Random Thoughts being an LCSW

I just read this short blog post on a clinical social worker’s real mission.

http://blog.acswa.org/clinical-social-work-news/clinical-social-works-real-mission/ 

After reading it I thought about the struggles social workers have and with what a person looking for a therapist gets when they choose a social worker.

When you are looking for a therapist you will see all sorts of initials after people’s name.  If you are not in the field you may have no idea what they mean.  Within the field there is a sort of hierarchy of who is “better” based on credentials.

I am an LCSW which means a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  In Illinois, an LCSW has a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW), at least two years post MSW experience under another LCSW and then passes a national board exam.  I love being a social worker but I know that many people have no idea what that means.

In effort to be taking seriously I think that someone who is a social worker may try to make sure people know they aren’t a caseworker.   A person might say they are a therapist rather than a social worker.  (Though for some of us using the word therapist rather than social worker is a much harder transition.)  I get where that desire to differentiate comes from.  I know I can get frustrated when helping someone with transportation at my dialysis job and someone says “that’s what social workers do, they enjoy it.”  (Yes, that has been said to me.  More than once!  I don’t actually enjoy it.)  The thing is that finding transportation is vital for a dialysis patient because they need to get to dialysis in order to keep living.  (Side note:  If you are ever looking for a volunteer activity or to help someone – consider driving a dialysis patient to and from treatment.) Even though it is vital, I think “I have so many more skills than this.”  I feel guilty thinking that though because part of social work is helping people overcome barriers.

I think it must be about finding some balance.  I enjoy the clinical aspects of therapy but my world is consistent with being a social worker.  I believe there is some need for encouraging social justice.  I believe that are concerns and problems are not just internal but are often a result of larger systems from our relationships, to our families, to our neighborhood, cities, cultures, spiritual system or anything that we are part of a larger structure.  I guess I’ll be both a social worker and a therapist and continue working on better integrating them into one identity.  Just my random thoughts.

A last short note on my forgiveness kick…

“I can forgive, but I cannot forget" is only another way of saying, "I will not forgive."
Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note--torn in two and burned up so that it never can be shown against one.”    Paul Boese

I agree with this.  This actually may fall under “one of Julie’s annoyances.”

I know you’ve heard it.  I’ve heard it thousands of times.  “I forgive them but I’m not going to forget.”  I’m with the above quote, that not forgetting isn’t forgiveness.  It always seems to me that “not forgetting” is holding the act over the person.  It seems like not forgetting means that it is still there and may be insidiously, quietly hiding resentment.  If a person is in a relationship with someone, it seems like for the relationship to be successful, that there has to be actual forgiveness.  It is hard to believe that having past deeds festering in the back of the mind will be beneficial to a relationship in the future.

Maybe this is why I don’t believe that forgiveness is warranted in every situation.  I can either accept and live with something and forgive or I can’t.  I’m not saying set yourself up to get hurt repeatedly but maybe if that fear is always there in the back of your mind there are other issues to deal with.

I don’t know.  I just think that forgiving is wiping the slate clean and if a part of me is “remembering” then I haven’t really completely forgiven.


“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.” ~ Confucius

Social Work Month

social work
n. Organized work intended to advance the social conditions of a community, and especially of the disadvantaged, by providing psychological counseling, guidance, and assistance, especially in the form of social services. (cited below)

I am a social worker. I am proud to be a social worker. Unfortunately social workers often get a bad rap. In media social workers are often portrayed as angry, unhappy individuals who can’t be bothered to do their jobs and rip children from their parents without consideration. That is not the real picture of a social worker. Social workers mostly try to help people,communities and even the world be better, have better quality life, be safer and be more empowered.

Social workers held about 595,000 jobs in 2006 (http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/swMonth/2010/factsheetHSH.pdf)

Social workers work with people through all stages of life from birth through dying. Social workers assist in child welfare, family services, hospitals and other medical establishments, state agencies, community programs, schools, volunteer groups, organizations that promote equality and peace, after school programs, substance abuse and addictions, nursing homes, during disasters and traumatic events and in private practice. Just to name a few. If there are people, communities or systems that are struggling or in need there is likely a social worker somewhere helping out. If you know any social workers ask them about what they do everyday and you may be very surprised. Wish them a happy Social Work month!

To find out more information about social workers visit http://www.socialworkers.org/

(On a totally different note it is also National Kidney Month and March 11th World Kidney Day. If you have kidney disease in your family, if you have diabetes or high blood pressure you may save your life or avoid years of dialysis by participating in a free kidney screening. For more information or to find a free kidney screening by you stop at http://www.kidney.org/news/keep/index.cfm)