Top 18 Reader Comments from 2013

“No one can whistle a symphony.  It takes a whole orchestra to play it,” as Halford E. Luccok eloquently states. Similarly, Social Work Career Development could not exist without your loyal readership and valuable contributions.

Your thoughts add so much interesting content and value to this site that I wanted to express my gratitude by highlighting 18 of your wonderful comments from this past year.

Whether you are a new or regular visitor, reading through these comments can give you an idea of the wide range of topics covered in 2013 from career management and licensure exam tips to self-care, neuroscience, cultural competence, polyvictimization, cyberculture and more.

Please note that these responses are listed in chronological order, with the most recent ones appearing first.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did 🙂

Marianna Paulson said on…  The Neuroscience of Well-Being, Mindfulness & Love [1 of 3]

How fortunate we can “attend” this conference vicariously, thanks to you.

I enthusiastically and wholeheartedly agree with this statement: “Whatever your circumstance, it is never too late to change/improve your mental health.” However, I would add physical, emotional and spiritual health.

I may have shared the story of my friend, who is now 93. I first met her when she sat down at my booth at a seniors’ health and wellness show. Her first words to me were, “I want to live a better life.” Since we have become friends, I am always inspired by our visits. Her thirst for knowledge and for learning to do things differently is monumental. I am so fortunate to know her.

Thank you for your careful attention to detail, and for taking the time to share this very important information. Warmly, Marianna

Brent Peterson said on…How to Live Wholeheartedly a la Brené Brown

Great message. I especially like the point about courage. Not only the courage to take risks but the courage to then share stories of failures and growth.

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW said on… Got Therapy? We All Have Wounds…

Wow, Dorlee, what a meaningful way to express your advice to future social workers. You wove in so many reasons ‘why’ it is important for up-and-coming social work careerists to not only be introspective but to also be courageous and seek support of a trusted therapist, if needed. This will ensure a more robust, effective career as well as an ability to fully serve their clients’ needs.  Warmly, Jacqui

Rolanda Abney said on… Free Webinars for Mental Health Professionals

I participated in this month’s teleconference with the NASW. It was really helpful and I gained some great information. I find your blog helpful in keeping up with relevant training tools. I have found a new tool to help with professional development.

Gaby Acosta said on… Suicide Prevention: Take Five – You’re Worth It!

Thank you so much for writing this and for raising awareness. The poem is truly beautiful and heartfelt. I’m sure it rings true for many:

“Life is sometimes SO hard,

There is no denying that,

But you must stop yourself,”

Thanks for participating in the campaign to blog for suicide prevention!

Jackie Yun said on… How to Increase Your Resiliency

Alain de Botton wrote: “A good half of the art of living is resilience.” I’m thinking perhaps even more!

Your post is a good reminder that resilience is skill that we can cultivate and you outline practical exercises that can be put into practice right away. I will definitely be sharing these.

One other exercise to consider is meditation. Bill George from Harvard Business School wrote: “The best way to become more resilient is to develop oneself into a calm, compassionate and adaptable Mindful Leader.”

Thank you for yet another valuable post! Jackie

MTB said on… Are You Assessing Your Clients for Polyvictimization?

Excellent interview—thank you for the post. Polyvictimization is one of those concepts that more social workers need to be aware of. I’ll be curious to read more about this in the coming years, especially as more doctoral students incorporate the idea into their research. I’m betting that it will have a huge impact on how we work with clients.

Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW said on… Do You Earn Above or Below Average for a Social Worker?

I want to say I don’t understand why social workers aren’t compensated as well as other mental health professionals, but it is probably because social workers are associated with working with the”poor” and because even though the social work profession advocates for so many populations it does not advocate for the recognition and compensation the profession itself deserves.

Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW said on… Do You Earn Above or Below Average for a Social Worker?

The question of why social workers don’t earn more is much less interesting than the question of why, in a profession dominated by women, do women still not earn the same amount for doing the same job as men. That is a travesty. In 2008 and 2009 I spoke with Cynthia Conley about salary negotiation for social workers.

In Part 1 (http://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2008/12/salary-negotiation-interview-with.html), Cynthia and I talk about why salary negotiation is an important topic for social workers and some tips for how to negotiate salaries.

I ask Cynthia how realistic it is for social workers to negotiate salaries, especially since many social workers take jobs in agencies where salaries are tied to position, rather than the qualifications of the applicant. Cynthia provides some case examples of successful salary negotiation.

We end our conversation with a discussion of Cynthia’s research on salary negotiation, and some ideas on where salary negotiation fits in the social work curriculum. In Part 2 (http://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2009/05/salary-negotiation-for-social-workers.html) Cynthia takes us through salary negotiation from the application to the job offer.

Thanks for posting on such an important topic. Best, Jonathan

In my experience, it doesn’t matter what profession it is…women are valued less than men. And, probably more importantly, we too value ourselves less than men. For centuries old, deeply embedded cultural reasons.

The fix? A couple of ideas. First, do the internal work. Even when we wake up to implicit and explicit bias, even when we learn the fundamentals of negotiation, the lion’s share of the work we have to do to get to parity is internal. Our relationship with money, fear of conflict and gender blowback, etc. We have to unwind centuries of drinking the “Second Sex Kool-Aid.”

Second, we have to join a movement or create one, and make sure we invite plenty of men to wake up too and be foot soldiers and leaders along side. As someone pointed out, this could be in the various social work associations, but it certainly has to be institutional. Not in the form of a women’s initiative (those have often proved to be unfunded and ghettoizes the problem. Engaging leadership in strategic conversations with the goal of improving the profession as a whole, starting with parity first.

2 cents for a Sunday

I think both questions, in terms of gender disparities and relative earning in our society are interesting points, and very much entwined in my view. I think I make more than peers because I ask for more. I ask for more because as a white male I was socialized to expect more. Women grow up with the same gender messages they always have: Work hard to take care of others rather than yourself, expect little, don’t complain, you’re ungrateful if you do.

I actually object to the NASW suggesting a salary range, for much the same reason that I object to our code of ethics, mandating that we do pro bono work. They inadvertently set the expectation to let other people determine your worth and ability to do pro bono, rather than encouraging social workers to consult with business experts on how to successfully negotiate salaries, and work with financial planners to see what makes sense for each individual.

Andrea B. Goldberg, LCSW said on… Manage Your Energy for Optimal Ethical Therapy

When I focus on self-care at work, I work on being centered and grounded and releasing negative energy. I don’t think of it in terms of replenishing energy, so this is a helpful perspective.

I already use breathing, meditation, prayer, and humor and I have a jar of nuts on hand for a protein boost. At home I love reading novels and doing tai chi. I am working on adding more exercise to my routine and getting enough sleep. I sometimes forget to drink enough water. So these are all good reminders for me.

Thanks for sharing what you learned from Mary Jo Barrett’s talk. Warmly, Andrea

LuAnn said on… The Surprising Reason We Beat Ourselves Up (and What to Do About It)

Here is a great meditation led by Dr. Neff that is to develop self compassion. http://self-compassion.org/LKM.self-compassion.MP3

For those who need a more indirect meditation to develop self compassion – this if my favorite also by Dr. Neff http://self-compassion.org/LKM.MP3

These are free on Dr. Neff’s website http://self-compassion.org

Tamara G. Suttle, M.Ed., LPC said on… 4 First Session Strategies Every Therapist Should Know

This is such a practical, common sense breakdown that is going to be so helpful for new therapists. I’m going to remind my supervisees to drop back in here to check out their own first sessions and how they compare to the suggested steps here.

Have a great week!

Jaclyn Lambert said on… How to Practice Self-Care

REALLY great article. A thing that struck me as great was when you mentioned that play is not just for kids. I just heard the same phrase by a woman who teaches a thing called “laughing yoga.” Have you heard of it? May be just the thing that some people need to relieve stress and learn to laugh at absolutely nothing 🙂

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW said on… How to Tame Your Job Interview Anxiety Once And For All !

What a robust, valuable post! You’ve served not only your social work careerist audience well, but also anyone who is bound for an interview.

SO many people do have the ‘fight or flight’ response to interviewing – I couldn’t agree more. And, preparation IS key to lessening that anxiety.

First of all, thank you for sharing my 10 tips to preparing, along with my esteemed colleagues’ great advice. Many people, even the most experienced professionals and executives, are inexperienced at job interviewing, so planning in advance is quite important.

I also really appreciate your additional strategies: ‘taking control of thoughts’ and ‘various relaxation strategies.’ These are invaluable. You have effectively illustrated the connection between mind and body and given terrific, specific examples. Simply playing with a pet or taking a hot bath are nice reminders; and of course, exercise, one of my favorites – a true endorphin release. Your example table is a priceless tool for people preparing for an interview.

Moreover, thank you your sharing your own personal story about your intense anxiety based on receiving very bad news about your mother – and Marianna’s kind help in teaching a breathing exercise.

Again, this is a powerful, pragmatic and useful post for anyone preparing for an interview situation. Thank you! Warmly,Jacqui

Anonymous said on… How to Be Culturally Competent with Latino Clients

I’m Mexican-American and I often see some of these issues/problems pop up with my Latino clients:

1. Disconnect with family values.

The more acculturated children of immigrants are, the deeper the rift in values is. My observation is that old school values (i.e. more conservative type). A lot of my clients have experienced issues with the majority culture’s values (which they adopt) versus their parents’ values, which they still hold.

2. Skin complexion

I understand that this can be an issue with my African-American colleagues, but sometimes the same thing happens in Latino families where the “mas güeritos” are treated differently (i.e. with more privilege) than the “prietos” (those with darker skin).

3. Male versus Female roles

Family appears to be an important value. Men have expectations to be the head of household and women to maintain it. This is not universal, but this is a conservative (i.e. “old school” value).

4. No faltas el respeto

Making it harder to rupture from the influence of family, youth and adolescents sometimes fall under the “don’t disrespect me” umbrella when opposing their elder’s values or behaviors. In some families, the cultural expectation is that elders deserve respect and challenge to this authority is considered disrespect.

5. Not everyone from Mexico is Mexican

In Greenfield, California has the highest number of the Oaxacan community outside of Oaxaca. They are the indigenous peoples of Mexico, with their own language and customs. They also face higher rates of discrimination and misunderstanding.

Nancy said on… How to Be Culturally Competent with Latino Clients

Because of my Latin (Puerto Rican) background, I am quite familiar with Santeria (White Magic).

If I were not familiar with the beliefs of the Latino culture, I would always allow them to verbalize their feelings, thoughts, fears, anxieties etc. I would encourage them to explore how their belief system has assisted them in resolving the issues that they are bringing to therapy.

If their belief system is getting in their way and delaying any type of recovery or improvement, I would offer alternative ways of working on solving their problems.

Latinos may not be open to change, but giving them an option will give them a sense of freedom of choice, and once they feel they have an alternative way of solving an issue, they will be open to trying different methods.

Most Latinos will continue to have magical thinking, but a therapist can show them different ways of resolving conflicts through better communication, they can also help by teaching them thought restructuring, and by assisting them in learning ways to desensitize their fears and anxieties through deep breathing and positive visualization.

It’s amazing how much people learn when their main focus is to improve their mental health. I strongly believe in natural healing, but I am also quite aware that medication can be an added necessity and in some circumstances a blessing.

Some people who want to get well naturally may be open to new suggestions. However, in the long run it all depends on the severity of their mental illness and the crisis they are experiencing.

martha said on… Repair and Resilience in the Trans-Generational Transmission of Trauma

I know my husband – a child of survivors- spent many years struggling with these emptinesses, & absences too. Still does sometimes.

His parents never spoke about it ever. His grandmother – who along with his mother had been in Auchwitz and Bergen Belsen as well as a secondary “unheard” of work camp called Unterluss – agreed to speak to him about it as best she could in her mid 90’s (she lived until 102) – and she was agitated and sleepless, retraumatized for months – but it meant a great deal to my husband – who had only silence in that space. And his worst imaginings. Breaks in continuity occur when we experience the unspeakable.

Many people – scholars, historians – also doubted her memory about this smaller camp – Unterluss –

Grandma eventually spoke the Shoah project as well –

and last week there was an article in the NY times about the thousands of unrecognized, undocumented, unacknowledged smaller work camps and slave labor houses. Which filled in another small hole in the lost narrative thread. Was horrible, and weirdly relieving. My husband couldn’t read it, but forwarded to me to read – and I was relieved, as horrible as it was, to see his family’s experience validated.

trying to convey what his history means to our children – is another project entirely – further complicated by our being an transracial adoptive family – with kids would would not be externally recognized as “grandchildren of survivors” More breaks in the narrative – their biological legacy and their adoptive inheritance.

Here is the Times link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/sunday-review/the-holocaust-just-got-more-shocking.

Ermintrude2 said on… Repair and Resilience in the Trans-Generational Transmission of Trauma

Thanks for this. I found it very interesting as I grew up in the Anglo-Jewish community and went to jewish primary, middle and secondary schools (translation from about 7-18). While my family come to the UK before the war, I was at school with and know many people whose families came to the UK either before, during or directly after the war and had a lot more direct experiences as far as their families are concerned. In my secondary school (high school more or less) we had a specific jewish history stream and a lot of time was spent talking about the experiences of European anti-semitism, pogroms and holocaust and were encouraged (if we wanted to) to share family experiences. Often the experiences were about talking about not-talking rather than talking about what actually happened to particular families and people. I think there was something in sharing those experiences together which was helpful – even sharing those not-talking experiences so people didn’t feel that it was only within their family. My family was detached from this but I think as a result I assumed not-talking wasn’t uncommon and passed through generations.

I think it’s hard to comprehend what happened and hard to comprehend the lack of comprehensive if we try to think of ourselves as understanding. I think the human brain has particularly safety mechanisms around protecting ourselves from re-entering trauma and there’s no reason that won’t pass through generations. Testimony is crucial but it has to be given carefully and with thought to re-entering trauma.

Thanks for sharing. Lots for me to think about and reflect on.

Thanks again for all your help in making this blog a valuable resource for social workers and other mental health professionals!

Did you have any favorite posts from 2013? Are there any particular topics that you would like Social Work Career Development to cover in 2014? Please share your thoughts/comments below 🙂