Clinical and Macro Terms

Countertransference

A set of conscious or unconscious emotional reactions to a client experienced by a therapist. These feelings usually originate in the therapist's own developmental conflicts or past. When this occurs, a good first step is to seek supervision (not just colleague consultation, as colleagues may not have adequate training to know how to respond to this).

Transference

The emotional reactions that are assigned to current relationships but originated in earlier experiences (often presenting as the feelings a client has toward a therapist). When a client experiences this interaction with the therapist, it can be discussed and used therapeutically.

Dual Diagnosis

The occurrence of coexistent diagnoses within an individual. This is most commonly associated with a substance use disorder and another psychiatric disorder

Dual Relationship

Having a second role with the client in addition to the client-therapist relationship (such as friend, business associate, family member, sex partner, etc.). Simply put, a dual relationship is anytime we know a client outside of the therapeutic relationship.

Ego Syntonic

Traits of personality, thought, behavior, and values that are incorporated by the individual who considers them acceptable and consistent with his or her overall true self.

Ego Dystonic

Traits of personality, behavior, thought, or orientation considered to be unacceptable, repugnant, or inconsistent with the individual's perceptions—conscious or unconscious—of himself or herself.

Empathy

A therapeutic technique in which the social worker communicates to a client that they perceive and understand the experiences, emotional state, and/or ideas of their client.

Empowerment Model

This model utilizes interventions that help people achieve a sense of control in their lives by using a client's strengths, resources, and resilience. It aims to reduce powerlessness created by social and political environments that oppress.

Evidence Based Practice

This combines the social worker's clinical experience, code of ethics, and client preferences with well-researched interventions to guide the treatment and services a client receives to achieve their therapeutic goals.

informed consent

The process of a client granting permission to engage in treatment after receiving information about treatment, including potential risks and benefits.

LCSW Clinical Exam© 2023 Therapist Development Center

Self-Determination

An ethical principle of social work that allows clients to make their own choices about their treatment and their lives.

Reflection/Reflective Listening

When using , ____the social worker is accurately describing the client's verbal and nonverbal clues, listening and responding to not just the content, but the feelings of the client. It involves communicating that you accurately sense the world as they are experiencing it. ____ is like holding up a mirror in counseling; you are ____ back the essence of what the client has just communicated (verbally and nonverbally) to you.

Reframing

A technique used to help clients see their situation in a new light or from a different perspective they haven't thought of.

Interpretation

The therapist's clinical impression of the meaning behind a behavior/communication. It goes beyond the explicit and observable client content and involves communicating an inferred component with the intention of adding new knowledge, understanding, or meaning.

Summary

Condensing the main points of what the client is saying or feeling in a session. It covers the primary components of the session so the client has an opportunity to recap key points of the session before it ends.

Confrontation

Addressing and bringing awareness to something the client may be overlooking, avoiding, or denying. We would not confront a client until we have established rapport with them. When a client is engaging in therapy interfering behavior, confronting may be necessary.

Clarification

This is used when the client makes a vague or ambiguous statement in order to understand what they mean.

Probing questions

These are questions the social worker asks to help the client dig deeper into their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. This process can promote critical thinking and self-reflection.

social justice

A social work ethical principle that involves working toward everyone having the same economic, political and social rights, protections, and opportunities.

board of directors

A committee responsible for significant decisions and direction within an organization (including mission and vision, funding, staffing of high level positions, and strategic planning).

Capacity Building

The process of improving an individual or organization's abilities, skills, processes, and resources in order to expand, grow, and fulfill its mission.

Coalition

brings together people/groups/factions/political parties that join their resources and manpower to work towards a specific change/goal that individually they would be unable to achieve. These tend to be larger than a task force; there can be smaller subcommittees (task forces) that are grouped by an area of specialty and are assigned to complete specific tasks within a coalition.

Task force

any group or organization that is assembled for or assigned to complete a specific task. On the exam, assembling a task force is something you may see around community organizing or larger scale program development.

Community Organizing

Involves engaging with and empowering members of a community to address a common problem and bring about positive change within the community. This involves coming alongside the community and addressing issues identified by members of the community.

Program Development

involves the planning, development, and execution of a new program or service to meet an unmet need.

Program Evaluation

evaluates a program's effectiveness. Data gathered from an evaluation can be used to improve the services the program delivers.

● Overall program evaluation (also known as an 'outcome evaluation' or 'summative evaluation') looks at the results of a program (whether or not it met the stated goals of the program).

● Process evaluation analyzes the implementation of the program to determine whether each step of the program was executed effectively.

Policy Analysis

The evaluation of a policy to understand what led to the creation and implementation of the policy and how it will impact various people and communities.

Focus Group

gather together a small group of people to gather opinions, ideas, and beliefs on a particular subject.

Feasibility Study

The process of assessing an agency or organization's ability to carry out a particular task.

Social security administration

An independent agency of the U.S. federal government that administers Social Security, including retirement, disability and survivor benefits.

501(c)(3)

A non-profit, tax-exempt organization.

501(c)4

A lobbying organization. Unlike a 501(c)3, it is not exempt from paying federal taxes

Lobbying

is a form of advocacy that aims to influence decisions made by the

government. Lobbying often involves direct face-to face contact with politicians.

501(c)5

A political action committee (PAC). Unlike a 501(c)3, it is not exempt from paying federal taxes

political action committee

is an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation.