Field placement in addictions treatment offers social work students several diverse and rich opportunities for learning. Addictions practice exposes students to spirituality as a domain of health and well-being foundational to many recovery programs. For practicum students, learning to manage personal religious beliefs and spirituality can be a significant need in field supervision. Based on the supervisory experiences of a field instructor and field coordinator who have collaborated in field education for 10 years (as well as were colleagues on a family drug court team prior), this article presents strategies for helping students manage their personal beliefs about faith and spirituality in addictions practice. Supervision strategies presented include: (a) separating spirituality from religion, (b) reframing addiction viewed as sin, (c) offering reflective feedback, (d) self-reflecting through journaling, process recording, and other assignments, and (e) promoting experiential activities to connect personally with people of different backgrounds.
Admission to a BSW program is a significant stage of professional development for social work students. Thus, the purpose of this study is to learn how social work students experienced selective admission in an undergraduate program and the roles of faculty to support students during the admission process. I conducted focus groups and interviews with 24 students and alumni for a stakeholder analysis of admission to a baccalaureate social work program. Students described three types of personal responses to BSW admission: (a) stress and anxiety, (b) deepened commitment to the social work profession, and (c) a strong sense of accomplishment. In addition, students' expectations of faculty during the admission process were (a) advising students, (b) mentoring students, (c) connecting students to the social work program, and (d) gatekeeping for the profession. Findings may guide social work educators as they carry out admission practices and incorporate strategies to meet students' needs.
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