Editor's Eye

 

 

Are you or someone you know applying to social work graduate school? The Social Work Graduate School Applicant’s Handbook is now available in Kindle format and print format! Order it from Amazon here for the Kindle edition or here for the print edition.

 

We are currently running a special on the Days in the Lives of Social Workers book series! Get all 4 books (Days in the Lives of Social Workers, More Days in the Lives of Social Workers, Days in the Lives of Gerontological Social Workers, and Riding the Mutual Aid Bus and Other Adventures in Group Work) for $70 plus shipping. http://shop.whitehatcommunications.com/daysinthelivesofsocialworkerssetof4

 

Check out all of our social work and nonprofit books, social work greeting cards, social work buttons, and more. All of our books and products are available through our secure online store at: http://shop.whitehatcommunications.com.

 

You can also download our catalog in PDF format at:

 

 

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Job Corner

 

Innovative non-profit case management organization recruiting licensed social workers with nationally recognized case management certification. For immediate consideration, please apply on our website www.coordinatingcenter.org.

Featured Excerpts

 

 

 

by Sharon Lacay, LMSW, ASW

 

Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the Summer 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. Read the full article at:

One of the special qualities about being a social worker is having the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life. It is our job to meet our clients where they are; however, the journey to get there is sometimes easier said than done. Just as in our daily lives, in the field, we come into contact with people who are different from ourselves; who may be a different gender, have a different culture, be from a different socio-economic status, differ in age, or be struggling with an issue that we ourselves have never faced before. For students gaining professional experience in a field placement setting, it is both inevitable and imperative to develop the skills needed to engage, assess, and effectively treat individuals and communities with whom we may have little in common.

 

This process begins with empathy. According to The Social Work Dictionary (Barker, 2003), empathy can be defined as “the act of perceiving, understanding, experiencing, and responding to the emotional state and ideas of another person.” The act of empathy reflects one of NASW’s core values, dignity and worth of the person, by guiding us to respect everyone’s unique situation, strengths, weaknesses, and what is important to them about their presenting issue and treatment plan.

Even for the most experienced professional, working with people who are different from ourselves can be both challenging and rewarding. It is often in our experience as an intern in field placement that we are initially faced with dealing with worker-client differences. It can sometimes be awkward or scary, but it is those experiences that will force us to break through boundaries and rely on the power of empathy to engage our clients and develop sound interventions with them.

 

In my second year of graduate school, my field placement was in a domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center. One of my assignments was to facilitate a long-term adult survivors counseling group. Each of the six group participants was at least twice my age, and I was a little apprehensive, to say the least. Before this placement, I had only worked with children and adolescents. The thought of relating to these much older women seemed almost impossible. We were at different stages in our womanhood and in life, and I questioned how I could truly be effective in helping them. When I shared my hesitations with my supervisor, her advice was to be genuine, confident in my skills, and to use my words and expression to show empathy. It sounded like a solid plan, but deep down I was hoping it would never come up in group.

Two sessions in, my fears were confirmed when one of the women remarked that I looked young and that I may not be able to understand where she and the others were coming from. She continued and voiced her doubts that I may not be able to appreciate their seasoned wisdom about life. In response, I paused for a moment and gathered my confidence. I remembered what my supervisor had suggested and all that I had learned about meeting a person where he or she is. I said, “You are right. I’m not an expert on life, or yours. One of the great things about being a part of this group is that we can learn from each other. I’d love if you told me more about yourself, what you think makes you strong, and what you hope to gain from our work together.”

This took her by surprise, and I felt a sigh of relief when she smiled and noticeably let her guard down. By validating her reluctance and showing that I wasn’t there to tell her how to live her life or how to heal, she saw me as an ally. Once I saw how powerful this approach was, I continued to grow my empathy skills in group and in supervision. By being honest about how I felt around mitigating our different life experiences, I became less afraid or offended when a client questioned my abilities. Always acknowledging their trepidations, I was eager to learn from them and showed a genuine interest in what they had to offer in our work together.

 

Read the rest of this article at:

 

 

Articles from the Summer 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER include:

 

...and much more!

 

Features

 

In observance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month in June, the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD invited the public to participate in its “Take the Step” campaign.

 

“Every day of the year, we should focus on assisting those who have served our Nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  “In June, during PTSD awareness month, we take special care to help Veterans with PTSD.  VA is a leader in providing state-of-the-art, high-quality mental health care that improves and saves Veterans’ lives.  PTSD treatment can help and there is hope for recovery for Veterans who need mental health services.”

 

VA provides PTSD treatment for Veterans and conducts extensive research on PTSD, including prevention of stress disorders.  Veterans are encouraged to use VA’s PTSD resources so they are able to recognize symptoms and seek help if the need arises. VA also encourages Veterans to share what they learn with someone they know to build awareness and support systems.

 

Following exposure to trauma, most people experience stress reactions but many do not develop PTSD.   Mental health experts are not sure why some people develop PTSD and others do not.  However, if stress reactions do not improve over time and they disrupt everyday life, VA encourages Veterans to seek help to determine if PTSD may be a factor.

 

“Many barriers keep people with PTSD from seeking the help they need,” said Dr. Matthew Friedman, Executive Director of VA’s National Center for PTSD. “Knowledge and awareness, however, are key to overcoming these barriers.  For those living with PTSD, knowing there are treatments that work, for example, can lead them to seek needed care. Greater public awareness of PTSD can help reduce the stigma of this mental health problem and overcome negative stereotypes that may keep many people from pursuing treatment.”

 

On June 3, VA announced it had hired a total of 1,607 mental health clinical providers to meet the goal of 1,600 new mental health professionals outlined in the President’s Aug. 31, 2012, Executive Order. Additionally, VA had hired 2,005 mental health clinical providers to fill existing vacancies, as well as 318 new peer specialists towards the specific goal of 800 peer specialists by Dec. 31, 2013 as outlined in the Executive Order. 

 

Throughout the summer, VA will hold mental health summits at each of its 152 medical centers across the nation to establish and enhance positive working relationships with their community partners. The summits will help encourage community engagement in order to better address and understand the broad mental health care needs of veterans and their families.

 

For more information about PTSD, professionals and the public can go to The National Center for PTSD Web site at www.ptsd.va.gov. The site offers resources such as:

 

News & Resources

 

 

 

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I am seeking articles for upcoming issues of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine. I am especially interested in articles in the following categories:

 

 

Our style is conversational and educational, and articles typically run 1,500-2,000 words for feature articles (considerably shorter for news items).

 

I also welcome submissions of poetry, photographs, illustrations, artwork, and other creative work depicting social work and related topics.

 

Please contact Linda Grobman, editor/publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, at: lindagrobman@socialworker.com

On Our Web Site

 

The Summer 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available now! It is available to download in PDF format at:

 

 

THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s Web site at http://www.socialworker.com includes the full text of hundreds of articles from past issues of the magazine. The current issue is featured on the site’s main page. Past issues can be found under “Magazine Issues” in the right column of the page. For selected full-text articles from issues prior to Spring 2006, click on “Feature Articles Archive” on the left side of the page. The magazine is also available for FREE download in PDF format.

 

In addition to the free PDF and Web versions of the magazine, the magazine is available in PRINT at http://newsocialworker.magcloud.com! Order it today!

 

You can also purchase bound volumes for 2011 and 2012 at Amazon.com. Search for “The New Social Worker” (in quotes).

 

Our online discussion forum/message board is a place for open discussion of a variety of social work-related issues. Join in our discussion at http://www.socialworker.com (click on the “Forum” link).

 

 

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The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics is a free, online, peer-reviewed journal published twice a year, in full text, online.

 

The journal’s archives from 2004-2012 can be found at: http://www.socialworker.com/jswve

 

Beginning January 1, 2013, the Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics is published by the Association of Social Work Boards. See http://www.jswve.org.

In Print

White Hat Communications, publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and the Social Work E-News, has published several books about social work. These books make great gifts (for graduation or other occasions) for yourself, or for your friends, students, and colleagues in social work!

 

Briefly, those currently in print are:

 

 

DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS: 58 Professionals Tell Real-Life Stories From Social Work Practice (4th Edition), edited by Linda May Grobman

 

MORE DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS:35 Real-Life Stories of Advocacy, Outreach, and Other Intriguing Roles in Social Work Practice, edited by Linda May Grobman

 

DAYS IN THE LIVES OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORKERS: 44 Professionals Tell Stories From Real-Life Social Work Practice With Older Adults, edited by Linda May Grobman and Dara Bergel Bourassa.

 

 

IS IT ETHICAL? 101 SCENARIOS IN EVERYDAY SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE: A DISCUSSION WORKBOOK, by Thomas Horn

 

THE FIELD PLACEMENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: What You Need to Know to Get the Most From Your Social Work Practicum, 2^nd Edition, edited by Linda May Grobman

 

THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICANT’S HANDBOOK: The Complete Guide to Selecting and Applying to MSW Programs, by Jesus Reyes

 

We also publish books on nonprofit management. Want to start your own agency? Check out THE NONPROFIT HANDBOOK: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Nonprofit Organization (6th Edition) and IMPROVING QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE IN YOUR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, by Gary M. Grobman.

 

 

All of our books are available through our secure online store at:

 

You can also download our catalog in PDF format at:

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