Embracing oneself serves as an important starting point for embracing others. The Empowerment Initiative investigates the factors that impact self-esteem, self-efficacy and other facets critical to developing and maintaining a healthy sense of identity. It also explores ways of combating anxiety, depression and other barriers to personal acceptance.

The Empowerment Initiative considers how a variety of interrelated systems from communities to schools to the media establish cultural codes and environments that cultivate or impede attitudes of acceptance. The initiative also examines how these conventions and contexts shape the social experiences and personal perspectives of individuals.

Interacting with family, friends, classmates, co-workers and other groups influences how people perceive themselves and the world around them. Accordingly, the Empowerment Initiative researches and develops prevention and intervention approaches designed to cultivate understanding, acceptance and an appreciation for individuality.

The nonprofit Nebraska Bullying Prevention and Intervention Initiative supports translational research designed to foster positive, accepting communities free from bullying and other negative behaviors. Studies conducted through the Empowerment Initiative focus on identifying and addressing the complex personal, social and cultural factors underlying such behaviors, thereby advancing practical solutions to promote healthy relationships within families, schools and communities.

To support this mission, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Empowerment Initiative.

In 2015, a CNN article reported that teens spend around nine hours per day on their social media accounts, with some teens checking their accounts over 100 times per day. The simple fact that this revelation is not as shocking as it should be shows us how desensitized and integrated social media has become in our daily lives. The truth is these days you can find just about anything, real or fake, on the internet...

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Nebraska Bullying Prevention and Intervention Initiative ...

Building a Network of Quality Caring Community Based Instructors

radKIDS, Inc. is the national leader in children's safety, with headquarters based in South Dennis, Massachusetts. The radKIDS curriculum is brought to children and parents by the training and development of nationally certified instructors drawn from their own communities. By empowering a community with certified local instructors, the radKIDS Personal Empowerment Safety Education program is not just a program but a true gift to the community. The radKIDS curriculum meets, and in many cases exceeds, the foundational education standards for elementary physical education and health in all 50 states.

radKIDS does not tell your child what we hope they will do, we actually teach, train and empower children with real skills so they can recognize, avoid, resist, and if necessary escape violence or harm in their lives. Education is the only thing that can change fear into power and radKIDS can and does give children opportunity and power to live safer in our world today.

Since its inception in 2000, radKIDS, Inc. has been committed to providing education that enhances the ability of children and parents to utilize knowledge, skills, and power to protect themselves from violence and harm.Read On...

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radKIDS - The national leader in children's safety

Werediet agnostic meaning we do our best to honor and support the wisdom and usefulness of ANY dietary approach that you choose to practice.The Institute for the Psychology of Eating isthe worlds only online school dedicated to a progressive, positive, holistic understanding of eating psychology and nutrition. Unique and revolutionary in its approach, the Institute teaches students and professionals to effectively work with the most common and compelling eating challenges of our times:weight, body image, overeating, binge eating, emotional eating, endless dieting, digestion, fatigue, immunity, mood and much more.

Just click the box below, copy and paste!

1. Embody Love Movement Embody Love Movement conveys a world where all beings embrace who they are from the inside out. This is a truly beautiful and positive site where the coaches provide skills to put unhealthy relationship with food back in balance.

2. Dishing with your Daughter Karens life work is dedicated to shifting the way the next generation of young girls perceive themselves and experience food. This is an incredibly important mission in todays world where media influences guide young girls in negative and destruction decisions. If you have a daughter, you should give Karens advice a chance.

3. The Flourishing Life Susan Tolles equips women over the age of 50 with the tools they need to flourish and to create the life they desire.

4. Nourishing Our Radiance Nourishing Our Radiance has the mission to inspire women to transform their relationships with nourishment through compassionate mind-body awareness, healing foods, and restorative self-care.

5. Dr. Christina Hibbert The Psychologist, The Mom, & Me is a blog covering a range of topics related to personal growth for women, as well as parenting. Dr. Hibbert is an expert on Parenting, Womens Emotions, Pregnancy & Postpartum, and Grief & Loss.

6. Bonnie Marcus Women Success Coaching has been recognized for many years by Forbes magazine as one of the top sites for women and business. The topics covered in this blog relate to career and business development as well as personal growth.

7. Sylvias Blog for Women Entrepreneurs Sylvia Browder uplifts women entrepreneurs through her work and writing. Sylvias blog not only covers the necessary business topics of finances, customer service, marketing and PR, but also includes discussions on self-care, spirituality, and beauty.

8. Melissa Ambrosini Melissa teaches women how to take back control of their life, master their inner Mean Girl, smash through limiting beliefs and karate chop self doubt to live the life of their dreams. In her blog she offers stories and suggestions about how to reclaim your life!

9. Danielle Dowling Danielle Dowling is a life coach who encourages women to access their power to achieve their personal and professional dreams. She writes motivating and uplifting posts about how to take your vision and put it into action.

10. Gypsy Gals The GypsyGals, written by Prime and Nina Sarmiento, provide support and advice for solo female travellers, as well as detailed, photo-rich city guides to the best cities for women to travel alone.

11. Seed of Freedom Tanias mission is to guide women to lives of freedom, by awakening their true selves, dissolving fear and returning to love. Her blog is up close and personal as she shares the wisdom of her life.

12. Leonie Dawson Leonie Dawson is a self help author, artist, CEO, and self-descried hippie. Her unique style invites all women to step into their personal and professional power. Her strategic musings and practical wisdom have been featured on Problogger, Tiny Buddha, magazines like Spellcraft, Life Images, Goddess and Spheres, and in three of SARKs best-selling books on creative fulfillment and freedom.

13. The Wild Sisterhood Magazine Jen Saunders is a writer, painter, and empowerment artist who is passionate about inspiring women to love themselves, follow their hearts and change the world. Her writing has been featured on popular websites such as Tiny Buddha, Kind Over Matter, Roots Of She, and many more. Her first guest contribution to Tiny Buddha was so popular, her story was also featured in the bestselling Tiny Buddha book.

14. Empowering Girls and Women Marina DelVecchio is an author and college instructor who is committed to making space for feminist discourse. Her blog covers topics ranging from sex discrimination, women in the workplace, violence against women, and womens literature. Be sure to check-out her reading list.

15. Girl with Curves Tanesha Awasthi is a style influencer who wants to inspire the curvy community to be confident in their bodies and to have fun with fashion. Her blog, Girl with Curves, proves that style is about so much more than size.

16. Thais Guimaraes Long blog posts with inspirational musings and practical advice. Thais support coaches, healers, teachers, trainers and heart-centered women optimize their lifestyle, grow a spiritually badass business, step deeper into faith and lead from authentic feminine power.

17. Christina Morassi Christina is on a mission to help women entrepreneurs bring together all their gifts to create careers that dont exist yet, and to find their unique branding and make lots of money!

18. REBEL Dietician A REBEL Dietitian is defined as one who breaks free from the typical diet plan nutrition counseling and aligns counseling advice with client values and goals. The REBEL Dietitians include Rebecca Bitzer, Kait Fortunato and Dana Magee. They all have unique experiences and specialties to bring to the table to show you what makes Taste the Sweet REBELLION so special and successful.

19. Extraordinary Wellness Coaching Extraordinary Wellness Shaman, Lauren A. Ebbecke is fiercely committed to empowering mid-career women to exchange drama, trauma, and karma for happiness, peace and confidence.

20. Mara Glatzel Mara Glatzel is an intuitive coach and writer who wants women to realize and experience the power of self-love, self-care, and self-responsibility. Maras blog is a must-read as her gift for writing allows her to artfully describe the challenges and beauty of self-love.

21. Girl Talk HQ Girl Talk HQ is here on a mission to: inspire, inform, entertain, encourage, motivate and empower millennial women to live their best life through positive media content. Enough of the tabloid gossip we are here to support each other!

22. The Politesse The Politesse was created with one goal: to provide everyday tools to help young women navigate the real world. Written by A & A two workplace warriors, their blog posts are sassy, real and to-the point. Covering all topics from landing your dream job, fashion at the office to surviving jet lag.

23. Dr. Nancy D. OReilly Dr. OReillys blog, formerly known as WomenSpeak, serves as a platform of women connecting and sharing their stories of transformation with one another. This website is a connection hub and a source of inspiration, empowering women to change the world.

24. The Womenabler Blog Womenable focuses on women entrepreneurs and the valuable programs they are bringing into this world. This inspiring blog features different stories sharing how women support one another as they pursue and fulfill their dreams.

25. Sacred Bombshell Lifestyle Abiola offers her unique flavor of empowerment as she shares her secrets of self love. She is leading the feminine power revolution, redefining the word bombshell to mean a woman who loves and accepts herself, without apology.

26. Kimberley Jones Kimberley is a spiritual mentor helping to awaken women to their power. She also gives great business advice as she is a conscious entrepreneur.

27. She Heros SheHeroes is about inspiring young women to be tomorrows leaders. This blog highlights different women sharing their passions. This is interesting, provocative, and empowering to women of all ages.

28. Girls Globe This international womens blog advocates, inspires and raises awareness of issues concerning girls and women around our world. Girls Globe demonstrates what happens when girls and women are empowered and how they change society.

29. Our Bodies Ourselves Our Bodies, Ourselves is a nonprofit, public interest organization based in Cambridge, Mass, that develops and promotes evidence-based information on girls and womens reproductive health and sexuality. This blog is inspiring and empowers women to become engaged in the political aspects of sustaining good health for themselves and their communities.

30. Girls Cant What Girls Cant What is a blog for coming of age girls, encouraging them to break through gender stereotypes and achieve their dreams.

31. Owning Pink This blog teaches practical tips aimed at helping you heal and ROCK your health, business, love life, and more.

32. She takes on the world She Takes on the World provides articles on a variety of subjects related to entrepreneurship, interviews with fabulous women entrepreneurs, business resources, and more.

33. Lissa Rankin More than a doctor of bodies, but a doctor of souls, Lissa Rankin is fired up and shares her passion with us through her thoughtful, insightful, and inspiring blog.

34. Skylar Liberty Rose Skylar is an advocate for stripping away layers of conditioning and discovering the uniqueness within. She is inspired by souls with spirit and courageous hearts. It is here on her blog that she shares the treasures that continues to empower her along her journey.

35. The Way of the Happy Saras aim is to inspire and empower women to lead from their deepest wisdom, through reclaiming our connection to embodied feminine cycles, rhythms, and seasons.

36. 8 Women Dream 8 Women Dream is here to inspire women to go after their dreams and the first step is to share it. Their intention is to help you believe that you can achieve your dreams. They say, It is our sincerest wish through the sharing of our personal experiences that we will inspire you to pursue your big dream.

37. Body Love Method Melissa reminds us that we are worthy now and the importance of letting go of the limiting beliefs so that each person can step into the true version of themselves.

39. Wondrous Women Wondrous Women is all about the beauty of being a woman and all the amazing gifts that come along with this. This blog provides a female network that its participants can rely on for mentoring and motivation to help you shine.

40. The Every Girl A resource helping shape the creative, career-driven woman to experience her life better lived. The Every Girl is the inspirational blog to help you achieve your dreams, whatever they may be. Whether its how to incorporate a little creativity into your day or motivating you to seek out your dream job.

41. Eat the damn cake Kate started this blog because she was tired of not eating cake! She wanted a platform to talk about eating the damn cake in a less literal sense, too In the sense of jumping in, enjoying the small things, figuring out how to feel good about regular life. Now, she write about the experience of being a woman in a strange, sometimes hostile, sometimes subtly weird, often mysterious and always fascinating world.

42. Awakening Women This engaging blog invites us to jump in to the the great love affair with the great mystery. Its stimulating content that asks us to awaken more fully into our lives and healing journeys.

43. For Harriet For Harriet is an online community for women of African ancestry. They encourage women, through storytelling and journalism, to engage in candid, revelatory dialogue about the beauty and complexity of black womanhood.

44. Pretty and Powerful A motivational empowerment and lifestyle blog for women leaders, providing informative and inspiring content to uplift women and remind them of their worth and value.

45. Body Karma Saras mission is to guide women to lives of freedom, by awakening their true selves, dissolving fear and returning to love. Her blog is up close and personal as she shares the wisdom of her life.

46. Fearlessly Kind This is a movement of real girls, redefining what is beautiful, valuable and possible. It is our mission to inspire each girl to be curious, ask questions, and be authentic, brave and totally fearless when it comes to understanding who she is, pursuing her dreams, blazing a trail and making her spectacular mark on the world.

Our list is a work in progress and were always open to suggestions. Feel free to email us and post your favorite Womens Empowerment Blogs in the comments below!

Warm Regards,The Institute for the Psychology of Eating Institute For The Psychology of Eating, All Rights Reserved, 2014

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For many in Extension, empowerment is the goal we have for our programs and the volunteers, participants, or clients with whom we work. But what is empowerment? How can we recognize it? Evaluate it? Talk about it with others who are interested in empowerment? Our recent literature review of articles indicating a focus on empowerment, across several scholarly and practical disciplines, resulted in no clear definition of the concept across disciplinary lines. Many using the term cope with its lack of clear, shared meaning by employing the concept very narrowly, using only their specific scholarly discipline or program to inform them. Others do not define the term at all. As a result, many have come to view "empowerment" as nothing more than the most recently popular buzz word to be thrown in to make sure old programs get new funding.

We maintain that empowerment is much more than that. Empowerment is a process that challenges our assumptions about the way things are and can be. It challenges our basic assumptions about power, helping, achieving, and succeeding. To begin to demystify the concept of empowerment, we need to understand the concept broadly in order to be clear about how and why we narrow our focus of empowerment for specific programs and projects (specific dimension or level, etc.) and to allow discussion of empowerment across disciplinary and practice lines. Understanding empowerment became a critical issue for us as we grappled with the task of sharing the People Empowering People (PEP) program with Extension faculty across the country.

Understanding Power

At the core of the concept of empowerment is the idea of power. The possibility of empowerment depends on two things. First, empowerment requires that power can change. If power cannot change, if it is inherent in positions or people, then empowerment is not possible, nor is empowerment conceivable in any meaningful way. In other words, if power can change, then empowerment is possible. Second, the concept of empowerment depends upon the idea that power can expand. This second point reflects our common experiences of power rather than how we think about power. To clarify these points, we first discuss what we mean by power.

Power is often related to our ability to make others do what we want, regardless of their own wishes or interests (Weber, 1946). Traditional social science emphasizes power as influence and control, often treating power as a commodity or structure divorced from human action (Lips, 1991). Conceived in this way, power can be viewed as unchanging or unchangeable. Weber (1946) gives us a key word beyond this limitation by recognizing that power exists within the context of a relationship between people or things. Power does not exist in isolation nor is it inherent in individuals. By implication, since power is created in relationships, power and power relationships can change. Empowerment as a process of change, then, becomes a meaningful concept.

A brief exercise makes the importance of this discussion clear. Quickly, list three words that immediately come to mind when you hear the word power. For most people, words that come to mind when we think about power often revolve around control and domination. Focusing on these aspects of power limit our ability to understand and define empowerment.

The concept of empowerment also depends upon power that can expand, our second stated requirement. Understanding power as zero-sum, as something that you get at my expense, cuts most of us off from power. A zero-sum conception of power means that power will remain in the hands of the powerful unless they give it up. Although this is certainly one way that power can be experienced, it neglects the way power will remain in the hands of the powerful unless they give it up. Although this is certainly one way that power is experienced, it neglects the way power is experienced in most interactions. Another brief exercise highlights the importance of a definition of power that includes expansion. Answer the question; "Have you ever felt powerful?" Was it at someone's expense? Was it with someone else?

Grounded in an understanding that power will be seen and understood differently by people who inhabit various positions in power structures (Lukes, 199 4), contemporary research on power has opened new perspectives that reflect aspects of power that are not zero-sum, but are shared. Feminists (Miller, 1976; Starhawk, 1987), members of grassroots organizations (Bookman & Morgen, 1984), racial and ethnic groups (Nicola-McLaughlin & Chandler, 1984), and even individuals in families bring into focus another aspect of power, one that is characterized by collaboration, sharing and mutuality (Kreisberg, 1992).

Researchers and practitioners call this aspect of power "relational power"(Lappe & DuBois, 1994), generative power (Korten, 1987), "integrative power," and "power with" (Kreisberg, 1992).This aspect means that gaining power actually strengthens the power of others rather than diminishing it such as occurs with domination/power. Kreisberg has suggested that power defined as "the capacity to implement" (Kreisberg, 1992:57) is broad enough to allow power to mean domination, authority, influence, and shared power or "power with." It is this definition of power, as a process that occurs in relationships, that gives us the possibility of empowerment.

Understanding Empowerment

Empowerment is a construct shared by many disciplines and arenas: community development, psychology, education, economics, and studies of social movements and organizations, among others. How empowerment is understood varies among these perspectives. In recent empowerment literature, the meaning of the term empowerment is often assumed rather than explained or defined. Rappoport (1984) has noted that it is easy to define empowerment by its absence but difficult to define in action as it takes on different forms in different people and contexts. Even defining the concept is subject to debate. Zimmerman (1984) has stated that asserting a single definition of empowerment may make attempts to achieve it formulaic or prescription-like, contradicting the very concept of empowerment.

A common understanding of empowerment is necessary, however, to allow us to know empowerment when we see it in people with whom we are working, and for program evaluation. According to Bailey (1992), how we precisely define empowerment within our projects and programs will depend upon the specific people and context involved.

As a general definition, however, we suggest that empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power (that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities, and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.

We suggest that three components of our definition are basic to any understanding of empowerment. Empowerment is multi-dimensional, social, and a process. It is multi-dimensional in that it occurs within sociological, psychological, economic, and other dimensions. Empowerment also occurs at various levels, such as individual, group, and community. Empowerment, by definition, is a social process, since it occurs in relationship to others. Empowerment is a process that is similar to a path or journey, one that develops as we work through it. Other aspects of empowerment may vary according to the specific context and people involved, but these remain constant. In addition, one important implication of this definition of empowerment is that the individual and community are fundamentally connected.

Interconnection of Individuals and Community

Wilson (1996) pointed out that recently, more researchers, organizers, politicians and employers recognize that individual change is a prerequisite for community and social change and empowerment (Speer & Hughey, 1995; Florin and Wandersman, 1990; Chavis & Wandersman, 1990). This does not mean that we can point the finger at those with less access to power, telling them that they must change to become more like "us" in order to be powerful/successful. Rather, individual change becomes a bridge to community connectedness and social change (Wilson, 1996).

To create change we must change individually to enable us to become partners in solving the complex issues facing us. In collaborations based on mutual respect, diverse perspectives, and a developing vision, people work toward creative and realistic solutions. This synthesis of individual and collective change (Wilson, 1996; Florin & Wandersman, 1990; Speer & Hughey, 1995) is our understanding of an empowerment process. We see this inclusive individual and collective understanding of empowerment as crucial in programs with empowerment as a goal. It is in the critical transition, or interconnection, between the individual and the communal, or social, that programs such as ours, People Empowering People, can be invaluable for people and communities.

Empowerment and PEP

The People Empowering People (PEP) program uses the definition of empowerment to connect research, theory, and practice. The Connecticut PEP program builds on theory of critical adult education developed by Friere (1970), Horton (1989), and others. PEP focuses on the strengths of people, providing opportunities and resources for people to gain experiences and skills while they also gain control over their lives.

Underlying this process is mutual respect between participants, facilitators, advisory committee members, and others involved in the program. PEP opens to participants the recognition of their own values and beliefs, and encourages expression of their own issues as they define them. The focus is on the connection between individual action and community action, encouraging individual change through training sessions and discussions, and supporting community action through participants' efforts to change their communities. While we cannot give people power and we cannot make them "empowered," we can provide the opportunities, resources and support that they need to become involved themselves.

In conclusion, we see empowerment as a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power in people for use in their own lives, their communities, and in their society by acting on issues that they define as important. In PEP as in Extension we strive to teach people skills and knowledge that will motivate them to take steps to improve their own lives -- to be empowered.

References

Bailey, D. (1992). Using participatory research in community consortia development and evaluation: lessons from the beginning of a story. American Sociologist, 23 (4), 71-82.

Bookman, A., & Morgen, S. (Eds.). (1984). Women and the politics of empowerment. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Chavis, D., & Wandersman, A. (1990). Sense of community in the urban environment: A catalyst for participation and community development. American Journal of Community Psychology, 18 (1), 55-81.

Florin, P., & Wandersman, A. (1990).An introduction to citizen participation, voluntary organizations, and community development: insights for empowerment through research. American Journal of Community Psychology, 18(1), 41-54.

Friere, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Translated by M.B. Ramos. New York: Seabury Press.

Horton, A. (1989). The Highlander Folk School: A history of its major programs. Brooklyn, NY: Carlson Publishers.

Korten, D.E. (1987). Community management. West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press.

Kreisberg, S. (1992). Transforming power: Domination, empowerment, and education. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Lappe, F.M., & Dubois, P.M. (1994). The quickening of America: Rebuilding our nation, remaking our lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,Inc. Publishers.

Lips, H. (1991). Women, men and power. Mountain View, CA: Mayfeld.

Lukes, S. (1994). Power: A radical view. London: Macmillan Press Ltd.

Miller, J.B. (1976).Toward a new psychology of women. Boston: Beacon Press.

Nicola-McLaughlin, A., & Chandler, Z. (1984; 180-201). Urban politics in the higher education of black women: A case study. In Bookmen & Morgen (Eds.). Women and the politics of empowerment. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Rapport, J. (1984). Studies in empowerment: Introduction to the issue. Prevention in Human Services, 3, 1-7.

Speer, P.W., & Hughey, J. (1995). Community organizing: An ecological route to empowerment and power. American Journal of Community Psychology, 23 (5), 729-748.

Starhawk (1987). Truth or dare. San Francisco: Harper and Row.

Weber, M. (1946). From Max Weber. H.H. Gerth & C.W. Mills (Eds.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Wilson, P. (1996). Empowerment: Community economic development from the inside out. Urban Studies, 33(4-5), 617-630.

Zimmerman, M.A. (1984). Taking aim on empowerment research: On the distinction between individual and psychological conceptions. American Journal of Community Psychology, 18(1), 169-177.

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Empowerment: What Is It?

We all know that women are different than men from our bodies, brains, and hormones to our emotional demands and daily challenges. Weve walked a very different journey over the past 10,000 years, with an explosion of duality occuring over the past 100 years and because of it, we need specialized programs developed exclusively for usto heal, to learn, to grow, and toexpand our lives and our consciousness. To heal our wounds, make peace with our past, and to move forward with love and joy.

The S.W.A.T. Institute is committed to bringing the most cutting-edge interventions, processes, and transformational techniques to women worldwide! Our premier designation is our Master Empowerment Coach Certification (MECC).

Created for the life-long learner (the woman dedicated to self-actualization as well as improving the lives of others), the Master Empowerment Coach Certification is everything youve always wanted in a coaching certification and more!

Academic, emotional, and mystical, we combine science with spirituality, Western with Eastern, all the while taking women on a journey of the Selfunderstanding how we interrelate, communicate, and navigate our way in the world.

Incredibly healing, motivating, and empowering, this program will lead you into the greatest expression of who you are! Divided into three modules, we cover every single aspect of empowerment: physically, emotionally, financially, mentally, relationally and spiritually.

We have women enrolled from all over the worldsome who are fresh out of university, all the way to the 60+-year-old woman who has no post-secondary education but who knows her life and wisdom matters.

We empower all women from all walks of life! We are the next era of the womens movement and we are dedicated to our global coalition for women!

I began training at The S.W.A.T. Institute with a particular idea of what it was and it has BLOWN me away by being a millions times more and deeper than I ever imagined! I feel so connected here and so honored to know all of you and share my journey alongside my SiSTARS!

~ Donna Minzes Johnson

Our Master Empowerment Coach Certification has a faculty that is first-class! Students have an opportunity to learn from some of the most empowered teachers, authors, and leaders in the world today: Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Colette Baron-Reid, Crystal Andrus Morissette, Sandra Anne Taylor, Gregg Braden, and more.

Our lifelong sisterhood of encouragement and inspiration is mind-blowing; a safe place to explore yourself, while learning the empowerment coaching process! The S.W.A.T. Institute is the cream of the crop!

I am very happy to say that I am a recent graduate of the Simply Woman Accredited Trainer Institute. I first came upon the founder, Crystal Andrus Morissette, about 3 years ago. I was completely drawn in when I saw her video on this website; I knew this program was exactly what I had been looking for. It really resonated with me.

I also knew I had a gift for listening and creating that space for others but I did not want to take just any three-day life-coaching program!! The S.W.A.T. Institutes Master Empowerment Coach Certifications curriculum is brilliant; it gave me all the tools I needed to become an excellent empowerment coach.

The best part about this program is that I had to deal with my own stuff in order to be able to authentically help other women. I was able to heal my inner child, take off masks that kept the real me hidden from myself and my loved ones. I discovered what my limiting beliefs were and how I was putting up my own road blocks in all areas of my life. Learning self-love and self-compassion has also allowed me to expand into the greatest version of who I am. This is a love that continuously flows outwards to my family, loved ones, and in every other relationship.

The S.W.A.T. siSTARhood another magnificent component exclusively to this program is an online supportive community that provided me a safe space to voice my feelings, my anger, and my fearsall without judgment.

Another important component of this certification is the Mentorship Coaching program. I had the privilege to coach women from all over the world India, United States, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. I also was able to receive coaching from my peers women from all over the world!

Even now that I have graduated, I still have access to all this and more like the continuous education that is offered. By choosing to take this program I have realized that it is truly the best investment I have made for myself.

I would say that if you hear and trust that little intuitive voice inside and you are ready to heal, to feel whole, and want to help women on a global levelthis program is for you! Enjoy the journey, stay the courseyou are so worth it!

~ Michele Dallaire

Your body is your vehicle for being; when its not working properly its fairly certain that nothing in your life will work properly either. The first module, Building the Temple, is the most academic of all three modules because it is imperative that our coaches understand the connection between body, mind, and spirit.

The body is the messenger, showing us when things are out of alignment. Designed to teach you the fundamentals of womens health and wellness, this module will give you a comprehensive understanding of the workings of the body and mind. Learning from brilliant women such as Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Mona Lisa Schultz, Beverly Pickard, Priya Sharma, as well asRegistered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and The Dean of our school, Yvonne MacRae, you will be amazed at your new-found knowledge and education of Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Fitness, Weight loss, Mental health, Psychology, and Womens health & wellness.

The extraordinary part is the consistent and steady feedback from your Professors on all your assignments, helping you to understand the intricacies of your body and mind that will energize and invigorate you! Your knowledge and expertise will excite and motivate both you and your coaching clients!

Once you power through this first module, you are well on your way to tackling, perhaps, the most exciting part of the program, Module Two: The Empowerment Process.

Before I met Crystal Andrus Morissette and her work, the field of coaching and self-growth was a mystery for me.

With my PhD in Microbiology and Natural Sciences and as a professional athlete (I competed in two Olympic games), I have been taught that our reality is determined by our five senses and that life just happens to us.

Crystals coaching had really shaken my way of approaching life. I realized that we create our reality with our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, and that every year some additional layers are accumulated on our pure and authentic spirit. I realized that only I am in charge of my life. She helped me to find out who I really am, what my needs are and deep desires are, along with what fears are preventing me from having the life of my dreams. Starting to speak my truth has had a big impact on my life.

I didnt have any expectations before starting with Crystal but I was amazed the gentle way she guides you through this process. Personal transformation just happened in such a natural way. I realized how my relationship with others transformed when I changed the way I was thinking and I speaking to myself.

~ Dr. Klara Maucec, PhD, 2-time Olympic Competitor, S.W.A.T.Master Empowerment Coach

Learning directly from our Founder, Crystal Andrus Morissette and Professor Izabela Viskupova, as well as other guest faculty members such as Louise Hay, Gregg Braden, Colette Baron-Reid, Sandra Anne Taylor, and Marianne Williamson, Module Two is where you learn, step-by-step, what empowered communication looks, sounds, and feels like in every aspect of life.

Using Dr. David Hawkins Map of Consciousness as a guideline to understanding emotional empowerment, along with listening to many of past recorded real coaching calls and watching video lectures explaining the healing interventions, empowering meditations, and coaching processes needed to shift someone from shame and guilt, up through blame, grieving, fear, desire, anger and pride into courage, willingness, and love, this module takes you through every aspect of understanding your Self and your life (the choices youve made and why youve made them), while also teaching you how to coach other women through their struggles and self-limiting beliefs.

Module Two, Section Two opens you up to the Mentorship Coaching Program, where you will work in tandem with Professor Izabela Viskupova who is not only a graduate of our Master Empowerment Coach Certification, she has a Masters Degree in both Law and Psychology. Professor Izabela is dedicated to helping you conquer our unique and specialized coaching process as you practice your skills with women that we provide you to coach; she has created a series of magnificent lectures and videos outlining specific coaching interventions and why and how you will use them when coaching others. She spends time listening to your practice Mentorship Calls and then together you will critique them to master your weakness and catapult on your strengths!

By the time you enter Module Three, your confidence, courage, and skill-set will blow you away!

The final modulealso known as the Business Behind the Businessteaches smart, savvy, successful marketing strategies that will challenge you to perform at your highest level. Every topic is designed to turn your higher purpose into a high profiting business.

The BBB will teach you everything you need to know about how to create and sustain a successful coaching practice, including media, marketing, speaking, and developing your own courses or teleseminars. No stone unturned, Professor Elizabeth Gorostiza (our very first graduate) works directly with you in developing your own successful business plan and website. Plus, you can listen to a series of calls held by Crystal Andrus Morissette that cover topics such as Success Consciousness vs. Failure Consciousnes, The Clearer You Are the Clearer Your Client Will Be, How Much Money Do You Want To Make, How to Network and Build a Mastermind Group, What are Your Seeds of Desire, What Do You Think Youre Worth, Be Your Authentic Self in Business, Find Sponsorship & Partnership, The Art of Negotiation and Compromise, and The Time to Plant and The Time to Harvest just to name a few! The overflow of information, education and enlightenment is incredible!

Again, youll get consistent and steady feedback from your Professor on all your assignments and quizzes, helping you to understand the intricacies of your business in a way you never could on your own.

The S.W.A.T. Institute has become a place where we siSTARs have become family with the love and support from our founder, Crystal Andrus Morissette. Some of us come broken, looking for help to heal our wounded selves; this is a place where we are all able to grow and heal.

Through this course, we not only learn how to empower other women, we learn how to love ourselves, to overcome our hardships, and become the women we were truly meant to be.

Through it all, we learn to coach other women and help them overcome their struggles as we empower them to be their own greatest good.

If you want to really learn how to love your Self and to be happy again, join The S.W.A.T. Institutes Master Empowerment Coach Certification program! You wont be disappointed our family offers love, education, and support!

~ Annamay Leason

Every Tuesday, Crystal Andrus Morissette answers your questions and offers you strategies to your own challenges during a live call! You can write in or chat with her directly on the phone or Skype. Plus, you have two other opportunities each week to chat live with Professor Izabela and our Student Advisors! No matter where you live in the world, you will feel like you are close by, connected to, and supported by our entire institute. We are women empowering women!

Our Mentorship Coaches have all graduated from their Empowerment Coach Training at The S.W.A.T. Institute and are beginning to build their own coaching practice. Before they can graduate they must complete 30 practice hours. Our coaches have spent countless hours learning the empowerment process and this is the perfect way for them to refine their skills while women around the world get the support and empowerment they need at no charge. Its a true giveback and a beautiful win-win! Plus, our Mentorship Coaching Program offers our students and graduates lifelong coaching at no charge. Thats right! You have a slew of brilliant coaches at your fingertips, whenever you need a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or some kick-ass advice! Click here to learn more!

One of the most unique and special aspects of The S.W.A.T. Institute is our private forum where our students or as we call them siSTARs connect with, share, care, and support each other. No matter what is going on in their lives, each woman gets the loving advice, feedback, validation, and support she needs. We truly are a global coalition of empowered women!

The Crystal Club is a post-graduate program that focuses on each Master Graduates individual business, along with group collaborations on Simply Woman Retreats, Magazine articles, TeleSummits, Events, and Courses; we promote to our entire database through webinars, teleseminars, and broadcasts, including featured spots in our SimplyWomanMagazine.

Pursuing my S.W.A.T. Master Empowerment Coach Certification has been the most rewarding investment of my life. As a student approaching the end of the program, I would recommend this course to every woman. I began with the intent of enhancing my personal life for the benefit of myself and my family. Like taking a degree in me, the entire course has helped me to truly know my body, mind, heart, and soul; surpassing my expectations and giving me everything I need to navigate my one wild and precious life.

Much to my surprise, Ive also discovered that coaching perfectly aligns with my professional dreams, so Im now taking the leap to become a coach. I believe the coaching and business skills taught, in such a spirit of wisdom and generosity, are all that I need to launch a thriving coaching practice.

I have received more from this program than I have from any other educational investment, including my university degree, leadership certification, and professional training. The books, resources, assignments, videos, calls, mentorship coaching, on-line forums, practice coaching and professor interaction all equate to a life-changing and incomparable opportunity.

Ill admit these sound like lofty promises, but for me they have all been true, and I am forever grateful.

~Nicole Moorey

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The Master Empowerment Coach Certification - The S.W.A.T ...

A woman in love with life A woman who owns the wisdom, sensuality, and power of her own body A woman who passionately lives the life she was born to live A woman who sees the radiance in every woman, and the strengths in every man A woman who attracts love and depth because her heart would not tolerate anything less A woman who nourishes her body like shes nourishing the Earth A woman who owns her real beauty and the courage it took to get there

This is the era of the Feminine. As women coming into our own, we are discovering our own true path to light up our lives. But often times its difficult, as we feel the emotional blocks, the financial stresses, and the physical limitations of our bodies, especially as we get older. We are all born to be leaderswhether you are a mother, a sister, an executive, a teacher, a coach, an entrepreneur, an activist.whatever you areYou know you deserve to have your own personal form of ecstasy: YOUR LIFE. As Feminine leaders, we design our own blueprint for success in our work, our relationships, and in our world. A Feminine Feast is devoted in helping you turn effort into ease, and possibility into reality.the womans way What is the Feminine? Being in your Feminine means manifesting a life of happiness through connection, intuition, feeling, receptivity, and openness in the heart and body. Being in our Feminine means knowing our deeper gifts as a woman, and empowering one another by the giving of our gifts. In this, we recognize the beauty of every womans unique soul and legacy, and transform the world for each other.through each other. At a Feminine Feast, we are dedicated to your true unfolding as the woman you long to benot by any body elses expectationsnot by societal standards, but by what makes you truly happyphysically, emotionally, and spiritually. We know what its like to be a woman in this day and age, and we are devoted in giving you the support you need to have the body and life you wantYOUR way. Let this year be your year of unstoppable breakthroughs, manifestation, and love!

For over 12 years, Sabrina has helped thousands of women discover their individual imprint as a woman, helping them live an embodied life of vitality, radiance, and transformation. Through the lucid and intricate weaving of womens spirituality, psychology, sensuality, and nutrition, Sabrina has pioneered a potent path for awakening the powerful YOU that longs to be unleashed in the world. Touted by San Franciscos premier magazine, 7X7, as a woman changing the rules, Sabrina will help you uncover your blind spots, turn them into resources, and amp up your happiness meter to a TEN, by customizing to your busy lifestyle and budget. So whether youre a business owner, an inspiring leader, a single lady, a mom, or a sister on this pathyoure about to learn innovative but effective secrets that will magnify your gifts, bloom your life, and catapult your unique womanly brilliance.

Sign up in the box located in the upper right-side of this page. You will receive bi-weekly gems of wisdom, inspirational and practical tips, and up-to-date info that will help transform your life into an extraordinary life. You will also have access to discounts and free advice on manifesting the body and life of your dreams. In addition, you will receive a free copy of my audio, Getting Your Sexy On, an insightful and practical way of balancing your hormone and mood circuits, and cultivating your inner temptress, no matter what your age and despite any doubts you may have about yourself. Do browse our Programs and Services and our Events Calendar to see what goodies are available to address your particular needs and meet your deepest desires. As always, feel free to Contact My Team if you have any questions.

Love,

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Sabrina Chaw - Women's Wellness & Empowerment Coach

Assignment Help >> Macroeconomics

Human service interactions in terms of macro systems-communities and organizations.

Describe the concept of personal, interpersonal, and political empowerment.

Empowerment is basically a process to assist people groups, families and communities, individuals, to use their strengths to overcome their challenges by using the tools and resources around them.

Personal empowerment refers to a person's ability of competence, strength and ability to affect change. It indicates a subjective state of mind, experiencing a sense of control and feeling competent within themselves. It is focused on ways to develop personal power and self efficacy.

Interpersonal empowerment refers to person's ability to influence others. It comes from two sources, first based on social status- race, class, gender, sex. Second power comes from learning new skills and securing new positions. It includes successful interactions with others and regards other people hold for us.

Political empowerment refers to person's relationship with political structures. It refers to the process of transferring resources, capabilities and positions to people who do not possess them. It stresses the goals of social action and social change and intends to transfer power to the society while maintaining the individuality.

Explain an individual's involvement in multiple social systems-micro, mezzo, and macro-at work in the environment.

Social work is divided into three categories: micro, mezzo, macro.

Macro level system is a large scale system that affects communities and systems. Individual's involvement at macro level may involve creating policy changes, planning, and implementation of social programs. Macro social work addresses issues involved in mezzo and micro systems.

Mezzo level includes an intermediary system like neighborhoods, institutions and smaller groups. It entails to bring people together who aren't as intimate as family members but benefit mutually from this social network. It deals with small to medium sized groups such as neighborhoods and schools like institutional and culture changes, managing social work organization, group therapies, self -help groups, neighborhood community associations.

Micro level means individual or his family and focuses on personal interaction either with an individual, coupe or family like clinical social interaction: interacting with a person at mental hospital, interacting with school teacher or student on drug addict issues or misbehavior, or case working one on one with a client with a homeless shelter. (Understanding Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Charles H. Zastrow, Karen Kay Kirst-Ashman, 2012, pg 33)

Discuss the macro system response to child maltreatment, sexual abuse, crime, and delinquency.

There are four types of child maltreatment like physical , emotional, sexual and child neglect done by parent, care giver or any other person who harms child's development. Child abuse can come in poor families because parent has low intelligence, insecurity, low self esteem, low maturity.

If anyone knows about child abuse, macro system has created ways to ensure child is protected like youth services, calling the school, allowing the child to spend time away from parent, calling the prevent hotline locally, calling help national child abuse hotline, calling RAIN(Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network), taking the child to local NGOs.

Macro system responses can be divided into three risks: mild, moderate, severe. If the case is mild, responses that are suggested are early intervention, family support, formal/informal services, parent education, housing assistance. If the case is moderate, suggested responses are appropriate formal services, coordinated family support, safety plans, and community support services. For severe cases, suggested responses are Intensive family preservation or reunification services, child removal, court-ordered services, foster care, adoption, criminal prosecution.

Compare and contrast the application of functionalism and interactionist theory to poverty.

In general both functionalism theory to poverty explains why social stratification (rankings of people based on wealth and social values); exists and endures. Interactionist theory on the other hand symbolizes the differences this stratification produces for interactions.

Functionalist perspective views society as an organism, as a system where all different parts of society need to be present and should be working together or else society will fail. Hence it says that poverty is needed to balance the society. Poverty is needed so that we can have rich people, it is a necessary part. It says poverty exists because it fulfills certain functions that are important to society like, poor people do the work that other people don't want to, the programs that help poor people provide jobs, poor purchase goods like old clothes, expired breads, that other people do not wish to purchase, poor provide jobs for people like doctors, teachers, who may not be competent enough to give services to wealthier people. Hence all these pose positive functions of poverty.

Interactionist perspective on the other hand says that society is possible because people interact with each other which gives a meaning to things based on these interactions and understanding of their daily lives. Unlike functionalist view, it doesn't explain why we have stratification but examines the difference that stratification makes in people's lifestyles and interactions. This theory says that poor people exist because they were never able to make sense of their world and might have not been able to see opportunity or were not with people who had a better life. Poverty exists because people who are in it saw other people struggle and never tried for more options since they didn't have the infrastructure to expand and get recognized.

Describe the role and responsibility of the human service worker in the macro environment.

Human service worker is a profession where people have strong desire and focus to improve people's lives. These people help poor and disturbed people with their issues, relationships and help them solve their personal and family problems. Some social workers help people with their disabilities or diseases, or unemployment, inadequate housing, domestic conflicts, family quarrels, child or women abuse. Or some social workers who run NGOs, or design system processes or policy development.

Child, family and school social workers proves assistance to improve their social and psychological functioning of children and families and academic functioning of children.

Some specialize in services for senior citizens by running support groups for the children of senior people, arranging housing long term care etc.

They also run employee assistance programs that helps employees to cope up with their jobs, job related pressures, or personal and professional problems that affects the quality of their work.

In schools, social workers help children to cope up with their studies, act as a link between parents, teachers and school so as to ensure right education is passed on to the children and address problems like misbehavior, early pregnancy, drug addicts etc.

Medical and public health social workers help people get right treatments at right time, and to cope up with people and families with terminal illnesses.

Social workers also give assistance in mental health and substance abuse like tobacco, alcohol, drugs etc, services include group therapy, social rehabilitation, crisis intervention etc.Other types are social work administrators, policymakers, activists, planners who develop policies, implement the plans to address various issues, raise money for the same and suggest legislative solutions.

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Solution-Human service interactions in terms of macro

I saw this quote on Facebook. I love how it really defines the concept of Self-Empowerment. It states that we should take charge of our life, not letting circumstances or other people control or define us.

Lets break down the word Self-Empowerment. The first word is Self. There are two aspects to our Selfone is our small self, composed of our surface thoughts, desires, and unique individuality. Then there is the BIG SELFthe deepest aspect of who we are, the silent universal level of our Being. This SELF is our infinite, unbounded, blissful, peaceful natureour source and essence. The small self is like individual waves on the ocean that are tossed about by the different winds that may come along. The BIG SELF is like the vast calm depths of the ocean, unmoved by any storms.

The next word in the phrase Self-Empowerment is empower. Power means the capacity to exercise control or authority and the ability to accomplish or guide.

Where is the deepest level of power? It is at the source of the power. The light is more powerful the closer we get to the bulb. The more we experience the source of our own powerthe BIG SELFthe more inner power we gain to be in control of our lives.

How do we become familiar with our Big Self? We can dive into our Big Selfour own powerby going beyond the surface level of the mind until we transcend the finest level of the thinking process and experience the pure silence of our Being. This state of pure transcendence can be easily experienced through the technique of Transcendental Meditation.

Research shows that profound physiological changes take place while we meditate, including a fourth major state of consciousness characterized by restful alertness. In this unique physiological state, the mind is completely calm and still, yet extremely alert. Over time, this coherence and order spills into daily activity.

People who meditate often remark that they become more in control of their lives and are less tossed about by outer circumstances. Even people from the most stress-ridden populations notice that at first when they practice TM, they become less reactive, and in time they start to feel that situations and circumstances are supporting them rather than always being against them. This is true Self-empowermentempowered within from the deepest level of our being.

There are many valuable organizations today working to help people, particularly young girls, become self-empowered through education. This is very important. However, to truly empower everyone everywhere we have to give them the experience of their deepest Selftheir own essential nature. When anchored to this level, they can live life without being a football to outer circumstances. They will have much more inner fortitude to live by choice, to make changes, to be motivated and to excel.

I love the phrase in the quote at the beginning of this post, I choose to listen to my inner voice. When we are calm and silent inside, its easier to hear and be guided by those quiet whispers within.

The third part of the phrase Self-empowerment is ment. Everyone is meant to be in the power of the SELF and be able to enjoy life to its maximum because the SELF is a state of all-powerful love, truth, and bliss. By empowering ourselves, we can effectively deal with challenging situations that may arise around us, and gain the ability to uplift and help our loved ones.

Lets all choose to be me and become truly self-empowered!

Health and Happiness,

Ann

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Self-Empowerment - Enlightenment is For Everyone

A Nine-Month Life Changing Journey ToUnburden Your Past And Connect You To Your True PurposeProgram starts April 8-10, 2016

The Power of Breath Institutes Empowerment Training is the core program of all of our offerings. Since 2001, the robust curriculum has continually evolved and improved to assure a true, life-transforming experience for every participant who attends. The program runs from April to December and focuses on empowering every individual utilizing mindfulness, conscious breathing and simple ceremony as the primary tools of self-realization. The program takes place in a rural setting, in Spofford, New Hampshire, which enables nature-based experiences as an integral part of the program.

What sets this program apart from other personal growth programs is its safe and comprehensive approach to healing body, mind, heart and spirit through processes and methods grounded in interpersonal neurobiology, somatic psychotherapy and wisdom traditions. We build a culture of safety and trust first, cultivate loving self-awareness, and then build personal skills and capacities that lead to deep healing and the ability to engage in a full and vibrant life.

On this solid foundation you can integrate your day-to-day experience more fully and easily, while being able to make the choices that fulfills your highest potential.

Designed from over 35 years of group work, the Empowerment process is a well-balanced blend of Somatic Breath Therapy, mindfulness, cognitive inquiry, group process, and ceremonies in the natural world to encourage the recovery of each participants true and loving nature. The nine-month period you spend with our staff will be skillful, intensive, interactive and experiential. It will challenge you into the fullest and highest expression of your Self, while fully supporting you throughout the process.

If you can relate to any of these questions, say YES to yourself and register now. Space is limited; we only accept 11 new participants each year.

Weekend I Welcome to the Power of Breath

Weekend II Awareness, Presence and Living from your Heart

Weekend III Body and Beliefs, Trauma and Integration

Weekend IV Remembering Your True Nature: Warm Water Breathing

Weekend V Going Beyond What You Think is Possible: Cold Water Breathing

Weekend VI Sacred Ceremony and Taking Refuge

Weekend VII Mindfulness and Choice, Forgiveness and Freedom

Weekend VIII Dancing the Long-Dark Breath (All-Night Breathe)

Weekend IX Walking the Talk: Integration and Re-entry

Total investment: $3495 includes tuition, materials, lunches and snacks per weekend/event. Read the programagreements here. Tuition must be paid in full by April 8, 2016; we take Master Card, Visa, personal checks and cash. A $350 early registration discount is available if the entire tuition ($3145) is paid by February 15, 2016. A non-refundable deposit of $395 along with a short letter of Intent will secure your space in the training. This training will fill quickly! Makeyour deposit early to reserve your space. Weekends run Friday 6-10 pm, Sat/Sun 9 am 6 pm; 3-day retreats run 9 am to 6 pm each day.

2016 ET Dates:

April 8-10 (Friday 6 pm Sunday 6 pm)

April 29- May 1

June 3-5

July 7-9 (3-days: Thursday 9 am Saturday 6 pm)

August 5-7 (Friday 9 am Sunday 6 pm note: Friday is a full day)

Sept 9-11 (Friday 9 am Sunday 6 pm note: Friday is a full day)

October 7-9 (Friday 6 pm Sunday 6 pm)

November 4-6 (Friday 6 pm Sunday morning 10 am)

December 2-4 (Friday 6 pm Sunday 6 pm)

Application Process:

Please complete the program agreement hereand include:

Location and Accommodations:

All trainings are held in Southwestern NH at the Broadwing Breath Center, 45 Stones Mill Rd., Spofford, NH 03462. Indoor/outdoor camping style (bring your own bedding, sleeping bag, towels, etc.) is available for $15/night paid each training weekend. For motel/B & B accommodations, see listing on our website under Training Accommodations. For more information contact: Jeremy Youst, 603.363.4331 Jeremy@powerofbreath.com

Click below to hold your spotwith a $395 deposit:

Click below to payusing the prepay discount ($3195). Payment must be made in full by February 1, 2016 to be eligible for the discount.

For more information contact:Jeremy Youst, 603.363.4331 Jeremy@powerofbreath.com

Download Empowerment Training Program Agreement

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I had learned enough about Breathwork and its transformative forces to know this work would be beneficial for me. What I didnt realize was just how powerful and transformative this year would be The combination of facilitated breathwork sessions, dynamic and inspired leadership from Jeremy, support and challenge from an amazing staff, my tribe of like-minded, like-hearted, equally committed brothers and sisters, and ongoing support from Jeremy and the important people in my life, have all led to a very different me living in the world today. I am truly living my intention of being more authentic, and being free of my fear and my story about my painRachael Walter, 2013 ET graduate

Every month mysteriously revealed new information and awareness that surprised and delighted me. I distinctly remember ending each month saying, There is no way this month can be topped, and quite magically it was, and that which entered in the following month was amazing! Each month unveiled more lessons and surprises. Now I find myself here, looking back in awe. Its amazing-I never knew I had such a capacity for love-love for myself and love for others. I also have discovered a new level of joy! I never thought I could ever feel this happy.Its wonderful and I am humbly grateful. Beth White

I have entered the Truth of Me that is beyond all doubt. T. N., teacher.

I think the most valuable thing (and I am taking from this training) is this deep sense of self-love and the capacity to love my brothers and sisters in our group I am taking with me the Knowing that I have been truly seen, heard, loved, that I am lovable, that I am accepted fully all parts of me, that I am honored for who I am I would especially recommend you, Jeremy, for your presence, your experience, your skills as a spiritual midwife, facilitator, presenter, ritual master, jokester, your love and joyful embracing of life. And I would also speak to the depth of connection that gets nurtured within the context of skillful learning for thats the juicy part Elizabeth A.

. . . I love this work. I mean, sometimes it SUCKS it STINKS, big time Because in this you totally dive into the places you have always avoided have always run from. But the richness, the fullness of life, when you go into it, for all it contains, is so amazing. How in the world did I EVER live any other way? Wow. And it continues to deepen and become more enriched this life with breath. I Love all of it. All of it. Thats the key Cyndy K.

Today, I feel that I am aware of my true Self and purpose. Over the last nine months I have come to accept the inclinations, abilities and guidance that I have long hidden away and I have let go of the addictions that I hid behind The empowerment of Self (is) a journey that connects you to the Source. (It) is a journey that will push and tug and pull your soul to examine the true purpose of walking on this planet and help you to serve others Whether or not you become a Breath Facilitator, you will find your purpose and begin serving others as a part of your path/karma, and learn to find love in every moment Peter H.

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Empowerment Training - Power of Breath Institute

Lecture delivered for the course on Therapeutic Interventions at the Inter University Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia. 18 - 24 June 2006

The purpose of this lecture is to give an overview of the emerging strengths/empowerment perspective in social work. Space would not permit an in-depth analysis of this view on social work intervention, but the most distinguishing characteristics will be touched upon.

The focus on strengths and empowerment has gained considerable prominence over the last couple of decades (Cowger, 1994:262) and represents a major paradigm shift away from the problem-based approach that has been with social work for such a long time. Both approaches will have and keep its supporters for years to come, but the focus on strengths and empowerment has become too strong to be ignored. It constitutes a fascinating and refreshing way to look at clients and their circumstances and is characterized by its positive and optimistic view of people confronted by life's challenges.

Cowger and Snively (2002:106) see the purpose of social work as assisting people in their relationships to one another and with social institutions. For them, practice focuses on developing more positive and promising transactions between people and their environments. They regard the empowerment perspective as central to social work practice and see client strengths as providing the fuel and energy for that empowerment. Miley et al, (2004:91) express the relationship as follows: "strengths-oriented social work practice incorporates empowerment as both a concept and a process."

The first part of the paper will focus on the strengths perspective, while the second part will focus on empowerment as the process aspects of the strengths perspective. Its practice model components are listed below.

In order to understand and appreciate the contrasts between the strengths approach and the problem-based or deficit model, some of the assumptions of the problem-based model should be considered.

Saleebey (2001:3) makes it clear that social work and other professions have not been immune to the contagion of the disease- and disordered-based thinking. He explains that much of social work theory and practice has been developed around the supposition that clients become clients because they have deficits, problems, pathologies, and diseases; that they are in some way weak or flawed. Saleebey points out that more sophisticated terminology prevails today, and he very cynically declares that the metaphors and narratives that guide out thinking and acting which are often penpered over with more salutary language are sometimes negative constructions and fateful for those we are trying to help. Weick et al. (1989:351) agree with this by saying that attention "to people's inability to cope is a central expression of the prevailing perspectives on helping." They argue that approaches differ in the way the problem is defined, but that virtually all schools of therapeutic thought rest on the belief that people need help because they have a problem that in some way sets them aside from people who are thought not to have that problem. It is further explained (Weicks, et al. 1989: 350) that although social work has not been oblivious to the importance of recognizing individual strengths in practice encounters, "a subtle and elusive focus on individual or environmental deficits and personal or social problems remains in recent frameworks".

Cowger (1994:262) observes that much of the social work literature on practice with families "continues to use treatment, dysfunction, and therapy metaphors and ignores work on family strengths developed in other professions." DuBois and Miley (2005:26) also drive the point home stating that the "professional literature abounds with information on functional problems, maladaptation, victimization and powerlessness." They feel that it too often happens that professionals identify deficits, incompetencies, and maladaptive functioning and yet seem unable to notice clients' strengths.

Saleebey (2001:3) came to the conclusion that the words and terms associated with pathology expresses the following assumptions and consequences:

Several authors have documented their reservations about the problem-based approach. Weick et al. (2001:351) who coined the term strength perspective (Smith, 2006: 13) summarized their views about the focus on the problem and the process of defining it as follows:

Saleebey (2001:103) condenses his reservations about a focus on problems as follows:

However, Saleebey (1996: 297) introduces a balance by pointing out that practicing from a strengths perspective does not require social workers to ignore the real troubles that dog individuals and groups. He emphasizes that problems like schizophrenia, child abuse, pancreatic cancer and violence are real. He explains that in the lexicon of strengths it is as wrong to deny the possible as it is to deny the problem. The expression of the dark cloud with the silver lining is a good comparison as is the case of the glass that is half full. He further explains by pointing out that the strength perspective does not deny the grip and thrall of addictions and how they can morally and physically sink the spirit and possibility of any individual. It does, however, deny the overwhelming reign of psychopathology as civic, moral, and medical categorical imperative. It does deny that most people are victims of abuse or of their own rampant appetites. It denies that all people who face trauma and pain in their lives inevitably are wounded or incapacitated or become less than they might. A good example of this perhaps was illustrated by the hijacking experienced by one of my university's previous vice-chancellors. When it was suggested that he gets counseling sessions, he denied that it was necessary and he never needed it. His strengths have been his strong spirituality and belief in himself, and to this day he does not suffer any consequences from the event.

As a practice perspective (Sheafor, et al. 1996:51) the strengths approach takes a different look at the client, his problems and his environment, and it requires a different approach from social workers. This is also echoed when Miley et al. (2004:81) stress that practitioners need to reexamine their orientation to practice, their views of client systems and the issues clients represent if the strength perspective is to be applied. According to them(2004:81), the practice of the strengths perspective will prompt social workers to examine three transitions from problems to challenges, from pathology to strengths and from a preoccupation with the past to an orientation to the future.

The statement was made in the introduction that the strengths approach is a major paradigm shift away from the problem-based approach. Saleebey (2001:1) makes the serious charge that authors of many textbooks, educators and practitioners all regularly acknowledge the importance of the principle of building on client's strengths but that these are "...little more than professional cant." He then states his view very clearly and forcefully:

"The strengths perspective is a dramatic departure from conventional social work practice. Practicing from a strengths orientation means this - everything you do as a social worker will be predicated, in some way, on helping to discover and embellish, explore and exploit clients' strengths and resources in the service of assisting them to achieve their goals, realize their dreams, and shed the irons of their own inhibitions and misgivings, and society's domination."

Saleebet (2002:1) elaborates and explains that when social workers adopt the strength approach to practice, they can expect exciting changes in the character of their work and in the tenor of their relationships with their clients. According to him, (2002:1) practice from a strengths perspective demands a different way of seeing clients, their environments, and their current situations. It is thus a practice perspective radically different from the problem-focused approach and it will take time for social work practitioners to change their mindset - moving from the known to the unknown. He (2002:2) also points out to rapidly developing literature, inquiries and practice methods in a variety of fields that bear a striking similarity to the strengths perspective - developmental resilience, healing and wellness, solution-focused therapy, asset-based community development and narrative and story to name a view. Saleebey (2002:2) explains that these elaborations are a reaction to our culture's continued obsession and fascination with psychopathology, abnormality, and moral and interpersonal aberrations.

Saleebey (2002:xvii) in the preface of his book on this topic states that much still has to be done with respect to inquiry and the further development of concepts and principles as well as techniques.

Miley et al. (2004:81) state that to apply the strengths perspective practitioners need to reexamine their orientation to practice, their view of client systems, and the interpretations of the issues clients represent. The same authors (2004: 81) identify what they call three key transitions social workers has to examine in practicing the strengths perspective viz problems or challenges, pathology or strengths, as well as past and future. These transitions serve as important guidelines in the paradigm shifts strengths-focused social workers have to make. Viewing problems as challenges, turning points, or opportunities for growth shifts the perspective and clients. The word 'challenge' has a different meaning than problems and creates a more positive frame of mind in both the client and the social worker. The same applies to the word 'strengths' as opposed to 'pathology' and the word 'future' as opposed to 'past.'

The strengths perspective is to a large extent given its character by its principles and its language. This will be briefly discussed below.

4.1 THE PRINCIPLES OF THE STRENGTHS PERSPECTIVE

Saleebey (1999:16) points out that strengths-based approaches differ from pathology-based approaches in both their language and the principles that guide and direct practice. He (Saleebey: 2002:13) points out that the principles of the strengths perspective are still tentative and maturing and subject to revision and modulation. He lists the following principles:

4.2 THE LANGUAGE OF THE STRENGTHS PERSPECTIVE

The strengths perspective has some typical words associated with it, giving it its character and telling practitioners something about the meaning of its perspective. According to Saleebey, these words are essential and direct us to an appreciation of the assets of individuals, families and communities. Some of them are as follows:

Empowerment. It has already been stated that empowerment is regarded as incorporated in the strengths approach. According to Saleebey (2002:9), empowerment "indicates the intent to, and the process of, assisting individuals, groups, families and communities to discover and expend the resources and tools within and around them." Empowerment is thus a helping process to assist people to use their strengths to overcome their challenges.

Membership. Membership is an important experience in people's lives. Saleebey (2001:10) warns that to be without membership is to be alienated, to be at risk for marginalization and oppression. People need to be citizens, responsible and valued members of a community. The strengths orientation proceeds from the recognition that all of those whom we serve are, like ourselves, members of a species, entitled to the dignity, respect and responsibility that come with such membership. He explains that too often it happens that the people we help have either no place to be (or to be comfortable) or no sense of belonging. He elaborates by stating that the sigh of relief from those who come to be members and citizens and bask in the attendant rights, responsibilities, assurances, and securities, is the first breath of empowerment. Another meaning to membership is that people must often band together to make their voices heard, get their needs met, to redress inequities, and reach their dreams.

Resilience. Reader's Digest Universal Dictionary (1987:1303) defines resilience as "the ability to recover quickly from illness, change or misfortune." Saleebey (2001:11) reports that there is a growing body of inquiry and practice that believes that the rule in human affairs is that people do rebound from serious trouble, that individuals and communities do surmount and overcome serious and troubling adversity. He explains that it does not mean ignoring difficulties and traumatic life experiences and neither is it a discount of life's pains. Resilience is a process - the continuing growth and articulation of capacities, knowledge, insight, and virtues derived through meeting the demands and challenges of one's world, however chastening. The process he refers to is the process of interaction between the person and his environment and it can be explained by the ecosystems approach on which the strengths perspective rests.

Healing and Wholeness. According to Saleebey (2001:11) healing implies both wholeness as well as the inborn facility of the body and the mind to regenerate and resist when faced with disorder, disease and disruption. Healing also requires a beneficent relationship between the individual and the larger social and physical environment. The healing process thus requires a supportive relationship between the individual and his/her environment if healing must take place. Healing and self-regeneration are intrinsic life-support systems, always working, and, for most of us most of the time, on call. This implies that the body and psyche starts responding when faced with a threat or a challenge. In many cases the body and mind succeeds in restoring the balance, but often they need outside intervention.

Dialogue and Collaboration. In the human and social sciences it is an accepted and proven fact that humans need relationships to grow and develop. For that very reason they will always seek to connect with other people. People need these relationships for healing and recovery. As Saleebey (2001:12) expresses it "humans can only come into being through a creative and emergent relationship with others." He points out that there can be no discovery and testing of one's powers, no knowledge, no heightening of one's awareness and internal strengths without outside relationships. He (2001:12) views dialogue as an instrument of confirming the importance of others and the process through which the rifts between self, others and institution are healed. Dialogue can thus be seen as facilitating the transactions between the person and his/her environment. It creates the kind of atmosphere in which the person becomes willing to try out his or her potential and strengths. It creates a horizontal relationship establishing mutual trust and confidence between the involved people.

Saleebey (2001) differentiates dialogue from collaboration by pointing out that the latter has a more specific focus. It requires particular roles of the social worker because s/he becomes agent, consultant and stakeholder with the client in mutually-crafted projects. This also allocates a different role and status to the client, one where s/he does meaningful work to tackle his/her challenges. Miley, et al. (2004:126) stress the importance of partnership between the worker and the client if the strengths perspective is to be actualized and empowerment encouraged. This corresponds with the view of DuBois & Miley (2005:200) pointing out that empowerment "presumes active, collaborative roles for client-partners."

Suspension of Disbelief. Being constructivistic in nature, the strengths/empowerment perspective questions the belief in a concrete and objective reality (Dubois and Miley, 2005:30). This implies that the client's representation of reality cannot be regarded as invalid or inaccurate and that the perception of the worker is the correct one. The client knows his reality the best and the worker must deal with it in the way the client describes it. This means that the social worker needs to shelve his disbelief in order to explore the client's world. Saleebey (200:81) encapsulates the above by stating that we must give credence to the way clients experience and construct their social realities if we want to recognize the strengths in people and their situations. He warns against the imposition from our own versions of the world.

Critical factors and community. Saleebey also lists (1996:300) critical factors and community as part of the lexicon of strengths. By critical factors he refers to the variables that will affect how an individual or group will respond to a series of traumatic, even catastrophic situations. Critical factors include "risk factors" which enhance the likelihood of adaptive struggles and poorer developmental outcomes and "protective factors" - conditions that enhance the likelihood of rebound from trauma and stress. He adds what he calls "generative factors" which are remarkable and revelatory experiences that, taken together, dramatically increase learning, resource acquisition, and development, accentuating resilience and hardiness.

By community Saleebey means community in a positive sense - a community with qualities supporting its members, creating opportunities, having an abundance of support systems, having clear expectations for its members and providing the tools for meeting such expectations.

Just about anything assisting you in dealing with challenges in your life can be regarded as strengths, and this will vary from person to person. Because of this it will be difficult to draw up an exhaustive list of strengths but Saleebey (2001:84) observes that "some capacities, resources, and assets do commonly appear in any roster of strengths." He lists the following strengths which are mostly the results of human developmental processes:

What people have learned about themselves: This refers to life experiences through which people learn a lot during their efforts to cope and survive which is a need in all of us. People learn from their successes as well as their failures. Their behavior is strengthened by their successes and their failures prompt them to look for alternatives.

Personal qualities, traits and virtues that people possess. These may be anything - a sense of humor, caring, creativity, loyalty, insight, independence, spirituality, moral imagination, and patience. Saleebey points out that these qualities are sometimes forged in the fires of trauma and catastrophe, or they may be the products of living, the gifts of temperament, and the fruits of experience. Whatever the qualities might be, they will be the effects of developmental processes in the life of the person.

What people know about the world around them. People get to know about the world around them in different ways and the more they know, the better they will understand and the better informed they will be. So many sources of learning exist in the modern world, of which formal education and informal learning are two of the most important sources. Saleebey (2001:85) mentions the possibility that a person may have developed a skill at spotting incipient interpersonal conflict or at soothing others who are suffering. Perhaps life has given an individual the ability to care and tend for young children or elders, or it could be that a person could use an artistic medium to teach others about themselves.

The talents that people have can surprise us sometimes (as well as surprising the individual as some talents have laid dormant over the years.). At some stage in their lives, people may discover talents they thought they'd never have. Many whites in South Africa lost their jobs as the result of the application of the affirmative action policy and had to look elsewhere for something that would keep bread on the table. Many of them discovered that they were good businessmen and started very successful businesses.

Cultural personal stories and lore. Saleebey (2002: 86) points out that these are often profound sources of strengths, guidance, stability, comfort or transformation and are often overlooked, minimized, or distorted. He describes how the stories of women have been shrouded through domination, but when recounted and celebrated, how these stories are sources of profound strength and wisdom. The South African history books will recount the stories of the very important role women played after the second Anglo Boer War in the upliftment of the so-called Boerevolk when people were poor and demoralized. The first welfare organizations in South Africa were started by women groups. I think many countries' histories bear witness to the strengths that women manifested in times of trouble and hardships. Cultural stories, narratives and myths, accounts of origins, migrations, trauma and survival may provide sources of meaning and inspiration in times of difficulty or confusion. Modern South African history will give accounts of the courage and perseverance of black women in their struggle for political freedom.

The pride of people as a strength cannot be overlooked. It is however buried under an accumulation of blame, shame and labeling, but it is often there to be uncovered.

Cowger & Snively (2001:106) identify strengths-based assessments as a problem area in the strengths perspective. According to them a review of the social work literature on human behavior and the social environment reveals that the typical textbook now makes reference to the strengths perspective, although there is little theoretical or empirical content on this topic, yet to be found in the areas of social work assessment, practice and evaluation. Hepworth, et al., (2002:190) point out that changes in practice have lagged far behind the change in terms from diagnosis to assessment, for social workers persistence in formulating assessments that emphasize the pathology and dysfunction of clients - despite the time-honored social work platitude that social workers work with strengths and not with weaknesses. The authors (2002:190) then proceed by identifying the following three ramifications of the tendency of practitioners to focus on pathology:

A strengths-based assessment will be different from a problem-based assessment due to the nature of the approach. It will be an ecosystemic assessment to consider the context in which the client finds himself or herself. Saleebey (2001:108) draws attention to the growing body of social work practice literature that applies their strengths perspective to individual, family and community assessment.

Saleebey (2001:115-117) views the assessment process as unfolding in two stages or phases: a first component whereby the worker and client define the problem situation or clarify why the client has sought assistance, and the second component, which involves evaluating and giving meaning to those factors that impinge on the problem situation. The first component is a brief summary of the identified problem situation or challenge the client faces while the second component involves analyzing, evaluating and giving meaning to those factors that influence the problem situation. Saleebey (2001:113) stresses the multidimensionality of assessment by distinguishing between the internal and external strengths of the client. The internal strengths come from the client's interpersonal skills, motivation, emotional strengths, and ability to think clearly. The client's external strengths come from family networks, significant others, voluntary organizations, community groups, and public institutions all of which support and provide opportunities for clients to act on their own behalf and institutional services that have the potential to provide resources. Cowger and Snively (2001:118) also propose the use of the following diagram of Cowger as an assessment tool.

Source: Saleebey, 2001

The analysis by Hepworth, et al., (2002:193) of the above framework of Cowger made them come to the conclusion that it alerts us to the fact that a useful assessment is not limited to either deficits or strengths, and that the environmental dimension is important as well as the personal.

According to Miley, et al. (2004:242) social workers and clients assess resource systems to discover gold, not causes or reasons. They point out that resources are relative, identifiable only in context. This is a significant viewpoint which refers to the unique person-environment configuration of the particular client. Miley et al. (2004:243) with the unique realities of clients in mind draw attention to the fact that the actual ways in which clients interact with their social and physical environments determine what functions as resources to the clients. To complete an empowering assessment, the partners explore broadly for resources that may be present in the environment, in the interaction of clients with others, and even in other challenges that clients are facing. DuBois & Miley (2005) refers to competence clarification as part of assessment which means that the social worker should explore what the client is capable of doing. They (2005:209) quote Mallucio's guidelines for competence clarification that includes (1) clarifying the competence of the client system, including capabilities, strengths, resiliency , and resources; (2) clarifying the environment, including the availability of resources and supports, and the presence of barriers, risks and obstacles; and (3) clarifying the goodness-of-fit or balance between the requirements for and the actual availability of resources.

Hepworth et al. (2002:194) identified in the following list a number of strengths often manifested by clients in the first sessions.

Miley et al. (2004:250 - 258) list the following components arising from an ecosystems perspective on assessment:

Cowger & Snively (2001) propose the following guidelines for a strength assessment

Many of these guidelines apply to any assessment, but some are specifically related to a strengths assessment. What is significant is that several of these guidelines emphasize a focus on the reality of the client, and the view that there should be a dialogue and partnership between the client and the social worker.

I would now like to come back to focus on spirituality as a strength mainly as the result of neglect of this aspect by social workers and the underestimation of its value in supporting the functioning of client systems.

Articles on spirituality in social work journals have become a significant trend over the last two decades after being neglected for quite a long time. Canda (quoted in Saleebey, 2002:63) concurs by pointing out that recognition of spirituality as a source of strength for people facing serious life challenges is growing rapidly amongst social workers. Moore ( 2003: 558) observes that the absence of a discourse on the matter of spirituality is conspicuous and baffling, when it is considered how often social workers confront such issues on a practical basis, and even more so when we remember social work's historical roots in spiritually informed communities. Miley et al. (2004:256) quotes Gotterer as stating that although practitioners historically included spirituality as an important dimension of assessment, it was often considered superfluous to the secular domain of practice. It was however discovered that many clients' innermost thoughts and feelings are rooted in spiritual beliefs which, rather than being a separate issue, serve as the foundation for the seemingly mundane activities of everyday life. Canda (1988:238) also points out that despite "repeated calls for professionals to focus on spiritual issues in practice, researchers agree that this area has been neglected".

Zapf (2005:634) offers a laudable explanation for what he perceives as the reason for ignoring, neglecting and even discouraging spirituality by the mainstream professions. He suggests that as a profession seeking to improve its status as an evidence-based scientific discipline, social work may have avoided spiritual issues that could be perceived as unscientific or difficult to categorize and use in practice. He explains further and pointing out that in the Western helping professions, religious and spiritual factors have often been linked more to pathology and impediments rather than seen as strengths or resources in a client's situation. The very scope of spiritual practice and understanding can be threatening for practitioners seeking to demonstrate professional competence with intervention techniques that are under their control. To this the author wants to add that social workers who are not religious themselves may find it difficult to bring spirituality into their practice, especially if spirituality is confused with a particular religious belief system. Zapf (2005:634) then makes the observation that "in spite of these patterns from the history of social work, there is strong evidence in the recent literature of a renewed interest in spirituality and social work".

Hodge (2001: 204) states that spirituality and religion often are used interchangeably, but they are distinct, although overlapping concepts. He explains that religion flows from spirituality and expresses an internal, subjective reality, corporately, in particular institutionalized forms, rituals, beliefs and practices. Spirituality is defined by him as a relationship with God, or with whatever is held to be the Ultimate that fosters a sense of meaning, purpose and mission in life. In turn, this relationship produces fruit (such as altruism, love, or forgiveness) that has a discernable effect on an individual's relationship to self, nature, others, and the Ultimate.

Miley, et al. (2004:235) entertain the following views on spirituality: "Although specific beliefs and practices vary considerably, religious affiliation and spirituality have resources to offer. Affiliating with a community of faith provides a network of personal relationships and concrete support in times of need. Specifically, spiritual beliefs and practices strengthen the ability to withstand and transcend adversity and are virtual wellsprings for healing and resilience. Common beliefs, stories of the faith, holy days and ritual celebrations forge a sense of communal identity and purpose. Compassion, love and forgiveness - themes in most religions - contribute to personal and interpersonal healing. Commitment to a faith can initiate a sense of meaning, renewal and hope for the future. Religious commitment may encourage concerns for the welfare of others and, for some, foster a zeal for addressing injustices".

Hodge (2001:204) mentions that the most widely used spiritual assessment tools are quantitative measures but he points out that those quantitative measures have been criticized as being incongruent with social work values. The reason for this is that the "subjective, often intangible nature of human existence is not captured" (Hodges, 2001:204). He proposes the use of qualitative approaches in assessing spirituality because they "tend to be holistic, open-ended, individualistic, ideographic, and process oriented". He feels that as such they offer particular strengths in assessing clients' spirituality, where riches of information can be of particular importance. He offers an assessment framework consisting of an Initial Narrative Framework and an Interpretive Anthropological Framework, which is reproduced in full below.

Initial Narrative Framework

Interpretive Anthropological Framework

Source: Hodge, D. 2001.

As Hodge (2001:207) describes and as can be seen from the framework, the first section provides for three categories of questions incorporating increasing levels of personal revelation and allowing time for the therapist to establish trust and rapport before more intimate information is shared.

The Interpretive Anthropological Framework is a multidimensional framework for understanding the personal subjective reality of spirituality in client's lives. The questions are not sequential but are intended as guides to alert practitioners to the various components of each domain and to create an awareness of the potentiality of clients' spirituality (Hodge, 2001:208). According to Hodge (2001:209), the Interpretive Anthropological Framework is designed to evoke the following empirically-based strengths:

As far as assessment of spirituality is concerned, Hodge (2005:316) discusses five spirituality assessment methods viz spiritual histories, spiritual life maps, spiritual genograms, spiritual ecomaps and spiritual ecograms. Amongst these, only the first one is based verbally, while the others are all pictorial. representations. A spiritual history is analogous to conducting a family history. In the spiritual history approach two question sets from the framework above are used to guide the conversation. The Initial Narrative Framework is used to provide practitioners with some tools to help clients tell their stories, moving from childhood to the present. The Interpretive Anthropological Framework is designed to elicit spiritual information as clients relate their stories.

Spiritual life maps represent a diagrammatic alternative to spoken spiritual histories (Hodge, 2005:316). It is a pictorial delineation of a client's spiritual journey. Spiritual life maps are illustrated accounts of clients' relationship with God (or transcendence) over time - a map of their spiritual life. They tell us where the clients have come from, where they are now and where they are going.

Spiritual genograms provide social workers with a tangible graphic representation of spirituality across at least three generations (Hodge, 2005:319). They are blueprints of complex intergenerational spiritual interactions.

Spiritual ecomaps focus on clients' current spiritual relationships. They focus on the portion of clients' spiritual story that exists in present space (Hodge, 2005:320)

Spiritual ecograms are a combination of the assessment strengths of spiritual ecomaps and spiritual genograms. Ecograms tap information that exists in present space, much like a traditional spiritual ecomap, and they also access information that exists across time like a spiritual genogram (Hodge, 2005:321). These tools are exactly the same as the various diagrams picturing the different aspects of family life, but these are with a spiritual overlay and can be helpful in making the client aware of his spiritual world.

Although dealt with differently conceptually, strengths and empowerment cannot be separated in practice. The one without the other is impossible. Empowerment is the practice approach embedded in the strengths perspective and consists of a variety of techniques used by the social worker to stimulate strengths within the client and in his environment. Adams (2003: 8) defines empowerment as "the means by which individuals, groups and/or communities become able to take control of their circumstances and achieve their own goals , thereby being able to work towards helping themselves and others to maximize the quality of their lives."

Lee (1994: 13) uses the following definition of empowerment in his exposition of the concept:

"Empowerment is a process whereby the social worker engages in a set of activities with the client...that aim to reduce the powerlessness that has been created by negative evaluations based on membership of a stigmatized group. It involves identification of the power blocks that contribute to the problem as well as the development and implementation of specific strategies aimed at either the reduction of the effects from indirect power blocks or the reduction of the operation of direct power blocks."

Hepworth & Larsen (2002:438) define empowerment as "enabling groups or communities to gain or regain the capacity to interact with the environment in ways that enhance resources to meet their needs, contribute to their well-being and potential, give their life satisfaction, and provide control over their lives to the extent possible."

Of the three above definitions, the two latter ones seem to refer to groups and communities while the first one does not rule out the individual. Empowerment should include the individual because eventually it is the individual that is disempowered.

Miley et al. (2004:91) point out that oppression, discrimination, injustice, and experiences of powerlessness are the very circumstances that call for the application of empowerment-based social work practice. To address these issues of oppression, injustice, and powerlessness, strengths-oriented social work practice incorporates empowerment as both a concept and a process. According to Miley et al. (2004: 91) a pursuit of the goal of empowerment significantly affects the way social workers practice. It is first characterized by the application of an ecosystems perspective and a strengths orientation in practice. The fact that social workers apply the ecosystems perspective means that they consider client situations in context, search for client strengths and environmental resources, and describe needs in terms of transitionary challenges rather than fixed problems. It secondly means that social workers as generalists draw on skills for resolving many issues at many social system level, and respond to the connections between personal troubles and public issues.

Miley et al. (2004: 85) distinguishes between personal, interpersonal and socio-political dimensions of empowerment. Personal empowerment embodies a person's sense of competence, mastery, strength and ability to affect change while interpersonal empowerment refers to person's ability to influence others. According to Miley at al. interpersonal power comes from two sources. The first source of power is based on social status - for example power based on race, gender and class. The second is power achieved through learning new skills and securing new positions, which are key features of empowerment. The socio-political (structural) dimensions of empowerment involve person's relationships to social and political structures.

Empowerment is a political concept because it deals with power relationships but Adams (2003:8) explains that the political dimensions of the concept is not party political because "its activist tone transcends party politics" Cowger and Snively. Saleebey (2001:108) stresses that practice that recognizes issues of social and economic justice requires methods that explicitly deal with power and power relationships. This implies that empowerment strategies should be used to intervene in power relationships and should be effective in changing power positions.

Adams (2003:28) states that there is "no one agreed set of concepts and approaches to empowerment. The diversity of theories and models of empowerment reflects the lack of a single definition of the concept."

Lee (1994:300) regards the central processes of empowerment as developing a critical consciousness in the context of relationship through consciousness-raising and praxis: strengthening individual capacities, potentialities, and problem-solving skills; building group, collectivity and community; and taking action to change oppressive conditions. Basic helping processes and skills are divided into the following categories by Lee (1994:31):

Lee (1994) distinguishes between empowerment of individuals, groups, and communities. Lee (1994) and Miley et al. (2004:86) distinguish further between the personal, interpersonal and political layers of empowerment which will cut across the lives of individuals, groups and communities. For Miley et al. (2004:85) empowerment on the personal level refers to a subjective state of mind, feeling competent and experiencing a sense of control. They explain that people who experience personal power perceive themselves as competent. Competence is regarded as the ability of any human system to fulfill its function of taking care of itself, drawing resources from effective interaction with others, and contributing to the resource pool of the social and physical environment.

On the interpersonal level (Miley, et al., 2004:87) it refers to person's ability to influence others. Successful interventions with others and the regard others hold for us contribute to our sense of interpersonal empowerment. The social power of position, roles, communication skills, knowledge and appearance contribute to a person's feelings of interpersonal empowerment. Interpersonal power comes firstly from social status like race, gender and class, and secondly from learning new skills and securing new positions which are regarded as key features of empowerment.

The sociopolitical dimensions of empowerment (Miley, et al., 2004:88) refer to structural elements and involve person's relationships to social and political structures. It has to do with the fact that all human systems require an ongoing, expansive set of resource options to keep pace with constantly changing conditions. The more options, the more likely systems can manage their challenges. The fewer the options, the greater the vulnerability of systems.

Miley et al. (2004:311) provide one of the most comprehensive classifications of empowering strategies. They divide empowerment strategies into three categories viz the activation of resources, the creation of alliances and the expansion of opportunities. In each of these categories are a variety of techniques that could be used to achieve the goals of empowerment. Space does not allow the discussion of these strategies in detail, and only a summary of these strategies will be provided.

8.1 The activation of resources

Generalist Skills for Activating Resources

Maintaining Progress

Developing Power

Changing Perspectives

Managing Resources

Educating

Source: Miley, et al., 2004

8.2 The creation of alliances

Miley et al. (2004:343) emphasize the importance of social workers in creating and facilitating alliances for clients and themselves for the generation of resources for service delivery and the construction of supportive environments for practice. The strength of alliances is to be found in the establishing and improving of relationships and in mutual understandings between role-players in order to form a network of relationships which will empower the client systems. The following types of alliances are distinguished by them:

Client group alliances

Natural support alliances

Client-services alliances through case management

Organizational alliances

Professional support networks

The various alliances are presented by means of the diagram below.

Source: Miley, et al., 2004

Miley et al. (2004:344) stress that social work groups are vehicles for personal growth, skill development, and environmental change. Through group work, members may acquire new perspectives, be a support for one another, and also join forces for collective action.

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