This post was originally written for and shared on NotMyTaboo.com (originally published on 10 Dec 2015).
Four years ago I knew very little about the field of social work or its practitioners. Despite my freshman roommate being a social work major and my psychotherapy professor informing our class that a Masters in Social Work is a great option for psychology majors, it took until the spring semester of my senior year to realize that social work and Child Protective Services (CPS) were not synonymous. In the midst of graduate applications for Ph.D. in psychology programs, social work found me and I realized that my longtime dream of serving military families in a counseling capacity was possible with that route. More than that, social work showed me that I would have an enormous range of career options within the umbrella of social work, a broader variety than a doctorate in psychology would have provided and a quicker route to practice.
It is quite common for the general population to not understand what social workers do. Many believe that we are only employable by CPS and that we rip families apart. I’d like to use my space on Not My Taboo today to share with you a small glimpse into the vast array of impact that social workers have. I recently caught up with the on-goings of many from my cohort and I am amazed at the incredible work our class has gone out into the world to do since our graduation 18 months ago. My colleagues are literally serving throughout, acting as change agents in a variety of settings.
We work all throughout Texas (a solid handful decided to stay in Waco upon graduation), in New York, Virginia, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, and California. We have former classmates in the United Kingdom, Uganda, and Greece. We serve a huge spectrum of populations: refugees, the homeless, veterans, foster children, adolescents with mental health disorders, children at risk of dropping out, persons on hospice, active duty service members and their families, sex trafficking victims, sexual assault and crime victims, adults with eating disorders, hospital patients, domestic violence victims, and more. My colleagues are therapists, community educators, program directors, counselors, grant managers, researchers, lecturers, forensic interviewers, fundraisers, case managers, and writers/editors (shout out to Sarah: the mastermind of Not My Taboo). We supervise staff, volunteers, and social work interns; we guest speak in classes, teach, edit journals, and even publish books. Some are Licensed Master Social Workers, a handful are in supervision to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and others do not need or desire a license at this time.
I’m in awe of all that we have accomplished in just 18 short months and I am inspired for a lifetime of service ahead. We have taken all that we’ve learned, realized the skills that we possess, and gone out to tackle injustices, oppression, and inequality. We work tirelessly to show the world the inherent worth of all people, to serve others with dignity and respect, and to honor the importance of human relationships. We are believing, caring, and serving – just as the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work wished we would. We are social workers.
This post is dedicated to Dr. Diana R. Garland, the founding dean of Baylor’s School of Social Work. Without her life’s dedication to the field, we would not have our education, our story, or each other. Thank you for creating a school that has in turn helped strengthen individuals, families, and communities, within Waco and across the globe. May your legacy live on in us all.
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