The Profession of Social Work and the Legacy of Kübler-Ross

Abstract

Social work is a practice-based profession. As such, it is important to understand our roots and the basis for our interventions, to assess continuing validity, and to determine if the assumptions and methodologies we use still fit. This article focuses on the tenets put forth by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 50 years ago and describes how the profession of social work extended and expanded her pioneering work to define a robust area of social work practice in palliative and end-of-life care.