Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 9.09 History and Poverty
Presentation #1 Title
Urban Appalachian Women: A Strengths-Based Empowerment Approach to Practice
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Appalachian women are known to be resilient and possess strengths and capabilities for adapting to life's ongoing challenges. The authors have utilized various resiliency and strengths-based empowerment approaches for working with Appalachian women from both urban and rural practice settings. The art of social work practice involves selecting the most applicable and culturally competent methods for the Appalachian client population. Appalachian values, traditions, and social history must always be considered in assessment and intervention planning, throughout the process of treatment. Still, the unique needs and strengths of each woman of Appalachian cultural heritage must be included in the empowerment and counseling process. The length of residence outside the Appalachian region and level of cultural identity are among the characteristics to be considered. Some of the key resiliency and empowerment counseling methods and theories selected for discussion here are: feminist, social constructionist, narrative, and solution-focused. Case study materials will be included, along with an Ecological Map (Eco-Map), to further elucidate urban Appalachian women's receptiveness and responsiveness to specific empowerment counseling methods and theories.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Dr. Shirley M. Keller, a second generation Appalachian (WV), is a Professor of Social Work at Youngstown State University, who has specialized in empowerment practice in medical and other practice settings; Dr. Keller's major research and teaching areas involve empowerment of women with an emphasis on resilience of women of Appalachian cultural heritage.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Dr. Lonnie R. Helton, a first generation Appalachian (TN), is a Professor Emeritus at School of Social Work, Cleveland State University, where he recently retired as a Professor and interim department head. Dr. Helton's major research includes Appalachian women's resilience, Appalachian folk medicine, oral histories, group work, and Family Therapy.
Urban Appalachian Women: A Strengths-Based Empowerment Approach to Practice
Harris Hall 342
Appalachian women are known to be resilient and possess strengths and capabilities for adapting to life's ongoing challenges. The authors have utilized various resiliency and strengths-based empowerment approaches for working with Appalachian women from both urban and rural practice settings. The art of social work practice involves selecting the most applicable and culturally competent methods for the Appalachian client population. Appalachian values, traditions, and social history must always be considered in assessment and intervention planning, throughout the process of treatment. Still, the unique needs and strengths of each woman of Appalachian cultural heritage must be included in the empowerment and counseling process. The length of residence outside the Appalachian region and level of cultural identity are among the characteristics to be considered. Some of the key resiliency and empowerment counseling methods and theories selected for discussion here are: feminist, social constructionist, narrative, and solution-focused. Case study materials will be included, along with an Ecological Map (Eco-Map), to further elucidate urban Appalachian women's receptiveness and responsiveness to specific empowerment counseling methods and theories.
