Through approaching the profession of social work from a holistic and systemic perspective, students are trained to recognize that human beings, health, and well-being include physical, emotional, community, and spiritual dimensions; neglecting any one dimension undermines the whole. Additionally, curriculum embraces a person-centered approach to health and well-being in developing scholar practitioners and change agents in the field of social work who seek and apply knowledge to solve problems and foster personal, relational, and community transformation.
Integrative Social Work Programs
Department of Integrative Social Work Core Values
The Department of Integrative Social Work has adopted a set of professional and personal values to be demonstrated by all students and faculty. These qualities are directly linked to the mission and core values of the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences and of Saybrook University. All members of the social work academic community are expected to embody these qualities inside and outside of courses to the greatest extent possible. The qualities include:
Mind-Body-Community-Spirit Approach
The department approaches the profession of social work from a holistic and systemic perspective. Human beings, health, and well-being include physical, emotional, community, and spiritual dimensions; neglecting any one dimension undermines the whole.
Mindfulness and Compassion-Based Leadership
Saybrook University social workers create relationships and communities built on compassion, respect, authentic voice, deep listening, reflective awareness, support, and challenge leading to responsible presence and action.
Person-Centered
The Department of Integrative Social Work embraces a person-centered approach to health and well-being, understanding the person as “person in environment.” Person-centered care attends to each human being’s well-being, resilience, and coping in community and over the course of the lifespan.
Community-Focused
Community-focused social work emphasizes that conditions in the community and society support or undermine individual well-being. Students, faculty, and alumni of this program strive to achieve social justice and health equity.
Academic Rigor
The Department of Integrative Social Work is committed to rigor in academic and training experiences, with emphasis on a scholar-practitioner model. The graduate education in Integrative Social Work is founded on a research-informed curriculum and educational experiences.
Integrity
The department challenges its students, faculty, and alumni to conduct their lives, work, and relationships with integrity and authenticity, so they will be a credit to Saybrook University and a credit to the field of social work.
Transformation
Saybrook University social workers are scholar practitioners and change agents who seek and apply knowledge to solve problems and foster personal, relational, and community transformation.