How to be yourself: Student perspectives on learning use of self
Newcomb, M., Burton, J., & Edwards, N. (2022). How to be yourself: Student perspectives on learning use of self. Clinical Social Work Journal, 50(4), 337–346.
Use of self is a core concept in the development of authentic social work and human services practice. For students with a history of adversity, learning how to integrate past adverse experiences into their use of self can be difficult. Adversity may have motivated many to enter the helping professions, but students may not always be sure how and when their adverse experiences can be integrated into their use of self. A qualitative survey of students from three different universities in South East Queensland, Australia, found that recognizing experiences of adversity and their impact could be an essential component in learning use of self.
