Milestone of the week.

Had a client tell, okay, more like yell for me to leave. But I didn't. And I think it helped me to win her over a little bit.

I guess being yelled at is part of the job?!

lol.


Until our next visit,
New BSW

Sorting it all out.

I've been feeling overwhelmed lately at the mountains of issues my clients face. And I think that what is really bugging me is that I'm not sure how to approach the situation. I don't know where to begin. And I'm feeling like I should know what the heck to do. And because I don't, I feel all this pressure and anxiety.

So last night, after my little ones were asleep, I did something pretty simple yet so amazing. It was a "Duh!" kind of moment. I couldn't sleep because all of the above was bothering me so I grabbed a notebook, gave each client a page and wrote. I wrote everything I could think of about the family. I wrote without thinking about grammer, jargon, and most importantly, I wrote what I thought without worrying about being judgemental and having it used against me in court. It was pretty powerful and freeing to get it all out so I could see what I was dealing with. I didn't realize it until today but I just wrote the beginnings of my initial case assessments and service goals by doing that activity! Awesome!

I think sometimes I let all the "professional" bullshit get to me and I get caught up in it and forget about what really matters: the clients, the families, and the realtionships that are created.

Also I'm learning to trust. Trust in this field, my education, and most of all, in myself and my capabilities. Who knew?!

;)

Organized files, organized work?

I've been obsessively organizing my office when I should really be working. I guess I furiously and foolishly have the idea that if my files are organized then my work (clients and their issues) will be too? Hopeless. I know. lol.

Until our next visit,
New BSW

New shopping kick.

I love browsing through textbooks at Goodwill. Usually will find almost new texts on child development or child maltreatment. For only $2.99 or less! Score!

Until our next visit,
New BSW

Summer vibes.

Work is work. 365 days a year. But do you ever notice that you're more "productive" during a certain season? Months? Just like how we're usually checked out by the time Friday rolls around, I find I'm experiencing at little of the chill-lax vibes during the summer. If you've been following me on twitter, you've seen me complaining about the heat.

All of my clients do not have AC. And with the heat wave lately, it's an understatement to say it's been hard to "work." I mean, how can I expect my clients to be engaged when I am barely able to construct sentences while trying not to pass out from weather. Ugh.

Until our next visit,

New BSW

Riding this bicycle.

So I've been in the field for about 6mths now (or as I like to think of it, half a year.) And I finally feel like I've gotten the hang of it...on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most, I would meekly say I'm at a 2. Meaning I know who to call if I'm having computer problems, the front desk no longer asks who I am there to see, and I finally have a paragraph length general intro that I've memorize to say to clients during angry, akward initial homevisits.

Until our next visit,

New BSW

My first cry.

Just had my first crying moment in my car. And it wasn't over a client but another SOCIAL WORKER. Did you know in some states, county social workers don't have to have a social work degree or be licensed? That is my only comforting thought over how this one worker treated me today. With a no fuss-muss attitude. With the underlying message that I knew nothing and I wasn't her choice for a referral for her "so needy, hopeless" client.

But done crying now. Gonna pull myself up and go get me some of the attitude she gave me so we can play on even field next time. I'm a social worker, not a doormat. I'm human too.

Vent end.