Existential Approach in Social Casework | Social Work | Existential Approach |

(caps)The place of theory in casework is not something which can be indifferently passed over as an insignificant matter and neither can it be over-emphasized. Theories form the supportive structure, providing a sense of intellectual and emotional security to the professional practitioners besides giving them direction and ability to predict outcomes. The essence embodied in theories is not just knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but knowledge that enriches and empowers practice. Furthermore, it is important to remember that theories are to be applied to different situations, thus lending themselves as matter to be tested, or improved upon by other theoreticians or practitioners. In the third chapter of this book, two theoretical systems that have influenced casework in India were briefly discussed.

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Existential Casework Approach 

Existentialism as an intellectual movement originated in France and started influencing art, literature, philosophy and theology. Social workers in the West who were drawn to existentialism began applying the philosophy to casework. One of the outcomes was the emergence of useful literature related to theory and practice. The major ideas of existential casework are the following:

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1. A human being is not just an existing entity; he is also capable of being aware of his existence, and of imputing meaning to his existence.

2. External forces can be vicious and menacing; but the assumption that human beings inevitably become helpless victims to these inimical forces is not acceptable. There is within every person, potentialities for transcending external circumstances. From this point of view, men and women are creators of their personalities, though they are partly creatures of their circumstances as well.

3. Every person is a being, in the process of becoming, indicating that there are static and dynamic aspects to his/her existence. Understanding a person implies that the one who is in the process of understanding, experiences through his/her observation, imagination and thinking, the static and dynamic aspects of the other person, in his here-and-now living. Understanding is both an intellectual and emotional process, whereas explanation is an intellectual process, without any emotional under-pinning.

4. Freedom is not license to do everything that one wants to do, but it is a right that has to be used consciously and responsibly. For many people, the idea of responsibility is missing from their conception of freedom as a right, with the result that, they create problems of social functioning.

Rollo May developed some useful ideas with reference to existentialism. A few of the ideas evolved on the basis of May's psychological theories are introduced here for their relevance to existential casework.

1. To exist means three things: (a) to be aware of being alive in the world; (b) to allow oneself to be consciously influenced constructively by the environment (c) to shape oneself and influence one's environment through one's creative forces. Instinctual forces are constantly striving to govern a person's behaviour. Likewise, the social he is also capable of being aware of his existence, and of imputing meaning to his existence. (alert-success)

2. External forces can be vicious and menacing; but the assumption that human beings inevitably become helpless victims to these inimical forces is not acceptable. There is within every person, potentialities for transcending external circumstances. From this point of view, men and women are creators of their personalities, though they are partly creatures of their circumstances as well. (alert-success)

3. Every person is a being, in the process of becoming, indicating that there are static and dynamic aspects to his/her existence. Understanding a person implies that the one who is in the process of understanding, experiences through his/her observation, imagination and thinking, the static and dynamic aspects of the other person, in his here-and-now living. Understanding is both an intellectual and emotional process, whereas explanation is an intellectual process, without any emotional under-pinning. (alert-success)

4. Freedom is not license to do everything that one wants to do, but it is a right that has to be used consciously and responsibly. For many people, the idea of responsibility is missing from their conception of freedom as a right, with the result that, they create problems of social functioning. (alert-success)

Existential casework help to achieve the following goals (Krill, 1969):

Helping the Process of Disillusionment

A person who has distorted perceptions of himself/herself has to go through a process of disillusionment about the self in relation to the problem and others. Wrong assumptions about the self and others have to be dislodged and, in their place, correct ideas established. Even when the objective fact is established that the client's problem is mainly because of his/her doings, the client is most likely to deny this and may blame others or the environment. (S)He can see himself /herself only as a person to whom the problem has happened and not one who is responsible for the creation of the problem. Disillusionment here means knowing how the problem has been caused through one's deeds of commission and omission. Knowing the self is an uncomfortable process and, therefore, the social worker's involvement through application of emotional support and other counselling techniques is necessary.

Confronting the Client with the Freedom to Act Appropriately and Responsibly

The client is encouraged to use his/her will to rise above his/her instinctual forces in situations where (s)he has been a slave to the instinctual demands. This could have been a process of repetitive submission that has adversely affected his/her social functioning. The alcoholic, for example, is using his freedom inappropriately, causing harm to himself and others. In the casework process of helping, the alcoholic has to he initiated into a new way of using freedom, that is, using freedom to refuse alcohol. It would mean accepting anxiety and tension as facts of existence, and deciding to handle such facts of life through thinking and acting responsibly instead of seeking a temporary escape through alcohol.

Helping the Client to make a Commitment to the Task of Changing Old Habits

With some knowledge of the self as it actually is, unfettered by distorted images, the next step for the client is to use his/her will to make a decision to change the unhelpful behaviour. Changing one's behaviour, like any other achievement, needs step by step onward movement in the form of new thinking and doing. As a distant goal, not achievable in a day or two, it requires patient plodding day by day, for which a commitment-both mental and emotional-is necessary. The social worker provides help by suggesting assignments for the client and motivating him/her to carry out the assignments.

    In existential social work, the word 'dialogue' is used to refer to the social worker-client interviews, indicating a relationship of equals. The social worker has to be fully involved in the relationship with an open readiness to share his/her own experiences with the client. The helper's commitment is to help the client to release his/her potential for effective social functioning.