Respecting the Uniqueness of the Individual: Social Work Practice within a Reflective Model

Abstract

Honoring the uniqueness of the individual is a readily accepted tenet of social work practice. However, operationalizing this value in day-to-day practice may be inhibited by traditional treatment models. The author critiques the problem-focus perspective, the different diagnostic approaches, and the objectivity-subjectivity dilemma as they apply to respecting client uniqueness. Social work practice is cast within the reflective model advanced by Schon. It is argued that this approach bolsters the social work practitioner's ability to incorporate uniqueness in work with clients by focusing attention on the unique case.