“If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it."

Toni Morrison

Why Social Work?

It is my passion in life to help the most vulnerable; to help those heal, to fight oppression, discrimination, and injustice. I knew since I was very young that the experiences I gained at a young age would motivate me to put my empathetic mindset to the test in terms of professional ambition. I had large dreams and hopes of an impact that would fuel societal progression and acceptance. This philosophy, I believe, is what brought me to the Social Work profession and is what guides my motivation on a daily basis. I became drawn to Social Work because of the focus on advocacy, social justice and policy change, but the clinical focus throughout the attainment of my Master’s degree is what really secured my interest and drive. I became more competent to the source and prevention behind the practices and knowledge that guide this profession. In addition, I have nothing but admiration for the Social Workers I have learned from, those who were constantly bringing courage and understanding to those around them.

Throughout my life, however, there have always been voices that have told me I could or should not do something, as it was seemingly too difficult, too unfamiliar or just too much. Despite this, I took the difficult and unexpected route of pursuing a college degree as a first generation student. Even maneuvering through the application process was difficult for me. However, there was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to continue my education. I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and have always loved learning, growing from experiences and diving deeper into the aspects of culture and history. This is exemplified by my current work towards a Master’s degree in Social Work (clinical focus), completion of my Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (minor in Human Development and Family Science), and an additional multicultural certificate.

Experience & Impact

Throughout my education, I grew to experience the root of what first fascinated me so much in regards to advocacy and competent care. The theories of person-in-environment, systems theory, and Maslow’s Hierarchy have guided my practice and perspective. Further, these have taught me the impact one’s environment can serve, and the decisions that can be made when we are at our most vulnerable. For example, during my placement at Fulton Middle School as a practicum student, I observed just this by learning the impact a free, needs-based store filled with hygiene products, clothing, snacks, meals, and school supplies can be for students, as well as an additional awareness to the barriers that often go unnoticed. Furthermore, the interventions that can be provided when anxiety and depression screeners are facilitated early on during a child’s formative years regardless of socioeconomic status. This experience also assisted in the development of the clinical skills I now view as most impactful to my work and interactions, such as meeting the client where they are, going through the process at their pace, and ensuring connection and safety before problem-solving talk.

Previous to this experience, was during my time at Missouri Alliance. I worked alongside a specialized case manager and supervisor in the development of weekly/monthly reports, intervention/safety assessments, transportation needs, and health-care scheduling. Additionally, I completed multiple evidence-based trainings, such as: trauma-informed care, family systems competency, therapeutic skills, childhood abuse and neglect signs and awareness, and older youth resource planning (APPLA). These trainings, as well as in reflection of my course work, illuminated the pressing needs of this population, the importance of a supportive network, and above all the resilience that encapsulates adolescence.

The skills most formidable to my day-to-day include identifying diagnostic or assessment criteria and applying them to interventions for best practice, Biopsychosocial-spiritual documentation, as well as the facilitation of therapeutic groups, and psychoeducation on cognitive thought processing. Additionally, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has been increasingly influential to me as a clinician thus far. The beliefs and theoretical premise CBT works from guides a lot of the work I engage in clients with, such as reframing techniques that validate the importance of positive cognitions and the impact they serve in regulating or altering our emotional and behavioral responses.

Professional Goals

My short and long-term goals remain a reflection of my learned experiences. In terms of short-term goals, I would love to gain as much experience as I can in a variety of communities while immersing myself fully into this profession. These experiences will ultimately assist in the achievement of my long-term goals. In my home city of St. Louis, I have always found it a grave injustice when looking at the educational differences between the city and county lines. With the help of direct micro/mezzo work in the School Social Work realm, I hope to become a competent advocate for reform and educational justice concerning equal advancement. It has been my passion to continue to grow and learn in this field, and it inspires me to continue to challenge myself for the outcome of furthered opportunity. Along with this, the aspect of School Social Work is just beginning to gain tremendous momentum and with the help of further advocacy to this specialization I believe the impact to our most vulnerable communities and school systems can be far-reaching. Why do so many not know what Social Workers truly do, let alone their role in schools? Why do so many schools put the workload of de-escalation, suicide training and prevention, mental health awareness, and person-centered, evidence-based interventions on school counselors when this is exactly the expertise Social Workers hold? These are the questions I hope to answer and advocate on in favor of further representation in our school systems.

With all of this being said, who I am at my core is a Social Worker, and it goes far beyond my work, education, or career ambitions. I am passionate about all aspects of my career, and would love to make a difference while ensuring feelings of support, safety and measurable growth to all areas of impact, but especially in regard to early interventions within school systems.