AASW Recording | Role of Social Work in Mental Health Systemic Practice

Our relationship with ourselves and with our family is at the heart of our mental health wellbeing or illness. Unlike conventional psychological theory which focuses on the individual, Systems Theory encourages people to think of issues e.g. conflict, racism, sexism, depression, addiction, difficult relationships, loneliness, etc. in terms of relationship experiences in a multi-generational family ‘system’. This approach encourages people to move away from blaming others and towards shared responsibility for change. The systemic social work approach is a way of acting, thinking and viewing the world which focuses on relationships and recognises that individuals are always embedded in their social context.

The fundamental premise of Bowen theory that differentiates it from traditional psychiatry and psychology theory is that the family is an emotional unit and any change in the emotional functioning of one member of the family/emotional unit is predictably and automatically compensated for by changes in the emotional functioning of other members of that family/emotional unit.

The social worker’s role as a part of the system: when it is our job to help others seek solutions to problems, we become a part of the system, and it can be especially hard for us to be aware of and recognise the part we can play in creating or maintaining problems for our clients.

This webinar was presented by the AASW South Australian Branch.

AASW Credential: Mental Health