In recent years, several developments have stimulated new ways of thinking about the social worker's "self" or "selves" in all aspects of practice. The focus on practice with diverse populations, and the emphasis on "anti-oppressive" practice have highlighted elements of the relationship between social worker and client.
The objective of this book is threefold:
1. Offer the reader a historical/developmental overview of the concept of "use of self" and critically explore its adequacy for contemporary ethical practice.
2. Provide the reader with first-person, practitioners' accounts of their own "use of self" in examples of reflective practice approaches.
3. Broaden the scope of the concept of critical "use of self" to fields of service where it is under-theorized in, for example, community work and corrections.

Deena Mandell teaches MSW and Ph.D. students as well as new field instructors in the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. She also works to support the success and inclusion of students previously educated outside of North America. Her second book, Revisiting the Use of Self: Questioning Professional Identities, focuses on reflexivity as a key to just practices.

Deena mandell's profile page

"This volume makes a significant contribution by expanding the core notion of the 'use of self,' integrating recent theories and contextual approaches, broadening the scope of our understanding and providing enhanced means to conduct a reflective practice. Importantly, practitioners are shown as people who are on a quest, what the editor points out as having a sense of adventure, risking their 'self,' which is seldom shown in professional or academic writings. And yet, this is what brings strength. This too is a political statement. The editor and the team are to be commended for having achieved this."— “Adrienne Chambon, Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto