The Unfiltered Social Worker

An affirmation is a statement that is said as if it has already come true and assists in creating positive beliefs about ourselves. This weekly segment invites you to take just a few minutes for yourself to checkin, breathe, and be. Today's affirmation: "I honor myself for showing up. That is the hardest part." For this practice I am using the Trauma-Informed Yoga Affirmation Card Deck by Zahabiyah A. Yamasaki with illustrations by Evelyn Rosario Andry *Please do not practice this while driving*

Today I'm talking all about change and its importance in our growth and resilience across all aspects of life. I share experiences from my personal life, the yoga studio, and the therapy room about how fear and self-doubt can limit one's potential for change and growth and ways to counteract this.

An affirmation is a statement that is said as if it has already come true and assists in creating positive beliefs about ourselves. This weekly segment invites you to take just a few minutes for yourself to checkin, breathe, and be. Today's affirmation: "I deserve to rest" For this practice I am using the Trauma-Informed Yoga Affirmation Card Deck by Zahabiyah A. Yamasaki with illustrations by Evelyn Rosario Andry *Please do not practice this while driving*

On this episode I breakdown the concept of "intuitive movement" including its importance in yoga, its relevance to improving mental health, and what the heck it means to "listen to your body," both in yoga and in everyday life. Intuitive movement: the practice of connecting and listening to your body to figure out how it feels and what type of movement it needs that day or in any particular moment.

An affirmation is a statement that is said as if it has already come true and assists in creating positive beliefs about ourselves. This weekly segment invites you to take just a few minutes for yourself to checkin, breathe, and be. Today's affirmation: "I take mindful moments each day to check in with myself; I offer tenderness and compassion to my nervous system" For this practice I am using the Trauma-Informed Yoga Affirmation Card Deck by Zahabiyah A. Yamasaki with illustrations by Evelyn Rosario Andry *Please do not practice this while driving*

Today we talk all about the art and science of STILLNESS, why it is SO important for your mental health, and how yoga helps to bring you into this place. I share my own personal experiences with running from stillness and about how the more I embraced this, the more my mental health improved. Spoiler alert - yoga helped me to discover the art of being still, and I think it can help you too.

This is the first of my weekly series that invites you to take just a few minutes for yourself to focus on your breath, brain, and body. An affirmation is a statement that is said as if it has already come true and assists in creating positive beliefs about ourselves. Today's affirmation: "I trust the pace of my healing journey." For this practice I am using the Trauma-Informed Yoga Affirmation Card Deck by Zahabiyah A. Yamasaki with illustrations by Evelyn Rosario Andry *Please do not practice this while driving*

Ready for some good old fashioned education? In this episode I'm throwing definitions and explanations at you around the types of yoga that I teach and that I feel are incredibly beneficial to your mental health. I breakdown "what is yoga" and talk about the differences among Trauma-Informed, Vinyasa, Restorative, and Yin Yoga. Towards the end I briefly discuss the importance of 'props' in yoga and how to get access to these without breaking the bank.

Hello and welcome to The Yogi Social Worker! I am stoked to be sharing all things yoga and mental health with you, including my own journey and all of the 'whys' behind what I do as a yoga teacher. This space is for anyone wanting to deepen their self-awareness, those looking to learn more about yoga, seasoned yogis, mental health professionals, and even your dog (down-dog?) Join me weekly for discussions, self-care practices, and whatever else I feel like throwing on here.

On my FINAL episode of The Unfiltered Social Worker, I say goodbye to you and share some upcoming changes in my life. If you are just as nosy as I am and would like to continue following me on my professional journey, feel free to follow me on Instagram @theyogisocialworker. Thank you for listening. Thank you for holding space for me. Thank you for showing me that I'm not alone. Never forget that you are worthy, valuable, and always, no matter what, ENOUGH.

Today I explore the concept of 'loss' and what this actually looks like outside of our traditional understanding of it. I share my approach to this professionally and ways to navigate this topic with others.

On this episode I explore the stages of development and my current experience navigating this phase of my life. I find myself in a personal dilemma in my current life stage, and process this as it relates to my own struggles with grief and loss.

Today I discuss the six social work core values and how to actually apply them in real life. These concepts should be the foundation for every decision we make as social workers, and quite frankly, should be our societal approach to humans in general. Please note that this discussion is based strictly around my own experiences in the field and that I did not reference any professional literature before recording this episode.

I have a confession to make....I am obsessed with true crime, and on this episode I discuss the inhumanity and desensitization around the true crime genre and the unpopular opinion that perpetrators and victims are created equally.

An exploration of the fears that drive our everyday lives including our careers, interpersonal relationships, and the ways that these fears both serve us and hurt us.

This episode is an honest update on how I've been feeling and how the concept of "hope" has helped me navigate some recent struggles. I talk about the importance of sharing hope as a social worker/mental health professional, and how this is applicable for all of us both personally and professionally.

An exploration on the true meaning of “self-care” and how to successfully implement it into your life

In this episode, I share the importance of obtaining a variety of job experiences in this field, the dangers of not obtaining enough experience before specializing, and examples of my own growth in this. I address the fears and barriers that often hold us back from exploring different opportunities and how to work through these to be your best self in this field.

On this episode I share my observations of the increased sense of loneliness and lack of community that both my clients and myself are experiencing and what we can do about this. I focus specifically on the college-age population and the vast difference between their social experiences and mine during my college years, and what might be contributing to this major shift.

This is a discussion about a company that I consider to be a "therapy factory." I share my thoughts from a therapist perspective about the issues with this it and why I believe that therapy is not beneficial with this model. *Please note that all information stated as fact comes directly from the BetterHelp website, and all other information given are my own perspectives and opinions.

In this 2 part episode series, I share a topic that has been heavy on my heart both personally and professionally. In this part 1, I reflect on my own losses surrounding suicide, the general impact of it on society, and society's stigma towards those struggling with suicidality. *Please note that part 1 of this episode series reflects my own perspectives, emotions, and opinions on this topic

Why yes, I am starting a book club, and I want you to be apart of it. On this episode I share details about what this will look like and how you can join. Cheers to a new year, new ideas, and new growth.

Some words of encouragement for you around the holiday season and a quick little update to let you know that I'll be back the first week of the new year - talk soon!

Today I share some of my experiences with religion growing up and how it has impacted my mental health. I dive into general religious trauma symptoms and the broader impact of religion on society.

Wow it's been a minute since I uploaded an episode and I'm back to update you on my life and celebrate one whole year of podcasting.

I breakdown the concept of power and the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that we often experience when we are powerless. I share a recent experience in helping another professional navigate these feelings and how to cope in a field where so much is out of our control.

Leasa shares her experiences in the field including therapy, supervisor roles, teaching, and working with inmates in a prison setting. We reflect on the various challenges of social work and of course, share lots of laughs.

Sharing my non-traditional therapy approaches and some controversial opinions about the code of ethics

My friend and fellow social worker shares his experiences in the field, what led him here, and the importance of boundaries as a social worker

My take on the similarity between foster parents and social workers and the astronomical struggles that foster parents experience

Sharing my struggles around the concept of saying no and its correlation to social norms, gender, and religious trauma

Sharing my experience as a leader/supervisor and how it impacted my growth and awareness as a social worker

Some contemplative thoughts on how my social life has changed and evolved over the years and its correlation to being a social worker

Exploring how the “small” wins in social work are just as important as the “big” wins and ways that we as social workers can create more of these

An honest talk about how my vulnerability on this podcast has and is currently impacting my mental health, including topics of depression, relationships, and identity

Welcome to my first ever discussion with another social worker on this podcast! We share lots of laughs and also some deep moments, and she gives her perspective on the topic of self-care.

An honest look at the reality of private practice, unconventional therapy, and my own feelings of nostalgia for past experiences in this field. *Please note that the first 5 minutes of this episode is me giving book/audiobook recommendations, so if that doesn't interest you just skip ahead!*

A candid discussion around my belief that a diagnosis and/or medication will not help your mental health and the approaches that can bring all of us true healing

A discussion around why listening to your gut and obeying your intuition is so important when it comes to safety in social work and mental health

Pondering some current challenges I'm facing as a therapist and how my formal education has impacted me - topics discussed include subpoenas, pay negotiation, and social work programs

I know you're out there listening and I want to hear from you - I would love to know why you listen to this podcast, if it has helped you in any way, and even stories of your own experiences in this field you'd like to share (anonymously of course). Please email me @ theunfilteredsocialworker@gmail.com

Processing the barriers of self care in the mental health field and my own experiences of all-nighters and emotional breakdowns to be able to take time off

Sharing about my experience being reunited with some old clients and colleagues in the foster care system and the realization that in order to be successful as a social worker, you must play the political game of the system

Discussion around the lack of time, resources, and support provided to social workers to be able to do their jobs well

A breakdown of my issues with society's “normalizing” of mental health struggles and why I feel this is dangerous

Processing my struggles with holding onto past hurts with those in my personal life in contrast to my patience and understanding with those in my professional life

Sharing my experiences working in residential treatment including the humor, trauma, and some of my own shortcomings

In my world, yoga does not consist of lululemon-wearing flexible skinny white girls who get together at fancy studios on a Saturday morning - yoga is a mental health practice and I'm sharing my passion for it and how it literally saved my mental and physical health

Questioning my gray-thinking mind in a very black-and-white-thinking world and why I don't believe in absolute truths at this point in my life

Sharing more real life stories about social work from Reddit while giving my own unsolicited commentary

An honest exploration on my current frustrations of working with people and how that can bleed over into my personal life