It’s a Wrap, 2021! The New Social Worker's Top 12 (+) Articles for 2021, Year in Review, & Getting Ready for 2022

by Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW

     The year 2022 is around the corner, and it is time to present The New Social Worker’s annual “wrap-up.” What a year!

     As of December 22, 2021, The New Social Worker's website received 2,010,971 page views this year. What have all of these social workers been reading over the past 12 months? Let's take a look at The New Social Worker's most popular articles from 2021.

     This year’s top articles list is a bit different from those in past years. I am listing the top newly-published article for each month of 2021, based on the number of online page views. The listed articles represent what you, our social work readers, have been reading during this year of continued uncertainty and change.

Top Articles Published in 2021 by The New Social Worker Magazine, Month by Month

     So, here are the most popular articles (based on number of online page views) of those we published in 2021. Read them for yourself, if you missed them! They are:

Overall Top New Article for 2021

Ethics Alive! Special Report on 2021 Revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics, by Dr. Allan Barsky. This article, part of the Ethics Alive! series, provides an overview of additions to the Code of Ethics that went into effect June 1, 2021. In these additions to the NASW Code of Ethics, self-care has been added as paramount for competent, ethical social work practice. Also, social workers must take action against oppression, racism, discrimination, and inequities, and acknowledge privilege. This is a must-read for every social worker.

January 2021: Performative Allyship

Are You a Social Worker Guilty of Performative Allyship for Black Lives Matter? by Dr. Maxine Davis and Dr. LaShawnda Fields. This article asks what you can do with anti-Black racism in your inner circles (personal and professional). “...it isn’t sufficient to ‘agree to disagree,’ deciding not to discuss racial oppression for the sake of comfort. If one is truly a vessel for change in the liberation of Black people, then it does not come without cost.” Several suggestions are made, such as citing Black authors.

February 2021: Rare Disease Day

Listen to the Zebras: Celebrating Rare Disease Day, by Angela Pokorny. Rare Disease Day occurs on the last day of February. The zebra is a symbol for rare diseases, because the zebra is the rare animal that may not be expected or recognized. Angela Pokorny wrote about her experience as someone with a rare disease.

March 2021: Social Worker Awareness of Racism

Confessions of a Social Work Leader: I Didn’t Realize Many Social Workers Weren’t Aware of Their Own Racism, by Dr. Lakeya Cherry. Reflecting on recent events, Cherry wrote in this Social Work Month 2021 piece, “It was as if the entire country had just realized racism still existed. As a Black woman and a social worker, I was heartbroken. I could not believe many of my beloved social workers had just barely realized their own white privilege, biases, racism.”

April 2021: Cultural Humility

What Is Cultural Humility? 3 Principles for Social Workers, by Dr. Mara Gottlieb. Gottlieb wrote about the differences between cultural competence and cultural humility. “One aspect of cultural humility is the notion of being teachable, that in order to practice with the greatest amount of respect, I need to be open to the possibility that what I thought was true or right might not be the whole story.”

May 2021: Revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics, Mothers & Self-Care

Ethics Alive! Special Report on 2021 Revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics, by Dr. Allan Barsky. (See top overall article above.)

Bonus article for May 2021: Self-Care A-Z: What I Learned About Self-Care From My Mother, by Dr. Erlene Grise-Owens. This Mother's Day entry from the Self-Care A-Z blog reflects on what Erlene learned from her Mama, even though they never used the term self-care.

June 2021: Self-Care and Social Work Ethics

Self-Care A-Z: National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics (CoE) 2021 Updates Include Self-Care—Celebrations and Crucial Caveats, by Dr. Erlene Grise-Owens and Dr. Justin “Jay” Miller. This article reviews and discusses the recent changes to the NASW Code of Ethics to include self-care as a crucial element of ethical social work practice.

July 2021: Financial Makeovers for Social Workers

4 Steps to Your Financial Makeover - An Overlooked Aspect of Self-Care for Social Workers, by Dr. Veronica Hardy. This is an entry in the new series (started in June 2021), Vision. Intention. Strategy. Your Social Work Mentor, which features tips on a variety of life issues for social workers. Each entry includes a YouTube video featuring Dr. Hardy. (You can subscribe to The New Social Worker channel here.)

August 2021: Simone Biles’ Self-Care

Simone Biles Is a Self-Care Champion. You Can Be, Too, by Dr. Erlene Grise-Owens. Earlier this month, Simone Biles was named TIME magazine's 2021 Athlete of the Year. Erlene wrote in this August post, “I don’t know much about gymnastics. But, I know a lot about self-care, and I recognize a champion when I see one. In extricating herself from Olympics competition, Simone Biles offers a self-care exemplar. Although exceptional in its high profile, we all can emulate her example.”

September 2021: Self-Care Awareness Month & DSW Degrees

Daily Doses of Self-Care in September for Self-Care Awareness Month 2021, by Dr. Erlene Grise-Owens. This post led our readers on a month-long self-care journey with the Self-Care September A-Z in 1-2-3 calendar.

Is the DSW Degree a Good Fit for You? by Dr. Laura Escobar-Ratliff. DSW degree programs are on the rise across the U.S. This surge in DSW programs and the launching of the accreditation process by CSWE may cause many to wonder: Why is the DSW needed? How is it different from the PhD? What impact will this degree have?

October 2021: MAID Netflix Review

The Mixed Messages of “Maid”—New Netflix Series Addresses Domestic Abuse, Poverty, and Social Work, by SaraKay Smullens. Maid, an October 2021 release on Netflix, provides an opportunity to learn about domestic abuse, poverty, and social work. However, the series is not representative of all the complexities social workers see in real life, according to this review.

November 2021: Morning Routines for Social Workers

7 Powerful Morning Routine Starters for Social Workers, by Cassandra Martin-Himmons. “Your job is never done as a social worker. It can be gratifying, but also stressful. One way to manage job-related stress is by starting your day positively, which you can achieve through a morning routine.”

December 2021: BRUISED Netflix Review

In Defense of Halle Berry’s “Bruised”—A Film Gift to Social Work and Our Clients, by SaraKay Smullens. This story of a fighter received negative reviews in the general media. SaraKay disagrees. “Bruised is not a film depicting success in the violent, life-threatening martial arts arena, or being destroyed by it. Instead, it is a family drama about surviving in the violent, unjust, and terrifying arena of life.”

Editor’s Picks/Hidden Gems

     I have chosen one additional article from each issue in 2020 to share with you. And they are...

Also in 2021...

     In 2021, we published Social Work Month Project 2021. The focus was social work essentials.

     We published the twice-monthly Self-Care A-Z blog by Erlene Grise-Owens (and guests), co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals.

     SaraKay Smullens continued to write film/TV reviews and commentary on some of this year's most popular shows, from a social work perspective. Her recent reviews reflect continuing popularity of streaming services as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, as well as a trend toward popularity of movies on social issues. 

     This year, we began a new column, Vision. Intention. Strategy. Your Social Work Mentor, with Dr. Veronica Hardy. This popular online column combines writing and video to provide tips on life and workplace issues for social workers.

     Thank you to our 2021 magazine columnists:

     Click on their names to check out their offerings!

     I want to especially thank Stephen Cummings and Barbara Trainin Blank. Stephen wrote the Social Work Tech Notes column for four years, from Winter 2018 through Fall 2021. Barbara wrote the Student Role Model column from very early in our publishing history (mid-1990s) until Fall 2021. Thank you so much, Stephen and Barbara!

Looking Forward to 2022

     With the start of 2022, The New Social Worker is making some big changes, which were announced in our Fall 2021 issue. The biggest change is that we are no longer publishing in the traditional 8.5 x 11 magazine format (PDF and print). All articles will be published on our website only! (This actually already started in the last quarter of 2021.) Each article will be tagged with the month and year, so you can click on the tag to find other recent articles.

     With this change, we will make some changes to our e-newsletter. The former e-news and magazine mailings will be combined into one mailing, sent out 1-2 times per month. We also plan to make available specialized e-mails based on your interests, such as ethics, careers, self-care, and technology. Look for more information on this later!

     In 2022, we are renewing our emphasis on social work careers and career development. With that emphasis in mind, we introduce an inspiring new video series by Your Social Work Career Coach Jennifer Luna! I cannot wait for you to see her first video. This series will feature interviews that center on social work careers and career development. We are so fortunate to have Jennifer's expertise in this area.

     Finally, and with great anticipation, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Gina Griffin is joining us to write a technology column called Social Work Tech Talk! Gina will be writing about useful apps for social workers, among other tech-y topics. Watch for Gina's first column early in the year.

     I'm excited! See you in 2022.

Warmly and with appreciation,

Linda