Bshs 305 - Client Paper

Client Paper

Dana Craig

BSHS/305

August 11, 2014

Kimberly Tarshis

“Problems,” according to Woodside and McClam (2012) “are a normal part of life.” Problems might seem small such as a married couple needing information on a healthy diet while pregnant. Problems might seem big such as a preteen with an eating disorder seeking a healthy diet.  Either way, according to Woodside and McClam (2012) “problem is defined as a situation, event, or condition that is troublesome for the client.” From teen mothers to aging mental patient, human service helpers work through a wide range of problems.

Problems also vary for one person’s prospective to another’s. What one client or helper may view as a problem another client or helper may not. “It is difficult to predict what an individual will experience as a problem.”(Woodside and McClam, 2012)

To understand the variety of problems a human service helper might encounter and need to assist a client with, it is useful to break the problems down into smaller groups or perspectives. This serves as a framework to help identify problems. Woodside and McClam(2012) offer “five ways to think about client situations: developmental and situational problems, hierarchical needs, needs created by societal change, and environmental influences.” By using these frameworks a helper can identify the problem easier and in return will be able to begin making a plan to help their client.

Developmental prospective uses the concept or theory that every person goes through certain stages and developmental process. When something goes wrong during that process a person may not learn the proper skills or tools to affectively move on to the next stage. This may cause a break in the development of that individual. According to Woodside and McClam(2012) “Using a developmental model to view problems may be helpful to the human service professional because it provides the helper with a basic understanding of the process of growth and change that individuals normally experience. Helpers can use Erikson’s stages to help describe problems in terms of current tasks that require the client’s focus, as well as to determine whether the previous developmental tasks have been adequately completed.”

Situational Perspective identifies problems due to a sudden or unexpected problem in living such as a car wreck, act of violence, natural disasters, illness or a major life change such as divorce. Situational problems could also refer to short or long term problems. An example of a short time problem is a client whose driver’s license was suspended because the client was unable to afford car insurance. With the client losing their license they lose their only means of transportation to and from work which means they cannot work to make money to pay for the insurance or the fees to get their licenses renewed.