Social Work Commons^™

Zen And Clinical Social Work: A Spiritual Approach To Practice, Mark Brenner, E. Homonoff

Social Work Faculty Publications

This exploratory study examined the influence of a personal practice of Zen Buddhist meditation on the professional work of clinical social workers. Three areas were explored with a sample of 10 clinical social workers who had practiced Zen meditation for at least 5 years: practice framework, clinical practice, and interactions within larger systems. Analysis of the data generated from semistructured interviews revealed 3 interrelated, overarching themes: awareness, acceptance, and responsibility. Implications of these findings for the practice of clinical social work are offered.