Podcasts about school social work

This week, I sat down with ADHD expert Eric Tivers. Eric is the founder and CEO of ADHD Rewired and has been producing his acclaimed podcast for over 500 episodes! Eric shares his own ADHD journey, from struggling in college to finding the right medication and strategies that allowed him to thrive academically and professionally.In this uplifting conversation, Eric and I explore the power of community support and self-compassion for ADHDers. We also discussed the importance of finding the right therapist or coach who truly understands ADHD. Eric leaves us with some motivating words of wisdom - growth is possible if you focus on "less" and be patient with yourself.About Eric Tivers:Eric Tivers is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, ADHD Coach, Founder/CEO/Host of ADHD reWired Podcast Since 2014, he's produced over 500 episodes on his podcast. He's a leader in providing online group coaching and community-based group programs for adults with ADHD.His podcast ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group was recognized at the 2019 International Conference on ADHD as the Innovative Program of the Year. He runs a virtual co-working program for adults with ADHD called 'Adults Study Hall'. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Bradley University and got his Master's degree in School Social Work at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.Episode Highlights:[02:50] - Eric shares being diagnosed with ADHD at age 19.[05:12] - The revelation of realizing his struggles were not unique.[07:05] - Using medication and brute force strategies to succeed in college.[09:22] - Battling perfectionism after finally experiencing academic success.[10:24] - Learning practical strategies outside of just medication.[13:41] - The importance of building and tweaking systems that work.[17:13] - Rotating through ADHD management strategies is normal.[19:42] - Giving himself grace when executive functions are low.[21:17] - Focusing on resilience versus consistency.[23:00] - Producing 500+ podcast episodes by taking it week by week.[24:59] - Self-compassion starts with giving it to others first.[26:01] - The power of community support for ADHDers.[29:42] - Making big changes to correct life's path.[32:11] - Eric's reflections on his divorce.[35:11] - Comparing coaching mindsets to social work backgrounds.[37:08] - Leveraging strengths and resources.[38:21] - The importance of working with ADHD-informed professionals.[39:30] - The harm an ADHD-illiterate therapist can inflict.[41:35] - Eric's advice - growth is possible with patience.[42:53] - Focus on less stuff to allow more growth.[43:43] - Where to find Eric and ADHD Rewired.Connect with Eric Tivers:•Podcast/Coaching/Community: ADHD reWired https://www.adhdrewired.com/ •IG: https://www.instagram.com/adhdrewired/ If you enjoyed my conversation with Eric, please leave a rating and review! You can connect with me @coachingwithbrooke on social media. Thanks for listening!Do you second guess to death? Feel paralyzed by choices?Learn CWBs 5-Step Process to Stop Analysis Paralysis and make decisions with CONFIDENCE and EASE in our FREE Masterclass on Friday, March 22 @ 10am EST ▶ https://bit.ly/ADHDDecisions

What is the difference between a School Social Worker and a School Social Work Coach? This is what we will dive into on this podcast episode with Jocelyn Sailor, MSW, LCSW. She will share what this is and how you can get started in this too. Jocelyn Sailor is a licensed clinical social worker and school social work coach in Connecticut. Jocelyn is the owner of School Social Work Solutions LLC, a mental health brand that empowers, educates, and provides resources to school social workers and social work students. Jocelyn created the first planner for school social workers, The School Social Work Solutions Academic Resource Planner. Jocelyn empowers school social workers to position themselves to be the mental health experts in their schools by creating systems, developing boundaries and implementing radical self care. She has a passion for working with youth as she has worked in various social work roles having a positive impact on children and families for 15 years through child welfare, medical social work, private practice therapy, and school social work. You can follow Jocelyn's platform on instagram @schoolsocialworksolutions and at www.schoolswsolutions.com . ____________________________________ ⁠Tap Here to Subscribe⁠ to the Social Workers, Rise! Email Resource List ⁠Tap Here⁠ to shop career courses for Social Workers. ____________________________________ Thank you to our SPONSORS ⁠RISE Directory⁠ - A national directory of Clinical Supervisors who are looking to help the next generation of Clinical Social Workers GROW. ⁠Therapist Development Center (TDC) Homepage⁠ ⁠TDC Continuing Education Courses⁠ ⁠On The Edge of Life: An Introduction to Treating Suicidality ⁠ Use the code SWRISE10 at checkout to receive 10% off --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/socialwork/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/socialwork/support

In today's episode of Psych Talk I chat with Khalida Himes, LCSW a school social worker, speaker, and content creator. Khalida shares her journey to becoming a school social worker and why she is so passionate about working with students. We discuss the role of a school social worker, as well as misconceptions about what school social workers do. Khalida shares insights about the mental health and other challenges our students are currently facing, including challenges of returning to school after the summer. Further, Khalida discusses how parents and school staff can help support students who may be struggling with their mental health in school. Connect with Khalida: IG: @sassyblacksocialworker TikTok: @sassyblacksocialworker Website: https://www.erbconsulting.org/ Connect with Me: Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd Follow me on Youtube  Follow me on Threads @jessicaleighphd Welcome to Group Therapy Podcast Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through Ways to Work With Me: Mind Over Matter LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass Be a guest on my podcast Resources: Anti-Racism Resources LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting Intro/Outro Music Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod Music License

"Don't be afraid to have a voice. Advocate for yourself. If you have ideas, get involved. Be as careful as you can be, but just make sure you're offering that piece of education and really just showing people and guiding them through our social work ways. Eventually, people will hear you and understand.” – Stephanie Stodolka, LMSW

This episode is one of the TOP podcast episodes of all time and I had to share it again with you! We are talking with Jocelyn Sailor, LCSW, creator of the School Social Work Solutions Planner, about her experience as a School Social Worker. She answers your top questions including... What certification do you need to do School Social Work? What is a typical day like as a School Social Worker? What are groups in the school setting like? What is the most challenging and rewarding part of School Social Work? Can a Macro Social Worker also be a School Social Worker? RSVP now for the School Social Work Solutions Planner. Pre-Orders Open 7/14/23 and planners will be shipped week of 7/31/23. ____________________________________ ⁠Tap Here to Subscribe⁠ to the Social Workers, Rise! Email Resource List ⁠Tap Here⁠ to shop career building courses for Social Workers ____________________________________ Thank you to our SPONSORS ⁠RISE Directory⁠ - A national directory of Clinical Supervisors who are looking to help the next generation of Clinical Social Workers GROW. ⁠Therapist Development Center (TDC) Homepage⁠ ⁠TDC Continuing Education Courses⁠ ⁠On The Edge of Life: An Introduction to Treating Suicidality ⁠ Use the code SWRISE10 at checkout to receive 10% off --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/socialwork/support

Dr. Ben Bencomo and Capella Hauer discuss how school social workers use clinical expertise and evidence-based strategies to work with and to support students. This podcast explores school social work and the impact of COVID-19 on students. In addition, best practices for effectively supporting students are examined. This is part of the Continued Learning Podcast series.

Alyssa Rodriguez, LCSW, CSSW-S is a social worker in Chicago, Illinois. She is also a Chicago Union Delagate as part of the teachers union. She describes her day to day as a school social worker in Chicago school district. She describes the drama the teachers had during the Covid Pandemic including going on strke in the Fall of 2019. Alyssa discusses the importance of advocacy and learning about policy. She adds during this school year, the district had to work with the influx of migrants from Ukraine and from Mexico. We discuss real estate in Chicago, the importance of learning about redlining. Chicago has some of the hottest neighborhoods for real estate in America. At the same time gentrification has taken over these neighborhoods. Alyssa can be found on Instagram at www.instagram.com/afabalyslife Follow the podcast on Instagram www.instagram.com/thesocialworkrantspodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/socialworkrants Get your copy of my 30 page poetry book "Triumph Through Pain: How to Maximize Your Full Potential During Hard Times" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6H1D3ZT Join me for self care with Bas City Entertainment LLC. The first Zumba class of the year on Sunday February 19th 12pm eastern time. $5 per person. Go to www.basmoreno.com for tickets.

MU professor Andy Frey talks about the MizzouForward program and his research on school social work. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ever heard from a social worker with an ongoing position in a school before? How about a social work student with an intensive field placement in a school? In this episode Mim & Lis sit down with Professor Myfanwy Maple of the University of New England (Australia) to talk through what might come from the opportunity of having social workers and social work field placements in schools. Enjoy the chat and expand your thinking as you listen along to this fantastic episode. We absolutely loved it. You can find out more about Myf's work in this space through the following link:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Myfanwy-Maple/publications We'd love for you to join the conversation on this, so make sure you reach out to us on the socials (see links below), or otherwise on email at socialworkstoriespodcast@gmail.com - we'd love to hear from you! Follow our Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/SocialWorkStoriesPodcast Credits: Hosts - Lis Murphy and Dr. Mim Fox Producers - Justin Stech and Dr. Ben Joseph Social Media Coordinator - Maddison Stratten Music - 'Mama' by Ben Grace (copyright 2018). Find on Spotify, or at www.bengracemusic.com Social Work Stories©️ (Copyright 25 October, 2022) Contact us online at www.socialworkstories.com, follow our facebook page and LinkedIn, or use the handle @SOWKStoriesPod on twitter or instagram.

Darrell Morris, LMSW is a school social worker in the state of Oklahoma. He is a licensed masters level social worker entering his 5th year as a school social worker. We discuss his struggles this past school year and what he anticipates happening this coming school year. We also discuss what states and the federal government can do to improve the education system not only for kids but for the teachers and school social workers as well. #education #mentalhealth #schoolsocialwork Thank you those who purchased my poetry book "Triumph Through Pain: How To Maximize Your Full Potential During Hard Times". The book is available in paperback and Kindle. Use this link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6H1D3ZT Follow the podcast on Instagram @TheSocialWorkRantsPodcast and Twitter @SocialWorkRants

This is the Season 4 finale. The host discusses his struggles during the school year and decides to no longer do school social work in Delaware. The host discusses focusing on your own mental health while at the workplace. The host also discusses the struggles of entrepreneurship and advocates for MSW programs to teach business fundamentals for those who want to do private practice or have side businesses. Season 5 of the podcast will be out next week. The host's book, Triumph Through Pain: How To Maximize Your Full Potential During Hard Times is out. Here's the link for purchase- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6H1D3ZT Follow the podcast on IG: @TheSocialWorkRantsPodcast; Twitter @SocialWorkRants

Illinois Association for School Social Worker (IASSW) is vital organization that helps prop up the profession of School Social Work. IASSW has a wonderful history of pioneers that have helped trail blaze the profession that we recognize today. IASSW takes leadership in centralizing training for school social workers by hosting yearly conferences. They also provide several opportunities for online PD. IASSW takes leadership in state policy advocacy. This organization is made up of volunteers and Illinois has been blessed by their contributions. President Dr. Tiffany Nelson is in the midst of her second term. She graces the podcast to speak about her passion for the organization, this year's conference, membership benefit improvements (new website features) and her experience with national organizations/committees (SSWAA). Thanks to Dr. Nelson for all her work for students and school social workers. Her work translates to tangible positive change to education in the state of Illinois.

Jocelyn Sailor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. She currently works as a school social worker coach, helping school social workers in her district guide them with their needs to deal with crisis. We break down MTSS- MTSS stands for multi-tiered system of supports. It's a framework many schools use to give targeted support to struggling students. MTSS is designed to help identify struggling students early and intervene quickly. Jocelyn does a great job identifying the 3 tiers and there differences. She created the School Solutions resource planner selfcare, wellness assessments and resources for school social workers to assist them to perform their jobs well. Check out the planner at http://www.schoolswsolutions.com/ Follow the podcast on Instagram at @TheSocialWorkRantsPodcast and Twitter @SocialWorkRants My Poetry book Triumph Through Pain: How To Maximize Your Full Potential During Hard Times is out on Amazon. Get your book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6H1D3ZT Saturday July 30th 12pm EST (NY/DE Time) Join me for Virtual Zumba. Proceeds from the event will go to Planned Parenthood of Delaware. Get your tickets at Basmoreno.com

Social Worker Zamaria Frank, LMSW is a school social worker in the state of Maryland. She discusses her role this school year, what she saw working with the children as well as what can schools do in the fall to better help the children. #schoolsocialwork #mentalhealth #maryland She can be found on Instagram at @zemaria_xoxo Follow the podcast on Instagram at @TheSocialWorkRantsPodcast Follow @Bascityentetainmentllc for updates on the upcoming poetry book "Triumph Through Pain: How To Maximize Your Full Potential During Hard Times" coming this summer.

This week we are getting all the details about how to prepare for an interview for a School Social Worker from Jasmine Lamitte who is the one hiring Social Workers in her school district. Jasmine Lamitte is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Director of Mental Health for 23 schools in Los Angeles. She graduated from Pomona College with her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Africana Studies in 2008 and received her Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago. Since 2008, she has worked with children and adolescents in Chicago and Los Angeles schools and communities of color. She is especially passionate about reducing the stigma of mental health in Black and Latinx communities and establishing mental health interventions and supports in schools. Her specialties include treating trauma, depression, and anxiety in children and adolescents and trauma-informed resilience-focused schools' development and implementation. During her free time she manages an Instagram page with over 13K followers, @socialworksage, where she shares tips and inspiration about school mental health and social and emotional wellness for school social workers, counselors, psychologists, teachers, and caregivers. ____________________________________ Tap Here to Subscribe to the Social Workers, Rise! Email Resource List ____________________________________ SPONSORS RISE Directory - A national directory of Clinical Supervisors who are looking to help the next generation of Clinical Social Workers GROW. Therapist Development Center (TDC) Homepage TDC Continuing Education Courses On The Edge of Life: An Introduction to Treating Suicidality Use the code SWRISE10 at checkout to receive 10% off ________________________________ Have you heard? Social Worker's, Rise! Has been named in the Top 10 of Social Work podcasts worldwide! See the full list here.

In honor of #MentalhealthAwarenessmonth my guest Alexis De La Cruz-Goodwin is a school social worker in a Rural district in South Carolina. She is an MSW graduate from Fordham University and NYC Native.  She discusses the struggles she sees with the students she works with.  She also talks about the struggles of being a Latina in a Rural area, the difficulty finding resources for clients and the importance of #SEL (Social emotional learning) for students especially for next school year.   Alexis can be found on Instagram at @cruzscorner_   Follow the podcast on Instagram at @TheSocialWorkRantsPodcast and Twitter @SocialWorkRants  Be on the look out for my book "Triumph Through Pain:: How To Maximize Your Full Potential During Down Times".  bFollow my online holistic self-care business page @Bascityentertainmentllc on Instagram for more updates.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is another difficult topic to discuss in many ways; however it is important for us to call attention to it. According to ChildHelp.org:Every year, more than 4 million referrals are made to child protection agencies involving more than 4.3 million children (a referral can include multiple children).The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations – losing on average 5 children every day to child abuse and neglect.In 2019 alone, state agencies found over 656,000 victims of child maltreatment.For this episode we spoke to Tabatha Ferrer aka Queen T  who is a Licensed Social Worker. She is a school social worker and the founder of The 4AIR Project, LLC. The mission of her organization is to curate mental health and wellness spaces for youth to be educated on mental health, become more aware of their wellness and learn skills to manage daily challenge. If you have questions about mandated reporting in your state usually each state offers a free training on mandated reporting. It is a hard call to make whether to call a case in or not however, we have to think of the safety of the child at all times. Thank you for listening to this episode. You can find Tabatha on IG @the4airproject. And as you all know you can follow us on IG @thequeensofsocialwork. 

In this episode, we talk with Unified School District of De Pere School Social Worker (and UWGB Psychology alum) Melanie Brick about the many ways she and her fellow school social workers bring hope to students so they can thrive at school. Ryan and Georjeanna learn about the many behind-the-scenes jobs that social workers do and how Melanie supports students, including programming funded by a DPI mental health grant like the Hope Squad (a suicide prevention program).

Christopher Scott is a social worker from Portland, Oregon.  He currently works as a school social worker.  He discusses his current role.  He discusses his past social work roles.  We discuss race relations in the U.S.  Christopher discusses what exactly the city of Portland needs in terms of social services.

We did it!I am thrilled to bring you a brand new season of The Compassionate Educators Show, full of the inspiration as well as practical ideas for in and outside of the classroom that you have come to love!So... sit back, pop in those earbuds, and enjoy the journey with us.Let's change lives together.Join The Compassionate Educators Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/compassionateeducationresources/  for more resources.EMAIL: support@compassionateeducators.com Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/CompassionateEducators)

This week we are talking about School Social Work with Jocelyn Sailor, LCSW. We will be answering your most frequently asked questions (according to IG) including what a day in the life is like, what is the most rewarding and challenging part about school social work, and about how she started the School Social Work Solutions Academic planner! Jocelyn Sailor, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker in the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts, with over 12 years experience with at-risk children and families, school social work and psychotherapy. She has worked with elementary, middle and high school students for the past 9 years as a school social worker. Jocelyn is the owner of the first and only academic resource planner for school social workers, School Social Work Solutions - The Academic Resource Planner www.schoolswsolutions.com. Also Available electronically beginning November 3. Jocelyn also has an Instagram platform @schoolsocialworksolutions where mental health, education and wellness intersect. Through her platform Jocelyn empowers school social workers to position themselves to be the mental health experts in their schools by creating boundaries, developing systems and implementing radical self care. Stats from BLS mentioned in intro. _____________________ It's Catherine here; let's get connected and if it feels right, check out these other amazing resources that will help you in your social work career… Follow & say “Hi” on Instagram Connect on LinkedIn RISE Directory - A national directory of Clinical Supervisors who are looking to help the next generation of Clinical Social Workers GROW. Are you a Clinical Supervisor? You're invited to join! Clinical Essentials for the Future Therapist virtual Course ______________________ Did you hear? Social Worker's, Rise! Has been named in the Top 10 of Social Work podcasts worldwide! See the full list here: https://blog.feedspot.com/social_work_podcasts/

Malikah Shaheed returned to the show, this time to discuss her new role as the NASW-NYS Division Director. She shares how her experience in the social work field led her to this new position and what she hopes to accomplish during her term. Bio: Graduating over 15 years ago from University at Albany School of Social Welfare, Malikah sought to explore, experience, and practice all aspects of the social work field. Experiences include In and Outpatient Clinical Practice, Chemical Dependency, School Social Work, Medical Social Work, Child Welfare with Home Studies, and Contracted Short-term Social Work Case Management… all which have made Malikah a well-rounded clinician. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care. With total commitment to the practice and advancement of the field of Social Work, Malikah plans to keep challenging herself and her colleagues to higher levels to the benefit of social work clients.

Nakeya T. Fields is a mental health entrepreneur, author, and speaker with more than 12 years of experience in developing and running mental health-related, community-focused programming. She is the Founder and Chair of the Board for The Therapeutic Play Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to build a healthier, more resilient world for those in under-resourced communities.Passionate about the wellbeing of children, families, and their communities, Nakeya is also a Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor and a certified field instructor and clinical supervisor. An alumna of the University of Southern California, she received a BA in Communication, Master's in Social Work and a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Social Work and Child Welfare & Attendance. Nakeya's diverse background in holistic and integrated solutions includes a 200 HR TT Yoga instructor certification in trauma informed restorative yoga and yoga for kids. She is accredited by the Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. She is also a 2020-21 UCLA-DMH Early Childhood Intervention Fellow. Nakeya is the best selling author of “Mental Health Entrepreneur - Gain Freedom and Escape the 9-5 Grind: How To Treat Mental Illness and Monetize Your Expertise,” released In April 2018. Her second book, The “Manifest It! Action Planner: An Accountability Tool for the Powerful” will be available in 2021. Nakeya is active in her community as a leader in the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Steering, Planning and Community Action Teams. She also deepens her impact as the Chair of the Black Mental Health Task Force which seeks to empower community members of Black and African Heritage through advocacy and policy reform.

Here's what Steffany says about herself  "I have been a part of the adoption field since 1993 and found it to be very rewarding. I was introduced to the field of adoption in college while obtaining my first master's degree in Family Life Education and Consultation. I had always had an interest in unplanned pregnancy and infertility, but it was not until this point that I began to see how it all fit together.While obtaining my second master's degree in Social Work, I had the opportunity to also study Hospital and School Social Work. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these other fields; however, I knew that my heart's desire was to be involved in adoption. Within a few short months, doors began to open and starting an adoption agency became a reality.Since 1998, Adoption & Beyond has grown from a small, one-person home-based agency to an agency with several workers covering two states. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of wonderful birth parents, adoptive families and their children. In addition, I am the proud mother of five children, one having joined our family through adoption."Connect with Steffany herehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/steffany-aye-b1b91810/Adoption & Beyond are dedicated to building meaningful relationships by educating, guiding and advocating for all touched by adoption, every step of the adoption journey and beyond.Find out more athttps://adoption-beyond.org/https://twitter.com/adoption_beyondhttps://www.instagram.com/adoptionbeyond1/#adoption  #adoptionawareness #adoptionevent #adoptionislove #adoptionjourney#adoptionlove #adoptionresponsable #adoptions #adoptionstories #adoptionstory#adoptionsupport #adoptiontails #search #birthmother #biomom #YouCanAdopt #trauma #attachment 

Nia Jones is a consultant with the Black Mental Health Alliance for Education and Consultation, Inc. and is responsible for leading the Youth Wellness Initiative and other special projects as assigned. Nia is a licensed Social Worker with a passion for organizations and the people that work in them. She provides strategic human resources business partner support, talent acquisition training, project management support, and self-presentation strategy for individuals and businesses. Nia believes that she is purposed to bring "Resources to Humans". Nia has created and executed recruitment plans for large and small companies with a 100% hired rate and managed HR portfolios for over 500 individuals in product lines generating revenue of over 5 million dollars annually. Nia's unique approach to Human Resources involves an innovative approach that educates managers and employees about mental health, employs a strengths-based focus, and affirms both parties. She is the owner/operator of On Purpose with Nia, LLC- an organization dedicated to empowering small businesses and individuals to grow by promoting 360-degree wholeness through consults, mental health & wellness training, and project management. Nia has a passion for working with youth and has been committed to youth development for over 15 years. She has held various roles in Youth Development organizations such as Life Skills Technician, Youth Ministry Leader, and Teacher. Nia's 10-year career in HR impacted youth in her hometown, and across the state of Maryland. Nia considers herself a mental health advocate and has been recognized for her support to NAMI Baltimore through a yearly fundraiser entitled "Always Forward"- an initiative born out of Nia's deep passion for ending the Mental Health stigma in her community. In October 2019, Nia partnered with a friend to launch a wellness company called Uncommon Solutions, Inc. an organization that believes in the power of whole families to support and restore the village, cultivating wealth and success in our community. Uncommon Solutions combines complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with relatable and comfortable therapeutic approaches to create optimal health for people of color. Nia is a native Baltimorean, and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University in 2010, and returned to her alma mater to receive her Masters of Social Work (with a concentration in School Social Work) in 2014. Nia is a RISE Fellowship program graduate at Kennedy Krieger Institute and a certified art therapy life coach. Nia is a wife (Bryce), and mother of 1 (Jackson). She enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, learning about new technology, and crafting. Nia is accepting clients for therapy and life coaching. You can connect with Nia, and complete a referral for services at www.onpurposewithnia.com and follow her on social media @onpurposewithnia. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastermine-mrg/message

Haili sits down with Jocelyn Sailor. Jocelyn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. She is  a wife, mom, full time school social worker going into her 9th year and part time therapist at her family's private practice. Jocelyn is also the owner of School Social Work Solutions LLC. Jocelyn  empowers school social workers to position themselves to be the mental health expert in their school by creating boundaries, developing systems and implementing radical self care. Jocelyn recently launched the pre sale of her school social work planner! The School Social Work Solutions Planner is a product Jocelyn put her heart into and  states she knows  it will help so many social workers to prioritize their wellness, have more productive workdays and resources to reference when they are feeling stuck. 

I share my recent experience at the job. This is to provide education to the new BSWs and new MSWs. You will go through some bullshit in your careers, but just remember your worth. #schoolsocialwork

Can creating a life of intention, setting boundaries, and living your authentic vision not only bring more joy to your life, but also empower your students? Join Tessa Thompson and I as we explore what life looks like when we working towards our goals inspires others around us. Tessa and I also discuss simple yet effective ways to increase student engagement and holding space for our students to create their own goals and visions.Enjoy the show!*****Tessa Thompson is a proud Veteran of the United States Air Force (Served in Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom).  Thompson graduated from the University of Wisconsin Parkside in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Spanish, and Certificate in Nonprofit Management.  Thompson received a Master of Social Work degree in 2008 from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Thompson specializes in Social Work in the areas of Case Management, Family and Individual Counseling, Substance Abuse and School Social Work.  She is a Solution Focused and Holistic Perspective Social Worker who believes in looking at the whole person in their environment and works to empower others by developing a plan to meet future vision and goals.  Thompson currently works for Kenosha Unified School District as a School Social Worker. In 2018 she launched Balanced Vision Consulting LLC. to empower others to change their narrative and be their best self.  Tessa Thompson is a woman of advocacy, support and empowerment tothose in her community.  She is the recipient of the City of Madison's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award in 1999. The University of Wisconsin Parkside's Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. Community Service Award January 2011 and University of Wisconsin Parkside's Distinguished Alumni Service Award May 2011.  Thompson's future goals include continuing to work in her community to create a network of leaders providing advocacy, social justice and empowerment. Thompson's greatest joy is her life as a mother of 6 children and wife.Connect with Tessa here!Website:  https://mrstessathompson.comFacebook:  Facebook.com/mstessabrownLet's change lives together.Join The Compassionate Educators Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/compassionateeducationresources/  for more resources.EMAIL: support@compassionateeducators.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/CompassionateEducators)

Co-workers "in the trenches" together often form friendships and connections that can endure for many years, even a lifetime. But it's important to establish boundaries and set common goals that best serve the individuals and the organization. In this episode of Petey Podcast, Social Workers and Therapists, Chantille Jackson and Marissa Pelsozy, chat with us about interpersonal connections in the workplace.

Join us on this week's Black Doctors Talk Podcast which features our guest, Dr. Paul Wright. Dr. Wright speaks to us on the topics of social justice and social work. Dr. Wright is an Associate Professor at California State University (CSU), Stanislaus in their Master of Social Work Department. He teaches across the social work curriculum in the social work program; however, currently he teaches graduate level courses in Generalist Practice and Advance Practice and a new Social Justice in Social Work course, which he helped develop, that focuses exclusively on social justice issues and oppression. During the podcast, Dr. Wright shares his insights into his struggles and triumphs in academia along his tenure journey. He discusses the role race and racism plays in academia and preparing for work in academia. His research and teaching interests are race, gender and inequality issues, spirituality, social work practice, and pedagogy. Dr. Wright has also taught at two of other campuses in the CSU system, CSU, East Bay and CSU, Monterey Bay. He was the first faculty to join the MSW program at CSU, Monterey Bay and played an instrumental role in building, establishing and launching the MSW program there. Dr. Wright earned a Doctorate in Education with an Emphasis in International and Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco in San Francisco, California. He earned a Masters of Social Work degree with a specialization in School Social Work from San Jose State University in San Jose, California. He earned a B.S. Degree in Counseling and Education from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Tune in to "Dare To Soar with Doctor R.C." Saturday at 10:00 a.m. EST as she recognizes "National School Social Work Week" by speaking with several Executive Board Members from the School Social Workers Association of Georgia on the topic of "The Glue Holding it All Together" and more.

Paula has been a social worker for over 40 years, most of that time working with children from infancy through college, along with their families. Prior to retiring, Paula was a School Social Worker in the Webster Central School District for 29 years. She is especially proud to have been a part of the development of the district's Response to Crisis and Tragedy in the 1990's. She also participated in the development of the Trauma, Illness and Grief Consortium (TIG), which will be celebrating its 20th year in 2021. Her work with students, families and staff was always based on respect, honesty, trust, and caring. The school building, and the district as a whole, is a community whose function is to support the learning and social emotional growth of students. But students don't leave their emotional struggles or celebrations at the school entrance. We celebrate with them and support them through their struggles.In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Paula discusses experiences, concepts and skills that guided her compassionate and highly effective work with students and families. Paula shares her insights into not only how to successfully engage students of all ages, but how to make yourself an indispensable part of an interdisciplinary team. Concepts discussed include “showing up,” listening deeply, maintaining a strength base perspective and authenticity. Paula also highlights the influential role she played in leading her district to a more trauma informed perspective.

Tips and Tricks for Your Next Book with Author and CEO Leah Berdysz Leah is on a "mission to empower and educate girls on how to be beautiful from the inside out through discovery of social, mental, and physical components." After graduating from John Carroll University with her Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science and Entrepreneurship in 2017, Leah founded Empowered & Poised LLC. She is currently working towards her Master of Science in Social Administration (MSW equivalent) with a focus on School Social Work at Case Western Reserve University. She is slated to publish her very first book: Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem & Confidence in 2021.     Support the book, Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem & Confidence NOW! The goodies deadline is fast approaching!     TRANSCRIPT Massiel:  Welcome to the How To Write a Book Podcast. Leah, thank you so much for joining us.   Leah: Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.   Massiel: Us too. I cannot wait to tell my listeners about your journey, about your book. Oh my gosh. So I'm excited. We're so excited. So let me just go ahead and dive into a little bit about, Leah, and then I'll have you take over from there.    Leah: Yeah.   Massiel: Awesome. Perfect. Leah is on a mission to empower and educate girls on how to be beautiful from the inside out through the discovery of social, mental, and physical components. After graduating from John Carroll University, with her Bachelor of Arts in exercise science and entrepreneurship in 2017, she founded Empowered and Poised LLC. She's currently working towards her Master's of science in social ministration with a focus on school social work at Case Western Reserve University and slated to publish your very first book, 'Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem and Confidence’, which is going to be published in 2021   Leah: Whoo-ooh! Thank you so much for that lovely introduction.   Massiel: Gosh, thank you. I mean, just reading that and you're like go girl. Yes, yes. That is amazing. I mean, reading your background, reading your organization, it is so beautiful to touch base with someone who wants to empower girls, who is striving to do that and you are doing it, your LLC Empowered and Poised is doing just that. And before we dive more into like your book and your organization, your background includes anxiety and body image issues as well as 10 years of working with youth. So do tell us, what did I miss out here in your background? Tell us how did you get here?   Leah: Yeah. So that's a great question. It's hard to say that there's really one thing that led me here because quite frankly, this is not where I thought I would be if you would have asked me, you know, five, 10 years ago. But I think everything has its way of working out, right? Like I taught Phys. Ed for four years and I never thought I would be in the field of education. I started a business, never thinking I was going to be a business owner. I went to grad school, never thinking I would be in grad school and here I am writing a book, never having thought I was going to write a book.   I think it's been very serendipitous and I'm really grateful that I've been provided with so many opportunities. And it was kind of like, you know, when somebody knocks at your door, you open it up and you walk in, it was kind of like that with me; certain opportunities would just kind of come about obviously, not just on their own, but with hard work, connecting with people, being serious about my education, all of those types of things. But when these opportunities arose, like this wonderful opportunity to talk to you, I really had to step into my own courage and share my story and share my passions and I think that's a lot of what has led me to where I am today.   Massiel: That is amazing. And especially because you're talking about being brave, stepping into things that kind of jump out in front of you, and that is something that we talk about on the podcast, which is believing in a message. And even if you don't know where it's going to go, the opportunities will rise and that's exactly what you're doing here. I mean, you've created this beautiful LLC, right? And you're talking with these people; just touching briefly on the interviews that you have included in your book, I mean, that is just so inspiring. And I'm going to say this again and again, thank you. Thank you because you're showing up, you have this calling and that's something that we always try to do within the How To Write a Book Podcast is saying like, you know, it can be scary, but show up   Leah: It can be scary. It definitely can. I will not deny that. And I think that's where that courage comes into play. It's like having the courage that even when it's scary to still give it a try and to realize that if you fall down, you can get back up and keep going.   Massiel: Oh my gosh! Yes. And that is actually so timely because we just released an episode on what if you get rejected or what if it just doesn't work out and it's like, you're going to keep trying and moving forward.    Leah: Absolutely.    Massiel: I totally agree. Now before we dive more into your book and your book writing process, I would love to talk about your organization. So tell us a little bit about Empowered and Poised. I mean, this sounds like just such a game-changer for teaching girls how to believe in themselves. Can you tell us more about that?   Leah: Yeah. I would love to; if there are any specific questions that you have for me about it, let me know. I know that you definitely hit on the mission, which is to empower and educate girls on how to be beautiful from the inside out. So we're looking at the whole person, so helping young girls to develop socially, mentally, physically, becoming well-rounded individuals. Teaching those skills to ultimately help a young girl to be confident in her own abilities. And we do this through a variety of different programming and just different platforms that we have. So for example, individuals of any age can share their story on our blog, which shares about what makes an individual empowered and poised in his or her own right. And so, we have been really fortunate that we've built a community where over 150 individuals have shared their stories about all of the amazing things that they're doing and the challenges and obstacles that they've overcome. So we're so grateful for everybody who's contributed to that.    And then in our programming, we've done after school programs, One-Time workshops, partnered with different school districts basically to help young girls, as we had mentioned before, become more confident in their selves and their abilities. And we do that through a lot of different hands-on activities. You know, a lot of people don't like to be talked at, even as adults, we don't like to be talked at, right? So we like to find a way to engage our students when we're working with them to spread the word. And now there's this book, which is to help the parents and educators and mental health professionals who are working with young girls to look at the different principles of how we can help a young girl, but keeping in mind that a one size fits all approach just doesn't work when we're empowering young women that we have to think about and look at their unique background and where they come from, their race, their culture, their socioeconomic status, experiences they've had in the past. So we're really excited and empowered and poised to just continue to spread the word about all of this that we're doing and to continue to promote positivity for young women.   Massiel: That is awesome. Oh my gosh! Literally just talking with you and I feel like this blossom of hope because I mean, a program like this, I know that it's a game-changer. I'm almost like, Oh, I wish I was like, you know, 10 years ago, let's do it. I love it. But still, I mean, we'll dive in now as well, but it is so awesome how you're showing up. And I would love to kind of talk a little bit about you're talking about this one size fits all approach that we have for girls right now. Can you tell us more? What is that? Cause when I read that, I was like, what is this approach? I would like to help in recognizing what this one size fits all is.   Leah: Yeah. So, I think that it's just, you know, when I was doing reading and research, it feels like sometimes people say like, okay, if you say this to your daughter or to the girl that you're working with, or if you do this or you do that, then automatically, she's just going to become confident. But it's like, you can't just do that for everybody. I mean, affirmations might work for one girl, but for another girl, it's going to be the importance of giving her opportunities and experiences. Granted, I would argue that really, it's both of those things but when you are talking to a young girl and you're affirming her, it needs to be specific to who she is. Not just general, not something that she's not going to believe about herself. Because just these blanket statements, unfortunately, the research says that, you know, they're not working the way that we think that they are, that they need to believe that in themselves too, that is something that they can do.    And so, you know, finding different role models who look like the girls that they're trying to empower and continuing to expand representation media and the different people who are helping our young women. So again, it's just that idea that when your working with a young girl, you need to really think about who she is as an individual and how you can help her based on what her interests are, what her experience is, the family that she's come from; just her general overall background.   Massiel: That is such a good point because I mean, as we dive into girls, their mentality, it can be a lot like, actually being a doctor in the sense of everyone's prescription is different, everybody has to be approached differently. And that is awesome. And that is awesome that you have found that not only is that true, that's the case, but you're working with girls and you're creating these outcomes. And speaking of the outcomes, I noticed in your program, you have four learning outcomes. And so, you touch on self-awareness and positive self-image, leadership skills, and creative thinking strategies. And there was one that stood out to me that I would love to touch on, which is your outcome is girls will become critical consumers of information related to overall wellness. So like, what's that one about?   Leah: Absolutely. So this one is explored a little bit more deeply in the book, if anybody wants to check that out where it really dives in. But just to give you an overall understanding, a great example would be about social media, right? Because unfortunately, on social media and just media in general, girls are depicted in such a way that it's not always what the reality is. They're photo-shopped, filters are used and so, it's helping a young girl to realize when she sees that picture, that it's not all true, it's not all reality so that she doesn't go and compare herself to something that's really unrealistic; which unfortunately is something that I have done for myself in the past that got me into a lot of trouble. I know I've shared this story before, but you haven't heard it so let me share it with you if that's okay.    Massiel: Yeah.   Leah:  So when I was in my undergrad career, I thought that I wanted to be a personal trainer for a little while. And so, I'm not that far removed from the social media age and technology where I was like, Oh my gosh, how is anybody going to take me seriously? Like if I don't look like these personal trainers on Instagram, AKA people who are filtered, maybe who are on some sort of, you know, are using some sort of substance, just really is not something that like my body is necessarily made out to be. And so, I had a friend who at the time was a nutritionist - still is - create me a meal plan, which it was all healthy foods so that was great, right? Because I was feeding my body, the fuel that it needed to be healthy.   However, what happened was I started weighing my food similar to how a bodybuilder would, but I wasn't competing. So in all reality, this was not healthy, you know, and thankfully it didn't turn into an eating disorder, but had I not had the knowledge and had I not had the support that I did to be like, Oh my gosh, something's not right about what I'm doing right now. And I'm not happy inside even though physically, I love great, you know, mentally I wasn't in a really great place. And so, I think that's why this particular objective is so important is because I've gone through it on my own, realizing that the impact that the media can have on a young girl, you know, as she's developing and trying to figure out who she is. And I just think that it's really, really important that we have these conversations starting at a very young age with girls about the way that, you know, the media portrays women and how we can fight against that and realize that that's not who we have to be. And that being our authentic self is really, truly what is going to help us, you know, to move forward in life as individuals.   Massiel: Wow. Yes. Yes. I mean, that is just powerful and you're so right. And I love that you're doing that. So it really is training girls to look at this critically and to understand that what's out there is not reflective of what you should be, you know, things like that. And trying to deconstruct that and loving yourself as you are, because we're all beautiful, you know, as we are right now.   Leah: Absolutely. And I think this is too right. It's more than just what we see, but it's what we hear like in songs. So like if a song comes on the radio and it's talking about degrading women and your daughter hears it, you know, having that conversation with her to say, what are your thoughts on this? Do you think that this is okay? You know, how could this be changed? You know, so really, just engaging these conversations with students and the young women that we live and work with.   Massiel: Wow. Yeah, totally, totally. And I agree with that, just consuming all of that and trying to understand how to filter it and better see the perspective and those conversations, you know? And so now, I mean, yeah, let's dive into the book. I mean, just that message alone, having that in the book is amazing. So the book itself, you know, I mean just the title, it is The Conscious Empowerment, and it's a guide to helping girls build self-esteem and confidence. So let's start with just the idea of this. So was the LLC and the book kind of hand-in-hand or how did the idea of the book come about?   Leah: Yeah, so they kind of went hand in hand. So as you had mentioned, I'm in grad school. And so why not take on one more thing while I'm in grad school and decide to write a book. Like naturally that would be the only thing that we could do. I was really fortunate that I had actually a friend go through this program because I'm writing my book in a unique way. It's actually through the Creator Institute. And so, they take you through essentially a course that helps to teach you how to write a book, because the reality was, I didn't know how to do this on my own and I needed some assistance, which is why I decided to enroll in this program. And at the time a fellowship was going on so I decided to join this fellowship which started this past, I think it was either late spring or the summer of this year so 2020.    And we started this journey and I think that I always had some inkling of like, I think this would be me to write a book, but I think what really propelled me was like, Hey, this is a really great opportunity over the summer. I don't have as many classes as I do, now, I have time to actually begin writing this. Let's just do it because, you know, no time is going to be a great time. And this sounds awesome because it's a fellowship and I'm going to have the support of other authors and editors and kind of a framework to build this book from. And so, I thought like this would be a really great opportunity to expand Empowered and Poised, to help get the message out more, and to connect with even more great individuals that I could interview for the book. So I got really excited about it and here I am.   Massiel: Yeah, that was so awesome. I saw your trailer right on Indiegogo for the book. And just like you said, like you're interviewing like these awesome go-getters as well. The CEO of Girls Inc; Stephanie Hall, Dr. Gillian Lambert, Lee Paiva, who's a founder of No Means No Worldwide. And then Julia Lambert is a chief strategy officer for the Emily Program, which I actually wasn't aware of this program. So it's a national leader in eating disorder awareness treatment and lifetime recovery and that is awesome just having those resources. So, I mean, so all the interviews and the way that you structure your book because you have the different sections of your book and then you have these interviews, was that already laid out for you within this course or that's from your idea generation?   Leah: Yeah. So that's where my idea generation, we were able to lay it out however we wanted. So usually like when you start writing a book, it's not going to probably end up the way that you think it is in the end. That's what they always tell you, like where you start is not necessarily where you finished. But what I decided to do was really use this opportunity, like I said, to connect with different individuals. I don't want to say just women because there were also, you know, a couple of really amazing men that I interviewed who are key. So like, for example, Lou Birkholz, who is the author of Vital Connections, which talks all about how to connect with young people, which I highly recommend that book, Vital Connections, it really is fabulous. And so mostly though, you know, it was a lot of different women who are experts in this field of working with girls that we interviewed.   And what I ended up noticing was that there were some different principles that stood out among many of these interviews. So that's how I decided to pool the six principles that are now in this book was what are those kinds of trending topics, right? When we say trending, it's like the things that we see over and over again, and it also relates to young girls because obviously, they're very, you know, intertwined in the world of social media, so kind of a fun play on pop culture. And so those six trending topics have become the chapters of the book. So it goes into those. And then from there, we kind of discuss a little bit of how-to, so how do you implement this principle in a way that, you know, you can use it with whatever girl you live and work with and make it unique to her and helping her. So really tangible steps on how to apply these principles or what comes after what the main principles are. And I'm happy to share with you if you're interested in what some of these principles are.   Massiel: Definitely. Actually, that was my next question. So let's dive in.    Leah: Yes. So I'm not going to give you too much, but I will give you a little teaser here. And that is to be that adult, which is basically being the person, the role model that a girl needs in her life, being there, being her champion. Exposure, which is exposing her to different activities, events, and things so that she can learn more about who she is, who she wants to become, and what she enjoys in life. Representation; so this is kind of what we were already talking about, making sure that there's representation in the classrooms, in the media of girls who are from different backgrounds who look different, who speak differently, who are just diverse.   We have affirmations, which we spoke a little bit about and the chapter does a much better job than even I just explained about how to actually use affirmations in a way that science backs and that it actually works. Being seen; so this is the idea that to be seen, it's not about wearing the most glamorous dress. It's about exactly what you said to me here today is showing up, being who you are, being brave to speak your truth. And then finally, we have a chapter all about sports and fitness. Because like I said, with the wellness triangle, it's social, mental and physical wellbeing, and there's a lot of science out there that sports, fitness, exercise, you know, physical activity, that those things can also help to improve a young girl and her self-esteem and confidence.    So those are the principles that are explained in the book and hopefully, people take the opportunity to check them out. I would really appreciate your support, you know, in picking up a copy and reading the book and then giving us feedback on what your thoughts are.   Massiel: Yeah. And that's so cool, like right now that you have the book on Indiegogo. And you say on there that as part of the tears, when you pledge in, you can give feedback and be part of the author community. So how did you come up with that idea and to create that community there?   Leah: Yeah. So actually I'm grateful to be able to work with the publisher. So New Degree Press has helped along the way and coming up with some of these ideas, because they've had a great number of authors that have come before me to kind of figure out like what works. Now, outside of that, community is just super important to me. I think that it is so vital, especially in this COVID-19 world, that we continue to connect with one another to build community. And that's the whole premise of Empowered and Poised is like joining this community, join us.   Join the community to help empower and inspire young women. Now, I am very excited like you said because people joining the author community, means that they get the opportunity that if they hop into this presale campaign that we have going here just for this month, they can help to pick the cover of the book, help give feedback and being beta readers. So some really exciting things to be really a pivotal part of this journey of launching this book, which is I think super exciting. I'm excited to see what everybody has to say and which book covers they might like the best and feel like, you know, what speak to the audience the most.   Massiel: Yeah. Oh, that is so exciting. And totally not going to lie, I purchased your book cause I was like, I love all this.   Leah: Yeah!! Thank you! I appreciate it and I'm excited for your feedback too.    Massiel: Oh my gosh. Yes. I was just reading the intro, your principles that you broke down in the chapters on there, the interviews you had, and then you were also being really transparent about your editing process on there as well. And I was like, I mean, as a writer, first of all, you're just laying it all out there, which is awesome. It's empowering. And I think it really ties into this idea of, you know, how as girls, we have these myths that we need to deconstruct, but then also as writers, we have these myths that we need to just kind of break down. So I was like, I'm going to support that as well, but then also your message.   Leah: I appreciate it.    Massiel: Definitely. I'm so excited for where your book is going and, you know, speaking of, I mean, it's such a great and powerful message. At any time did you feel like when you decided like, okay, let's just like tack on the book as well, did you feel overwhelmed? What were your mental obstacles when you first started?   Leah: Oh yeah. I definitely felt overwhelmed. I still feel a little overwhelmed if I'm just being honest. I would be lying to say that this was an easy process, that's not the truth of it. There were definitely times where I hit creative blocks and walls, times where I wasn't as interested in writing, maybe, on one day or the people that I was reaching out to interview, you know, I'd have people who wouldn't get back to me or, you know, right now, as I'm trying to reach this huge goal for fundraising, for the book and it's not going maybe as quickly as, as I hope for it to. But I think at the end of the day, it's everything that we're talking about right now is you just have to continue to be patient, continue to, you know, do your best, work hard, and know that you have a good message.   And that's something I needed to remind myself as like, this is really important work that's happening, you know, and it's not going to be an easy process because for as cliche as it is, if it was an easy process, everybody would be doing it. So I think through this process, what I want to say is just thank you to all of the other writers out there, to all the other authors out there, because I definitely, through my own journey of writing a book, have found a new respect for authors and the challenge that it is to really come up with a kick-butt book that, you know, it takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of research. I just want to say, thank you to everybody else out there who is writing books to inspire people, to educate people, and to also just entertain people because it's not a super easy process.   Massiel: Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, that is something that we talk about on the podcast, which is thanking the authors who have inspired us, who have shown up to write. And even when you're staring at the blank page and you're like, I don't know what I'm doing here and that doubt creeps in, but still showing up and believing in that message. And so you actually just touched on something that's you said that you had to remind yourself about that message. Was there anything specific you're doing? Cause you talk about affirmations in your books, so I'm curious, are there some principles that you're also using that are mentioned in your book that you use to write your book?   Leah: Yeah, that's a great idea. You know, I think a lot of times we're inspired to write the things that are personal to us. And so, I think that, you know, if I'm just being completely transparent, that for as much as this book is for everybody else, I think it was still a part of like my journey for myself and seeking and helping myself to understand some of the parts of me that I still continue to be uncovering. And so I think I just needed to go back and really listen to some of the advice that the different interviewees gave me along the way and the inspiration that I was feeling every time that I got to talk to such a wonderful individual who was passionate about the same things that I'm passionate about and, you know, their advice, how to help other girls has in return, helped me. So in addition to thanking all the authors, I think that it would only make sense for me to also thank, once again, all of the interviewees who helped contribute to this book, because just as you were helping all of these other young women, I want you to know that, you know, you've also helped me too. So thank you for that.   Massiel: Oh, that's a beautiful message. And yes, thank you. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this book and everyone who continues to put out powerful and inspiring messages. And it's exactly, as you said, I mean, actually that is how this podcast was born, which was trying to understand what my own writing process was and trying to show up because you have maybe this doubt or this the struggle. And so, we write this in other words for ourselves, but you know, there are people struggling with this as you have encountered and we're helping them by also showing up. So that was awesome. Thank you. So I would love to talk about your interviewing process because I know some of our listeners, they want to write memoirs that might take other people into account or might be doing research nonfiction. So what was your interview process like? How did you choose, you know, who you were going to ask, and go from there?   Leah: Yeah, absolutely. That's a great question. So I think this is one of the most fun parts, I think for me of the book writing process was kind of discovering such amazing individuals. Some of whom I did not know about before I started writing this book and it was really through just a lot of research; Googling like experts in girls, experts in girls confidence, all those kinds of keywords, buzzwords that hit the book. And that's when I just started reaching out to people and it was kind of just like, Hey, I've got this project, you know, it seems you have a similar passion to me. I would really love to take 30 minutes to an hour to interview you for it, to hear your expertise on this topic. And I think you would be surprised by how many people are willing to help and said yes.   And then from there, it was a snowball effect. Because when I would talk to one person at the end, I'd say, you know, and if you have anybody else that you think I should talk to as I'm writing this book, I would really appreciate if you could connect me and a lot of them did. And so, that's how I started meeting and learning about all of these other really wonderful people and growing my network, and growing the interviews for the book. So it was really just a super exciting process that was just simply asking and that was kind of it.   Massiel: I love that. Yeah. Because exactly you said the snowball, what's gonna start getting that traction. You start trying to be like, okay, I'm rolling, I'm rolling. I love that. So I'm wondering how many interviews did you do, I mean, you started this summer, right?   Leah: Yeah. So in the end the bulk has incorporated roughly, I'd say like 35 or so interviews. So the majority of them did make it into the book. Unfortunately, not every single one did, but I would say, Oh, probably a good 90% did. And these also, the other thing too, is we were instructed by NDP - New Degree Press - to really bring in stories. And I'm so grateful that I did that because I think it makes it that much more enriching. And quite frankly, it's like in this book, you're not going to find these stories anywhere else, because some of them are from everyday individuals or from the experiences of the leaders of these young women and the things that they've seen. So it's not something that you could go pick another book up off the shelf and read about, because like we said, stories are unique to who you are. So I'm really excited and really grateful that people were brave enough to share their stories and allow them to then go public. And so yeah, about 35 individuals, in the end, were interviewed for this.   Massiel: Wow. That is fantastic. I mean, especially because it's letting us know that there are so many resources out there and that is amazing because sometimes you jump into a topic and you're really not sure where to begin, but you have like consolidated all of that and given us an opportunity to search for and find these new enriching places where we can get that information, and that is awesome.   Leah: Yeah. And I think that's where authors can like really tap into the wonderful resources that we have in this virtual world. Even though there's a lot of negativity around it, there's also a lot of really amazing things that have come from it. And so it could be as small as like searching up a hashtag and like finding somebody who's kind of in that same genre community as you are, you know, I've recently been trying to connect with some books-to-grammars, you know, which is something kind of new that I just found out about. Are you familiar with that bookstagram?    Massiel: Yeah. So Instagram, it's the authors and the books of bookstagram. So hashtag bookstagram. Or like hashtag writers of Instagram. Yeah. I'm actually pretty new to this as well, but I'm like, once I find it, I'm like, well, here I go. I love it.   Leah: Oh my gosh. I know it's so easy to dive right in. And that's the same thing that I did when I was looking for different individuals to interview is I just dove right in. And I also should give the credit to, you know, some of my interns as well, who has been a major part of this process and supporting me along the way. So shout out to all my amazing Empowered and Poised interns. I appreciate you all as I tell you all on a daily basis, but I'm really so grateful to have a team supporting me through this. Because just as I always say with entrepreneurship being a lonely road, I think that writing a book can also sometimes be a lonely road. So really connect with other authors in the community, whether it be through social media or through your own network, going out and meeting people on LinkedIn, whatever you have to do because having people who also understand what it's like to write a book can definitely help to continue to push you forward when things get challenging, in my opinion.   Massiel: Yes, totally. I agree with you. And especially, I was just going to take a moment to say thank you for being so transparent as well. Because I think that that is something that we strive to do here on the podcast, which is letting people know that every writing process can be different. Every personality is different when it comes to writing. And sometimes we, you know, want to strive to be a certain image of writing. But when we struggle, it's totally normal. It's totally okay. It doesn't mean that, Oh, you're doing anything wrong; you just keep showing up. So thank you again for being transparent on the process. And also that, yeah, writing can feel lonely. But there are like bookstagram and things like that we can start connecting. And maybe this is just me, but I love all those beautiful photos of books piled up on Bookstagram.   Leah: Oh my gosh. I love them too. My photography skills really probably aren't that good.   Massiel: Mine too. I'm just like I'll just stare with them. Seriously. I'm like, if I could just get big posters of all these, it would be fantastic. But I totally get what you mean. So I mean, the journey can be up and down, but just based on what you're saying, always worth it showing up. So after all your interviews, I'm sure we would love to know. So you've done all this interview process and you're talking with your publisher about maybe the organization, what happened from there? How do you go from interviews to actually writing?   Leah: Yeah, so, you know, I kind of did it along the way. So as I would there's actually a really great, and I think your audience would love to know about this, it's called Otter AI, and it's an app. And Otter AI helps to transcribe the different interviews that you're doing, which is really great because even though it's not a hundred percent accurate all the time, you can go back and look up keywords in that interview. And so for me, it was like, I remember, I don't know, like Stephanie Hall saying this really amazing thing about the importance of making sure that this book fits all girls and that we realize that confidence doesn't look the same for everybody. So a girl can be shy and still be confident. So maybe I would look up on Otter, AI shy the word shy because then it will ping it and you can find that part and relisten to her and it even types it out for you so you can go back.    And then what I did is I would kind of listen to these interviews again or start typing up. I would type notes out too, as I would interview, and then that's how I would come up with the stories. So the stories were really based on these individuals, and having this Otter AI technology was super helpful because, for me, it was really, really important that I'm not speaking for the women who I interviewed, but that it's really their voices that are coming through and being heard. Especially because I interviewed you know, many different individuals from various backgrounds that weren't similar to mine so I never want to act like I'm the expert of a different group that I'm not a part of. So being able to use this technology was really helpful and then developing the stories. Then once I had the stories is kind of when I would pair them and say like, okay, these are both about sports and fitness, so I'd put them in the same chapter.   And then from there I would go and add in my own experiences, my own suggestions from the years that I've had working with young women. And then, finally, I would take and beef it up with some research to make sure that the information that we're giving is actually, like I said, backed by research. And then, that's kind of the way that the chapters were built. And then, from there, just figuring out how to piece everything together to make one coherent book; figuring out what's the history that we need to add in the beginning of the book to help set the scene so that people understand the difference between self-esteem and confidence because that's not very well understood, you know what is this word, intersectionality? What does that mean? And then it kind of flows into those principles and how-to, and wraps it all together in a nice little book.   Massiel: That is so awesome. And I love what you're saying. So, as you were researching, you were building, so the book was being built as it was going. I love that.   Leah: Yes. Yes. I think for me, it would have been very, very overwhelming to not have done it that way and to have done all of the interviews and research and then have to write it all after. So I really enjoy doing it along the way, especially because immediately upon listening to the interviewee or speaking with them, that's when I was most inspired. Because I just got off the phone and I'm like, this is awesome, people need to hear this, people need to know this. So to be able to write right then and I would also if you don't mind me sharing another tip that I have for all of your listeners and that's to not get too stuck in the way you've always used to do things but be open to a different process. So what I mean by that is I thought that I was going to be the type of writer where I would set a block of time aside, you know, like every Monday at five o'clock, I'm going to write for an hour and then I'm going to write again on Wednesday or whatever because I like to have checklists of things that I accomplished.   That's just the way that I kind of work. I'm a little type A, but what I realized was in creative writing, that didn't work as well for me. I actually needed to write when I was feeling inspired, as opposed to when I thought I could just get the work done. And I think that that definitely probably helped to make this an even better book is because that passion was really jumping outside of me as I was writing the words on the pages.   Massiel: Yes, yes, totally. That is literally, what we talk about on the podcast. It's getting to know yourself as a writer and knowing that it's okay if you need to change and transform and do things a little bit differently; totally. You hit the nail on the head and especially because like you said, like if you thought you might be in one way, and I find that I'm one way when I write nonfiction, but I'm different when I write fiction.   Leah: Yes. Yes. Well, that's what I found from like my academic papers that I've been writing academia, you know, for my grad school is very different than what I have been writing for this book. Even though there's research in it, it's much more creative and it was a very different process, and writing up these stories too, which was like, it was kind of a challenge, an exciting challenge though but it was definitely different for me. So I totally understand what you're saying. That it was different for you fiction versus non-fiction writing. I totally get that.   Massiel: Yeah. Right. Exactly. So for all the listeners out there, you know, just like Leah's talking about, it's okay if you find that you actually need to go this way, you need to go that way, you need to pivot and change. It's totally normal. Totally okay; embrace that and jump into it. You said you were enjoying the process and that's something that we like to hit upon is like, it's like enjoy the process cause it's fun. It is fun.   Leah: It really is. I really did have fun writing the book. I'm not even going to lie. I'm not just saying that, it was exciting.   Massiel: That's awesome. Was it surprising to you, like before that, were you thinking like, Oh, I'm not sure how I'm gonna feel about this?   Leah: Yeah, I think honestly, I thought it was going to feel more like work that did, and I'm not saying, like I said, it was hard work and it definitely wasn't necessarily wouldn't it call it easy, but I don't think I've realized I would enjoy it as much as I did. I think it was more like, this is a really good idea. I have a message. It needs to get out there. I would love to do more speaking and I'd love to be able to speak, you know, about the things that I'm sharing in my book. But I don't think I realized how much I would enjoy the process of writing. And so I'm really grateful that I tried something new because who knows, maybe there'll be another book in the future now that I never would have thought.   Massiel: I love that! Yes. I love that because I'm always telling everyone and my listeners know, I'm like, you know, you write your first book, but you probably have another book in you so just keep going.   Leah: And I think I'd like to do something very different. Like I would maybe like to write for the young women that I work with or maybe do a children's book. Like, I don't know. I mean, there's so many opportunities and possibilities, you know, like I said, nothing else in the past, I really thought I would be doing so I'm not going to say no, I'm not going to say never. And who knows what might come next.   Massiel: Exactly. Exactly. No, I love exactly how you've recapped you know, where you started, your interview process, and then your writing process, which is so beautiful. It really just speaks to the creativity and how much fun you were having. And one thing that you also mentioned inside your Indiegogo page for the book is next year editing process. So how is that going? Cause what are the updates on that and how did you decide how you're going to approach your editing?   Leah: Yes. So as I had mentioned through this program, we are also given an editing team and I'm very grateful for that because that is also a huge process. So we originally had our developmental editor, which helped us to kind of just get our ideas out, you know, find any holes maybe that we would have, make sure that the flow of the book is working nicely. And now I'm in the stage where an acquiring editor is looking through the book. So they're going through and looking for things that are a little bit more detailed, but after they look at it, then everybody who is in my pre-sale who has purchased a copy in the presale campaign, they also will have the opportunity if they so choose to be beta readers. So before the book actually launches and goes live, they can help to give me feedback.   And I'm also gonna recruit some individuals who are in my network, who I really trust, who are good editors, excellent readers, things like that to make sure that it really is in tip-top shape. And then from there, it goes on to another editor. I'm no expert in the editing process and how all of it works. Through this program, they've really offered support to help us figure out the editing process and how that all works. But I know that that is going to be after this pre-sale is going to be the next big thing is really sitting down with the book and taking time to kind of rewrite it. You know, I was recently told that the editing portion is just as hard if not harder than the writing portion, so I'm putting on my belt and getting ready for it.   Massiel: Yes, totally. Actually that was going to lead me to my next question. So the editing process, it can totally feel like a different beast, you know? And something that we also talk about is like, sometimes if you need help, it's totally cool. Right? You have that editor friend that you said, like you have a circle of people you trust also the editors that are available to you. That is awesome. And just like you said, you said you're going to put on your seatbelt. And I love that because sometimes we have to prepare. We're like, okay, how am I going to do this? So like, what are you doing to prepare them? What's your seatbelt? Are you doing like affirmations or are you telling yourself, okay, I'm just going to like buckle down and listen and jump into this? How are you bracing yourself for the editing?   Leah: Yeah, I think that's a great question too. So right now, I'm trying to stay a little more present. Because right now this presale launch is kind of the main goal right now is to focus on this. And there's a lot that goes into it, I think a lot more than people can ever imagine, a lot more than I thought that there was; sharing with your network, reaching out individually to people, sending texts, DMS, putting it on social media, sending out newsletters. I mean, it's a big job to just share about the launch, presale launch of the book. So that's where I'm really focused right now because I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, kind of one step at a time in order so that I don't get overwhelmed.   As far as getting ready for the editing process, I'm kind of a little bit at a standstill at this point because my acquiring editor is still looking through things. So I'm just being patient and waiting until I get that feedback back. And then once I get that feedback is when I'm really planning on diving in kind of taking that jump, which is why I need my seatbelt on is to make sure that I can stay grounded during that time so that I can get the work done that needs to be done because I'm sure that there'll be plenty of feedback that I then need to adjust. And also just thinking about like who's in my network that are really good writers that might be interested in this book, that might be interested in helping me so that I then have a support team along the way? Because I'm always of the belief that no matter how good of a writer you are, we still miss things. Like we're not perfect people and no one should expect anybody to be perfect. So the more eyes that can get on to the book before it actually published onto Amazon and into the bookstores and the libraries and all of those types of things. It's just thinking about who in my network might be willing to support and help me edit along the way.   Massiel: Yes. And that really, I think, is going to resonate really well with the listeners, which is like you said, so editing is down the road. So right now, focusing on what's going on right now and for a lot of listeners, it's writing the book or simply doing their research. So I think that's going to be really helpful. So instead of looking at that mountain far away, you're just trekking on this one. That is, yes, totally beautiful. I love that.   Leah: Yeah, because, you know, I think otherwise, I mean, I don't know, I don't want to speak for everybody, but for me, especially when I first started this process, it seemed really big and daunting. So I think breaking up, you know, writing your book into steps, into small measurable, achievable goals so that you can feel and find that progress along the way that can continue to propel you forward. Because I think if you would try to do everything all at once, it's much easier to get stuck, feel defeated, and maybe just not finish at all. So when you can find little achievements along the way, I think that it makes it much more realistic and doable to actually getting to the end goal, which is publishing the book.   Massiel: Yeah. Yeah. And I agree, and that's exactly what we tell our listeners. It's like, you know, just a little bit at a time and checking a little bit at a time and you know, actually, this leads me to a question before we wrap up. You said here that you're helping Girls Inc. So the book is helping Girls Inc. Now how is it doing that exactly?   Leah: Yeah, that's a great question. So a portion of the profits from the presale campaign is going to go to support Girls Inc. And the reason that I decided to partner with Girls Inc, is because I strongly believe in their mission. It's very similar to that of Empowered and Poised and to everything that's being shared in the book. And considering we had Stephanie Hall interviewed, who is the CEO, as you had mentioned earlier, of Girls Inc, we felt that it only made sense to partner with them and give a portion of the proceeds back to a charity that's doing such good for the community and helping underserved young women who might not otherwise have the chance to experience some of the things that are mentioned in the book. And it's organizations like Girls Inc that really give them the opportunity to learn more about themselves, to expand their horizons, and to be able to grow into confident young women. So we're really excited about this partnership, and we hope that we can raise more than enough so that we can give back to the community of Girls Inc.    Massiel: That is awesome. And it's such a great mission, such a great organization because they've done a lot. I know some of my listeners would love to set up proceeds for an organization or charity. So I mean, how on that technical level, how does that work? Does it do like an automatic type of like split so that they can know like, this is how I want to contribute once my book is published?   Leah: Yeah. So actually, again, just being transparent, the way that it's working with them is once we raise our complete funds, then anything after, you have the opportunity to kind of put that in your pocket or give that to a charity. And so we've decided to get 50% to Girls Inc. once our goal is raised. And then also the other 50% is likely going to go to Empowered and Poised to help with that mission, which is not public but since it's my organization, I have a feeling that's probably what we'll end up doing so that we could then serve more girls in that way and that can help to reduce the cost for the girls and pay for some of the art supplies and different things that we need for our programming.   So I guess on the backend, a lot of it is reaching out to the organization that you'd be interested in partnering with to make sure that they're open to it, that they're okay with it, that you're following any of the guidelines that they offer to you about engaging with their platforms. Obviously, it's a partnership, so you want to be respectful of that. Now, logistically, on the backend the publisher is helping 50:20speechfreeze] coping with all of, necessarily speak to that in this circumstance. But I know that there definitely are ways that you can do that through websites where you raise donations or through other fundraising sites as well, similar to Indiegogo where if you wanted to raise funds to then give back to the community that you could certainly do it in that way. I don't know, did that answer your question well enough on how people can kind of go about partnering with an organization?   Massiel: Yeah, absolutely. I think cause sometimes we will look at an organization and we might feel exactly as we're talking about overwhelming, how do I contribute? But you laid it out. It's really straightforward, you know, to start the communication. And I love that because I think that a lot of listeners will be like, okay, like that's a step forward that they can take to writing their books, finishing them, and then also donating their proceeds to an organization or a charity just like you're doing, and also going back into your LLC, I mean, which is fantastic because you guys are doing so many great things. That is awesome. Leah: Thank you. Yeah. And I mean, I think it was also important too that we highlighted this organization in the book. So that's part of the reason why we decided to partner with them, was not only because of the interview from Stephanie, but we also spoke about a young woman who went through the program and then her confidence was kind of increased because of the opportunities that she was granted, which I believe that that's in the exposure chapter. And then we also had a Girls Inc Alum speak about her experience working with the organization. So there were multiple different individuals within this book who highlighted the importance of Girls Inc.    And you know, I really think when we talk about community, this is a collective effort. How can we all work together to support the same mission? So I think that some people might see like, Oh, doesn't your organization kind of do something very similar to them? Why would you not just give all the money to your organization, if it's basically the same goal? And it's like, well, they're on a much larger scale than we are now cause we're still kind of in that startup phase. So they have the connections and the opportunity to be able to immediately impact young women. And so, yes, and... it's a yes, and; yes, we can support Empowered and Poised and support somebody else. Because at the end of the day, there are so many young women out there that could utilize these services and need this support and I can't do that all alone, they can't do that all alone. So like let's work together, right?   Massiel: Yes, totally. Totally. Just like we're doing here, right? Like, I mean, showing up and doing the podcast or doing YouTube and sharing each other's message. I mean, it's about growing together. We grow exponentially when it's done together so I think you hit the nail on the head. That is amazing. Thank you so much.   Leah:  Thank you.    Massiel: I mean, all day I'll be like, thank you so much cause I'm so excited for your book. And so, for the listeners who are listening, where can they find you, Empowered and Poised, and also your book? Where can they go to find more information to keep up and also to donate, to contribute to your goal as well?   Leah: Yes. Thank you. Thank you for asking that question. So if they want to follow me on my personal pages, it's @itsLeahbee. And that's on all social platforms. Feel free to connect on LinkedIn as well. And then for Empowered and Poised, the handle is Empowered Poised; there's no 'and' in between because it's too long of a handle to be Empowered and Poised. So just Empowered Poised or you can check it out at www.empoweredandpoised.com and there's information about the book on most of these platforms. So definitely check it out on Indiegogo to be able to support and thank you, everybody, who's taking the time to listen to this podcast. Hopefully, you have some great tips that you can use in developing your own book. And thank you again for your support with Conscious Empowerment and Empowered and Poised.   Massiel: That is awesome. Thank you so much, Leah. That is 'Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem and Confidence.' Everyone who's listening less than 21 days to reach that first goal. So everyone, jump on in there and support this message. Thank you, Leah, for joining us and we're wishing you luck and we're looking forward to seeing the launch of the book.    Leah: Thank you so much. I truly appreciate it.   ----- Support the book, Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem & Confidence NOW! The goodies deadline is fast approaching! ------     Still having Writer's Block? Get your Free Writer’s toolkit at www.blackheartedstudios.com and click Resources for Writers (http://blackheartedstudios.com/resources/) Email us at massiel@blackheartedstudios.com.    

Creativity through the lens of an Entrepreneur"Being creative means being your authentic self!"Leah is on a "mission to empower and educate girls on how to be beautiful from the inside out through discovery of social, mental, and physical components." After graduating from John Carroll University with her Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science and Entrepreneurship in 2017, Leah founded Empowered & Poised LLC. She is currently working towards her Master of Science in Social Administration (MSW equivalent) with a focus on School Social Work at Case Western Reserve University. She is slated to publish her very first book: Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem & Confidence in 2021. social media (Twitter, IG, FB, & LinkedIn): @itsleahbee & @empoweredpoisedwebsite: https://www.empoweredandpoised.com/Book: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/conscious-empowerment-by-leah-berdysz/x/25150070#/

In this episode, our guest Stephanie Stodolka, LMSW discusses her (literally) street-level response to the personal, social and environmental challenges that her school's children and families - and by extension, staff- face to academic success. In order to bridge gaps related to lower socioeconomic levels, immigrant status and racial bias, she will describe how she assessed, advocated for and executed "Plunge Into Buffalo" - a day-long experiential intervention for her school's entire faculty and staff that had them riding public transportation, trying to keep appointments and visiting a range of Buffalo-based human service agencies in person. A year and a half in the making, the project provided a visceral experience of spending a day-in-the-life of students and families. Mrs. Stodolka recounts the consensus building process, how the event unfolded and the outcomes.

How can a school social worker use social media to help thousands of other social workers?  This week we talk with Lauren Gutierrez, LCSW, AKA Social Work Scrapbook and we asked her all the juicy details about what it's like being a social worker on social media with thousands of followers on YouTube and on Instagram.  She'll talk to us about:  What brought her into social work What she does as a school social worker in Texas and how she stays excited about her work The history of Social Work Scrapbook She'll also dive deep into the juicy business related things that I KNOW you want to know from her!   Dealing with and overcoming Imposter Syndrome How supervising interns led to a successful YouTube and Instagram channel that has helped thousands of social workers over the course of 3 years Lauren will let us in on some pros and cons of social media including: Being motivated to give useful information, support, and tips Social media as an artistic outlet Building an uplifting community  The work behind running a popular social media account (messages need to be responded to and weigh on you because can't possibly get to all of them) Needing to draw a line on what is shared on social media and having strong boundaries  Lauren's TOP TIP to get started in the online space: Find your social work niche; something you love to talk about! Here's more about Lauren....  Lauren is a clinical social worker and board approved supervisor from Texas. She is currently a School Social Worker and an expert Empath! She loves to share 1st hand knowledge with new social workers who are seeking understandable techniques.  Connect with Lauren: lauren.e.gutierrez@gmail.com Website Youtube Facebook: socialworkscrapbook Instagram: @socialworkscrapbook Links Mentioned in Episode: Humanistic Psychology & Social Work Start your Side business with Kajabi Connect with Social Workers, Rise! on IG @SocialWorkersRise Remember, if you leave a review on iTunes for Social Workers, Rise! I will give you a shout out on the podcast...

The "B" in LGBTQ is often the people told to "pick a lane, just pick a lane!" Yet, more people are bisexual than would want to admit it. Thus the reason on this two eves, before National Coming Out Day we decided to explore the other side of the closet with a bisexual queer person. It's a fun exploration with my friend Melissa DaSilva - a coach and therapist who works with LGBTQ folks to help them be themselves. We explore her coming out - which really wasn't a huge coming out, and how she finds it being in the world of the bisexual, when everyone seems to have very interesting thoughts about what a bisexual needs and should do to fit in. About MelissaMelissa DaSilva, LICSW, is a therapist, author, podcast host, and artist. She started her career in social work, focusing on children and wellness in her community. She has found countless ways to help others thrive through therapy, coaching, and her dedication to spreading information and resources to LGBTQ+ individuals. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work at Rhode Island College with a focus in School Social Work. For years, Melissa worked in school systems to support students and help individuals succeed at what they love to do. In 2015, Melissa founded East Coast Mental Wellness in Providence, RI, a mental health agency where members of the LGBTQ+ community can find safe and specialized therapeutic services. She has created an environment in which clinicians have a place to do the work that they love, so they can help clients change their lives for the better. Melissa is the author of The Profitable Practice: Helping Healing Professionals Build and Grow a Successful Business. , which helps healers and new business owners succeed. She is the creator and host of the successful LGBTQ+ podcasts Pride Connections and Chit Chat with a Therapist. Her work has been published on many websites and she has been featured as a guest on several podcasts including Loving Without Boundaries, The Dots, and Shameless Mom Academy. When she isn’t helping others through her job, DaSilva spends time at tag sales, creating art, and spending time with her spouse and pets. For years, Melissa DaSilva has improved the lives of others through therapy, outreach, and life advice. Now, as an Executive Life Coach, Melissa helps successful and motivated LGBTQ+ individuals get “unstuck” in their lives so they can take their life and career to the next level through the use of goal setting and therapeutic techniques. Connect With Melissahttps://www.melissadasilva.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/MelissaDaSilvaLICSW (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/realmelissadasilva/ (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/realmelissadasilva/ (LinkedIn) You can also listen to the podcast on…https://apple.co/2RBmUxZ ()https://bit.ly/2UxP9zN ()  https://spoti.fi/2JpvCfg ()https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/rick-clemons/the-coming-out-lounge ()  http://tun.in/pjtKR ()https://bit.ly/30kT4kL ()  https://bit.ly/2FVH55j () 

Sophia and Bri are joined by Jessica Twitchell (she/her/hers), a school social worker in Chicago Public Schools. They talk about the union strikes in fall 2019, restorative justice, police in schools, and more! As always, Bri and Sophia bring it back to policy and macro practice, asking Jessica about the policy decisions that impact her … Continue reading Policy Decisions & School Social Work →

This week's episode explores the world of school social work. I talk with Kylie Lloyd, who shares her experiences transitioning into social work as a mature student, while balancing the requirements of the degree and also being a single mother of 2 children. Kylie shares her experience being a learner as an adult and how she transitioned from HR to volunteering for Lifeline then making the jump into social work. She talks about how hard it can be mentally and financially to study again while also looking at how rewarding it can be. Kylie shares her experiences and the highs and lows that come with working in an environment where you're the minority profession. We talk about the challenges working with families and Kylie sheds some light into working with young people in a school environment and how she navigates the system, advocating for young people while also balancing the often competing needs of different stakeholders.  As a family therapist in training Kylie lets us in on some of the ways her thinking has changed and some of the ways she's incorporating systems work and family work into her work with young people.  Join the Inside Social Work Facebook Group Join the Inside Social Work Podcast mailing list to get your free social work career guide Visit the website for the latest info and show notes https://insidesocialwork.com/ Support the show by making a contribution https://www.paypal.me/Insidesocialwork Subscribe to the podcast    

With disruptions to children's schooling and normal routines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Sally Baas, professor of education, provides insight about how parents can help provide structure and a healthy learning environment at home while addressing their fears and questions. A list of resources provided by Dr. Baas: "Dave the Dog is Worried About Coronavirus," a children's book https://www.readingrockets.org/article/when-school-closed-resources-keep-kids-learning-home Virtual Field Trips Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19 Engagement and Motivation: Helping Handout for Home Tips for Caregivers and Parents on Schooling at Home: What Role Do Executive Skills Play? American Council for School Social Work resources Search Institute Checklist for Building Developmental Relationships Additional Links: Check out CSP's digital learning and engagement opportunities Supports students in need with a gift to the Barnabas Fund

Tune in to Dare To Soar with Doctor R.C." yhis week as she speaks with SSWAA's National Campaign Representatives Dr. Kevin Tan & Sheri Olsen, LCSW about Promoting Social-Emotional Learning within School Social Work.

Listen in to hear what it's like working as a school social worker in Los Angeles, CA; considered to be one of the most diverse populations in the world! Susana Zoeckler, LCSW drops some serious knowledge about her work with children and youth with special emotional and learning needs. We talk all about youth: anger management, increasing emotional awareness, motivational interviewing, loneliness, grief, when a youth is so unsafe the entire class needs to be evacuated, what's changing in our school systems and how we all can help youth we know or encounter. Connect with Susie on Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanna-zoeckler-lcsw-ppsc-573848a4 Cigna Loneliness Study https://www.cigna.com/about-us/newsroom/studies-and-reports/loneliness-epidemic-america If you love Social Workers, Rise! please rate it 5 stars and leave a review. This helps other people like you find us! If you would like to be a guest, message me! Find me on Instagram @_catmoore_

Dr. Michael Kelly, Professor of School Social Work at Loyola University, is the co-founder of the School Social Work Network (SSWNetwork). School social workers often work in silos and report a need for more support. The SSWN was created to bring SSWers together and provide vital content through the Network and sister site SchoolSocialWork.net . Over 2000 members and growing! Dr. Kelly describes the benefits to this FREE resource! Join the Network today! schoolsocialworkers.mn.coFollow: @SchoolSocWork

Tune in to "Dare To Soar with Doctor R.C." as she gives her final tribute to National School Social Work Month by interviewing Dr. Catherine Gayle, Social Work Department Chair at Savannah State University, Savannah, GA., & Dr. Leticia Villarreal Sosa, Associate Professor at Dominican University, DuPage County, IL. as they both provide enlightening information about"Which Foundational Training is leading to the Educational Excellence that is Empowering continual Professional growth in the Uniquely Skilled and Highly Sought after Occupation of Social Work?

As Doctor R.C. continues to honor National Social Work Week and Month she will be interviewing School Social Work leadersMrs. Denise Revels, DeKalb County Public Schools, Coordinator, & Ms. Pamela Jemerson Gwinnett, Co. Lead School Social Worker who will both share why ADVOCACY & AWARENESS are two essential key elements in this field.

In honor of National School Social Work Month Tune in to "Dare to Soar with Doctor R.C. as she interviews previous MSW Interns now full time School Social Workers, Stephanie Gentry, Buford City School District & Lindsey Cofer, DeKalb Co. Public Schools. Both professionals will share how they became empowered to spread their wings while utilizing this specific skill set to advocate for the children, families and communities that they serve each day across the state of Georgia.

Kate Kennealy from Dominican University graduates this May with a school social work endorsement. She joins the show with special guest Erin Slusher to engage the process of interviewing in both the public education and private therapeutic day school settings. We dive into some typical interview questions and some do's/don'ts.

Episode 11 Guest: Katherine Ambía, LMSW Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSWwww.dointhework.comListen/Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify Follow on Twitter & Instagram, Like on FacebookJoin the mailing listSupport the podcastDownload transcriptIn this episode, I talk with Katherine Ambía, who is the clinical site coordinator at a school-based mental health clinic in Queens, New York. We discuss Katherine’s work with high school students who are experiencing a range of issues impacting their lives. We talk about racism, historical trauma, colonialism, immigration, coping skills, and how Katherine approaches these topics with students by creating a safe space where they feel like they can talk with her about anything. We discuss the Trump administration’s family separation policy, ICE, deportation, and the impact on students and families, and also the impact on professionals, particularly those who are members of groups being targeted. Katherine shares about self-care, balancing work and activism, her family’s experience with immigration, parenthood, and finding hope in the youth activism of today. We also talk about self-disclosure. I hope you enjoy the conversation.Katherine’s email: katherine.ambia@gmail.com

Welcome to TheMattSchwartz(Cast) where each week we dive into the world of Social Work in Mental Health & Counseling Settings, and hopefully provide you with some inspiration to start your week! I’m your host, Matt Schwartz. This week’s episode is Episode 2: Getting a Clinical Field Placement. I was asked by Michael Lynch, a Clinical Assistant Professor for Field Education at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work to make a short three-minute video on what it takes to prepare for and obtain a clinical field placement...abbbboooouuuuuuuuut six months ago. He asked me to make a video about it because apparently, Social Work students were having a hard time getting into clinical field placements. I will admit that the process of obtaining my placements were pretty grueling. I tried making the video (I honestly did), and it just wasn’t working out, and sometimes you just have to go with what you know (so sorry for the delay and radio silence, Mike!), um it’s just that I have found the medium of a podcast much easier to manage, and - if you want to get into a clinical field placement - you’re going to have to be willing to listen to something longer than a three minute YouTube clip anyway...so hopefully you can listen to this on your way to class or while you’re circling UB attempting to find a parking space (and remember there’s always the Center For Tomorrow lot…) So today we’re going to talk about a few things, more or less, first we’re going to talk about preparing for a clinical field placement, we’re going to talk about what expectations at a clinical field placement look like, what my trajectory looked like (to give you an idea of what to expect), and we’ll have some keep in mind's sprinkled throughout. As a new meme that’s been going around on Facebook says Social Workers are really good at pointing at the elephant in the room and saying “So, this is Bartholomew…” So, let’s address the Elephant in the Room right now: Clinical Field placements and internships take more time than other field placements. Speaking not just from my experience, which I’ll get to in a bit, I also spoke to other former internship and practicum directors when I was preparing for this podcast. They all said they had similar expectations when and if they were willing to accept Social Work students into the programs: be prepared to sign and agree to more hours than what the Field Office requires. In the view of many of the people I spoke with, they are training you for the real world and providing you with an opportunity that fewer people get, so they want something back in return, and they want it back in terms of labor. This means instead of the 15 hours a week, I was doing more than 20, and that was with some pretty firm boundaries set. So if you’re going to prepare for a clinical field placement, I am going to strongly recommend (now, as soon as you can) that you prepare to drop down to be a part-time student in the program. You’re going to want to have the time necessary to do your homework, to study, to practice self-care (yes, really), and to be flexible enough with your class schedule that you can accept a clinical position, because they’re not (necessarily) going to be flexible with their schedule for you: they still have a clinic to run, they still have weekly meetings scheduled months in advance, and they’re going to need you at many of those meetings, and you’re going to want to be at those meetings. Now here’s the Catch-22: you need experience to get experience, and I’m sure you’ve heard that before. To get the experience that you’ll need to have a shot at a clinical field placement, you’ll need to either work as a case manager (if you’re in New York State, Health Homes are a great way to get this experience), or to volunteer in any role where you’ll formally be providing some kind of counseling as part of your position (remember: counseling does NOT equal psychotherapy). You can provide counseling on housing rights, counseling on benefits, etc. Work as a volunteer on a crisis hotline (bonus: free crisis training)! Which gets me back to our friend Bartholomew: if you aren’t already working as a case manager, or as a counselor, when are you going to have time to volunteer or work to get this experience, alongside all of your other obligations, if you aren’t doing the MSW program part-time? I’ve had a few people ask me why they need this experience when the point of field education is to train MSW students. The answer is that field education trains students but to a point, and not in what the field educators view as education the students should already have. When you get to a clinical field placement site the expectations are that you can a) provide counseling, b) are familiar with the DSM-V, the ICD-10, have taken Psychopathology, and have a passing familiarity with differential diagnosis (you don’t have to be an expert on it yet), and c) that you are prepared to hit the ground running, and that you can work with as little supervision as is necessary (so i.e. that you can function as a professional). They don’t have time to babysit or hold your hand. They’ll be with their own clients, their own patients. They’ll be there for you in an emergency, but they really do expect you to be able to work on your own. So the experience that you gain when working as a case manager, or as a volunteer counselor show to the clinical site that they can trust that you already know how to function on your own, that you can manage your own calendar, that you understand deadlines, can be trusted to work, understand privacy rights and rules, and have the basic skills necessary to handle the patients that the will allow you to start off seeing. Also - and this is Bartholomew the Elephant’s Best Friend, Wilhelmina we’re going to talk about for a moment getting comfortable with any hangups you have about presenting regularly in front of other people. You will need to be able to talk about yourself, your credentials, your philosophy to counseling - and if you don’t have one, please get one - your approach to social work. As a future clinician you’ll be presenting your cases regularly in disposition often (also sometimes called case conference depending on where you work). As a clinical intern, you’ll be expected to present in front of senior staff weekly. Also, you have to be ready to talk about your skills, and what you bring to the table during your interviews…and even if you don’t yet believe it about yourself (and I assure you that you will, one day, sooner than you think), you’ll need to sound convincing about your skills and what you know…so fake it until you make it! Find some workshops at your school. Be prepared to get comfortable volunteering, to be the first to speak in class, the first to present, the first to do things. Learn to get comfortable with discomfort and shades of grey. So what did my trajectory look like? Well, I started as a part-time student at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, and I knew (as an older student - I started in my 30s) that I wanted to be a clinical social worker. Because I was a part-time student, my foundation year field placement didn’t start until my second year in the program. I made it clear with no less than a thousand emails that I wanted a clinical field placement, and that I did not - in any way - want to work with children. I met with the then Director of Field Education, Zoe, who was willing to meet me part way. She said that she had a school that had a Family Solutions Center where they did counseling for the community, as well as for the parents and kids in the school district at night, but that part of the field placement was only one day a week, the other day was doing school social work with kids. Zoe reminded me - quite rightly - that adults have kids, and that even if I didn’t want to work with children, children are part of families and, taking an ecological perspective…I should take it as a learning opportunity. I am so incredibly grateful that I did. First, Solutions Focused Therapy is still my main modality (to this day). I am the only one on my counseling team who practices it, which means I’ve become somewhat of a content area specialist at my workplace. I am a giant solutions focused nerd…I can’t get enough of it Second, I learned that I can work with children (even if I don’t like to) and that was really important to learn, for me…because it showed me, like “hey, you can do this thing, that you didn’t think you can do, and that you don’t generally like doing anyway,” so that was good to know. At this Field Placement, I did my best to make the most of the parts that weren’t totally interesting to me, and to learn from, them, and to grow from them: and guess what I found? Today, when I’m dealing with a really, really, really angry adult raging in the waiting room…the reason I’m so calm, is because I learned patience from dealing with really, really angry kindergarteners who were also raging…just in the classroom. I draw on those experiences almost daily. I also had counseling opportunities, every single day, even if they weren’t clinical opportunities - when I was working with the kids as a School Social Work intern, that gave me something to talk about during my interview (along with my work experience as a case manager). Also, important to note, during the proceeding semesters I also took Psychopathology, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (which was the crux of my Interventions with Adults course). This meant when it was time to interview and they asked me about my modalities, I could - honestly - tell them that my primary modality was Solutions Focused Brief Therapy, but that I also practiced Motivational Interviewing, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I had a toolkit! I also spent time writing out my Treatment Philosophy - and having folks who are much more adept with the English language than I am (shout out to Jackie Verruso, at Verrusology) edit it. I needed to be able to effectively and articulately explain how I approached Social Work. What did it mean to be a Postmodern Social Worker in actual practice? Because during your interview, they’re going to ask you about your treatment philosophy…and they’re going to challenge you on it, too. So when it came time to put in my list of agencies that I wanted to intern at for my advanced year placement, I chose only clinical sites (this was also at the urging of Dr. Elze, who encouraged me to find a placement that would give me as many hours of clinical work as possible, rather than accept any kind of situation where I was doing part research/part clinical work - and I thank her for her guidance). I was offered an interview at the Buffalo State College Counseling Center. I will happily share that the interview was intimidating, and I nearly vomited on my way home. That said, the most intimidating person in that interview, Dr. Rivera, became my Field Educator, as well as my mentor, and now a dear friend. I spent 10 months, with my own caseload, working with individual students, providing clinical social work services, individual counseling, group therapy, and more. It was absolutely amazing, and truly a transformative and life-changing opportunity. The experience, as I outlined at the start - is intense. You are expected to hit the ground running. You occupy an awkward grey space of professional, and not-yet-professional enough; you are expected to come in with oodles of knowledge, and then learn more, all while managing a caseload…and at the end of the day, I would do it all over again - happily. I can’t promise that what worked for me, will work for you. But I can share that before I graduated I was given a job offer by a Top 10 company to work for, that’s literally the Best in Class Provider for Mental Health & Addictions in Western New York and that I’m still working there quite happily. Perhaps more importantly, I very much using the skills that I learned at both of my field placements every single day. So, please take what works, leave what doesn’t. Clinical work is not for everyone. It is not the end all and be all of the wide, wide world of Social Work, but if it’s for you, you’ll be amazed at the lives you’ll be able to change. Well, that’s all for this episode. Next week’s episode we’ll be looking at caseload management, and some caseload management techniques. Remember, practice radical self-care always, because you’re you, and that means that you’re worth it. The music you’re listening to in the background today is Boston Landing on “Blue Dot Sessions” generously shared through a creative commons license, found through the Free Music Archive. Please find more of their music at www.sessions.blue. You can interact with me on twitter by @‘ing TheMattSchwartz. I’ll see you next Sunday until then, make good choices.

For Brenda Wade, MSW, LCSW-C, CSSW, writing is both a means of self-care both and as a way to explore the challenges that she sees in her work as a school social worker.  Published under the pen name Hunter William, Wade's Charm Town fiction trilogy shines a spotlight on the lives of children and adults in a Baltimore school. See the EP14 show notes for resources

Hopeologist Dr. Rosalind and Dr. Brenda Jarmon have been long time friends and colleagues sharing their stories of hope and telling the good news of the Gospel in the United States and in South Africa as Dr. BJ was a part of the Hope Tour to South Africa in 2016.  Dr. BJ, a Citizen of Hope Universe, has a powerful testimony that she writes about in her soon to be released book, "From G.E.D. to Ph.D."  On today's Think Hope Podcast Hopeologist Rosalind has a hope chat with Dr. Jarmon and gains insight into the importance of hope in overcoming domestic violence and other social ills. Brenda “BJ” Jarmon who prefers to be called “BJ” loves the Lord, and loves being of service.  She began her Christian experience at St. John’s AME Church, Bishopville, Maryland and Zoar United Methodist Church, Selbyville, Delaware.  These early experiences strengthened her spiritual connection to God, and her commitment to being of service.  Dr. Jarmon retired from Florida A&M University as a tenured Associate Professor and Former Department Chair of Social Work with a specialization in School Social Work. In addition to being an educator and author, this energetic and personable woman of God is also the President and CEO of Sowing Seeds of Faith, Inc., an educational consulting firm located in Tallahassee.    For more information about how you can join the hope campaign please visit www.makeahopeconnection.com

Manicka is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience providing individualized, family and group based mental and behavioral health services with children, adolescents and adults. With a specialization in School Social Work her expertise is working with children and adolescents ages 5-16 impacted by trauma.  Her focus is working with children and adolescents diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, ADHD and PTSD. She also works with teen and adults ages 17 - 35 experiencing racial stress, anxiety, depression, grief, loss and suicidal thoughts. Manicka believes that these disorders are external manifestations of chronic and prolonged internal stress and emotional dysregulation. She uses approaches to therapy that involve understanding the body-mind connection, the impact of childhood attachment and healing the entire family by restoring healthy interactions. She is trained in CBT, Functional Family Therapy and Play Therapy techniques. She served as an adjunct professor at Sinclair Community College's Department of Social Work and at Central State University. She facilitates CEU trainings for social service professionals and is a frequent speaker on issues related to mental health and trauma within the community. 

The In Her Space community welcomes The Afrocentric Social Worker Podcast hosted by Manicka Thomas LISW. Manicka discusses the topic of mental health awareness and the impact that it can have in making changes in our communities. She discusses the importance of African Americans being the center of the solution driven outcomes that impact our families and most importantly our children.  Manicka is a licensed social worker with experience in working with children and families overcome social hurdles and providing supportive tools to help them achieve their goals.   The Afrocentric Social Worker Podcast will be a welcome addition to In Her Space and we are excited about what is to come!!! For more information vision www.inherspace.com Manicka Thomas is the CEO of Thomas Community Consulting LLC, a Continuing Education and Professional Development company that offers workshops and training to address issues impacting the African American community from a culturally relevant perspective. With over 10 years of experience, her work with youth and families spans from working with head start children and parents to supporting rising high school Seniors in completing college level coursework for graduation. She is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Social Work Program at Sinclair Community College. Her primary interests as an educator are Cultural Competence, Afrocentricity as a Model for Social Change, and African American youth development and behavior. She graduated in 2005 from Freed-Hardeman University (Tennessee) with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She continued her education at The Ohio State University, receiving a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in School Social Work in 2006. Manicka is also a Licensed Social Worker for the State of Ohio.

In this episode, our guest Dr. Danilea Werner argues that social workers, especially those who work in school settings, are on he front line of response to school and community crisis events. She discusses her research with school social workers, examining their perceptions of their own and their district's preparedness for crisis events. Dr. Werner recommends how school social workers can increase their own preparedness and their confidence in their district colleagues' ability to respond effectively.