Every Beating Heart
by Paulina Matias, MSW
Every beating heart is a heart that needs to be listened to! As social workers, we are so good at this. We truly listen wholeheartedly. We give so much of ourselves to each client with whom we interact. This dedication to our clients renders us tired, but it is a tiredness that we come to appreciate, with the knowledge that perhaps this moment in time with that client’s life could activate a change with long-term effects. When we go home, we often continue the work that we did not finish in the office. We look at every new day as another opportunity to continue with the journey to serve.
As social workers, we care about every client who knocks on our door or reaches out via email, phone call, or text. That initial contact is a beating heart searching for a listening ear. As professional social workers, we understand that it is not easy for clients to ask for help, just as it is not an easy feat for most people. Since day one, whether it was the day we chose to pursue a degree in the field of social work or the day we graduated and were hired to begin working as professional social workers, there is a beauty to the social work profession. I have come to love and respect this beauty. It is the versatility that makes things more fruitful in our work setting. It gives us the freedom to practice authentically.
What a privilege it is to assess human beings from a strengths-based perspective. They are whole and strong. In the face of adversities, our clients have weathered the winters of life because winter also brings positive change. Truly a survivor is the one sitting beside me in the office – my client.
Social workers are unique, gifted individuals. I feel blessed to have known and worked with many. Although we are good at establishing healthy boundaries with our clients, the care we have for them transcends professional duties. We go above and beyond what is called for us to do. We truly believe the world will be a better place if we interact with one life at a time.
I have been practicing in the field for more than 13 years, working with diverse populations. Every day, there is something new to learn and a new situation to apply the skills gained through my early formation as a social worker. Still, during those long hours, when there are case notes to be written, when there are grant and program reports to prepare, it is the joy of the profession that helps me through the hard times.
Social workers can be found everywhere. Sometimes our work is not recognized. We are beside the elderly, the children and youth, the sick and dying, or the family who struggles to make ends meet. We tell our clients, change begins with one. The potential of this inspires change in others, and the ocean wave of changes can travel the world over.
We must never underestimate our strength, because we too have a beating heart. A heart that must be cherished and cared for.
Paulina Matias
Paulina Matias
Paulina Matias, MSW, is a Maya descendant from Guatemala. Her first language is Q’anjob’al, one of the 23 languages spoken by Maya descendants in Guatemala. Her second language is Spanish. She earned a Master of Social Work from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2007 and is currently the Disaster Recovery Program Director at Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice, FL.