Rebekah Gewirtz: It’s time to elevate social workers and the important work they do
Sentinel & Enterprise
In Massachusetts, more than 25,000 social workers are on the front lines every day, in every corner of our state, diligently working to improve lives. Social workers help people from a holistic standpoint, working with them to overcome problems that far too often have roots in societal injustice. Social work areas of expertise range from substance use disorder treatment, to criminal justice reform, to child welfare, to elder abuse and protection. Social workers are integral to the well-being of today’s society and have been throughout history. Yet, the contributions of social workers are chronically undervalued.

Courtney Glashow is a member:
Why Do I Wait Until The Night Before To Pack For A Trip? Experts Say There’s A Reason For Your Travel Habits
Elite Daily
Why do I procrastinate, and what does it say about me? So I spoke with Courtney Glashow, LCSW, owner and psychotherapist at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey, to see if there’s an answer. Turns out, Glashow says someone who packs for a trip the night before is fairly comfortable with being a little disorganized. This kind of last-minute traveler “may arrive to the airport with the amount of time suggested by the flight agency and no more,” which is a nice way of saying that if you’re doing this, maybe you’re the kind of person who doesn’t leave much time to get through security, check your bag, or grab a snack before departure. Glashow says you also might not be as annoyed if your travel plans change due to delays or cancelations.

Laura L. Young is a member:
Staying Together for the Kids: Pros and Cons
AskMen
When young kids sense conflict, they’re developmentally primed to place themselves at the center of it, says Laura L. Young, a New York City relationship therapist and licensed clinical social worker. “As a small child, they must, for survival, view and experience the world literally as if ‘the world revolves around me,’” explains Young. “Therefore, any conflict, unhealthy patterns of parental communication, raising of voices, violence, crying, slamming of doors, etcetera, will almost always result with the child — because they see themselves as the center of the universe — believing that they are solely responsible for the problems between the parents.”

Amanda Hills is a member:
How to find balance with your child’s extracurricular activities
The Signal (Santa Clara Valley, CA)
Whether they’re playing a sport or an instrument or acting in a play, extracurricular activities often become the center of a child’s life. “Children and adolescents are faced with not only the incredible pressure at school, but now have activities planned everyday, leaving them no time for play, relaxation and family time,” said Amanda Hills, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in children and adolescents. “Children learn about the world through play, and without this balance, they will demonstrate higher levels of stress and anxiety.”

Years later, a student returned to thank this Indianapolis school social worker on graduation day
ChalkBeat
Indianapolis Public Schools social worker Sarah Gould never knows who’s going to walk through her door each day. At William Penn School 49 on the westside, any one of the 600 elementary and middle school students might come to Gould seeking counseling or references to mental health services. Sometimes a student needs to be taken to get glasses. Sometimes students are simply looking for a new, clean shirt that fits the dress code. “I really enjoy the day-to-day, making a difference, and doing the little things that mean a lot,” said Gould, who has worked at the school for 18 years. She doesn’t always know if what she does will stick with students. But one year, a student who Gould had worked with every day as a first-grader came back — on her graduation day, with an invitation to the ceremony.

How a Utah coach responded after two boys on his lacrosse team died by suicide
Salt Lake Tribune
Since losing their teammates this past year, several lacrosse players have struggled with depression. Three have said they had suicidal thoughts.… [Coach Juan] Gaytan also recruited more coaches for the team. One played lacrosse in high school and lost a teammate to suicide. One had battled depression and suicidal thoughts and counseling has helped him cope. And one is a licensed clinical social worker.

Settlement reached between Durham County, family of teen who committed suicide in jail
CBS17 (Raleigh, NC)
Two years after the death of a 17-year-old in the Durham County Detention Center, a lawsuit settlement is making changes in how the facility is run. Uniece Fennell took her own life after being behind bars for several months on a murder charge.… The rest of the settlement addresses changes at the detention facility. Those changes [include] … [s]taffing of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is able to consult a psychiatrist who is on call 24/7 or available to come to the facility whenever called by the LCSW.