How to convey social workers’ understanding to clients in everyday interactions? Toward epistemic justice

A client’s experience of being heard and understood by a social worker contributes to not only fostering alliance and positive outcomes in practice, but also positioning the client as the knower of their own experience. One’s capacity to be recognized as a trustworthy conveyer of knowledge is essential to achieving a sense of human value. Philosopher Miranda Fricker describes this recognition as epistemic justice. When the client’s experiences...