Developing social work practice skills within a mental health context

Abstract

This report explores my experiences and desire to develop my clinical skills while completing an advanced practicum with the Mood and Anxiety Program through Health Sciences North. The Mood and Anxiety Program works with individuals that had been diagnosed with a mental illness and wanted to seek therapeutic assistance to learn how to manage symptoms and challenges of their mental illness. In this instance, mental illness is a health condition that is distinguished by considerable dysfunction in a person’s cognition, emotions, or behaviours that could often reveal a disturbance in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes, which could have underlying mental functioning. Through this practicum, and as shown throughout this report, I was able to create and achieve several goals that I felt would assist me in developing my clinical skills. I planned to refine my skills by working as part of a multidisciplinary team; continuously reflecting on my practice with the use of a journal and clinical supervision; completing assessments and cofacilitating group therapy sessions; and, integrating theory into practice. I was also able to critically reflect upon the theories that I used during my practicum; develop and improve my self-awareness; enhance my therapeutic presence; and develop an understanding of how stigma is present in the mental health field and could it acts as a barrier for people with a mental illness.