Going through this with a client right now.
I need to keep reminding myself that I have done everything I could do to help her at this point.
The rest is up to her.
She does have the right in the end (well, at all times honestly) to exercise her right to make a bad decision, and then (hopefully) learn from the consequences.
It's tough.
As social workers, we can't baby our clients or force them to do what we would like them to do (although in reality I know some helping professionals get tied up in this cycle, self-included at times).
We also have to put up with a lot of comments from the peanut gallery (AKA their natural supports and/or other helping providers) that we aren't doing our job, by doing enough to help the client.
It is what it is though.
All I can do now is wait for the other shoe to drop, and then be there to (again, hopefully!) pick up the pieces.
I totally get the burn out factor, here. There comes a point when you have to realize that client self-determination is not only an option, but an ethical mandate.
ReplyDeleteOne phrase I like to utter in times of client stress is "I'm not the cause. I'm not the cure."
Hope next week is better:).
Feel free to vent here anytime: http://www.talktherapybiz.com
We social workers need to support one another!