Abstract
The existential impact upon social work began in the 1960’s with the emphasis upon freedom, responsibility and a sense of the absurd. It affirmed human potential while faulting the deterministic thinking that was popular with psychological theorists at that time. It was open to the prospects of spirituality, but was less than optimistic concerning great progress among social institutions. It was a forerunner to the strengths-based social work programs of our present day.
Highlights
The existential impact upon social work began in the 1960’s with the emphasis upon freedom, responsibility and a sense of the absurd
Existential Social Work had its modest entry into social work in the 60s and 70s
Sixteen articles were published by seven different social workers in the late 70s
Summary
I came upon existentialism in college in 1951. Later I had been taught and supervised from a psychodynamic model, about which I had doubts, but it was the only game in town. William Glaser’s reality therapy and Albert Ellis’ rational emotive therapy both ignored the deterministic emphasis of the Psychodynamic School. They both affirmed the idea of freedom of choice and the capacity of the individual will to make rational choices. Was the existential notion of problem solving in a present rather than past orientation Another allied existential-related belief was that the unconscious had a creative core that could be accessed through present awareness experiencing. This was the spiritual dimension found among religious existentialists and was quite compatible with Jungian and transpersonal psychologies as well. Was the dialogical emphasis of the Jewish existentialist, Martin Buber
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