.766 --> 00:14:36.483 He has no one else to talk to 290 00:14:36.483 --> 00:14:41.219 and I was wondering if it would be totally inappropriate 291 00:14:41.219 --> 00:14:43.615 if I were to give him my number. 292 00:14:43.615 --> 00:14:45.428 Or even if you can recommend 293 00:14:45.428 --> 00:14:47.598 that I continue working with him. 294 00:14:48.020 --> 00:14:51.853 - So you're finding it hard to think about ending with him. 295 00:14:52.062 --> 00:14:52.899 - Yeah. 296 00:14:53.758 --> 00:14:56.116 Considering the circumstances, 297 00:14:58.330 --> 00:15:00.966 his family, his family atmosphere isn't 298 00:15:01.601 --> 00:15:03.728 conducive to him coming out at all. 299 00:15:04.833 --> 00:15:06.987 - How does that make you feel to hear all those things 300 00:15:06.987 --> 00:15:08.262 and knowing you're ending? 301 00:15:08.262 --> 00:15:09.632 - I feel horrible for him. 302 00:15:09.632 --> 00:15:11.223 So that's why I wanted to know if, 303 00:15:11.976 --> 00:15:14.584 if you could recommend that I continue working with him. 304 00:15:14.584 --> 00:15:17.645 Or maybe even giving him my number 305 00:15:17.645 --> 00:15:20.615 so that he has some form of support. 306 00:15:21.410 --> 00:15:24.643 - We're pretty clear around your placement ending. 307 00:15:25.972 --> 00:15:28.948 And your obligation with the school is finished. 308 00:15:29.498 --> 00:15:33.119 We knew this time would come, but it's a hard time. 309 00:15:34.224 --> 00:15:37.050 I'm wondering, you know, if we can talk a little bit more 310 00:15:37.050 --> 00:15:40.716 about your feelings about leaving, 311 00:15:40.716 --> 00:15:42.579 and leaving Shawn particularly. 312 00:15:42.579 --> 00:15:44.339 - With Shawn in particular, I think it's 313 00:15:46.209 --> 00:15:48.218 more the fact that I sort of understand 314 00:15:48.218 --> 00:15:49.876 where he's coming from. 315 00:15:50.607 --> 00:15:52.673 I can empathize with his situation. 316 00:15:52.673 --> 00:15:54.508 We're from the same cultural background 317 00:15:54.508 --> 00:15:57.963 and it's totally intolerant towards homosexuals. 318 00:15:57.963 --> 00:16:02.173 So he has trusted me, I think, 319 00:16:02.173 --> 00:16:03.959 mainly based on that. 320 00:16:04.680 --> 00:16:06.262 I know what it's like. 321 00:16:08.222 --> 00:16:09.854 I've been through it. 322 00:16:10.212 --> 00:16:12.303 - So knowing what it's like, 323 00:16:12.903 --> 00:16:15.867 what kind of feelings do you have about leaving? 324 00:16:17.451 --> 00:16:19.382 - I feel as if I'm abandoning him. 325 00:16:20.262 --> 00:16:23.282 I'm the only person he feels comfortable 326 00:16:23.282 --> 00:16:25.922 talking to about this. 327 00:16:26.792 --> 00:16:28.756 - [Voiceover] You know, we probably need to talk a bit 328 00:16:28.756 --> 00:16:30.041 about where that comes from. 329 00:16:30.041 --> 00:16:33.508 'Cause abandoning, that's a pretty strong feeling. 330 00:16:35.530 --> 00:16:36.708 - Yeah. 331 00:16:41.211 --> 00:16:43.654 Because he has no support at home, right, 332 00:16:45.944 --> 00:16:49.437 and even his friends, they're totally intolerant as well. 333 00:16:51.128 --> 00:16:53.869 I feel a little bit responsible, if that makes sense, 334 00:16:53.869 --> 00:16:57.980 so maybe that's where the abandonment issue's coming from. 335 00:16:58.701 --> 00:16:59.647 - What do you mean? 336 00:16:59.647 --> 00:17:01.294 Responsible in what way? 337 00:17:02.313 --> 00:17:04.195 - Responsible because 338 00:17:07.934 --> 00:17:12.934 I am a representation of what he could be. 339 00:17:13.004 --> 00:17:17.350 I mean, same cultural background, same experience. 340 00:17:17.910 --> 00:17:20.059 He's invested some trust in me, right? 341 00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:22.454 - [Voiceover] Moving it back to your feelings, 342 00:17:22.454 --> 00:17:24.189 'cause I think it's important we talk a bit 343 00:17:24.189 --> 00:17:28.861 about your reaction and what this is bringing up for you. 344 00:17:28.861 --> 00:17:30.738 So if I can move that back. 345 00:17:30.738 --> 00:17:34.401 What, you know, you said abandonment. 346 00:17:34.802 --> 00:17:38.311 What other kinds of feelings are coming up for you? 347 00:17:38.311 --> 00:17:41.281 What are you identifying with with Shawn? 348 00:17:42.865 --> 00:17:44.764 - Well, mostly it's triggered by the fact 349 00:17:44.764 --> 00:17:46.673 that he's really depressed. 350 00:17:46.673 --> 00:17:48.246 That's my main concern. 351 00:17:49.062 --> 00:17:51.362 - [Voiceover] Have you experienced that before in your own-- 352 00:17:51.362 --> 00:17:54.118 - Not to that extreme, I mean. 353 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:56.156 I've been fortunate. 354 00:17:57.442 --> 00:18:01.713 In comparison I have very supportive friends. 355 00:18:03.735 --> 00:18:05.807 While the rest of my family wasn't 356 00:18:07.157 --> 00:18:08.576 as accepting as my mother, 357 00:18:08.576 --> 00:18:09.639 at least I had her. 358 00:18:09.639 --> 00:18:11.073 He doesn't have that. 359 00:18:12.422 --> 00:18:15.320 Even his friends aren't understanding. 360 00:18:15.320 --> 00:18:19.140 His friends are from the same intolerant mentalities. 361 00:18:19.434 --> 00:18:23.935 - I know you wanna discuss Shawn and what's going on for him 362 00:18:23.935 --> 00:18:28.201 and that's important, but I find that whenever I'm trying 363 00:18:28.201 --> 00:18:32.852 to get at your reactions, you're sort of pulling away. 364 00:18:32.852 --> 00:18:35.274 Maybe a little resistant to talking about it. 365 00:18:35.994 --> 00:18:38.132 But I think it's important to look at. 366 00:18:40.346 --> 00:18:41.780 What do you think? 367 00:18:43.567 --> 00:18:46.345 (soft pop music) 368 00:19:10.222 --> 00:19:12.466 (soft orchestral pop music) 369 00:19:17.677 --> 00:19:21.597 - I wanted to discuss the end of the practicum. 370 00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:24.461 Three weeks left and I'm having some issues 371 00:19:24.461 --> 00:19:26.008 regarding termination. 372 00:19:26.008 --> 00:19:29.671 I'm really concerned about one client in particular, Shawn. 373 00:19:30.562 --> 00:19:33.319 17, he's in the process of coming out. 374 00:19:33.485 --> 00:19:35.714 And I'm concerned mainly because 375 00:19:36.794 --> 00:19:39.497 he has a tendency to get really depressed, 376 00:19:40.407 --> 00:19:44.575 and I feel really bad. 377 00:19:45.509 --> 00:19:47.572 I feel like I'm abandoning him. 378 00:19:48.536 --> 00:19:50.575 - [Voiceover] I'm glad you're bringing up the termination 379 00:19:50.575 --> 00:19:53.787 and you're bringing it up before the last week. 380 00:19:53.910 --> 00:19:56.624 This is sort of something we needed to talk about. 381 00:19:57.302 --> 00:19:58.226 You ending. 382 00:19:58.226 --> 00:20:01.472 But feeling badly about it 383 00:20:01.472 --> 00:20:04.373 is a pretty normal feeling. 384 00:20:04.373 --> 00:20:08.714 Particularly when you've developed the therapeutic alliance 385 00:20:08.714 --> 00:20:11.876 that you have with Shawn. 386 00:20:13.877 --> 00:20:17.426 Tell me a bit more, just about what you're worried about. 387 00:20:17.426 --> 00:20:20.971 - I think, I sort of understand where he's coming from. 388 00:20:21.724 --> 00:20:23.719 We share the same cultural background. 389 00:20:23.719 --> 00:20:27.110 So I can identify with what he's going through. 390 00:20:27.110 --> 00:20:30.464 He's comfortable talking to me based on that. 391 00:20:32.475 --> 00:20:37.115 I was wondering if perhaps you'd recommend me 392 00:20:37.115 --> 00:20:38.992 continue working with him 393 00:20:38.992 --> 00:20:41.552 or if it's totally inappropriate 394 00:20:41.552 --> 00:20:43.957 if I could give him my number. 395 00:20:45.104 --> 00:20:48.891 - Okay, you're worried about leaving 396 00:20:48.891 --> 00:20:51.578 and particularly, as you said, based on the fact 397 00:20:51.578 --> 00:20:53.253 that you've the therapeutic relationship 398 00:20:53.253 --> 00:20:55.034 and are now strategizing 399 00:20:55.034 --> 00:20:57.823 about how to hang in there with him. 400 00:20:58.127 --> 00:21:00.314 We sometimes go through these things, 401 00:21:00.314 --> 00:21:02.031 especially when we've connected really well, 402 00:21:02.031 --> 00:21:05.231 but I think that, you know, we have structured, 403 00:21:05.231 --> 00:21:07.460 from the beginning you've contracted 404 00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:09.385 that you would be leaving in April. 405 00:21:11.823 --> 00:21:15.470 You know, that's a requirement, really, of the school 406 00:21:15.470 --> 00:21:17.419 and that's a requirement of us. 407 00:21:17.419 --> 00:21:19.479 So we probably have to figure out 408 00:21:19.666 --> 00:21:24.615 how to make that leaving okay for Shawn 409 00:21:27.385 --> 00:21:29.971 in a way that he gets what he needs. 410 00:21:30.905 --> 00:21:33.081 What are you worried about with Shawn? 411 00:21:33.081 --> 00:21:34.318 What are your, what are some 412 00:21:34.318 --> 00:21:36.725 of the outstanding concerns you've got? 413 00:21:36.725 --> 00:21:41.220 - I think the major one is the cultural, 414 00:21:41.439 --> 00:21:44.831 the issue regarding culture and being gay. 415 00:21:44.831 --> 00:21:48.025 I think, mainly because he doesn't have the support at home. 416 00:21:48.383 --> 00:21:50.442 And not from his friends either. 417 00:21:50.442 --> 00:21:52.585 It's, I guess, sort of the same mentality 418 00:21:52.585 --> 00:21:56.334 where homosexuality is just not tolerated. 419 00:21:56.852 --> 00:22:00.084 He has some assurance when he's talking to me 420 00:22:00.084 --> 00:22:01.797 that there's hope. 421 00:22:01.797 --> 00:22:05.439 I feel like termination is gonna kinda bash that hope. 422 00:22:05.464 --> 00:22:07.944 - [Voiceover] It's important to recognize 423 00:22:07.944 --> 00:22:10.685 that part of this are your feelings. 424 00:22:10.685 --> 00:22:12.797 Because we haven't discussed them, necessarily, 425 00:22:12.797 --> 00:22:14.077 with Shawn yet. 426 00:22:14.077 --> 00:22:16.914 And, you know, the counter-transference that you're feeling 427 00:22:16.914 --> 00:22:20.083 around, I come from the same background, 428 00:22:20.911 --> 00:22:22.942 I've been through that process, 429 00:22:23.225 --> 00:22:26.265 I don't wanna leave him during this hard period. 430 00:22:26.265 --> 00:22:27.801 You know, a lot of that has to do 431 00:22:27.801 --> 00:22:29.946 with your own emotional reaction, 432 00:22:30.816 --> 00:22:34.340 which is natural, but we can't give into that. 433 00:22:35.296 --> 00:22:38.389 Because it's not really helpful for Shawn in the end. 434 00:22:38.389 --> 00:22:41.137 You've gotta sort of figure out the difference between 435 00:22:41.137 --> 00:22:44.390 your feelings and Shawn's feelings 436 00:22:44.390 --> 00:22:46.518 about the process of ending. 437 00:22:47.036 --> 00:22:49.291 So have you brought it up? 438 00:22:49.873 --> 00:22:52.891 - [Brian] No, I haven't, and I think the main reason, too, 439 00:22:52.891 --> 00:22:55.185 is he does have a history of depression 440 00:22:55.185 --> 00:22:57.037 and I didn't really bring it up. 441 00:22:57.037 --> 00:22:58.616 And I'll have to, but I wasn't sure 442 00:22:58.616 --> 00:23:00.109 how to approach it either. 443 00:23:00.109 --> 00:23:01.401 - When are you meeting with him again? 444 00:23:01.401 --> 00:23:02.306 - In a couple of days. 445 00:23:02.306 --> 00:23:03.010 - [Tamara] Okay. 446 00:23:03.010 --> 00:23:07.222 And it is important that you go through the process together 447 00:23:07.222 --> 00:23:09.701 of discussing you leaving. 448 00:23:11.617 --> 00:23:15.066 The fear around his reaction is natural. 449 00:23:16.374 --> 00:23:19.753 Again, your feelings, your counter-transference. 450 00:23:20.463 --> 00:23:21.870 Don't let that get in the way 451 00:23:21.870 --> 00:23:25.019 of allowing him express him feeling. 452 00:23:25.078 --> 00:23:28.301 Whether it's sad, depressed, angry. 453 00:23:28.605 --> 00:23:30.877 Because these are normal feelings to feel 454 00:23:30.877 --> 00:23:33.431 when someone's leaving. 455 00:23:33.618 --> 00:23:35.549 Someone who you've developed 456 00:23:35.549 --> 00:23:37.698 a therapeutic relationship with. 457 00:23:39.261 --> 00:23:42.681 I'm wondering how you think you can use the realtionship 458 00:23:42.681 --> 00:23:44.559 that you've developed with him 459 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:46.483 to help him through that process. 460 00:23:46.745 --> 00:23:49.732 - I think, by pointing out his progress. 461 00:23:49.732 --> 00:23:51.634 Because he has made a lot of progress. 462 00:23:51.634 --> 00:23:53.117 - And that's an excellent idea. 463 00:23:53.117 --> 00:23:56.231 Because again, when we're terminating with clients, 464 00:23:56.231 --> 00:23:59.473 to be able to, sort of map out for them 465 00:23:59.473 --> 00:24:01.500 where they were and where they are now 466 00:24:02.364 --> 00:24:03.918 can be a very hopeful thing. 467 00:24:04.738 --> 00:24:08.385 And, given your fear of making him more depressed, 468 00:24:09.639 --> 00:24:13.600 this could be a way of really building upon his strengths. 469 00:24:14.097 --> 00:24:16.107 So I think that's a great idea. 470 00:24:16.934 --> 00:24:19.227 - I think another one of my concerns is 471 00:24:22.086 --> 00:24:25.325 having him continue sessions 472 00:24:25.843 --> 00:24:28.642 and, if not with me, then, 473 00:24:31.549 --> 00:24:35.607 well, I don't know if there's anyone who could really 474 00:24:36.562 --> 00:24:38.422 connect with him the same way. 475 00:24:39.282 --> 00:24:40.534 Does that make sense? 476 00:24:41.842 --> 00:24:43.459 - In what, why? 477 00:24:43.459 --> 00:24:46.379 - I think the cultural thing has a big part in it 478 00:24:46.379 --> 00:24:47.301 because, 479 00:24:50.786 --> 00:24:52.785 there's trust invested because of that, I think. 480 00:24:52.785 --> 00:24:55.569 I don't know, I can't think of anyone here 481 00:24:55.569 --> 00:24:58.326 who could fill that. 482 00:25:00.115 --> 00:25:01.446 - Well there's certainly no one here 483 00:25:01.446 --> 00:25:05.184 who's sharing the same cultural background as you or Shawn. 484 00:25:06.299 --> 00:25:09.353 So that's been a benefit in the development 485 00:25:09.353 --> 00:25:11.224 of your relationship with him. 486 00:25:12.926 --> 00:25:16.610 And we know, realistically, that we can't offer that to him. 487 00:25:17.704 --> 00:25:20.382 How do you think you can use the other elements 488 00:25:20.382 --> 00:25:23.464 of your relationship, therapeutic relationship 489 00:25:23.464 --> 00:25:27.778 you've developed to help him connect with somebody else? 490 00:25:29.384 --> 00:25:31.628 (soft pop music) 491 00:25:56.529 --> 00:25:58.912 (soft orchestral pop) 492 00:26:03.921 --> 00:26:07.794 - Conflict is a normal component of all relationships. 493 00:26:08.141 --> 00:26:10.168 How we deal with conflict determines 494 00:26:10.168 --> 00:26:13.777 whether the outcome is constructive or destructive. 495 00:26:14.829 --> 00:26:16.205 The following illustrates 496 00:26:16.205 --> 00:26:18.801 a typical student, field instructor dilemma. 497 00:26:19.660 --> 00:26:22.402 In the contracting interview, Sally had agreed 498 00:26:22.402 --> 00:26:25.068 to one half day of intake duty, even though 499 00:26:25.068 --> 00:26:27.846 she would have preferred to spend her time elsewhere. 500 00:26:28.503 --> 00:26:30.849 The following discussion takes place three months 501 00:26:30.849 --> 00:26:33.072 into an eight-month practicum. 502 00:26:34.817 --> 00:26:37.142 - Sally, I'm really glad that you were free 503 00:26:37.142 --> 00:26:38.838 to speak with me this afternoon 504 00:26:38.838 --> 00:26:41.046 because I wanted to share some information 505 00:26:41.046 --> 00:26:42.902 that I've gotten earlier today 506 00:26:42.902 --> 00:26:46.245 from Carol, the intake supervisor. 507 00:26:46.614 --> 00:26:48.640 And I wanted to also get some feedback from you 508 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:50.949 about her information. 509 00:26:51.168 --> 00:26:52.960 Carol's mentioned that she's concerned 510 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.816 because you've missed a couple of mornings 511 00:26:54.816 --> 00:26:57.572 of intake over this term, 512 00:26:57.973 --> 00:27:00.079 that you've been late a couple of times, 513 00:27:00.298 --> 00:27:03.060 and that the quality of your recording, 514 00:27:03.060 --> 00:27:06.051 the written recording, has gone down lately. 515 00:27:06.051 --> 00:27:07.353 And I wonder if you could tell me 516 00:27:07.353 --> 00:27:09.384 how you see that situation. 517 00:27:10.648 --> 00:27:12.366 - Well, it's true. 518 00:27:12.366 --> 00:27:14.968 I have missed a couple of times. 519 00:27:14.968 --> 00:27:19.392 One, I think it was late September and one more recently. 520 00:27:19.392 --> 00:27:22.463 I have these debilitating migraines 521 00:27:22.463 --> 00:27:26.538 and the two times I was absent, 522 00:27:27.268 --> 00:27:28.672 I had a migraine. 523 00:27:29.393 --> 00:27:31.110 I guess there was one at the end of September 524 00:27:31.110 --> 00:27:33.365 and maybe one more recently. 525 00:27:34.438 --> 00:27:36.202 Yeah, I did, I called in. 526 00:27:36.347 --> 00:27:37.652 - Yeah, she did say you called in. 527 00:27:37.652 --> 00:27:40.089 - [Sally] Yeah, I called in and said I was sick. 528 00:27:40.628 --> 00:27:42.879 I guess I'm concerned about the fact 529 00:27:42.879 --> 00:27:47.544 that she thinks that my recording isn't up to par. 530 00:27:48.937 --> 00:27:51.214 You know, I thought I'd been filling them out just fine. 531 00:27:51.582 --> 00:27:53.392 - Well I think you had been doing them, 532 00:27:53.392 --> 00:27:56.293 they were really pleased with what you were doing 533 00:27:56.293 --> 00:27:58.501 earlier in the term, so we know you have the ability, 534 00:27:58.501 --> 00:28:00.314 it's just that things seem to have slipped 535 00:28:00.314 --> 00:28:01.886 and I'm wondering how things are going 536 00:28:01.886 --> 00:28:03.832 in intake for you that morning? 537 00:28:05.790 --> 00:28:09.325 - Well, I thought things were going fine in intake. 538 00:28:10.654 --> 00:28:13.730 It's not really a very difficult task. 539 00:28:14.227 --> 00:28:15.550 Pretty much anybody could do it. 540 00:28:15.550 --> 00:28:18.445 There's just lots and lots and lots of forms to fill out. 541 00:28:22.589 --> 00:28:24.050 You know, it's kind of boring. 542 00:28:24.050 --> 00:28:27.805 Especially since, you know, it's what I did, 543 00:28:28.745 --> 00:28:31.780 I've done intake, geeze, for different agencies 544 00:28:31.780 --> 00:28:33.331 for many years. 545 00:28:33.636 --> 00:28:35.603 You know, before I came back to school? 546 00:28:35.641 --> 00:28:39.306 - I hear from students a lot that there's not a lot 547 00:28:39.306 --> 00:28:41.557 to be learned from intake sometimes. 548 00:28:41.557 --> 00:28:43.210 And yet you and I have discussed, 549 00:28:43.210 --> 00:28:45.205 and I've certainly talked about it 550 00:28:45.205 --> 00:28:47.103 in our staff meetings as well, 551 00:28:47.103 --> 00:28:49.013 that you're really the entry point, 552 00:28:49.013 --> 00:28:52.884 that you're the person who's the first receptacle 553 00:28:52.884 --> 00:28:55.391 when somebody calls, that you are the hook 554 00:28:55.391 --> 00:28:57.972 that brings people in to see our workers in person, 555 00:28:57.972 --> 00:29:00.617 so it's really important to not just listen 556 00:29:00.617 --> 00:29:02.900 to the factual data, but to be listening to how people 557 00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:05.982 are feeling about a situation and how to make them 558 00:29:05.982 --> 00:29:07.576 want to come here. 559 00:29:08.937 --> 00:29:10.725 - Yeah, well, you know. 560 00:29:10.725 --> 00:29:13.722 I think intake is one of those things 561 00:29:13.722 --> 00:29:15.888 that everybody has to take their turn at 562 00:29:15.888 --> 00:29:18.138 if that's the way the agency operates. 563 00:29:18.138 --> 00:29:20.169 Like this one is. 564 00:29:21.242 --> 00:29:25.748 I just, I don't know, I just feel like, you know, 565 00:29:27.023 --> 00:29:30.369 it's one of the downsides of the job and I don't even, 566 00:29:30.369 --> 00:29:32.992 you know, even get paid for it. 567 00:29:32.992 --> 00:29:34.902 Everybody else here gets paid for it. 568 00:29:34.902 --> 00:29:38.357 Not only don't I get paid, but as you know 569 00:29:38.357 --> 00:29:40.917 I've sacrificed, you know, a pretty decent salary 570 00:29:40.917 --> 00:29:45.917 to come back to school and I'm paying to go to school 571 00:29:46.186 --> 00:29:50.197 and I'm doing intake, which is not, you know, 572 00:29:50.197 --> 00:29:52.447 which is not something I need to learn how to do. 573 00:29:52.447 --> 00:29:53.823 I know how to do intake. 574 00:29:53.823 --> 00:29:55.359 I've done it for years. 575 00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:59.204 So I'm feeling kind of used, really, on those mornings. 576 00:29:59.466 --> 00:30:00.484 - Yeah. 577 00:30:00.692 --> 00:30:04.551 So you really are thinking that somehow or another 578 00:30:05.251 --> 00:30:07.458 the agency isn't being fair to you. 579 00:30:07.458 --> 00:30:10.786 But, you know, I guess the other thing I'd like to say 580 00:30:10.786 --> 00:30:12.985 about that is that 581 00:30:15.956 --> 00:30:18.555 there has to be some kind of give and take here. 582 00:30:18.555 --> 00:30:21.755 - I came here to get, 583 00:30:21.755 --> 00:30:25.147 you know, to sort of hone and develop my clinical skills. 584 00:30:25.147 --> 00:30:27.312 That's what I was really hoping for 585 00:30:27.312 --> 00:30:28.912 when I came back to school. 586 00:30:28.912 --> 00:30:31.316 And intake, you know, 587 00:30:32.048 --> 00:30:34.991 doesn't do that for me, whereas, you know, 588 00:30:36.645 --> 00:30:40.748 Dr. Jones is there on Wednesdays presenting 589 00:30:40.748 --> 00:30:45.238 and doing consultation and, that's exactly 590 00:30:45.238 --> 00:30:49.712 what I would have loved to be learning here at this agency. 591 00:30:50.806 --> 00:30:54.038 - Well, that is a really good opportunity for the staff 592 00:30:54.038 --> 00:30:56.683 of the agency, and I'm sure you hear them talking about 593 00:30:56.683 --> 00:30:58.088 how much they get out of it. 594 00:30:58.088 --> 00:31:02.226 But I guess the other part I wanna keep referring back to 595 00:31:02.226 --> 00:31:04.573 is that you say 19 hours of your week 596 00:31:04.573 --> 00:31:06.663 you are getting something really out of it. 597 00:31:06.663 --> 00:31:09.330 Even in relation to intake, there's always something new 598 00:31:09.330 --> 00:31:11.947 you can learn, because you're in a new organization. 599 00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:13.899 - Well. 600 00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:20.032 I'm not finding that I'm learning a whole lot, 601 00:31:20.710 --> 00:31:22.822 if anything, from doing intake. 602 00:31:22.822 --> 00:31:27.345 I'm finding it boring and tedious, 603 00:31:27.345 --> 00:31:30.709 and I just feel kind of used. 604 00:31:31.686 --> 00:31:34.336 (soft orchestral pop music) 605 00:31:39.888 --> 00:31:43.434 - Well, that was a kind of frustrating meeting. 606 00:31:43.578 --> 00:31:44.735 I... 607 00:31:45.829 --> 00:31:50.106 You know, as understanding as Roxanne was trying to be, 608 00:31:50.106 --> 00:31:52.767 I just don't think she gets it. 609 00:31:52.911 --> 00:31:56.299 I'm having to do a job that I've been doing for years, 610 00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:58.230 that I don't need to learn about, 611 00:32:00.380 --> 00:32:02.988 that I'm paying to learn. 612 00:32:04.008 --> 00:32:08.882 And missing out on some of the most important pieces 613 00:32:08.882 --> 00:32:11.559 of learning that I could possibly have 614 00:32:11.559 --> 00:32:13.271 in an agency like this. 615 00:32:14.226 --> 00:32:17.569 - That was a really tough discussion with Sally. 616 00:32:18.151 --> 00:32:22.492 I started to wonder about what was happening with her 617 00:32:22.492 --> 00:32:26.342 because she was missing the Wednesday intake 618 00:32:27.122 --> 00:32:29.106 but not her other days of work. 619 00:32:29.208 --> 00:32:32.383 I was concerned that maybe how she felt about that 620 00:32:32.383 --> 00:32:35.142 was starting to affect her attendance 621 00:32:35.142 --> 00:32:37.467 during that particular time in practicum. 622 00:32:37.467 --> 00:32:39.323 But since she told me she'd been ill, 623 00:32:39.323 --> 00:32:42.245 I really wanted to not go into that 624 00:32:42.245 --> 00:32:44.869 and to trust and respect what she was telling me 625 00:32:44.869 --> 00:32:46.544 at this point in time. 626 00:32:46.544 --> 00:32:48.986 I guess I'm also very concerned that I'm going to have 627 00:32:48.986 --> 00:32:53.306 to start to be a mediator because staff are starting 628 00:32:53.306 --> 00:32:55.312 to notice her absences. 629 00:32:56.598 --> 00:33:00.097 It may mean that I'm going to have to do some kind of 630 00:33:00.097 --> 00:33:02.533 buffering between her and staff. 631 00:33:03.307 --> 00:33:05.696 The other piece that I'm concerned about 632 00:33:05.696 --> 00:33:09.430 is that she seems to very much want 633 00:33:09.430 --> 00:33:12.288 to have time with Dr. Jones, even though the rest 634 00:33:12.288 --> 00:33:14.806 of her practicum is going very well. 635 00:33:15.441 --> 00:33:17.116 On one hand, I certainly understand 636 00:33:17.116 --> 00:33:20.316 that she's made a lot of sacrifices to come back to school, 637 00:33:20.316 --> 00:33:22.758 but I also see that Dr. Jones is probably 638 00:33:22.758 --> 00:33:25.755 one of the biggest perks for our staff, 639 00:33:25.755 --> 00:33:28.304 who would say in fact that most of their work time 640 00:33:28.304 --> 00:33:31.654 isn't as successful, isn't as fulfilling, 641 00:33:31.654 --> 00:33:34.384 as perhaps Sally sees her practicum. 642 00:33:34.384 --> 00:33:36.293 So I can begin to see that there may be 643 00:33:36.293 --> 00:33:38.011 all kinds of organizational issues 644 00:33:38.011 --> 00:33:40.565 that may occur as a result of this. 645 00:33:42.586 --> 00:33:45.012 (soft pop music) 646 00:34:08.548 --> 00:34:11.283 (soft orchestral pop music) 647 00:34:16.575 --> 00:34:18.687 - A major challenge for most field instructors 648 00:34:18.687 --> 00:34:22.148 is the transition from practitioner to educator. 649 00:34:22.847 --> 00:34:25.194 Charmaine models effective teaching 650 00:34:25.194 --> 00:34:28.020 by assisting Gina to openly discuss 651 00:34:28.020 --> 00:34:30.463 the multiple complexities involved in working 652 00:34:30.463 --> 00:34:32.643 with diverse populations. 653 00:34:33.876 --> 00:34:35.039 - So I was wondering how things are going 654 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:37.033 with the work you're doing in the community? 655 00:34:37.033 --> 00:34:39.028 - I'm glad that you actually asked me that question, 656 00:34:39.028 --> 00:34:40.739 'cause I'm finding that, 657 00:34:42.323 --> 00:34:45.811 on the one hand I think it seems like things are going okay, 658 00:34:45.811 --> 00:34:48.755 and on the other hand, I'm just having difficulties 659 00:34:48.755 --> 00:34:51.059 connecting with people in the community. 660 00:34:51.059 --> 00:34:53.562 I'm not really sure what that's about. 661 00:34:53.562 --> 00:34:56.932 I'm just having a hard time connecting with people. 662 00:34:56.932 --> 00:35:00.228 And getting the word out that we're trying to start 663 00:35:00.228 --> 00:35:02.878 a group for young black women. 664 00:35:04.185 --> 00:35:04.953 - I'm not sure what you mean 665 00:35:04.953 --> 00:35:07.102 when you say difficulty connecting. 666 00:35:07.972 --> 00:35:10.265 - Well, I mean, it's not that anybody 667 00:35:10.265 --> 00:35:14.606 has said anything directly, so I just, 668 00:35:14.606 --> 00:35:16.889 whenever I approach people individually 669 00:35:16.889 --> 00:35:19.278 or in small groups and I try to tell them 670 00:35:19.278 --> 00:35:22.962 about this group that we're trying to start, 671 00:35:23.086 --> 00:35:26.677 I just get very polite, kind of, nods, 672 00:35:26.677 --> 00:35:28.512 and oh that sounds interesting, 673 00:35:28.512 --> 00:35:33.497 I don't have time or yeah, yeah, okay, let me know when. 674 00:35:34.389 --> 00:35:35.899 But not a lot of, 675 00:35:36.971 --> 00:35:40.043 I'm not sure if I'm not explaining it well 676 00:35:40.043 --> 00:35:42.571 or presenting it well, but it just seems 677 00:35:42.571 --> 00:35:44.725 that people are being, again, really polite, 678 00:35:44.725 --> 00:35:46.677 but I've just gotten the feeling 679 00:35:46.677 --> 00:35:49.274 that there's something that I'm missing. 680 00:35:49.579 --> 00:35:50.837 - No, I'm glad you brought it up 681 00:35:50.837 --> 00:35:51.786 because I've been wondering 682 00:35:51.786 --> 00:35:54.148 about how that project's been going. 683 00:35:54.645 --> 00:35:56.241 When we had done the preliminary groundwork 684 00:35:56.241 --> 00:35:58.395 to sort of talk with people about the potential 685 00:35:58.395 --> 00:36:00.603 for having a student do this in their placement, 686 00:36:00.603 --> 00:36:02.395 it seemed like it was something 687 00:36:02.395 --> 00:36:03.835 that could get off the ground. 688 00:36:03.835 --> 00:36:05.616 But I know in sort of recently talking 689 00:36:05.616 --> 00:36:07.270 with some of my contacts with the community, 690 00:36:07.270 --> 00:36:08.966 there has been a bit of an issue 691 00:36:08.966 --> 00:36:10.981 in the sense that they're wondering about 692 00:36:10.981 --> 00:36:13.147 whether or not it's going to be possible 693 00:36:13.147 --> 00:36:15.792 for you to establish this group. 694 00:36:15.792 --> 00:36:18.117 And specifically because they're wondering if maybe 695 00:36:18.117 --> 00:36:20.528 some of these people that might potentially 696 00:36:20.528 --> 00:36:24.453 be involved with the group might be unsure 697 00:36:24.453 --> 00:36:26.639 how to work with or react to the fact 698 00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:28.378 that you're a white woman. 699 00:36:28.378 --> 00:36:30.234 And they're, as young black women, 700 00:36:30.234 --> 00:36:31.863 sort of wondering if that's going to work 701 00:36:31.863 --> 00:36:34.860 in terms of whether this is somebody who can 702 00:36:34.860 --> 00:36:36.662 really understand, I guess, what the issues are 703 00:36:36.662 --> 00:36:38.220 and be able to work with them. 704 00:36:38.220 --> 00:36:40.129 - I really wondered if that was part of it. 705 00:36:40.129 --> 00:36:43.563 If, because I'm not from this community. 706 00:36:43.563 --> 00:36:47.947 I'm not black, and what it's, is it really appropriate 707 00:36:47.947 --> 00:36:50.624 that I be trying to start a group 708 00:36:50.624 --> 00:36:54.503 for young black women as a white woman. 709 00:36:54.503 --> 00:36:57.516 So I wondered if that had, 710 00:36:58.076 --> 00:37:00.124 if that was part of it, because I really 711 00:37:00.124 --> 00:37:02.140 care very much about this group 712 00:37:02.140 --> 00:37:03.697 and I think it's really important. 713 00:37:03.697 --> 00:37:04.881 - I think it has to do with issues 714 00:37:04.881 --> 00:37:06.737 that are much larger than that. 715 00:37:06.737 --> 00:37:08.156 Because a lot of the communities 716 00:37:08.156 --> 00:37:09.990 that we're reaching out to now 717 00:37:09.990 --> 00:37:12.982 haven't had a history of working with us in partnership. 718 00:37:13.212 --> 00:37:15.910 There's some reluctance, some uncertainty 719 00:37:15.910 --> 00:37:17.371 about what this could mean. 720 00:37:17.371 --> 00:37:19.643 And I think that, you know, regardless of how 721 00:37:19.643 --> 00:37:22.246 you may be presenting yourself as an individual, 722 00:37:23.516 --> 00:37:25.890 people may see you as representing something 723 00:37:26.530 --> 00:37:28.434 in your race, in your class, 724 00:37:28.434 --> 00:37:30.404 in your being a university student, whatever. 725 00:37:30.404 --> 00:37:32.612 They may have ideas about what that represents. 726 00:37:32.612 --> 00:37:34.884 It's a barrier that we have to try to work through. 727 00:37:34.884 --> 00:37:37.273 It's an issue we have to be able to talk about 728 00:37:37.273 --> 00:37:39.342 and an issue we have to be able to address 729 00:37:39.342 --> 00:37:42.830 since, you know, while sometimes it is possible 730 00:37:42.830 --> 00:37:45.710 to match people up in terms of age or gender 731 00:37:45.710 --> 00:37:48.472 or sexuality or ethnic or racial difference, 732 00:37:48.472 --> 00:37:52.068 in a lot of situations, we're working across a difference. 733 00:37:52.768 --> 00:37:55.989 And learning how to address that 734 00:37:55.989 --> 00:37:58.058 both in terms of how it makes us feel 735 00:37:58.058 --> 00:37:59.893 to realize this difference is there, 736 00:37:59.893 --> 00:38:02.495 but also how it makes our clients feel, 737 00:38:02.495 --> 00:38:04.625 or groups that we're working with feel. 738 00:38:04.625 --> 00:38:05.927 I think it's a very important part 739 00:38:05.927 --> 00:38:08.785 of looking at practice now, in a time 740 00:38:08.785 --> 00:38:12.134 when our communities are increasingly diverse. 741 00:38:12.694 --> 00:38:14.658 So when you think about, you know, 742 00:38:14.658 --> 00:38:17.852 working with this group of women, 743 00:38:18.210 --> 00:38:19.566 it sounds like you weren't getting, 744 00:38:20.244 --> 00:38:22.078 really a hostile reaction. 745 00:38:22.078 --> 00:38:25.222 Just maybe some, you know, I guess reticence. 746 00:38:25.222 --> 00:38:26.843 Maybe they just weren't sort of very forthcoming 747 00:38:26.843 --> 00:38:30.661 and really engaged or ready to engage with you. 748 00:38:30.661 --> 00:38:33.285 So while I might wonder if maybe this is just something 749 00:38:33.285 --> 00:38:36.645 that is not going to work with this group of people, 750 00:38:37.335 --> 00:38:39.777 that doesn't seem like the immediate answer, 751 00:38:39.777 --> 00:38:42.028 because I know we got that indication up front 752 00:38:42.028 --> 00:38:43.628 that this was something that would be welcomed. 753 00:38:43.628 --> 00:38:46.486 So I guess we have to think a bit about what might be 754 00:38:46.486 --> 00:38:50.998 behind that kind of, I don't know, I guess reluctance 755 00:38:50.998 --> 00:38:52.338 to get involved. 756 00:38:52.338 --> 00:38:54.631 - I think I have had questions about 757 00:38:54.631 --> 00:38:57.468 whether I'm really the appropriate person 758 00:38:57.468 --> 00:38:59.090 to be starting a group like this. 759 00:38:59.090 --> 00:39:03.932 I am white, I'm wondering if that's influencing 760 00:39:03.932 --> 00:39:07.526 some of the young women's willingness 761 00:39:08.386 --> 00:39:10.702 to take part in the group 762 00:39:10.702 --> 00:39:13.070 because I'm, my experience so far 763 00:39:13.070 --> 00:39:15.416 is that they seem really hesitant to kinda wanna talk 764 00:39:15.416 --> 00:39:18.675 to me, so they might see me as someone who just, 765 00:39:18.675 --> 00:39:21.062 who may talk the talk, but doesn't really get it 766 00:39:21.062 --> 00:39:23.388 'cause I don't live it everyday. 767 00:39:23.388 --> 00:39:25.222 I think that might be one thing. 768 00:39:25.222 --> 00:39:26.993 I don't, maybe another issue 769 00:39:26.993 --> 00:39:29.819 is that they've had negative experiences 770 00:39:29.819 --> 00:39:34.438 with not just social workers, but maybe other professionals. 771 00:39:34.438 --> 00:39:36.528 I wonder if that's part of it too 772 00:39:36.528 --> 00:39:39.266 is their concern about what kind of stereotypes I have. 773 00:39:39.266 --> 00:39:43.607 I mean there may be lots of potential barriers 774 00:39:43.607 --> 00:39:46.583 and maybe I've kinda been going about it the wrong way. 775 00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:50.622 - Well, you know and I don't know that I'd necessarily, 776 00:39:50.622 --> 00:39:52.595 I don't think that you should take this all on yourself, 777 00:39:52.595 --> 00:39:55.315 because even as we talk about what kind of issues 778 00:39:55.315 --> 00:39:57.896 might be affecting the situation, 779 00:39:57.896 --> 00:40:01.442 clearly a lot of them don't have anything to do with you. 780 00:40:01.906 --> 00:40:04.808 Their previous experience with other agencies 781 00:40:04.808 --> 00:40:06.226 or other social workers is not something 782 00:40:06.226 --> 00:40:07.666 that you can control. 783 00:40:07.666 --> 00:40:11.410 In the wider sense, their experience of being in the city, 784 00:40:11.410 --> 00:40:13.639 of kind of stereotypes that are applied to them 785 00:40:13.639 --> 00:40:16.164 as young women and young black women, 786 00:40:16.164 --> 00:40:18.275 these are things that you haven't individually 787 00:40:18.275 --> 00:40:20.153 sort of been responsible for. 788 00:40:20.153 --> 00:40:21.891 And when you talk about the fact 789 00:40:21.891 --> 00:40:24.632 that you don't know what their lived experience is 790 00:40:24.632 --> 00:40:27.587 as black women living with racism and other kinds of, 791 00:40:28.137 --> 00:40:31.178 you know, systemic problems, that's very true 792 00:40:31.178 --> 00:40:32.384 and nothing's going to change that, 793 00:40:32.384 --> 00:40:34.133 but I think it's also important to remember 794 00:40:34.133 --> 00:40:37.663 that you're not there because you're supposed 795 00:40:37.663 --> 00:40:39.306 to be bringing your lived experience, 796 00:40:39.306 --> 00:40:40.191 necessarily, to that. 797 00:40:40.191 --> 00:40:44.511 You're bringing some resources and some ideas 798 00:40:44.511 --> 00:40:46.975 that come from your experience as a social worker 799 00:40:46.975 --> 00:40:48.831 or as a social work student at this point. 800 00:40:48.831 --> 00:40:51.359 So I don't think that it's any problem 801 00:40:51.359 --> 00:40:52.692 to be able to say to people, 802 00:40:52.692 --> 00:40:56.542 look, obviously I do not understand this aspect 803 00:40:56.542 --> 00:40:58.516 of your experience, in the same way that I could say 804 00:40:58.516 --> 00:41:00.841 that as a black woman, I have some understanding of that, 805 00:41:00.841 --> 00:41:03.529 but as a black woman that's older than them, 806 00:41:03.529 --> 00:41:05.502 that has a very different sort of background, 807 00:41:05.502 --> 00:41:07.870 that sits here with this job in this agency, 808 00:41:07.870 --> 00:41:09.822 I can't sit there and say that I, either, 809 00:41:09.822 --> 00:41:12.030 have a full understanding of their experience. 810 00:41:12.030 --> 00:41:14.397 So, I mean, I think it's important to be honest 811 00:41:14.397 --> 00:41:15.837 with people about that. 812 00:41:15.837 --> 00:41:17.085 That you recognize that difference, 813 00:41:17.085 --> 00:41:19.208 that you recognize it's an important difference, 814 00:41:19.208 --> 00:41:21.243 and that it's something that you're going to have to 815 00:41:21.243 --> 00:41:22.290 learn from them about. 816 00:41:22.290 --> 00:41:23.804 And that the contribution that you wanna make 817 00:41:23.804 --> 00:41:25.475 is not based on some assumption 818 00:41:25.475 --> 00:41:27.597 that you know everything about what's going on 819 00:41:27.597 --> 00:41:30.701 with them, but that you hopefully have some ideas 820 00:41:30.701 --> 00:41:33.954 that can be put together with what they're dealing with 821 00:41:33.954 --> 00:41:37.506 to do something creative and hopefully productive 822 00:41:37.506 --> 00:41:39.335 in their community. 823 00:41:40.205 --> 00:41:42.775 So, I mean, I guess I'm thinking about how 824 00:41:42.775 --> 00:41:43.917 to sort of move forward. 825 00:41:43.917 --> 00:41:46.658 I know that sometimes when there's these kind of problems 826 00:41:46.658 --> 00:41:48.162 with establishing a group, 827 00:41:48.162 --> 00:41:49.762 there's been an unfortunate tendency 828 00:41:49.762 --> 00:41:52.641 to think that the problem is that they're just not ready 829 00:41:52.641 --> 00:41:56.033 or you even hear people talking about certain groups 830 00:41:56.033 --> 00:41:58.870 that are resistant to receiving help. 831 00:41:58.870 --> 00:41:59.997 And I think that one of the things 832 00:41:59.997 --> 00:42:03.741 that we understand now better is that sometimes the way 833 00:42:03.741 --> 00:42:06.504 that we're going about things is problematic 834 00:42:06.504 --> 00:42:08.754 and the issue is not that they're resistant 835 00:42:08.754 --> 00:42:10.866 or that they aren't open to change, 836 00:42:10.866 --> 00:42:12.679 but just that the way we're going about it 837 00:42:12.679 --> 00:42:16.924 isn't an effective way to work with certain groups. 838 00:42:16.924 --> 00:42:19.858 So I'm wondering about how can we get a clearer sense 839 00:42:19.858 --> 00:42:21.201 of what the barriers are. 840 00:42:21.201 --> 00:42:24.103 - Could you and I work together and try to maybe 841 00:42:24.103 --> 00:42:28.401 arrange an opportunity, like have like an open forum 842 00:42:28.401 --> 00:42:29.606 where people can come out 843 00:42:29.606 --> 00:42:32.896 and speak about some of these barriers? 844 00:42:33.254 --> 00:42:35.089 - I think that's a great idea, 845 00:42:35.089 --> 00:42:37.222 'cause I think it's important for them, too, 846 00:42:37.222 --> 00:42:40.891 to see you as attached to, you know, people and agencies 847 00:42:40.891 --> 00:42:43.718 in the community that they have some experience with 848 00:42:43.718 --> 00:42:45.115 and some trust in. 849 00:42:45.115 --> 00:42:46.508 So certainly, yeah, I think, you know, 850 00:42:46.508 --> 00:42:49.292 sort of reflecting on it, while I thought that 851 00:42:49.292 --> 00:42:52.407 the preliminary work we had done talking with these groups 852 00:42:52.407 --> 00:42:54.476 would sort of create a good foundation, 853 00:42:54.476 --> 00:42:55.841 I think that probably it's important 854 00:42:55.841 --> 00:42:58.284 for me to get more involved and for the agency 855 00:42:58.284 --> 00:43:01.029 to get more involved because it's a lot to expect 856 00:43:01.029 --> 00:43:03.133 somebody who's in a practicum to break this ground 857 00:43:03.133 --> 00:43:05.341 on their own, and I think this is gonna be a valuable thing 858 00:43:05.341 --> 00:43:07.037 as well for the agency too. 859 00:43:07.037 --> 00:43:09.330 So if you're okay with that, 860 00:43:09.330 --> 00:43:10.888 why don't we start making arrangements 861 00:43:10.888 --> 00:43:12.882 to have a meeting like that, 862 00:43:12.882 --> 00:43:14.066 maybe in the next couple of weeks 863 00:43:14.066 --> 00:43:15.211 and we'll take it from there. 864 00:43:15.211 --> 00:43:16.069 - Thank you very much. 865 00:43:16.069 --> 00:43:17.407 - [Charmaine] Okay, great. 866 00:43:19.385 --> 00:43:22.856 (soft pop music) 867 00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:48.700 (soft orchestral pop music) 868 00:43:52.354 --> 00:43:55.138 - This segment presents clips of graduating students 869 00:43:55.138 --> 00:43:58.897 reflecting on what they valued in their field experience. 870 00:43:59.041 --> 00:44:00.919 Despite a range of settings, 871 00:44:00.919 --> 00:44:03.633 common issues and themes emerge. 872 00:44:05.217 --> 00:44:08.022 - Both my field instructors really, I think, 873 00:44:08.022 --> 00:44:10.070 supported the person I was coming in. 874 00:44:10.070 --> 00:44:11.809 And so they respected me a lot. 875 00:44:11.809 --> 00:44:14.667 And so, because they treated me with respect, 876 00:44:14.667 --> 00:44:16.011 I think the team treated with respect, 877 00:44:16.011 --> 00:44:17.568 the agency treats you with respect, 878 00:44:17.568 --> 00:44:21.355 and it sort of it, sort of like a domino effect. 879 00:44:21.355 --> 00:44:23.701 - The culture of the agency where I was at, 880 00:44:23.701 --> 00:44:27.829 creating an environment for staff and for students, 881 00:44:27.829 --> 00:44:30.506 the same kind of environment that you would create 882 00:44:30.506 --> 00:44:31.968 for your clients. 883 00:44:31.968 --> 00:44:33.888 - I learned a lot from my field instructor 884 00:44:33.888 --> 00:44:35.068 about how good working relations 885 00:44:35.068 --> 00:44:37.255 were essential to my learning and the outcomes 886 00:44:37.255 --> 00:44:39.041 I was trying to achieve. 887 00:44:39.185 --> 00:44:42.038 For a while, I stayed on safe subjects and supervision. 888 00:44:42.038 --> 00:44:43.499 She asked me how things were going, 889 00:44:43.499 --> 00:44:45.568 and I always told her about my projects, 890 00:44:46.018 --> 00:44:48.306 but not my uncomfortable feelings being around 891 00:44:48.306 --> 00:44:50.626 very experienced, vocal workers. 892 00:44:50.692 --> 00:44:52.345 - It really is that relationship piece. 893 00:44:52.345 --> 00:44:55.012 And she said for her, this was a fun experience. 894 00:44:55.012 --> 00:44:57.060 She hadn't had a student in a while, she said, 895 00:44:57.060 --> 00:44:59.097 and she wasn't sure, was it going to be a lot of work, 896 00:44:59.097 --> 00:45:01.241 was it gonna be, oh, I shouldn't have taken this on. 897 00:45:01.241 --> 00:45:04.025 But she got as much out of it as I did, 898 00:45:04.025 --> 00:45:06.595 and I think that speaks to the relationship you develop, 899 00:45:06.595 --> 00:45:08.622 how you work together collaboratively, 900 00:45:08.622 --> 00:45:12.357 how you both bring something to this relationship. 901 00:45:13.205 --> 00:45:14.887 - I think it's really important for supervisors 902 00:45:14.887 --> 00:45:16.415 to take into account the person you were 903 00:45:16.415 --> 00:45:17.729 before you came into the placement 904 00:45:17.729 --> 00:45:19.340 because that will in some ways determine 905 00:45:19.340 --> 00:45:20.524 where you're gonna start. 906 00:45:20.524 --> 00:45:24.374 - I spoke her a lot about my cultural orientation, 907 00:45:24.374 --> 00:45:26.413 my cultural background, 908 00:45:27.389 --> 00:45:32.178 influence of my culture on what I'm doing, 909 00:45:32.178 --> 00:45:36.133 how I conduct counseling or assessment, or. 910 00:45:37.033 --> 00:45:41.857 It was really great because I'm sort of reserved. 911 00:45:41.857 --> 00:45:44.385 I'm Japanese and sort of, like, my culture is that, 912 00:45:45.803 --> 00:45:49.117 it's very difficult for me to be a little bit assertive. 913 00:45:49.117 --> 00:45:51.390 And you know that piece 914 00:45:51.390 --> 00:45:54.782 could be understood as incompetence. 915 00:45:54.782 --> 00:45:56.475 She wasn't judgmental. 916 00:45:56.475 --> 00:45:59.610 I could be myself, I could use that part of me, 917 00:45:59.610 --> 00:46:02.928 like politeness or whatever. 918 00:46:02.928 --> 00:46:07.928 Those elements may work in a nice way, 919 00:46:08.037 --> 00:46:10.405 but at the same time, I had to learn 920 00:46:10.405 --> 00:46:12.548 how to be more assertive. 921 00:46:12.548 --> 00:46:15.194 - I think both of my supervisors in both years 922 00:46:15.194 --> 00:46:18.308 tried to walk a mile in my shoes as a student 923 00:46:18.308 --> 00:46:19.812 and figure out what opportunities would be 924 00:46:19.812 --> 00:46:21.529 very interesting for me. 925 00:46:21.529 --> 00:46:24.196 - My field instructor and I worked really well together 926 00:46:24.196 --> 00:46:26.358 in terms of finding the balance between 927 00:46:26.358 --> 00:46:29.750 having structured learning and unstructured learning. 928 00:46:29.750 --> 00:46:30.976 - I come from a small town 929 00:46:30.976 --> 00:46:32.790 where everyone knows each other for years. 930 00:46:32.790 --> 00:46:35.466 And I was so afraid of making an offensive remark. 931 00:46:35.466 --> 00:46:37.166 Especially as the only white male 932 00:46:37.166 --> 00:46:38.424 and a student working in an area 933 00:46:38.424 --> 00:46:40.206 that I wasn't that familiar with. 934 00:46:40.206 --> 00:46:42.154 - I did a process regarding 935 00:46:42.154 --> 00:46:45.012 because last year I was in a hospital setting 936 00:46:45.012 --> 00:46:47.007 and the population was completely different 937 00:46:47.007 --> 00:46:51.785 so for me it was very useful to offer to see 938 00:46:51.785 --> 00:46:53.716 my own reaction. 939 00:46:53.716 --> 00:46:55.550 - I don't know if you guys did any taping, or? 940 00:46:55.550 --> 00:46:58.704 - [Voiceover] I taped every session in the very beginning. 941 00:46:58.704 --> 00:47:00.634 Toward the end I didn't tape as much, 942 00:47:00.634 --> 00:47:03.237 but I found that taping and then watching the tapes 943 00:47:03.237 --> 00:47:06.053 really helpful, and my field instructor could also watch me 944 00:47:06.053 --> 00:47:09.508 from behind the mirror at the very beginning 945 00:47:09.508 --> 00:47:10.852 of my practicum. 946 00:47:10.852 --> 00:47:12.825 Which I thought would be really nerve-wracking, 947 00:47:12.825 --> 00:47:15.588 but if it's done in a really safe and supportive way, 948 00:47:15.588 --> 00:47:18.191 it's amazing, it's the best learning. 949 00:47:18.191 --> 00:47:19.588 - I just think it's really important 950 00:47:19.588 --> 00:47:21.796 for a student to be hands on 951 00:47:21.796 --> 00:47:24.249 and have every opportunity to observe and watch 952 00:47:24.249 --> 00:47:28.195 and listen and see exactly what their supervisor does. 953 00:47:28.195 --> 00:47:32.056 - Because I really felt like, I knew that if anything 954 00:47:32.056 --> 00:47:34.403 came up, that we were gonna be able to work through it 955 00:47:34.403 --> 00:47:36.440 and be respectful of each other, 956 00:47:36.440 --> 00:47:39.341 and it ended up benefitting, I think, us. 957 00:47:39.341 --> 00:47:41.827 Certainly deepened my relationship with my clients. 958 00:47:41.827 --> 00:47:45.613 And I think that made me feel really good. 959 00:47:46.153 --> 00:47:47.818 - I just think it's so comforting to know 960 00:47:47.818 --> 00:47:50.233 that if you do feel that there's a difference of opinion, 961 00:47:50.233 --> 00:47:51.487 if you and your supervisor aren't 962 00:47:51.487 --> 00:47:53.015 on the same page with something, 963 00:47:53.015 --> 00:47:54.993 if you've had a couple of positive experiences, 964 00:47:54.993 --> 00:47:56.308 where you've gone in and sat down 965 00:47:56.308 --> 00:47:58.206 and talked about these different, 966 00:47:58.206 --> 00:48:01.011 the reasons why you're feeling differently with each other, 967 00:48:01.011 --> 00:48:03.379 and you come out, I think, learning a lot 968 00:48:03.379 --> 00:48:05.906 because you listen to the other person's perspective. 969 00:48:05.906 --> 00:48:07.237 - And it makes you feel safe to say, 970 00:48:07.237 --> 00:48:09.701 oh, I think I messed up here 971 00:48:09.701 --> 00:48:12.069 or I think I didn't do the right thing here, 972 00:48:12.069 --> 00:48:15.521 and that's gonna be okay, you can work through it. 973 00:48:15.521 --> 00:48:16.411 Huge. 974 00:48:16.411 --> 00:48:17.814 'Cause you are gonna make mistakes. 975 00:48:17.814 --> 00:48:19.215 You're not always gonna be perfect. 976 00:48:19.215 --> 00:48:20.442 - It's so important to have a space 977 00:48:20.442 --> 00:48:22.497 where you can just sit and say, 978 00:48:22.497 --> 00:48:24.257 this was really difficult. 979 00:48:24.257 --> 00:48:26.582 - One day, on the way back to the office together, 980 00:48:26.582 --> 00:48:28.833 she commented on my silence in a very heated meeting 981 00:48:28.833 --> 00:48:30.252 we had just left. 982 00:48:30.252 --> 00:48:31.947 I was still stunned from the meeting 983 00:48:31.947 --> 00:48:33.750 and I let my guard down. 984 00:48:33.750 --> 00:48:35.937 It was a real turning point for both of us. 985 00:48:35.937 --> 00:48:37.419 - [Voiceover] I would have to say that one 986 00:48:37.419 --> 00:48:39.307 of the most important things that I've taken away 987 00:48:39.307 --> 00:48:40.886 is the relationships that I got to have 988 00:48:40.886 --> 00:48:41.885 with both of these women. 989 00:48:41.885 --> 00:48:43.204 They have been, like, just the most 990 00:48:43.204 --> 00:48:46.158 incredibly important people 991 00:48:46.158 --> 00:48:48.264 in my life in the last two years. 992 00:48:49.155 --> 00:48:51.954 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