The 2023 Re-Cap: The New Social Worker’s Top 10 Articles for 2023...PLUS

by Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW

     We are completing the 30th year of The New Social Worker! I started the magazine in 1994 as "the magazine for social work students and recent graduates." It evolved into "the social work careers magazine."  So, we keep going, changing, evolving.

     What have social workers been reading over the past 12 months? This year’s top articles list looks at the top TEN newly-published articles for the year of 2023, based on the number of online page views. The listed articles represent what you, our social work readers, have been viewing during this year of continued uncertainty and change.

Top 10 Articles Published in 2023 by The New Social Worker Magazine

     Here are the most popular articles (based on number of online page views) of those we published in 2023. Read them for yourself, if you missed them or need a reminder! They are:

#1: Book Review—Prince Harry’s Spare: The Impact of Long Denied Trauma, Emotional Abuse by SaraKay Smullens

#2: Social Work Month 2023: Thank You for All You Do To Break Barriers by Linda May Grobman

#3: Your Social Work Career Coach: Do You Need a Social Work Side Hustle? by Jennifer Luna

#4: Ethics Alive! Artificial Intelligence: Tricks or Tools for Social Work Education and Practice by Allan Barsky

#5: Film Review: A Man Called Otto by SaraKay Smullens

#6: Let’s Make a DEAL: A Model for Social Worker Growth and Development by Beverly Wertheimer

#7: Eating Disorder Treatment: What Social Workers Need to Know by Mary Anne Cohen

#8: Daily Doses of Self-Care for September, Self-Care Awareness Month—2023 by Erlene Grise-Owens

#9: Social Work Tech Talk: I, Chatbot—What Does AI Have To Do With Social Work? by Gina Griffin

#10: Self-Care A-Z: Sharing Self-Care “Recipes” by Erlene Grise-Owens

AND the PLUS...The New Social Worker Columnists

     When I think about the columnists who contribute regularly to The New Social Worker, I consider myself a very fortunate editor. I celebrate their ability to address the important issues facing social workers and our world today. I hope you will make time to read their 2023 columns.

Ethics Alive!

     Dr. Allan Barsky has been writing the Ethics Alive! column for The New Social Worker for 11 years. This column truly brings social work ethics to life. This year, Dr. Barsky wrote about timely topics such as job interview ethics, banning of gender-affirming care, artificial intelligence, anti-DEI laws, and more.

Your Social Work Career Coach

     Jennifer Luna is Your Social Work Career Coach. This year, she wrote about social work side hustles and continued her video series for The New Social Worker, Conversations on Social Work Careers, with seven new social work career interviews.

Social Work Tech Talk

     Our technology columnist Dr. Gina Griffin continued her column Social Work Tech Talk for the second year. She writes about useful apps and issues related to technology in social work practice. Topics in 2023 included AI, free speech, and more.

Vital Topics: Social Work & Film

     SaraKay Smullens writes Vital Topics: Social Work & Film. This year, she provided commentary on several popular films and a book relevant to social workers. In 2023, she reviewed A Man Called Otto, Women Talking, White Noise, and Spare (book review).

Self-Care A-Z Blog

     Erlene Grise-Owens’ Self-Care A-Z Blog celebrated its seventh anniversary in 2023! Dr. Grise-Owens, co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals, and guest writers write about various aspects of and strategies for self-care for social workers. In 2023, the blog celebrated Self-Care Awareness Month, Self-Care Day, Earth Day, Social Work Month, World Social Work Day, and more.

What About Social Justice?

     What About Social Justice? by Dr. Veronica Hardy addresses various aspects of social justice. This year, she wrote about the digital divide, workplace maltreatment, and environmental justice.

2023: The Whole Year

     Our top articles show a quick view of what social workers read this year, but there is much more. Want to see what else you may have missed? Click these links for each monthly issue for 2023:

Looking Forward to 2024

     In 2023, we continued with changes that were put into place in 2022, including web publishing and new newsletter formats. The New Social Worker has been on a limited publishing schedule since August, and publication was paused for most of November and December. As I wrote in the October  and November Social Work Enews, these changes in publication schedule were due to the passing of my life partner, Gary Grobman, in August. Grief necessitates taking time to pause and process.

     In 2024, we will continue to evaluate the best ways The New Social Worker can be useful in your social work career. I wish you a happy, healthy, meaningful holiday season and new year. I look forward to seeing you in 2024.

Warmly and with much appreciation,

Linda