ABSTRACT
My foray into social work began on a steamy September day in New York City. I was a true neophyte, having attended just two social work classes prior to the first day at my field placement, a methadone maintenance clinic housed in an old trailer. Having been raised in a small prairie city in Saskatchewan, Canada, I was not only new to addiction counseling but also new to New York and the cultures I would soon encounter. My first client was a 46-year-old man from Puerto Rico, Roberto (not his real name). My supervisor instructed me to conduct an intake assessment. She said the meeting would be relatively easy as I simply had to complete the intake forms with him. As I politely introduced myself to Roberto, I started to perspire – not just from nervousness, but also from the warm, stale air emanating throughout the trailer. I reviewed the standard consent form with Roberto. He was more than willing to sign it. Dutifully, I went through the 35-page assessment form with Roberto, taking copious notes to accurately capture his answers. Initially, I thought I attended well to my ethical obligations. I respected the client’s self-determination. I explained confidentiality. I fulfilled my agency obligations regarding completion of the assessment forms. Reflecting back, however, I missed something very important: empathy (Slote, 2007). For 90 minutes, I was so busy asking questions and completing forms that I did not tune into Roberto’s thoughts, feelings, and experience. I was conducting an objective assessment rather than facilitating a client history (Slesar, 2017). Most questions required Roberto to choose between limited options rather than allowing him to say what he wanted. I did not invite him to share his story. I was so disconnected from his situation that I hardly noticed he was perspiring, yawning, and experiencing heroin withdrawal. I was not aware Roberto was ready to say anything to please me. He viewed me as a gatekeeper who would decide whether he would be given methadone to alleviate his withdrawal.
