Gathering Information

The readings this week discussed the importance of gathering data as an essential first step in the helping process. In your An Introduction to Human Services text, review the case that appears on pages 152–153 and reflect on how you might engage in this first step if you were presented this case in practice, addressing the following:

• The readings present several perspectives through which a helping professional might view a case. Provide a summary of the case through the different perspectives.
• What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of looking at the case from only one perspective?
• As you learned this week, the point of the data collection phase is to be able to create a clear picture of the problem(s) to be addressed in collaborative session. Understanding this, what additional information do you feel needs to be gathered to present a holistic view of this case? Explain your reasoning.

Response Guidelines

Respond to at least two of your peers, addressing the following:

• What additional data points might you recommend that your peer consider and why?
• What are some of the challenges your peer might face when seeking data from the sources they have identified?
• How might they address these challenges?