What Social Workers love about their profession.

Years ago I offered a giveaway during Social Work Month, this year due to the stressful state of things I decided to reinstate this event. 

The prize for the giveaway

I asked for social workers to enter by telling me what they love about the social work profession. I love their responses and wanted to share them with you. 

*Social Work is a protected title, meaning that a degree and license are required to be considered a social worker.*

How to Handle Repetitive Heavy News

From deaths while in police custody/ during arrests, to news of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the News can be difficult to digest.

I often tell people that I don't watch the News, what I really mean is that I don't often tune into News Programs. I don't think that any one can really avoid the news. It is on social media, in commercials on television (even outside of the usual places i.e. ABC, NBC, CBS), in ads and suggested videos on YouTube, to conversations with friends and family.

While it is essential to know what is happening in the world around you. It is also important for you to take care of yourself. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the news, numb when another person's end of life requires a hashtag, or anxious about what will be reported next. Put a Personal News Plan into effect.

Some people limit their exposure, some may talk about how they are feeling with others, some may seek professional help, some may take breaks from social media, some may stop friends/family when they bring up a topic that is causing distress. Whatever approach you take spend some time today thinking about what your approach needs to be.

Below is a tracker template I created. Feel free to use and share your plan with others. (Screen shot and edit in your favorite app (The photos app on your phone or Instagram work well).

Let me know how your plan works for you. Also feel free to share your thoughts with me. 

Participant Testimonials

Amanda participated in a Dancing Mindfulness Session I facilitated during Social Work Month. The theme was Beacon of Hope- in keeping with the School Social Work Week theme for this year. 

Dancing Mindfulness

What is Dancing Mindfulness?

In Dancing Mindfulness, participants use dance to achieve mindfulness. 

Mindfulness-

• a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

The act of noticing without judging how we move, feel and think is integral to the practice. 

During a dancing mindfulness class or individual session participants are not taught to dance or required to achieve any specific level of dance. 

Dancing Mindfulness is trauma informed and adaptable to different ability levels. 

You are accepted as you are and encouraged to do what you feel. 

The facilitator will make suggestions during the class, but they are just that suggestive. 

This great info graphic was created by Nicole Allen a fellow Dancing Mindfulness Facilitator. 

For more information please see the Dancing Mindfulness Website. 

Finding help in your area

Looking for resources in your area?

From time to time we can all find ourselves in search of a services in our area. 

The days of pulling out the phone book may be over, for most. 

Resource providers have evolved for the current technology based lives we lead. 

Even as a social worker, who must be aware of services in my client service area, I too find myself searching for local services occasionally. 

I have included below two websites I find useful for locating services providers. 

Aunt Bertha

Aunt Bertha is a website that allows visitors to search by location for services in their local area. There are many ways to specify what you are searching for, such as cost. Those that create an account can save resources, add notes, and share with groups. These features are great for helping professionals, especially the ability to print off resources and translate the page in to many different languages. Start searching for yourself here. 

NeedyMeds

NeedyMeds is a website that allows patients to find coupons and prescription assistance programs for needed medications. The website also offers access to prescription discount cards. Visitors can search for low cost medical care, or browse based on medication or diagnosis. Start your search here. 

211 Texas 

211 is another database for finding local services by zipcode and need. 211 has the added benefit of phone assistance at 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905. Search 211 here. 

***Healing Conversations and Movement is not associated with any of the listed agencies/companies. The information listed here is provided for educational purposes only. 

Quick stress relief

If you are like many, you would like to reduce stress in your life.

But where do you start?

 

Adding more steps to an already stressful day can seem like to much.

 

 

What about a quick way to reduce stress or anxiety in your day? Below are a few gifs that remind us to take some deep breaths and relax. 

 

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

What we get wrong about trauma

Trauma by now is a commonly used term. We know that it is a "bad reaction" that happens as a result of a "bad thing" happening to someone. But what do you consider a "bad thing"? And how does that line up with the person who experienced the "bad thing"?

I have presented to several groups of people over the years about trauma. Something that I like to make sure each group hears, is that trauma is an individualized reaction to a traumatic event. Only the person that experienced the event can make the decision about its ranking on their trauma scale. Though this decision is not a conscious one.

Most people would agree that witnessing a murder or being exposed to a sexual assault is traumatic. But not everyone would agree that viewing a telecast of a school shooting is traumatic, or that the words of someone that are not directly abusive can be traumatic. If the person that is witnessing the telecast identifies with the school shooting and interprets the coverage of proof of what could happen at their school, this could be traumatic. If the words that are spoken come from a person held in high regard or power over the person these words could be traumatic.

I have often heard people tell others not to let the words of others effect them, but that is not really a sensitive stance. I have personally been traumatized or negatively impacted simply by the words of others. I have never purposefully allowed this to be so. I would very much have liked to have let the words go in one ear and out the other. If only that is how the brain worked. Yes that car almost ran me off the road, but it didn't so my heart can stop pounding now. Just thinking these things does not make them so. It also doesn't work in less life threatening situations.

The next time a child, friend, or family member comes to you with a story that they keep telling and you don't understand why it is still crippling them, I have a challenge for you. Listen to how they describe their feelings about the situation. Before you tell them to just get over it or not to let others dictate their life going forward, empathize with them. It sounds like that situation really impacted you in ways I don't understand. What do you think could help alleviate its impact?

If you are the person who has been set back by words or situations others don't view as a "big deal" be understanding. Not only with the people in your life but also with yourself. Try to work through the situation, what are the thoughts associated with it? What are your feelings about the situation? Why was it so hard on you? Then begin the healing, not the "getting over it".

Respect your feelings they mean something.