UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO                                                         FALL TERM 2000

FACULTY OF SOCIAL WORK                        PROFESSOR ROB MACFADDEN

 

SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH COUPLES

                          SWK 4610S

  1. During your first session with a couple, you mention that your service is totally confidential and that you will not communicate with anyone without a Release of Information Form, signed by both partners. About half way through the session, the husband admits to sexually abusing his five year old daughter.
  1. You grew up with a close friend who was abused during her early years of marriage. You now find yourself working with a couple where the husband reminds you greatly of the person who abused your friend. You have very negative feelings towards him, what should you do?
  1. You have promised confidentiality to both partners in couple counselling who wish to discuss some issues with you individually. Although both have stated their commitment to the relationship in front of each other, one partner privately reveals that she is in love with another man, yet doesn’t want to hurt her husband or let him know about it.
  1. Although the couple is coming in to strengthen their relationship, you are aware that the wife’s personal growth and interests are moving her away from what you believe the husband will tolerate and accept. Individually, the wife is enjoying new competencies and considerable growth, but the developing tension within the relationship has actually increased.
  1. You are very skilled and committed to the use of Model A with couples. Your new clients openly reject several key components of this approach and may not continue in therapy.
  1. You suspect that one of your colleagues is having a sexual relationship with a client. What do you do?
  1. In discussing the couple’s conflictual relationship, you disclose that you too were in a similar marriage that eventually broke up and resulted in several years of therapy for yourself and children.
  1. In discussing another aspect of a couple’s sexual problems you inadvertently find out that the husband routinely chokes his wife to control her oxygen intake to heighten her orgasm. Although the wife is not objecting, you are shocked by this activity and concerned about the deadly nature of their lovemaking. What responsibility do you have to say something?

 

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