Dear Reader,
Welcome to Fall! There’s a breeze in the air, leaves will soon change colors, and it is time for the latest edition of The New Social Worker!
In this issue, Barbara Trainin Blank continues her series on the arts and social work. The newest installment looks at dance/movement therapy. The mind and body are so connected; dance and movement can be very empowering and powerful. Tying in with this mind-body theme, we also have an article on yoga in psychotherapy by social worker Teresa Bennett-Pasquale.
Are you in shape for your field placement? Just as we can keep our bodies fit through physical exercise, there are things we can do to be “mentally fit” for our beginning practice experiences. Denice Liley discusses this idea in her first in a series of articles on field placement.
Facebook is fun, but what are the ethical and clinical issues that it presents for social workers? Traci Bartley Young has some ideas about this. What do you think?
Compassion fatigue is one issue that child welfare workers face in their day-to-day work. Stephanie Rakoczy looks at this issue.
Research isn’t all number-crunching. We can find out valuable information through open-ended interviewing, which is what Sandra Hart did for her student research project.
Ellen Fink-Samnick, a commissioner of the Commission for Case Manager Certification, provides valuable insight into ways we can better meet the needs of older adults through the use of a transdisciplinary approach.
Is blogging dead? Karen doesn’t think so. Neither do we at The New Social Worker. (See our blog at http://blog.socialworker.com.) Read about blogging on page 28.
In the last issue, we introduced two new initiatives. One is Linda’s New Social Worker Book Club! See page 8 for our newest book club selection. And the other is our partnership with Phi Alpha National Social Work Honor Society. See page 26 for news from this organization.
Don’t forget, if you are looking for a social work job, or looking to hire a social worker, check out our online job board at http://www.socialworkjobbank.com.
Until next time—happy reading! Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW, Publisher/Editor TABLE OF CONTENTS Student Role Model:
Joan Edwards
In this issue, Barbara Trainin Blank provides a close-up look at Joan Edwards, a recent MSW graduate of Touro College.
by Barbara Trainin Blank
page 3
Ethics: Facebook: Ethical and Clinical Considerations
Facebook permeates everyday social chatter, whether someone is sending a request to join or a friend is posting pictures of family. If your profile on a social networking site reflects a persona different from the one you portray at work or in the community, maybe you should reconsider its content.
by Traci Bartley Young
page 4
Field Placement: Are You Fit? How is Your Practicum Stamina?
Are you fit enough? Do you have the stamina to endure your social work field practicum experiences? You probably haven’t given these questions the faintest consideration.
by Denice Goodrich Liley
page 6
An MSW Student’s Life
This fall semester ushers in a brand new chapter for T.J., our MSW student columnist. She has started a new child welfare field placement and is immersing herself in the graduate school experience.
by T. J. Rutherford
page 10
Based on Mind-Body Connection, Dance Therapy Offers Physical, Psychic Benefits
In the final scene of Zorba the Greek, the intellectual, uptight writer, Basil, asks the exuberant older man to teach him to dance—and thereby embrace life. Expressing joy, religious fervor, and other emotions, dance is probably one of the oldest art forms—dependent as it is on nonverbal use of one’s own body to communicate.
by Barbara Trainin Blank
page 12
Yoga: A Healing Art in a Psychotherapy Context
Talk therapy is limited by one thing—the therapeutic work is done in the talking. Yoga taps into the physical side of emotional pain.
by Teresa Bennett-Pasquale
page 14
Compassion Fatigue in Child Welfare
Many social workers wonder why there is such a high turn-over rate for child welfare employees. This article explores the literature on compassion fatigue, its causes and consequences, and what can be done to address the problem.
by Stephanie Rakoczy
page 16
Research: Conducting an Open-Ended Interview
This article shows how one student learned about research through open-ended interviewing.
by Joyce Robbins and Sandra Hart
page 20
Developing Innovative Solutions for Older Adults at Key Transitions of Care—A Transdisciplinary Perspective
Meeting the unique and often complex needs of older individuals requires a transdisciplinary approach. Rather than approaching client situations from the context of a specific discipline or expertise, professionals orient to the needs of the person
by Ellen Fink-Samnick
page 22
SW 2.0: Social Work? There's a Blog for That
Karen looks at social work blogs and blogging in general.
by Karen Zgoda
page 28
On Campus page 26
Reviews page 31
Classified Ads page 36
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