Browsing by Author "Shokirova, Takhmina"

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Open Access
Confronting and Reimagining the Orientation of International Graduate Students: A Collaborative Autoethnography Approach
(University of Windsor, 2022-09-08) Shokirova, Takhmina; Lisa, Brunner; Karki, Karun; Coustere, Capucine; Valizadeh, Negar
This paper uses lived experiences to critically examine the orientation of international graduate students at research-intensive Canadian universities. We, five co-authors, embody diverse ethnic, racial, sexual, religious, national, and gender identities, yet are all (or have been) international graduate students in Canada. Through collaborative autoethnography, we destabilize the notion of “orientation.” We argue that international student orientation should be understood as a fluid, ongoing process rather than one with rigid boundaries and timelines. Furthermore, orientation programming should more deeply consider the intersecting identities and positionalities of international students as multifaced individuals, as well as the implicit expectations of one-way “integration” into settler-colonial Canadian society. We suggest a different approach to orientation and offer a conceptual framework to guide future practice, highlighting the role universities play in not only supporting students academically but also in (im)migrant settlement.
Open Access
Familial Tensions: Morphing Gender Relations of Power Among Tajik Migrant Workers in Russia
(SAGE Publications, 2022) Shokirova, Takhmina
International labor migration impacts gender relations between migrant workers and their families. Social workers need a more nuanced understanding of the gendered aspects of international migration for developing ethical social work practices and research. This article discusses morphing gender relations of power within the family context. The data presented in this paper originated from conversational interviews that were conducted in Tajikistan and Russia. Using social constructivism and intersectionality as the main theoretical approaches, this paper illustrates how male–male, male–female, and female–female gender relations are constantly negotiated and renegotiated within the family in the midst of labor mobility. This distinct understanding is critical for social workers who work with migrant workers and their families both locally and globally.
Open Access
Putting the pieces together: Client experiences of intuition in counselling
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2023-11) Gervais, Brittany Renee Vivian; Shokirova, Takhmina; Novotna, Gabriela; Moasun, Festus
Intuition is when we know something but are unable to determine how we know it. It is an automatic and unconscious process that influences our decision-making. In counselling, this can be a helpful tool, as long as biases are mitigated. There are studies that address intuition used in clinical practice and psychology. However, there is a lack of research in social work practice, especially focusing on exploring intuition from the clients’ perspective. Guided by an overarching research question “what are the clients’ experiences when intuition is used in a session by a professional counsellor?”, this study addressed the phenomenon of intuition by using the fusion of social constructivist paradigm and phenomenology, and was informed by decolonial perspectives on research in social work practice. The findings in this study show that clients enter counselling with personal beliefs, fears, and skepticism about intuition that are shaped by their epistemologies and worldviews. Intuition is more closely aligned with Indigenous worldviews than Eurocentric worldviews. Indigenous perspectives are holistic and view the world as interconnected parts of a whole. The findings in this study show that intuition is holistic. It is a felt sense (body), can be taught and developed (mind), and helped participants feel connected to themselves, others, and the world at large (spirit). Participants also found intuition in counselling to be validating and healing. The study suggests that intuition 1) could be normalized within the dominant discourses on decision making in social work practice and, 2) post-secondary education and practice in social work can benefit from training about using one’s intuition in social work practice.
Open Access
“Shared responsibility” an intersectional approach to sexual violence prevention: counselling and training experiences at the sexual violence and response office
(Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina, 2024-07) Fraser, Jessica; Shokirova, Takhmina; Eaton, Andrew
Sexual violence affects a significant amount of people in Saskatchewan, in particular women experiencing the highest rates of sexual violence. In Canada, there are a significant number of students in post-secondary institutions who have experienced or witnessed unwanted sexual behaviour. This report outlines my experiences while completing the MSW field practicum at the Sexual Violence and Prevention office located at the University of Regina. The ultimate goals of my practicum were to gain clinical counselling knowledge using a trauma-informed framework and to gain skills to provide educational opportunities for students to learn about gender-based violence. This report will highlight my use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and the use of Judith Herman’s (2022) stages of trauma recovery. These tools were utilized in counselling practice when supporting someone who has experienced gender-based violence. Additionally, I will discuss education and awareness-raising important events that occurred related to gender-based violence with the campus community. Beyond my day-to-day practicum, I will highlight how I have been reflective and aware of my positionality and to ensure I am an anti-oppressive and trauma-informed social worker.