Within specialized areas you get to know what those programs are. The orientation of social work has always been person and environment, different from psychology which focuses on internal happenings. We try to look at the person in a context of his or her physical, social, psychological and cultural environment. We look at what patients' roles are in the family, what their roles are in society, how they see themselves. We believe in self-determination and are careful not to superimpose a decision.
Social work is an enabling process.
You show people how to do things for themselves. Managing group and family dynamics is a big part of what we do. We need to be able to negotiate in a hostile group or an enmeshed family situation. These are skills that are taught to social workers within their professional training. Psychologists and psychiatrists tend to focus on what is going on internally with the patient, while social workers are trained to think about the system and help the patient find the best possible solution.