Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons

Contents About the Editor * Contributors * Foreword * Acknowledgments * Chapter 1: Knowledge for Practice with Gay and Lesbian Persons * An Ecological Approach * Sources of Knowledge * Practice Wisdom * Personal Experience * History and Current Events * The Professional Literature * Research * Theoretical and Conceptual Analyses * Self-Awareness * Knowledge Derived from the Individual Case * Conclusion * Chapter 2: Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons * The Profession's Core Values and Ethical Principles: Application in Practice with Lesbian and Gay Clients * Identifying, Analyzing, and Resolving Ethically Challenging Practice Problems and Dilemmas * Conclusion * Chapter 3: Negotiating Conflicts in Allegiances Among Lesbians and Gays of Color: Reconciling Divided Selves and Communities * Previous Research on Racial Identity, Gay/Lesbian Identity, and GALOC Identity * Applying the Life Model: The Stress-Coping Process Revisited * Paradigm of the Stress Process * Heterosexism, Racism, and Sexism: Creating Conflicts in Allegiances * The Root of Conflicts in Allegiances: Pressures for Unity via Homogeneity * Conclusion * Chapter 4: Individual Practice with Gay Men * Introduction * Definition * Assessment * Ethnic and Cultural Diversity * Rural Gay Men * Depression and Development Issues * Chronically Mentally Ill Gay Men * Substance Abuse * Domestic Violence * Antigay Violence * Aging * AIDS * HIV-Negative Men * Living with HIV and AIDS * Death and Dying * Conclusion * Chapter 5: Individual Practice with Lesbians * Who Is Your Client? * Married Lesbians * Adolescents * Gender Bias * Couples * Domestic Violence * Lesbian Mothers, Children, and Families * Lesbians of Color * Differently Abled Lesbians * Rural Lesbians * Case Vignette * Health * HIV/AIDS * Alcohol and Substance Abuse * Older Lesbians * Religion * Conclusion * Chapter 6: Group Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians * Societal Context * Merits of Group Work * Literature Review * A Group Work Approach * Case Illustrations * Discussion * Chapter 7: Social Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians Within Families * Definition of Family * An Ecological Perspective * Gays and Lesbians in the Context of Their Families of Origin * Disclosure to Families of Origin * Disclosure to Parents * Creating Families * Conclusion * Chapter 8: Social Work Practice with Lesbian Couples * Fusion and Enmeshment: Strength or Pathology? * Influence of Same-Gender Socialization * The Impact of a Nonnutritive Environment: Homophobia and Social Exclusion * Internalized Homophobia * Lesbian Identity Development and Couplehood * Sexual Intimacy Issues * Fusion and Enmeshment as Functional and Adaptive: High Emotional Closeness * Fusion as Pathology * Therapist-Specific Issues * In Summary: Therapeutic Goals and Interventions * Conclusion * Chapter 9: Social Work Practice with Gay Male Couples * Internalized Homphobia, Heterosexism, and Gay Identity * Coupling Dynamics * Male Gender Role Socialization * Joining * Assessing Presenting Concerns * Interventions * Case Illustrations * Implications for Social Work Practice * Conclusion * Chapter 10: Social Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians Within Communities * Practice with Communities Within an Ecological Framework * Disempowerment and Social Pollution * The Search for Community Within the Context of the Coming-Out Process * Habitat * Niche * The Transgendered Community * Implications for Social Work Practice * Chapter 11: Social Work Practice with Gay Men and Lesbians Within Organizations * Code of Ethics * Organizational and Political Realities * Contemporary Practice * Strategies