Diary of a Social Worker

I am male, a career-changer and currently a social work student at a large university enrolled in a Masters of Social Work (MSW) program.

[epiccsocialwork]

Are We Letting Them Slip Through the Cracks? - ACSWA

New blog post! Students struggling, both academically and socially, are pushed through grade after grade, and teachers are overwhelmed. “They can’t do it alone, and this is why we need more clinical social workers in the schools, not just when there is a crisis, but for every-day behavioral health upkeep.” 

[psychotherapy]

The task of therapy is not to eliminate suffering but to give a voice to it, to find a form in which it can be expressed. Expression is itself transformation; this is the message that art brings. The therapist then would be an artist of the soul, working with sufferers to enable them to find the proper container for their pain, the form in which it would be embodied.

Stephen K. Levine (via psychotherapy)

The social worker in me likes this.

(via iamdreamingwideawake)

[psydorbust]

Can you give examples of what you do to not get burnt out?

I’m going to write a longer, more formal post about it, since I’ve gotten an influx of questions about it recently. It’ll be up by next week (probably Friday?), but here are some articles if you want to read more about it now.

Avoiding Burnout

7 Strategies to Prevent Burnout

11 Ways to Avoid Burnout

[mariannapaige]

[itsquoted]

Before you speak, think. Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it kind? Will it hurt anyone? Will it improve on the silence?

Sri Sathya Sai Baba (via itsquoted)

[gradschooltaughtmesomething]

[recoveryisbeautiful]

Even though some of the links go directly to the iTunes or Android store, still double check them because most of them are available of both platforms as well as others :)

12 Steps AA Companion (iTunes/Android)

Alura: Cognitive Therapy

ASK & Prevent Suicide (iTunes/Android)

AutisMate

Beating the Blues

Beat Panic

Beat Social Phobia (iTunes/Android)

BellyBio Interactive Breathing

Bipol-App

BioZen

Body Beautiful

BrainHQ

CBT Referee

Circle of 6

Cogmed

CogniFit

Cognitive Diary CBT Self-Help

Cognitive Enhancement Therapy

Constant Therapy

COGPACK

Control Alcohol (iTunes/Android)

DBT Diary Card and Skills Coach

DBT Self Help

Depression CBT Self-Help Guide

Eating D

eCBT

eMoods Bipolar Mood Tracker

Emotions and Feelings - AutismFeelings Book

Fit Brains

Focus Trainer

Guardly

Happy Habits: Choose Happiness

HAPPYneuron

HELP Prevent Suicide (iTunes/Android)

iCBT

iCounselor

iMoodJournal

ImQuit – Quit Addiction

iPromises

iStress

Just-in-Case

Kissy Project

Life Mood

LifeLine Response

Live Happy

Lumosity

Mobicip Safe Browser with Parental Control

Mood and Anxiety Diary

Mood Panda

Mood Tracker

Mood Tracking Journal and Diary

Mood Watch

MoodGYM

MoodKit

Moodlytics

MoodMaster Anti-Depression App

Moody Me

MyBrainSolutions

MindShift

My Mood Tracker

MyThoughts

OneHealth Meeting Finder

OnWatch (iTunes/Android)

Operation Reach Out (iTunes/Android)

Optimism

Overcoming Social Anxiety

Panic Aid

Project Toe

PSSCogRehab

PTSD Coach

QPR Suicide Crisis Support

Recovery Box

Recovery Record

Rise Up + Recover

Sad Scale

SAFE Alternatives

Safe Helpline

Safety App

Safety Plan

SAM – Self Help for Anxiety Management

SAS – Social Anxiety Support

Scientific Brain Training Pro

Self-Esteem Blackboard

Self Help Classics

Sobriety Counter

Stop Panic & Anxiety Self Help

Stop Drinking (iTunes/Android)

STOP!T

StopSelfHarm

Suicide Lifeguard

T2 Mood Tracker

Take Control

Teen Hotlines

The Now

This Way Up

Thought Diary

Watch Over Me – Personal Safety App

Way of Life

WhatsMyM3

Wingman Project

Worry Box- Anxiety Self Help

[diaryofasocialworker]

How Am I Doing?

How do i judge my own performance as a new therapist? Am I helping them? Am I saying the right things? Am i engaging them enough? 

Therapy is such a private, intimate thing. Just two people, in confidence. Saying to the most private things you can imagine. Things you can never tell anyone else. 

One thing I heard someone say in class (a professor, perhaps) is that it's an honor and a privilege to be able to hear these things. It's a privilege to be the one that someone shares their most personal pain and secrets with. So I've really taken that to heart. 

In my internship, I may be the first person or therapist that some people ever have a session with. I had a client this week that was 78, and spoke Spanish and he's never been to therapy before. And lucky him, he got me as his first therapist. A veteran of just six weeks.

Some people come once, drop a trauma bomb and then they don't come back. Will they ever come back? Did I not handle it well? Did I not support them enough? Likely there are millions of different reasons why they don't come back, many of them that have nothing to do with me.

So knowing if I'm doing well is important. I had my first evaluation this week by my field instructor which was good and informative. I mean, a lot of this is just paperwork but there is good stuff in there. it reminded me of my report cards in elementary school, with check boxes and descriptions. 

I asked my supervisor something like "Well, sometimes I wonder how I'm doing, whether I'm doing a good job."

Her response was priceless: "So how do you think you're doing?"

[whatshouldwecallarttherapy]

[thepeoplesrecord]

New photos depict horrific conditions at border detention center June 17, 2014

New photos released by Rep. Henry Cuellar’s (D-Texas) office depict the unsanitary and cramped living conditions that undocumented immigrants, many of whom are unaccompanied children, are experiencing in a detention center near the U.S.-Mexico border.

The photos were first published by Business Insider on Monday. Cuellar’s office declined to tell the website who took the photos and where exactly they were taken.

President Barack Obama has previously called the buildup of unaccompanied minors at temporary border facilities an “urgent humanitarian situation,” and the government has directed considerable resources to housing and caring for the children. Customs and Border Protection, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, is supposed to turn over minors to the Department of Health and Human Services within three days, but many children are remaining in detention facilities for longer periods due to the massive influx.

Breitbart Texas released photos of the crisis in early June that showed the undocumented immigrants living in tight, hard-floored spaces. CBP is currently investigating reports that minors have been mistreated at those facilities.

Cuellar, who toured a detention facility in McAllen, Texas, on Saturday with local officials, said in a press release on Monday that he believes federal officers “are doing all that they can under the circumstances to ensure every migrant is treated with dignity and respect.”

"There is no strong protocol in place for dealing with Central American immigrants and some of the most important work left is to improve the process for returning them to their home countries," he said. “The United States needs to do a better job in working with Mexico to strengthen their southern border and to work with the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.”

Vice President Joe Biden is set to travel to Latin America on Friday and will address the surge at the border.

Source

Obama can call this an urgent humanitarian situation all he’d like. His record number of deportations speaks louder than any meaningless lip service. 

Nearly 50,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the border & detained in these torturous conditions since Oct. 1. This is a state-sanctioned humanitarian crisis & government child abuse. 

[tora42]

REFUGEES NOT IMMIGRANTS. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

[bruja-mafufa]

It fucking hurts to see this because THIS is what two of my cousins are being forced to sleep in right now. They were migrating from El Salvador and have been caught at the Texas border. The two have been separated, and are at two different detention centers in Texas. We know where my younger cousin is, but we do not know the whereabouts of my older cousin. They left home nearly a month and a half ago, have travelled through Mexico, and finally crossed, only to get caught shortly after. Please keep them and all migrant families in your thoughts and prayers, because this stuff is not easy to go through.

[becauseiamawoman-deactivated202]

Self-care cheat sheet via honoryourselfnow.net

[diaryofasocialworker]

Learning to Let Go

Clients come and then they never come back sometimes. Where I am interning, we get lots of no shows. Cancellations. And one visits and no returns. It's probably because it's a community health clinic primarily, with a little bit of mental health and counseling.

People come and they go. They can have a very emotional first session and then never come back.

Will I be haunted by them? By what happened to them? Wonder about their well-being?

I have to learn to let go. There will be lots of clients. Right now, I've got a handful. So they are easy to remember. Will you ever forget them though? Are there people that stay with you?

I guess I can help everyone. I can't force them to come back. i can't make them stay in therapy.

[diaryofasocialworker]

So I Started Therapy Again

I call it preventive therapy. But really, it's just a continuation. It's part of my long journey in treatment. I took a break, i guess. But I still have work to do. Stuff to work on.

And new stuff too, like starting school and dealing with clients.

Therapy should be required for all MSW students. No matter what. it should also be 100% free.

[whatshouldwecallarttherapy]

Hi! I'm planning to become an art therapist but I'm afraid I won't be good enough. Any advice?

I recommend reading the book The Making of a Therapist, by Louis Cozolino, which I had to read for a class in grad school. Much of the book talks about how sometimes - most of the time - it’s acceptable to be a “good enough” therapist. This means that you don’t have to be perfect; you will make mistakes, there will be bad days, and there will be times when you think, “What the hell was I thinking?” The great thing is, that is what life is all about, and being in touch with yourself is what can make you a great therapist.

All I can say is, work as hard as you can, do your best work, know your materials, trust your instincts, remember that your intention is to be present for your clients, and you will be a “good enough” therapist.

[diaryofasocialworker]

I recently wrote about "good enough" therapy so this is relevant to me and my interests! Thanks for recommending this book, too. Must get.

[psych-student-in-therapy]

What's the difference between psychology and social work? I want to become a therapist, but I'm not sure which route would be better for me. Thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful day! Congrats on your recent accomplishments! I'm really happy for you! You're so amazing, you deserve nothing but the best in life. Xo

The biggest difference is that psychology focuses on the individual while social work focuses more on the environment and social context. What you’ll be learning in psychology courses and social workers will be completely different, even though they can both become therapists. In psychology, you focus on mental health, brain development and how it can effect emotions and then in turn how emotions can effect behavior. It’s more on the scientific side and it’s very research based. On the other hand, in social work courses you will learn about social contexts and how the environment can influence development, how turning to community interventions can help treat mental health issues. It also looks at cultural norms and societal issues. 

Hope that helps!! 

[diaryofasocialworker]

No-Shows

I've been interning for about three weeks, and have seen about 5 clients on my own so far. Not bad. On Monday I will see about 5 in one day! At least, that's how many I have scheduled. Unfortunately, our clinic has lots of no-shows.

I find no-shows to be annoying. I get really psyched to see someone on my calendar and get ready at the appointed time. And nothing. It seems like half of my appointments have been no-shows. Usually after me or my supervisor have called the previous day to confirm with them. I mean sometimes, they say "Yes, sure, my appointment, I'll be there." And then nothing.

Maybe even worse, is not having a client return for a second session. First sessions are great and I feel like I've engaged them and talked about good stuff. But then they no-show (or rarer, cancel) their second appointment.

I feel like I let them down. Or haven't done what they needed. I second guess myself. Is it me? Why did they not want to return? Why are they not returning my calls or messages? Did I do a crappy job in the first session?

Even though our clinic only does short-term therapy (like 10-12 sessions) I would like to have my own caseload. I'm sure that will come in time, though. It's just my first year, first month of internship after all. But as a client, I take no showing very seriously and could never do it on purpose so just trying to figure all this out.

[diaryofasocialworker]

Thinking about grad school any tips on the letter of interest

Yes. Be yourself. Your genuine self. Tell your story with passion. Be boastful of your accomplishments, especially in your chosen field. Is this your calling? If it is, I hope you say so and show it in your writing. Have your letter edited by a good friend who is a writer or editor. Take them out to lunch and thank them. Make it look professional. Follow all the guidelines they list. Call the school and just say hi and ask any questions, get to know them.

Good luck!