Here at Intuition Wellness we take turns doing a monthly blog and I got lucky this month. March is National Social Work Month and I am a proud social worker. Social work as a profession means a lot of different things to different people. Some people think social workers are “people that work with the poor” or “people that work for CPS.” A quick google search shows that the public tends to have a fairly negative perception of social work which is often based on how social workers are portrayed in movies and TV shows. I hope that this blog will provide a more accurate portrayal of social work and maybe even recruit some of you into the social work profession.
Social workers bring a unique perspective to their work. Social workers see people as being connected to the larger world, this includes their families, school, friends and communities. Social workers assume that everyone has strengths and that there is an inherent strength in the resources around you. A social worker’s job is to help individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities enhance and restore their quality of life.
Social workers work in almost every field and setting including schools, private practice, hospitals, clinics, research, administration, court system, correction system and advocacy. In a private practice setting, a clinical social worker works primarily with individual and families and the systems (school, sports, etc) in which they participate. Some of the qualities that make for a great social worker are a genuine interest in people and a believe in the human potential for growth and change.
I started this blog by saying I am a proud social worker, let me tell you why. I believe in the core principles of social work: service to others, dignity and worth of others, integrity and competency in the work, advocacy, social justice for all and most importantly in the relationship between a social worker and the client. I have had the privilege of meeting the most extraordinary people and to witness real change in their lives.
I was on Pinterest a few nights ago and I found a perfect quote to illustrate the power of social work – “I AM A basic agent for positive change – a client advocating, injustice fighting, therapy providing, system testing, family preserving, social conscious raising, data collecting, rights protecting, child defending, staff developing, human assisting, strengths focused, social rights championing, ego lending and crisis intervening teacher, facilitator, listener, encourager, supporter and leader with professionalism, integrity, concern, empathy, value, love, trust, honestly and warmth – SOCIAL WORKER”
I recently joined Intuition Wellness and although my colleagues are not social workers (they are both clinical psychologist) I believe I have found a agency where our values are all rooted in the same believe. If you create a safe environment sensitive to each client’s unique struggle and abilities and if you approach your work with your client with the belief that a desire for personal growth is innate in all of us, you can achieve real change.
We at Intuition Wellness specialize in counseling children, teens, and families. If you believe that you or someone you love could benefit from our services and want to try a strength-based approach, we are here to help. Call 520-419-6636 for a free phone consultation.
Written by Grazi Martins, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker
