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Pseudoscience invades Social Work

#1
C C Offline
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pseudos...cial-work/

INTRO: A recent article in the Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work documents over 400 websites of social workers, most engaged in some form of mental health counseling, using questionable practices, from “Access Consciousness” to “Zero Balancing Practitioner.” Given the pervasiveness of pseudoscience in healthcare, discussed countless times here on Science-Based Medicine, this should surprise no one. After all, if the venerable Cleveland Clinic can offer reiki, functional medicine, and Chinese herbs to its patients without sanction, what’s to keep Licensed Clinical Social Workers from practicing Angelic Channeling, Plant Spirit Medicine, and Theta Healing?

This survey of websites does not purport to be systematic or to estimate the prevalence of these practices among social workers. Nor do the authors mean to indict the entire profession, recognizing “that there are social workers who conduct critically important work every day.” (On a personal note, my daughter, a social worker, is one of these: She works with foster families in a job that is both extremely stressful and incredibly rewarding.) Rather, the authors, two academics from New York University and The City University of New York, simply wanted to see what was out there. They conducted Google searches using search strings consisting of “LSCW” [Licensed Clinical Social Worker] and similar professional designations (e.g., “MSW” for the Masters of Social Work degree) and terms like “healing” or “angels.” They use their findings as a springboard to ask their profession whether social workers should be engaged in these practices and, if the answer is “no,” then “what will you do about it?”, questions they raise but do not answer. (We’ll return to these questions in a moment.)

So, what did they find? Unfortunately, a whole lot of utter nonsense. Space does not permit me to catalogue each practice, only a few highlights. (The article is online and provides links to all of the websites if you want more examples. Because of this, I am eschewing links to each and every website mentioned in the post, thereby avoiding turning practically the whole post blue.)

Some social workers practice the sort of pedestrian pseudoscience we’re all familiar with here at SBM: reiki, reflexology, acupressure, Bach flower remedies, aromatherapy, healing touch, and acudetox. Other social workers are into angels....

MORE: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pseudos...cial-work/
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#2
Syne Offline
Like it says, "this should surprise no one".

And is it really invading, or is social work just so devoid of professional and academic standards to begin with?
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#3
Magical Realist Online
"angelic massage,"

Only if I can have a happy ending..Smile
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#4
RainbowUnicorn Offline
(Feb 1, 2019 07:13 PM)C C Wrote: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pseudos...cial-work/

INTRO: A recent article in the Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work documents over 400 websites of social workers, most engaged in some form of mental health counseling, using questionable practices, from “Access Consciousness” to “Zero Balancing Practitioner.” Given the pervasiveness of pseudoscience in healthcare, discussed countless times here on Science-Based Medicine, this should surprise no one. After all, if the venerable Cleveland Clinic can offer reiki, functional medicine, and Chinese herbs to its patients without sanction, what’s to keep Licensed Clinical Social Workers from practicing Angelic Channeling, Plant Spirit Medicine, and Theta Healing?

This survey of websites does not purport to be systematic or to estimate the prevalence of these practices among social workers. Nor do the authors mean to indict the entire profession, recognizing “that there are social workers who conduct critically important work every day.” (On a personal note, my daughter, a social worker, is one of these: She works with foster families in a job that is both extremely stressful and incredibly rewarding.) Rather, the authors, two academics from New York University and The City University of New York, simply wanted to see what was out there. They conducted Google searches using search strings consisting of “LSCW” [Licensed Clinical Social Worker] and similar professional designations (e.g., “MSW” for the Masters of Social Work degree) and terms like “healing” or “angels.” They use their findings as a springboard to ask their profession whether social workers should be engaged in these practices and, if the answer is “no,” then “what will you do about it?”, questions they raise but do not answer. (We’ll return to these questions in a moment.)

So, what did they find? Unfortunately, a whole lot of utter nonsense. Space does not permit me to catalogue each practice, only a few highlights. (The article is online and provides links to all of the websites if you want more examples. Because of this, I am eschewing links to each and every website mentioned in the post, thereby avoiding turning practically the whole post blue.)

Some social workers practice the sort of pedestrian pseudoscience we’re all familiar with here at SBM: reiki, reflexology, acupressure, Bach flower remedies, aromatherapy, healing touch, and acudetox. Other social workers are into angels....

MORE: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pseudos...cial-work/

Quote:aromatherapy  acupressure

i am a little surprised to see these 2 thrown in to the group.
chemical fumes do effect the human body & mind
same with nerve point pressure

there is a big leap between prescribing aromatherapy for a psychiatric patient and prescribing aromatherapy for someone who feels a little low energy.


do social workers engage in prescribing for psychiatric patients ?

not that i am aware of in modern 1st world countrys.
they may be involved with discussion with a psychologist & a psychiatrist, however throwing them into the prescribing ring seems a little overt.

social workers have the highest burn-out rate of most professions.


also, social work is allowed to be deemed valid in the usa as a religious process.

pray the gay away and all other manner of cult like church groups define their own members as social workers so they can take money from the government.

that's hardly "social services medical professionals".
that is lining the pockets of their own no-tax-paying-church while trying to call themselves socially responsible in an attempt to grab power over the community.

government contractors have to pay tax
why do cult church groups have tax exemption from being government contractors ?
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#5
C C Offline
(Feb 2, 2019 08:23 AM)RainbowUnicorn Wrote: . . . also, social work is allowed to be deemed valid in the usa as a religious process.

pray the gay away and all other manner of cult like church groups define their own members as social workers so they can take money from the government.

that's hardly "social services medical professionals". _ that is lining the pockets of their own no-tax-paying-church while trying to call themselves socially responsible in an attempt to grab power over the community.

government contractors have to pay tax _ why do cult church groups have tax exemption from being government contractors ?


A comparison of clerical activity to "Licensed Clinical Social Worker" is apt from the standpoint of the latter's function possibly having been abstracted from the former's longer running history. IOW, being secular institution's replacement for the oldest role of shamans and the more recent, traditional religious minister. When it comes to the latter's extra-pulpit duty of "providing personal support to people in crises ... visit the sick and elderly to counsel and comfort them and their families ... engage in welfare and community services activities of communities".

LCSW sounds like psychotherapy on the light, or Counselor Troi services. (Between her and Picard's anti-Kirk style of diplomacy, ST:NG was often compared to an itinerant, social welfare agency in space.) Schools and the highrise white-collar world had to curb the complaints/litigation from parents and employee representatives by inducing the genesis of sub-culturally generic experts skilled in soothing perturbed sensibilities. But minus the tralatitious, belief-specific baggage of the devout caseworkers of yore.

While both the Psychologist and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) are able to perform a variety of functionally similar mental health therapies and diagnostic procedures, there are differences in the level and kinds of training both receive.

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Usually requiring a minimum of a Master’s degree in Social Work.
In most cases, refers only to those licensed by a state board to provide Social Work based mental therapy.
Must adhere to high standards regarding ethics and confidentiality as provided by the state board. Usually involves signing an ethics pledge or oath.
Can be involved in direct therapy with patients in private practice.
Might be a leader or part of a team conducting research for a university or private enterprise.
Uses researched based strengths based social work approach to treating clients.
Can assess and make clinical evaluations of client’s mental health and diagnose mental illness.
Make judgments on the best course of treatments based upon current clinical research in the social work field.

The LCSW practices a type of mental health therapy that is strength based, meaning that they work with the client to find out what strong natural skills and talents they possess that can be used as a launching point to tackle issues causing hardship in the individual’s life. The social work framework for mental health therapy is very holistic, it will take into account not only the individual client’s emotional and psychological makeup, but also societal and environmental factors that can impact the well-being of the client.


The Religiosity and Spiritual Beliefs and Practices of Clinical Social Workers: A National Survey: This article describes the religious and spiritual beliefs and practices among a national sample of 426 licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs). Given the significant role LCSWs’ intrinsic religiosity plays in whether or not they consider clients’ religion and spirituality (RS) as it relates to practice, it is critical that the profession best understands current LCSWs’ religious and spiritual beliefs, and in what ways these mirror or contrast those of the clients whom they serve. Findings from this secondary analysis of a recent national survey suggest that compared with the general U.S. population, fewer LCSWs self-identify as Protestant or Catholic, fewer engage in frequent prayer, and fewer self-identify as religious. However, more LCSWs engage in meditation and consider themselves to be spiritual. Although it appears that RS is an important area in both LCSWs’ and clients’ lives, the beliefs, practices, and degree of importance with either differ. This article addresses implications for practice and education, as identifying such differing views calls on the profession to strengthen its training surrounding LCSWs’ self-awareness of their RS beliefs and recognizing that their clients may not hold similar beliefs or engage in similar practices.

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