Let’s Make a DEAL: A Model for Social Worker Growth and Development
by Beverly Wertheimer, DMin, MSW
How do new social workers develop an effective style in the therapy room? The answer is by taking a good hard look at their work. Fledgling clinical social workers may be apprehensive or embarrassed to reflect and take stock of how they did with their clients, but it is precisely this accounting that leads to growth and development. Developing a professional self means looking at one’s words, feelings, and actions with an eye toward learning.
One of the more challenging situations I faced as a new clinical social worker was with a client* from Honduras who was “giving therapy one last shot” because her three prior attempts were “brief, disappointing, and harmful.” My client had myriad intersecting mental health, physical, environmental, and social challenges. She was in remission from cancer, was a survivor of sexual abuse, was of minority and lower socioeconomic status, lived with her aunt who had formerly abused her, and had a daughter with a neurodevelopmental disorder.
The difficulty for me was not only knowing where to begin but also rising to the challenge of being the only therapist not to fail her. I recall my self-doubt creeping in. I wondered if I was strong enough to hold her everlasting image of the social work profession on my shoulders. Of course, my fears were exaggerated. There was only one first social work engagement task for me: to listen with compassion, caring, empathy, and unconditional positive regard.
Using the DEAL Model
But how would I know if I was being compassionate and caring with my client? I could simply rely on a “feeling.” I could ask her. I could have her fill out a survey. Or I could use a reflection tool known as the DEAL model.
The DEAL model was developed around 2004 by faculty at North Carolina State University to help students think more critically and deeply about their community service work in a college-based experiential service-learning program. Dr. Sarah Ash and Dr. Patti Clayton developed the DEAL framework to bring added meaning to students’ civic work beyond the customary superficial student response like, “I got so much out of my experience.” (Ash & Clayton, 2004) The DEAL model celebrates the art of deliberate contemplation, whose benefits Ash and Clayton describe as useful in any field where critical thinking and problem-solving are required—in other words, “in virtually any learning situation” (2004).
Just as students in community service can engage in the work but still miss the meaning, the same is true of clinical social workers after their treatment sessions with clients. The DEAL model provides an excellent way for new clinical social workers to better understand their client experiences. It directs social work students to dig deeper and to “rigorously reflect” upon their learning with clients so they can draw upon this awareness in the future (Ash & Clayton, 2004).
An important part of this framework requires that students apply comprehensive and critical thinking while replying to four prompts: I learned that; I learned this when; this learning matters because; and in light of this learning. Ash and Clayton explain that these four prompts build upon an earlier theoretical model that asked the simple, reflective questions: “What? So What? Now What?”
Describe: What I Learned About Self and Interactions with Others
The “D” of the DEAL model asks us to describe the “what.” What did I learn about myself and my interaction with my client with many intersecting identities? I learned not to fall into the trap of trying to solve all her problems. Not only would such an attempt be futile, but it could also be construed as offensive—as though I possessed the answers that she lacked. Endeavoring to solve our clients’ problems for them has an appearance of compassion, but in practice, it is anti-client centered and creates an imbalance of power. Had my approach been to swoop in with sympathy, advice, or even psychoeducation, our relationship would likely have been short lived. I learned that I must be flexible and adaptable, a human survival skill as useful in the therapy room as in the wild.
Examine: How Did I Learn It?
The “E” of the DEAL model focuses on an examination of “how.” How did I learn it? I learned it by actively listening to my client without trying to figure out what to fix. I understood the importance of validating my client’s experiences, because I heard her tell me that her previous therapists had failed to validate her. She explained that they “never truly heard” her. Furthermore, my client said that when she pointed out their transgressions, the therapists failed to circle back to repair the mis-attunements. I would not make that same mistake. My willingness to examine and address my parataxic distortions created an atmosphere of acceptance, caring, and genuine admiration for my client.
Articulate Learning: Importance, Improvement, and Future Use
The “A” of the DEAL model is the equivalent of articulating the “so what.” What’s so important about this learning and how did it help me improve? This is a question every new social worker should ask. In my case, this learning mattered to my ongoing professional development, because while competence is imperative in a clinical setting, it is not enough. Force feeding a trauma victim psychoeducation or giving advice when she is pouring her heart out would lack compassion, but truly listening, summarizing, and validating would demonstrate acceptance. I learned to verbally and non-verbally communicate that I accept what is true for the client, regardless of whether I agree with her reasoning or actions. I learned to acknowledge that she, and all clients, are doing the best they can in the present moment, while I still emphasized the need for positive change. Recognizing the inherent dignity of humanity is a core social work principle that we must embody, not only in deed but also in creed — in our core beliefs about our clients (Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles, 2018).
The “L” of the DEAL model is a way of moving the learning forward and asking, “Now what?” In light of this learning, I improved upon my ability to set aside preconceived notions. When I first met my client, she was pacing frantically and said, “I’m really stressed and can’t sit still.” My first thought was, “How is this going to work?” But no sooner did I have that thought than I articulated it as, “You’re having a really grueling day.” As soon as she heard this, she stopped pacing and sighed, “Yes,” and proceeded to sit down. The essence of practicing community care is meeting clients where they are—no matter their stage of change.
It is a social work imperative to show compassion, even when someone lacks compassion for themselves. Having what I call affectionate love for my clients has vastly improved the quality of all my clinical experiences. Using the DEAL model when I was a social work student was the impetus for this deeper reflection, understanding, and growth, and it is an invaluable part of any clinical social work education.
Usefulness to Social Workers Across Settings and Levels of Practice
The DEAL model provides a useful framework for social workers throughout their careers, because every new client and every new setting offers a unique experience and opportunity for reflection. With an easy-to-remember acronym and a structured process to follow, the DEAL model supplies social workers with a means of analyzing their work honestly and critically and developing an intellectual discipline that will serve them in any social work setting or level of practice.
References
Ash, S., & Clayton, P. (2004). The articulated learning: An approach to guided reflection and assessment. Innovative Higher Education, 29(2), 137-154.
Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles. (2018). https://www.ifsw.org/global-social-work- statement-of-ethical-principles/
*Client identity has been changed to protect confidentiality.
Beverly Wertheimer, DMin, MSW, is a clinical social worker focused on meaning-centered therapy, an adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, and a certified life coach and CEO at BeWorthy.com. Previously, she was a TV anchor and reporter at ABC and NBC affiliates, CNN Turner Entertainment, and Entertainment Tonight.