Holding Two Worlds: Peer Group Practice as a Clinical Space for Identity Formation among Bedouin Social Workers

Early-career social workers from minority and Indigenous communities often encounter complex challenges as they enter dominant welfare systems, including cultural dissonance, ethical dilemmas, professional isolation, and threats to emerging professional identity. This qualitative study examines a year-long, culturally grounded peer support group designed as a clinical and reflective practice space for novice Bedouin social workers in Israel. Participants (N = 34), all graduates of Palestinian Authority social work programs and newly employed in Israel’s Hebrew-speaking welfare system, engaged in weekly group sessions facilitated by experienced social work educators. Data were drawn from semi-structured interviews and complete transcripts of group sessions and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings highlight three interrelated clinical processes: (1) negotiating cultural belonging and professional ethics in everyday practice; (2) consolidating professional identity through relational safety, mutual recognition, and collective reflection; and (3) developing clinical skills, professional language, and confidence within a supportive peer environment. The peer group functioned as a “holding environment” that normalized uncertainty, fostered reflexivity, and supported culturally responsive clinical decision-making. The study contributes to the clinical social work literature by illustrating how peer-based group interventions can serve as effective clinical resources for minority practitioners, thereby strengthening their professional identity, emotional resilience, and culturally attuned practice within structurally unequal contexts.