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HBSE
130. Theories of Individual Development
This course will introduce students to the psychodynamic theories
that best explicate individual psychological development over
the life cycle from a biopsychosocial perspective. These theories,
taught from an historical perspective, include drive theory,
ego psychology, object relations and attachment theory, self
psychology, and psychosocial life cycle theories. Differences
in male and female development will be discussed. Particular
attention is given to sources of development of individual
strength and resilience. Students will begin to learn to critique
and compare theories for their applications to and usefulness
for social work practice, as they reflect particular sets
of values and intersect with ethnicity, social class, gender,
sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, and other forms
of diversity. The course will bridge theoretical constructs
to contemporary practice settings. Required course first summer.
Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
131. Problems in Biopsychosocial Functioning
This course will draw upon the individual personality theories
taught in 130, Theories of Individual Development, to provide
a context in which to understand problems in biopsychosocial
functioning. The course will provide students with an opportunity
to explore how the relationships between biological, psychological,
and environmental factors can lead to the development of individual
problems in functioning. Students will learn some of the tools
with which to make descriptive developmental assessments in
examining psychosis, personality disorders, depressive disorders,
and anxiety disorders, as well as how ethnicity, race, social
class, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, and other
social variables intersect with assessment and practice issues.
Required course first summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
132. Family Theory for Clinical Social Work Practice
Theories framing the foundation for social work practice with
families are explored as they assist in understanding (1)
the relationship between the family and its environment; (2)
intergenerational family culture, structure, and process;
(3) family life cycle processes; (4) internal family organization
and process and (5) individual and family meanings and narratives.
Attention will be given to those theories that have dominated
the early family therapy movement as well as newer epistemological
positions and concepts deriving from more current feminist
and constructionist critiques. Cross-cutting the exploration
of family theory are issues of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic
status, religion, sexual orientation, age, physical, emotional
or cognitive disability as well as varying family forms. These
themes will be examined as they impact on the mastery of "normative"
and idiosyncratic life transitions and crises. Special attention
is given to the relationship between theory and social justice.
Required course first summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
133. Sociocultural Concepts
This course will introduce students to the sociocultural concepts
that define the context of human experience. While exploring
the broad thematic areas of culture, social structures, inter-group
relationships and identity, concepts of ethnicity, race, class,
gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, and disability
will be explored so as to understand how these variables impact
individual lives. Implications for practice will be explored.
Special attention will be given to the uses and misuses of
power in constructing social identities and meanings as well
as personal and group experiences, and to the ways that social
identity and position affect access to services and resources.
Required course first summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
330. Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence in its Social Context
This foundation course will examine the bio-psycho-social development of children and adolescents as a basis for understanding: (a) cognitive and affective developments allowing the child to construct individual and social life at increasingly complex levels of differentiation and affiliation, (b) the use of those developmental levels as paradigms for healthy functioning, (c) a range of childhood experiences which may enhance or deter well-being and development, and (d) the utility of normal child development as a heuristic for understanding developmentally based theories of bio-psycho-social difficulties. The course illustrates compares, and contrasts fallibilistic realist and constructivist approaches to knowledge development. Values and ethical issues related to these approaches are identified and related to practice illustrations. Particular attention will be paid to issues of self-regulation, internal representation, affect, cognition, relatedness, and separation. The tasks of infancy, early childhood, latency, and early adolescence are examined in the contexts of family and peer relationships and values and in relation to influences of gender, race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, and other cultural forces on the developing child. Issues of strengths, resilience, vulnerability, and dysfunction in the developing child are addressed. All of these themes are illustrated through practice application involving children and adults. A critical stance is encouraged in which various ideas and theories are examined in relation to the values they imply, the sociocultural contexts in which they develop, and their application to participants’ other courses (such as practice and racism). Required course second summer for students with
no prior child development course. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
331. Comparative Psychodynamic Theories for Clinical Social
Work Practice
This course will introduce and compare psychodynamic theories that are relevant to clinical social work practice. We will be comparing theoretical approaches in terms their relevance to particular aspects of clinical work, including: the nature of the relationship between clinician and client; uses of transference - counter-transference, what is hypothesized to be healing or mutative in the clinical situation; ideas regarding the developmental origins and nature of psychopathology; the impact of trauma and its treatment; the origins and treatment of addictions and substance abuse; and throughout, the importance of culture, race, gender and class in both the understanding of and work in the clinical relationship as well as in peoples’ lives. We will be learning and critiquing clinical theories, considering the historical and cultural contexts in which they developed as well as their relevance to different kinds of psychopathology, problems and settings.
This course will provide an opportunity to consider points of agreement and disagreement between models and approaches to clinical work, as well as to consider contemporary psychodynamic ideas in the context of contemporary practice. We are lucky to have several guest lecturers during the course of the term.
HBSE
333. Developmental Deviations in Childhood and Adolescence
This course examines deviations in childhood and adolescence
from a biopsychosocial developmental perspective. A range
of psychodynamic, cognitive, and other relevant theories will
be studied as they shed light on the development of child
and adolescent disorders. Specific clinical entities such
as pervasive developmental delays, physiological disorders,
and personality, cognitive, affective, and behavior disorders
are considered in terms of their etiologies and features and
in relation to the practice challenges they raise. Theories
are critically examined in terms of the sociocultural contexts
in which they develop and the cultural values and beliefs
they express. Particular attention is given to the influences
of gender, race, ethnicity, and other forms of diversity on
the development of deviations, as well as to the impact on
children and families of various kinds of oppression and deprivation.
The ways in which abuse and neglect can shape development
are also examined. Required course second summer for students
with prior child development courses. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
334. Racism in the United States: Implications for Social
Work Practice
The nature and impact of racism will be defined and understood
from both historical and social structural perspectives. Oppression,
prejudice, discrimination, and the role of power in social
and interpersonal contexts will be explored in terms of the
social construction of individual and group racial identity
and in terms of their impact on individuals, families, groups,
and communities. Students will have an opportunity to examine
their own experiences of both privilege and oppression. Implications
for practice that are strengths oriented and culturally sensitive
will be explored. The unique challenges and particular dilemmas
that both students of color and white students encounter in
practice will be examined. Students will also learn to critically
examine theories, concepts and models of practice for racial
bias. The course will combine lecture, discussion and experiential
learning as students have an opportunity to examine the impact
of growing up and living in a racist society and practicing
in racist institutions. Required course second summer. Two
quarter-hours.
HBSE 335. Crisis Intervention
This new elective introduces different clinical social work practice approaches to crisis intervention grounded in a range of theoretical models within social context i.e. crisis, object relations, attachment, cognitive behavioral, ego psychology, and a multi systemic approach. Critical incidents will include para suicidal and suicidal behavior; traumatic death; severe psychopathology; acute addictions; domestic violence; responses from children and adolescents to homicide and witnessing violence; catastrophic illness or accidents; and violence in the workplace. Focus will be placed on the identified client within the context of the family network. The intersection of diversity of sociocultural themes will be woven throughout the course. Clinical case discussions as well as videotapes will help to facilitate classroom dialogue. Elective for second or third summer, 2 quarter-hour credits.
HBSE
533. Senior Integrative Seminar
This course will assist students in reflecting upon their
clinical practice and in integrating the many theories they
have studied with their evolving professional selves. A relational
perspective will be offered as a framework for the discussion
of clinical issues. Attention will be focused on clinical
and ethical dilemmas which emerge in the therapeutic process.
These dilemmas may include: transference and countertransference
issues; questions pertaining to self-disclosure and boundaries;
supervisory dilemmas; the differential use of self in working
with various client populations and with issues of difference;
and the role of managed care in practice. The goals of the
course are: (1) to help students conceptualize how the therapeutic
process unfolds and to appreciate why they intervene in particular
ways; (2) to synthesize theory into a coherent social work
approach that attends to internal and external factors and
allows for the most creative uses of the self; (3) to develop
the courage and patience to "not know" while attending
to the complexities inherent in the therapeutic dialogue;
and (4) to develop and trust their own voices as social workers
as they prepare to enter the field. Students will be encouraged
to discuss their most perplexing clinical and ethical dilemmas
from their placements, and to grapple with their unanswered
theoretical questions. The course will also provide an opportunity
for students to gain a sense of closure as they complete their
studies at Smith. Elective course final summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
534. Attachment and Mastery in Contemporary Ego Psychology
This course examines two of the most important human motivations,
attachment and mastery (self-efficacy), as central aspects
of human behavior. For clinicians these motives are particularly
important because they are at the heart of the therapeutic
relationship and often present the most difficult problems
in both short and long-term therapies. The course will maintain
a dual focus on theory and on clinical applications. Clinical
examples from the assigned readings and the instructor's clinical
practice will illustrate how attachment and mastery are manifested
in diverse populations. In the current climate of managed
care there will be a special emphasis on understanding these
concepts as they manifest themselves in brief therapy (including
the research on brief therapy of the San Francisco Psychotherapy
Research Group). Student presentations will focus on re-examining
clinical dilemmas that have occurred in their own clinical
work in the light of these concepts. Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter hours.
HBSE 536. Culture and Development Across the Life Course:
An Anthropological Perspective
This course will use ethnographic data and concepts from anthropology to explore similarities and differences in development as it occurs across cultures. Emphasis will be on understanding the interaction between biological/maturational species-wide aspects of development and the cultural context: the way cultural values, ideals and practices shape, and give meaning to, development. The course will use a history of ideas approach to explore the continuing debate within anthropology between relativist, universalist and cultural pluralist approaches to understanding development across cultures, and the relevance of this debate to clinical social work practice. It will also help students think creatively about using psychodynamic models of development, which describe development in European and North American culture, in their practice with clients from non–western cultures. Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
537. Violence: A Systemic Approach to Assessment and Intervention
Each of us is touched by violence in some way. Our lives are
influenced by violence through a variety of systems from family
relationships to institutional and cultural structures. A
culture's response to and understanding of the nature of its
people's violence have lasting consequences. As social workers,
we frequently engage with individuals and communities in crisis
and are confronted with interpersonal and systemic brutality.
We are often on the front line in responding to violence in
our work with both the perpetrators and the victims of violent
acts. Our study of human relationships in the context of working
toward positive change on both the micro and macro level requires
an understanding of the social construction of both antisocial
and prosocial behaviors. Work with violent individuals and
oppressive systems truly challenges our ability as social
workers to identify with the other in our attempt to reach
levels of empathy necessary to be effective agents of change.
We will examine the nature of violence, cruelty and aggression
in the service of violence prevention as well as intervention
in response to violence. In order to understand more fully
avenues for fostering non-violent communities, families and
individuals, we will also explore the phenomena of kindness,
the relationship between restorative understanding and accountability
and the process of survival and healing. Attention will be
paid to the influence of diversity factors such as race, ethnicity,
religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, age, gender, and disability.
Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
540. Death and Bereavement Over the Life Cycle
This class will address issues of Death, Loss and Bereavement
as they are experienced in today's society. We will explore
some of the reasons for why this is often a hidden topic not
only in the larger society but in particular in social work
practice. Social Workers confront loss of some kind in almost
all therapeutic situations, as the issue of loss is central
to all life changes. With recent demographic changes in family
structure, previous family and social networks no longer support,
explain and contain the experience of death and bereavement.
Clinicians are now placed in the position of being the healers
of the grief experience. However, most clinicians report a
high level of discomfort and lack of training in dealing with
either their own losses or the losses of others. This course
will focus on both the experiences of dying and bereavement
as viewed by dying individuals, surviving family and friends.
How we cope with grief shapes our lives, it illuminates our
response to change, and can determine how we form, maintain
and let go of relationships. A life cycle approach will be
used with the focus on the most concrete of losses, death,
and then integrating that as part of a continuum of loss,
e.g. the loss of youth, divorce/end of previously committed
relationships, an ideal, a dream, or even a former self. The
challenges of confronting AIDS, violence, unseen losses such
as pregnancy related losses and addiction will be explored.
We will look at the process of loss and change as well as
at the social institutions that provide services to the dying
and bereaved. Social work interventions will be suggested.
The material in this course is drawn from original case histories,
at times using video recordings. Woven throughout the course
will be examples from the world of the arts, literature, drama
and poetry as well as from the professional literature. The
student's own experience of repeated terminations during their
MSW years at Smith will also be integrated into class themes,
challenging each graduating senior, in the present, with the
question: Is loss, when mourned, a vehicle for growth? Elective
course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
560. Comparative Perspectives on Disability and Disability
Policy
This course introduces students to people with disabilities.
Initially, it considers the social construction and demographics
of physical, emotional and cognitive disability. Individual
experiences of people with various types of disabilities are
explored, followed by a discussion of access and social integration.
After gaining a sense of the personal experiences of people
with disabilities, implications for social work practice are
addressed. Major disability policies are studied and critiqued,
along with strategies toward empowerment and social justice.
Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
592. Severely and Persistently Mentally Ill Clients and Their
Families: Treatment and Social Policy Perspectives
This course will address some of the major policy and service
delivery issues in the field of mental health that affect
the lives of individuals with chronic mental illness and their
families. Particular attention will be given to individuals
suffering from major mental illnesses, including Schizophrenia,
Bipolar Disorders, Major Depressive Disorder, and Psychological
Trauma. Course readings and case material will also address
issues in the treatment of adults dually diagnosed with major
mental illnesses and Substance Related Disorders. Advocacy
efforts from clients and their families will be discussed.
Students' class presentations of their own clinical work with
mentally ill adults will provide opportunities for discussing
treatment questions and ethical dilemmas that arise in working
with these individuals and their families. Elective course
taken in the second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
593. Human Sexuality
This course will explore topics in human sexuality. These
may include physiology of sexuality, taking a sexual history,
sexual orientation, sexual development over the life cycle,
and sexual dysfunctions. Students will explore the applications
of this knowledge to clinical practice and will also consider
their own level of comfort with this material as it relates
to the clinical situation. Elective course taken in the second
or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
HBSE
5535. Gender Studies
What contributions have feminist and postmodern perspectives
given to our understanding of gender? How do our assumptions
and beliefs about gender inform our approaches to identity,
coupling, sexuality, parenting, and alternative family forms?
Utilizing an overview of seminal and current writings, this
seminar will address clinical practice and public policy issues
from a range of psychological, biological, cultural, and social
theories about gender. Case vignettes, film, and literature
will provide illustrations for in-class discussion. Elective
course third summer. Two quarter-hours.
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