In a matter of weeks, as social workers everywhere make mention of their bosses at after-work happy hours and family dinner tables, a handful of such may… Read more “From Social Worker to Supervisor (A Promotion Tale)”
Category: Social Work
Success
Today a social work colleague asked me how I find my community-based work with individuals experiencing chronic homelessness to be “sustainable.” The question was not about caseload… Read more “Success”
Ya Burnt Up or You’re Burned Out
Early in my social work career I had a client who loved to tell me I was ‘burnt up’, a colloquialism indicating disbelief or disagreement. Each time… Read more “Ya Burnt Up or You’re Burned Out”
dear social worker
You, dear social worker, you are incredible. I do not know you, but I know this is true. I know that you live a life dedicated to… Read more “dear social worker”
drugs and bugs and weapons (oh my)
“Did you see that gun?” my colleague asked me as we left the home of our shared client. I had indeed seen the gun. I also saw… Read more “drugs and bugs and weapons (oh my)”
Occupational Hazard
Last night I sat on my bedroom floor, not yet ready to crawl into bed. I listened to “No Hard Feelings” by The Avett Brothers more times… Read more “Occupational Hazard”
What Else It Really Means to be a Social Worker
Want ignorant assumptions, inauthentic praise or unwitting pity from others? Just tell them that you are a social worker. “Oh, so you like fix people?” “How noble… Read more “What Else It Really Means to be a Social Worker”
Self-Determined to Self-Destruct
It is no secret and no surprise that social work is a tough profession. Social workers are notoriously overworked, overstressed, underpaid, and underappreciated. Social workers are graceful… Read more “Self-Determined to Self-Destruct”
Life After Social Work
At the age of 20, the ink still smudgeable on my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I secured a job administering Behavioral Therapy to children on the Autism… Read more “Life After Social Work”
Social Work Lessons From Literature’s Greatest Stories
After almost ten years as a social worker in mental health and homeless services, I have developed some rather sophisticated methods of self-care. I often indulge in… Read more “Social Work Lessons From Literature’s Greatest Stories”