Bias and the Client Relationship
Bias and the Client Relationship
Before you begin this assignment, consider your thoughts about the following questions regarding homelessness:
What puts individuals at risk for becoming homeless?
Why do individuals become homeless?
Who is homeless in this country?
Why do individuals stay homeless?
Then watch the following video about Michael’s struggle with homelessness, family tragedy, and cancer in middle adulthood. As you are watching the video, take note of the biological, psychological, and social factors that Michael is struggling with. Allow yourself to be open to how you feel about this man’s situation.
Homeless Man Shares Heartbreaking Story of Family Tragedy and Cancer (Invisible People, 2018)
Assignment Directions
Use the Unit 8 Assignment Template to complete this assignment.
Please address all of the following:
Identify one biological, one psychological, and one social factor that Michael is struggling with.
What services/interventions would you recommend for Michael? Identify one service for each factor that you listed above.
If you had the opportunity to talk with Michael, what two questions would you ask him?
Reflect on the initial thoughts you had on homelessness. How did understanding Michael’s experience change or contradict the biases you held?
How does bias impact how we respond to and provide services for the homeless population?
How will you identify and resolve your own bias when working in this field?
Unit 8 Assignment: Bias and the Client Relationship
Name:
Answer all the questions in complete sentences and paragraphs, using appropriate personal and professional insights.
Identify one biological, one psychological, and one social factor that Michael is struggling with. What services/interventions would you recommend for Michael? Identify one service for each factor that you listed.
Category
Factor
Service/Intervention
Biological
Pancreatic cancer
Palliative care
Psychological
Grief and trauma
Counselling
Social
Homelessness
Housing assistance
If you had the opportunity to talk with Michael, what two questions would you ask him?
How can I best support you in managing your health and well-being during this challenging time?Is there anything specific you need to share or discuss to help alleviate some of the emotional burden you are carrying?How can I best support you in managing your health and well-being during this challenging time?Is there anything specific you need to share or discuss to help alleviate some of the emotional burden you are carrying?
Reflect on the initial thoughts you had on homelessness. How did understanding Michael’s experience change or contradict the biases you held?
My initial predisposition perceived homelessness as a consequence of individual decisions. This prejudice is dismantled by Michael's account, which reveals the complex interrelationship between illness, loss, and tragedy that precipitated his homelessness. His story illustrates how circumstances are frequently influenced by elements outside of one's control (Invisible People, 2018). This epiphany disrupts preexisting assumptions, cultivating a more sophisticated comprehension of homelessness as a complex matter. Shifting the focus from judgment to empathy and acknowledging the numerous obstacles that individuals such as Michael encounter transforms my viewpoint on the intricate dynamics that contribute to homelessness.My initial predisposition perceived homelessness as a consequence of individual decisions. This prejudice is dismantled by Michael's account, which reveals the complex interrelationship between illness, loss, and tragedy that precipitated his homelessness. His story illustrates how circumstances are frequently influenced by elements outside of one's control (Invisible People, 2018). This epiphany disrupts preexisting assumptions, cultivating a more sophisticated comprehension of homelessness as a complex matter. Shifting the focus from judgment to empathy a