The therapy must truly respect and care for the youth and the parent:
- Suspend judgment – does not mean you must approve of all behaviors
- Respond carefully
- Does not mean total honesty (e.g. unexamined biases might reinforce stigma)
Advice from a clinical supervisor Stay flexible- as you get to know your clients and what makes them tick, be careful not to “pigeonhole” them based on information about their culture, religion, family background, spirituality, socioeconomic status, etc. Avoid stereotypes. Be open minded. This allows the social worker to work with a wide variety or range of clients. Clients often feel, “if the social worker accepts me, then I must be okay.”
