ABSTRACT
This chapter encompasses psychoanalytic and ego psychology theories, particularly the ego functions and defense mechanisms. Psychodynamic understanding is relevant to clinical interventions in any social work setting; all clients have an inner mental/emotional life, although they may not be asking for help in exploring or altering it. People dealing with medical problems, aging parents, or child welfare issues are coping with critical life situations to which they bring their unique personalities, vulnerabilities, and ways of relating. The deeper our understanding and sensitivity to their underlying needs, feelings, ego functioning, and defensive operations, the better able we are to anticipate and deal with the complexities of working with them, their relationship demands on others and ourselves, and the resulting dilemmas in which we can become entangled. Learning to appreciate the complexities of human behavior will enable students to analyze their participation in the casework encounter with greater objectivity.
