Clal’s Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu, Director of Rabbis Without Borders, teaches a class at New York University’s School of Social Work with Dr. Duy Nguyen on the intersection between spirituality and social work. The class will look at how to do spiritual assessments.

Spirituality and Social Work

Social workers are very adept at doing psych–social evaluations in order to determine a client’s needs. Adding a spiritual assessment to an initial interview, or a therapeutic relationship can further inform a social worker about the needs and concerns of a client. Is a person depressed or spiritually bereft? Do they have the support of a spiritual community, or are they alone? Do they find a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives, or not? The answers to all of these questions can be found during a spiritual assessment.

In years past, social workers would steer clear of any discussions of religion or spirituality with clients. But now as hospitals and many nursing homes are required to tend to their patients spiritual needs, more and more social workers are integrating these questions in to their practice and engaging the help of chaplains and community clergy to address the spiritual needs of their clients. This program will give students an overview of how Americans affiliate religiously, how to separate their own religious views from those of their clients, and how to conduct a spiritual assessment.