Encounters, defined as contacts between a social worker and client that have not been regularly scheduled, represent an alternative to the classic casework method. Presents a consumer-oriented strategy based on clinical experience in a public community mental health center in a large urban area. (Author)

Human communication is a complex process. For individuals from different regional, ethnic, or racial backgrounds, communication may be difficult. Focuses on some common ways individuals fail to communicate clearly and the significance of this failure for social work practice. (Author)

Because feelings workers experience as part of counter-transference may affect attitudes toward clients and their performance of casework, such feelings are the concern of supervisors and workers. An exercise which has been used successfully in the exploration by worker and supervisor of feelings that are nontherapeutic is presented. (Author)