The Practice of Clinical Social Work in Healthcare

This book examines the complexities of clinical social work practice in healthcare today. It identifies many of the psychological, social, emotional and spiritual aspects of physical illness in adults. The approach draws on theories from trauma, crisis intervention and supportive counseling, as well as empirical literature from other healthcare fields. Recognizing that social work roles in healthcare range from short-term or crisis-oriented interventions to ongoing, depth-oriented relationships, the authors develop clinical assessment and intervention useful for social workers in various healthcare settings. By utilizing a common frame of clinical analysis, social workers can deepen their critical thinking skills in examining the impacts of specific illnesses and injuries on coping and wellbeing. Each chapter includes an analysis of the psychosocial impacts of the given medical condition across the following spectrums: illness or injury (by onset, course, outcome, and degree of incapacitation) relationship between nature of illness, and emotional and psychosocial functioning common clinical issues, and impacts of historical and current trauma end-of-life and bereavement social justice the authors’ reflections on practice The Practice of Clinical Social Work in Healthcare is an essential guide for MSW students and social work professionals in healthcare.

About the Author

Meredith Hemphill, LCSW-R, DSW (she/her/hers) works as a Clinical Director and Director of Community Relations at City Center Psychotherapy in New York City. She teaches within the social work programs at New York University and Columbia University, and is a graduate of the Zelda Foster certificate program in Palliative and End-of-Life Care. She received her master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from New York University, and bachelor’s degree at Brown University. She has acted as a Guest Editor for the Clinical Social Work Journal for a special issue on social work in healthcare. Dr. Hemphill has contributed research and writing on the topic of hope-centered work with cancer patients, counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and teaching grief and loss in social work education. She founded The Feather Foundation, a non-profit organization for parents who have cancer.

Abigail Nathanson , LCSW, DSW, APHSW-C, ACS (she/her/hers) isa palliative social worker and the founder of a trauma therapy practice specializing in illness, caregiving and loss. She is a part-time faculty member at New York University, where she teaches Grief, Loss and Bereavement, and a faculty member of the Zelda Foster Studies Program in Palliative and End-of-Life Care. She holds national board certification in palliative care, and has advanced training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, EMDR and Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy. She worked in healthcare for 15 years, and has presented in grand rounds and division trainings in major academic medical centers across the country and published on topics relating to trauma, healthcare, bereavement and death anxiety. Dr. Nathanson received both her master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from New York University, and is the 2022 award recipient of the Social Work in Hospice and Palliative Network’s Professional Educator of the Year.