Coincidentally, Social Work Month this year has consisted of much "social work-ing." It's been a crazy month with an influx of intakes, lots of complex cases, and challenges at every turn. As taxing as it has been, it has also been an opportunity to practice gratitude for the AMAZING social work community I am a part of and how badass social workers are in general. So to end the month, I just wanted to share a little bit about my social work journey and what a joy it's been. Shoutout to all of my fellow social workers who are changing the world... I hope your peers/colleagues found some way to honor you this month!
Like many, when I was younger I had a lot of misconceptions about social work and what it entailed. Of course, I had this image of an underpaid, overworked social worker removing children from their homes. Seriously, where did we develop these ideas? While this kind of work was certainly commendable, it wasn't where I pictured myself. I decided that maybe becoming a mental health counselor was my best choice.
Fortunately, once I started working in mental health, I was surrounded by a ton of super talented and ambitious social workers. I learned about how diverse the career can actually be and erased all of the misconceptions I had developed over the years. There was a tenacity about the social workers I interacted with that I loved. They would get sh*t done. They knew about available resources as well as appropriate clinical interventions. They combined all of their skills to ensure the client's success. I am so incredibly grateful for having this experience early on in my career, as it guided my decisions regarding my education moving forward.
At this same job early in my career, myself and two colleagues made a commitment to enroll in grad school and we all decided to pursue social work (shoutout to these two! I still remember that day clearly..). We honored our commitment and we are all on the verge of completing our licensure at this point. Side note- let's acknowledge the power of community and having support in our endeavors! Also such a common attribute of our social work community.
After grad school, a couple of internships, a position working as a case manager, case management supervisor, trainer, and now therapist- my social work journey has brought me here. I spent much of my first few years in my career focusing on case management and community resources. My focus has shifted a bit now to couple that with clinical expertise. I am working on developing and polishing my clinical skills as a therapist and look forward to a career of ongoing learning. I will always be a social worker at heart and continue to combine clinical interventions with empowerment and advocacy while honoring our code of ethics. I hope to match the tenacity and passion of the social work professionals that have surrounded me and supported me throughout my journey. I love us and the difference we make!
Happy Social Work Month!!
Your hustler,
Karina G., RCSWI
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