9. Motivation

The objective of motivational work is to nourish the positive energy in the positive core. Such an approach also reduces the risk of burnout, as no external affirmation is needed in the client’s behavior to fulfill this objective. Instead, motivational work aims toward intrinsic change, which may only achieve expression in outward behavior after a long time. The more motivational work is tied to observable, distinct (and often immediate) changes in the client, the more likely the worker will feel disappointed and redundant in his contact with the client.

The Case Study

Vivian is a 27-years-old woman with the occasional destructive drinking problem. She lives in fear of other people and isolates herself from her neighbors. The only people she has any contact with are her mother and ex-husband. Her TV, oven, and telephone are all out of order. Vivian has been frequently abused by her ex and even raped.

A female social worker has been in sporadic contact with her for three years, while Vivian has spent days, even months, in seclusion. At these times, the social worker tries making contact, and when they meet, Vivian talks about the meaninglessness of life and her desire to end it all. A few months ago, she met a new man who, although an alcoholic, treats her well, even tenderly (Motivational Work, Part 1: Values and Theory, page 65).

Discussion

The external social context for the client does not change very much during the first years of contact with the social worker. However, if one considers the intrinsic goal, her relationship with her social worker can have boosted her life force to dispel her suicidal tendencies. In this sense, the encounter with the social is infused with a great purpose: it helps maintain the will to live in Vivian, who carries a strong destructiveness as manifested in her thoughts and life.

After two and a half years, Vivian’s external life also shows improvement. She puts herself in situations where she is repeatedly abused and isolates herself from others. Her encounters with her social worker can have been significant given that she has effectively no one else to turn to other than her mother and ex-husband. According to the social worker, she meets a new man who treats her well and lacks the destructiveness of the former men in her life.

This change can confirm that her positive core has been strengthened and that she enjoys a greater quality of life. The motivational worker has helped the client become less internally destructive and has thus given a valuable gift to the client that enables him to live a more purposeful life.