In your textbook, you read about populations in need. You may have also known friends, family, or acquaintances who have sought out services. This assignment is a chance to reflect on who your clients might be.
In a journal posting, address the following questions: What individuals and groups might meet with a human services professional? Why might they seek help? From what you have read so far, how might you build a professional relationship with them so that they will talk about their problem?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Understanding Potential Clients in Human Services
Individuals and Groups Seeking Human Services
Various individuals and groups may benefit from the services of a human services professional. This includes but is not limited to:
1. Survivors of Domestic Violence: Victims of domestic violence often seek help to escape abusive relationships, access resources for shelter, and receive emotional support.
2. Homeless Individuals: Those experiencing homelessness may seek assistance with finding housing, accessing healthcare, and securing employment opportunities.
3. Youth at Risk: Adolescents facing challenges such as substance abuse, mental health issues, or academic difficulties may require support to navigate these obstacles and build a better future.
4. Immigrant Communities: Immigrants may seek help with acculturation, language barriers, legal issues, and accessing social services in a new country.
Reasons for Seeking Help
Clients may seek help due to a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
– Crisis Situations: Clients facing crises such as abuse, homelessness, or mental health emergencies may seek immediate intervention and support.
– Unmet Needs: Individuals experiencing unmet needs in areas such as housing, healthcare, employment, or education may turn to human services professionals for assistance.
– Emotional Support: Clients grappling with emotional distress, trauma, or relationship issues may seek counseling and guidance to cope with their challenges effectively.
Building Professional Relationships
To establish a strong professional relationship with clients, it is essential to demonstrate empathy, active listening, and a non-judgmental attitude. Human services professionals can build rapport by:
– Active Listening: Engaging in active listening helps clients feel heard and understood, fostering trust in the therapeutic relationship.
– Empathy: Demonstrating empathy by acknowledging clients’ feelings and validating their experiences creates a supportive environment for open communication.
– Cultural Sensitivity: Recognizing and respecting clients’ cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and values is crucial for building trust and rapport.
– Establishing Boundaries: Setting clear boundaries and expectations from the beginning helps maintain a professional relationship while ensuring clients feel safe and respected.
By prioritizing empathy, active listening, cultural competence, and clear communication, human services professionals can create a safe and supportive space for clients to open up about their problems and work collaboratively towards positive outcomes.
