Sociotherapy, profession and professional code

• definition of Sociotherapie
• general methods of approach of Sociotherapy
• theoretical lines of approach in Sociotherapy
  • socialization
  • sociotherapeutic work in relationship with social systems
  • sociotherapeutic work in relationship to social identity
• arrangement of sociotherapeutic interventions
• task areas
• the sociotherapeutic quality of treatment
• professional code for sociotherapists
• literature and organizations

Sociotherapists need to be familiar with the theories appropriate to their work. These form the basis for the treatment carried out by sociotherapists. Theoretical fundamentals are necessary in order to give each setting or target group a tailored form of treatment. In practice can be seen, which elements of a particular theoretical concept are suitable to use and which elements are less appropriate for a particular target group in a particular context. A number of theoretical concepts are of importance, such as socialization, social systems and social identity.

Socialization

By socialization, we understand the process of learning to live and interact with both yourself and others. In Sociotherapy socialization means that learning to deal with yourself and others takes place by sharing or learning to share information about yourself with others. Sociotherapy as a treatment method is successful if it succeeds in getting people to communicate and negotiate with each other.
Communication can be defined in terms of both contact and interaction.
Contact can be described as the degree to which people can open up and withdraw in communication.
Interaction can be described as the degree to which people can adapt to their environment and influence their environment.

To become open, to withdraw oneself, to adapt and to influence are social skills that are necessary in order to function in a particular living situation. Socialization can be understood as the process by which the child, and later the adult, learns to use all the above-mentioned social skills.
The first six years of life can be seen as the period of primary socialization. Learning to interact with yourself and others is the process by which the child learns how to harmonize what it wants with what it can and may do.
In a 'normal' situation, it can be observed that during the first six years of life the number of people the child comes into contact with is steadily growing. The physical, cognitive and affective abilities of the child are ever increasing and it develops by trial and error within the comparative safety of family life. Supporting the child in its uniqueness, which can be seen in the child's aspirations and choice making, plays an important role in this process.

Through the increase in physical, cognitive and affective abilities from approximately the sixth year of life, the child is able to profit from a larger, more complicated environment. This is called secondary socialization, which occurs to an important extent outside the family. The company of children of the same age plays an increasingly important part in the further development of the child.

Sociotherapy directs itself towards the furthering of social skills in (young) adults. This process can be seen as an improvement or continuation of their secondary socialization.
In this way, Sociotherapy directs itself towards the restoration of contact and the increase of the client's social skills repertoire. This is generally possible when the stage of life of the clients is similar. Identification with contemporaries who are suffering from similar problems improves the exchange of information. This means that the results of Sociotherapy are improved when the clients admitted belong to the same age group.

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