The Social Work Podcast

Episode 139: In today's episode, I speak with Tia Dole, PhD, Chief 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Officer, about updates to 988. We talk about how 988 provides services to Deaf and hard of hearing people, crisis support in Spanish, and the September 17, 2024 launch of geo-routing for T-Mobile and Verizon customers. We talk about how geo-routing is different than geo-location, and what people should know about contacting 988 in a suicidal crisis. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/09/988.html. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at https://www.x.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 138: In today's episode of the Social Work Podcast, I speak with Dr. Patricia Gianotti, author of the book, Embracing Therapeutic Complexity, and Academic Director of The Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy at Loyola University Chicago. Patricia and I speak about the neurobiology of shame, why depth work is important, and how to think about human complexity in a therapeutic context. She emphasizes the impact of attachment failures on a person's sense of self and the role of shame in therapy. She explains the concept of loyalty contracts and how they shape individuals' beliefs and behaviors. She underscores the power of psychodynamic techniques in uncovering and addressing these dynamics. Throughout the conversation, she highlights the hope and resilience that can be found in therapy. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/06/gianotti.html. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at https://www.x.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 137: In today's Social Work Podcast, I speak with ChatGPT-4o about the role of AI in child welfare and community organizing and how we can use Bronfenbrenner's ecosystems framework and an antiracist perspective. That's right. I'm interviewing OpenAI's LLM, ChatGPT-4o. This is the first time I've interviewed a chatbot. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the interview. Please text me or leave a voicemail for me at (215) 948-2456. If you leave a voicemail, please let me know if you're ok with me including your message as part of a follow-up podcast episode. At the very least, it will be a good excuse to use my Google Voice number. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/05/ChatGPT-4o.html. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at https://www.x.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 136: In today's Social Work Podcast, we speak with Allan Cole about his experiences with Young-Onset Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's Disease affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide. It is a a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement. I spoke with Allan Cole, a person who lives with Young-Onset Parkinson's Disease. He also serves as the Dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. And, as you'll hear in today’s episode, Allan's personal and professional journey is one of vulnerability and profound empathy, qualities that resonate deeply within the social work community. In today's episode, Allan shares his personal journey with Young-Onset Parkinson's Disease, acknowledging diversity of experiences people have with Parkinson's. We explore the emotional landscape of receiving a Parkinson's diagnosis, the misconceptions surrounding the disease, the difference between disease and illness, living well with Parkinson's, the need for more research and awareness, what social workers should know about working with people with Parkinson's Disease, and the importance of empathy and support in navigating its challenges. I appreciated how Allan spoke about his journey in the context of his many privileges, acknowledging that his ability to be vulnerable was a manifestation of his privilege. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/04/Parkinsons.html. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

I am humbled and honored to let you know that I have been selected as one of 25 Social Work Pioneers for starting the first podcast by and for social workers. The NASW Social Work Pioneers program celebrates some of the most influential social workers in the nation. There is no way I would have been considered for this prestigious honor had it not been for you, the long time devoted listeners of the social work podcast. You have welcomed me into your morning and evening commutes, bus rides to class, your workouts, and wherever you learn on the go. Thank you. Also, thank you to Linda Grobman, Jennifer Luna, and Allan Barsky for supporting my nomination. You can check out my bio on the Social Work Pioneers page: https://naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers-Listing.aspx?id=950 or read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/07/pioneer.html. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 135: Today's episode is the second of a two-part series with Lisa Damour about her 2023 book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents. In today’s episode we talk about how decades of research on the gender binary can provide insight into the emotional lives of adolescents across the gender spectrum. We talk about intersection of race and gender. We end our conversation talking about how it is important to help teens express their emotions, but perhaps more important to help them regain control. In Part 1 we talked about the difference between adolescent distress and adolescent mental illness, how the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult for parents to distinguish between normative adolescent distress or pandemic-related mental health concerns. Lisa talked about the most destructive myth that is out there about adolescent mental health and what we as parents, professional and a society can do about that. Along the way Lisa shared some practical tips about to manage a teenage meltdown, a story about swimming pools, and she encouraged us to think critically about the research that is being done on adolescent mental health and how the news media is portraying adolescent distress. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/04/Damour-2.html You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 134: Today's episode is the first of a two-part series with Lisa Damour about her 2023 book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents. In today’s episode we talk about the difference between adolescent distress and adolescent mental illness, how the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult for parents to distinguish between normative adolescent distress or pandemic-related mental health concerns. She talks about the most destructive myth that is out there about adolescent mental health and what we as parents, professional and a society can do about that. Along the way Lisa shared some practical tips about to manage a teenage meltdown, a story about swimming pools, and she encourages us to think critically about the research that is being done on adolescent mental health and how the news media is portraying adolescent distress. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/02/Damour2023-1.html You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 133: In today's interview, NASW-IL Executive Director, Joel Rubin, and I talk about the legislative process that NASW-IL went through to eliminate the requirement that BSW and MSW graduates from accredited social work programs in Illinois had to take the ASWB licensing exam in order to get their LSW. Joel shares the story about how and why the legislation changed. We talked about how the legislative process works, from connecting with other social workers online about pressing issues, to reaching out to NASW staff and volunteer board members, supporting prospective legislative candidates, meeting with your elected officials and how NASW state chapters serve as a resource for social workers and legislators. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/02/NASWIL.html You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 132: In today's interview, Stacey and I talk about how she drew on her personal and professional experiences to write a book for families, friends and parents of someone who is suicidal. She talks about why and how families can create support teams, when and why it might not be appropriate to reach out to others, and how to navigate reaching out even when the suicidal person doesn't want you to. We talked about how to find support on social networks like Facebook. She talks about how friends and family can feel manipulated by a suicidal loved one, even if the suicidal person isn't being manipulative. Throughout the interview, Stacey speaks to families AND social workers. For example, in her book she takes the classic therapy phrase "active listening" and suggests that for families we call it "brave listening." I love that. Active listening is so professional. If you're listening to your kid or your partner or your parent talk about how they don't want to live any more, you're brave listening... that's what it is. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2022/12/Freedenthal2022.html You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 131: In today's episode, I speak with Scott Miller, Ph.D. about how we can use feedback to improve client outcomes. Scott is one of the developers of Feedback Informed Treatment, or FIT - an "empirically supported, pantheoretical approach for evaluating and improving the quality and effectiveness of behavioral health services. It involves routinely and formally soliciting feedback from clients regarding the therapeutic alliance," client outcomes, and using that information to improve services. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/2021/12/FIT.html You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 130: Today’s episode is about the 2021 revision of the NASW Code of Ethics to include self-care and cultural humility. To unpack these two new additions, I spoke with Allan Barsky, Professor of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University and former Chair of the National Ethics Committee of the National Association of Social Workers. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/technology-articles/power-podcasting-social-work-education/. Listen to Shimon's podcast at https://dointhework.podbean.com/. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 129: Today's episode is about the Power of Podcasting in Social Work Education. Shimon Cohen, founder and host of Doin' The Work: Frontlines of Social Change, and I read the article we wrote for New Social Worker Magazine about podcasting for social work education You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/technology-articles/power-podcasting-social-work-education/. Listen to Shimon's podcast at https://dointhework.podbean.com/. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 128: Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is a conversation with Dr. Holly Oxhandler (https://hollyoxhandler.com/). I speak with Holly about the definitions of religion and spirituality, similarities and differences in religious and spiritual affiliation between social work professionals and their clients, how to address religion and spirituality in practice, and her experience as the co-host of the CXMH podcast (https://www.CXMHpodcast.com). You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://www.socialworkpodcast.com. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 127:Today's episode is the audio recording of a Facebook Live discussion that happened on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 called Both/And or Either/Or: Social Work and Policing. My guests were Alan Dettlaff, Laura Abrams, Charles E. Lewis, Jr., and Terry Mizrahi. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://www.socialworkpodcast.com. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 126:In today's episode of the Social Work Podcast I speak with Carol Tosone, Ph.D., Professor of Social Work and Director, DSW Program in Clinical Social Work at NYU's Silver School of Social Work. In today's episode we talked about how the concept of shared trauma can help us to understand what's going on in a global pandemic, how we can think about the role of technology-mediated services, and what social workers can do to care for themselves while caring for others. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://www.socialworkpodcast.com. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

One of the solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic is physical distancing. Because there is a relationship between physical and social distancing, I am rebroadcasting Episode 70 from 2011 which deals with loneliness. I hope you enjoy. Today’s episode of the Social Work Podcast is about loneliness. According to my guest, Thomas Joiner, the Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Florida State University, loneliness might be at the heart of one of the most perplexing contemporary public health paradoxes. That paradox is, despite the fact that men are by all indicators the most powerful and privileged in every country in the world, “for each of the 12 leading causes of death, mortality is higher for men than women” (Joiner, 2011, p. 7). If we look at just one of those causes of death, suicide, the disparity between men and women is astounding: Of the approximately 36,000 Americans who died by suicide in 2009, approximately 80% were men. Of those men, approximately 90% were white men. Why would white men, who are the most privileged of the privileged, be the most likely to kill themselves? Dr. Joiner’s answer is simple: Loneliness. Dr. Joiner is the author of the book, "Lonely at the Top: The High Cost of Men's Success" published in 2011 by Palgrave Macmillan. In today's episode of the social work podcast, Dr. Joiner and I talk about biological and social factors that contribute to men's loneliness. We talk about the effects of loneliness on men's health and wellbeing, including the issue of suicide. We talk about how Dr. Joiner's research speaks to women and men who are not on the top, for example sexual and racial minorities. We talk about some of the solutions that Dr. Joiner proposes, including the simple soution of reaching out. We end our conversation on a personal note. I tell Dr. Joiner that my wife recently gave birth to twin boys. I ask him what I can do to prevent my sons from growing up and becoming lonely men. He was kind enough to give me some free advice. You can read a transcript of today's interview at https://www.socialworkpodcast.com. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast.

Episode 125: In today's social work podcast, I speak with three men on a mission to prevent suicide. Matt Runnells, Kevin Hines, and Greg Van Borssum shared their stories of managing suicidal thoughts, self-care, caring for others, and building a global network of support for suicide prevention. I spoke with Matt, Kevin and Greg at the American Association of Suicidology annual conference in April 2018. These three guys were so pumped up about suicide prevention, so full of inspirational quotes and stories, that by the end of the interview I found myself speaking with the cadence and phrasing of a motivational speaker. Published on World Suicide Prevention Day 2019 as part of National Suicide Prevention Week 2019 and Suicide Prevention Month 2019. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast. You can listen to the Social Work Podcast from socialworkpodcast.com, by downloading the episodes through iTunes, Google Play, or any number of other apps, or you can stream the 10 most recent episodes right from your mobile device using the Stitcher Radio mobile app http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/social-work-podcast/the-social-work-podcast.

[Rebroadcast] Episode 24: In today's podcast I talked with Chris Wolf about Sex Addiction. Sex addiction has been defined as "engaging in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behavior despite increasingly negative consequences to self and others" (Ewald, 2003). Chris is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a certified sex addiction counselor. She received her masters in counseling psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and trained with pioneering sex addictions researcher, Patrick Carnes. Our interview covered a broad range of topics, including how sex addiction is similar to and different from substance use addiction, common characteristics of sexually addicted clients, basic skills and competencies clinicians need when working with sexually addicted clients, and some resources for further study or learning. Please check our website at https://socialworkpodcast.com for more information.

Episode 124: Today’s episode is Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is an interview with Lori Gottlieb - NY Times best-selling author, advice columnist for The Atlantic, and therapist. We talked about how her experience as a writer influences her work as a therapist, and how her therapy informs her writing. We talked about how she takes a client’s story out of the therapy room and turns it into something that therapists can appreciate, and non-therapists can get excited about. Lori reads from her 2019 bestseller, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. We ended our conversation talking about how difficult and necessary it is for therapists to be the client. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast. You can listen to the Social Work Podcast from socialworkpodcast.com, by downloading the episodes through iTunes, Google Play, or any number of other apps, or you can stream the 10 most recent episodes right from your mobile device using the Stitcher Radio mobile app http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/social-work-podcast/the-social-work-podcast.

Episode 123: Today’s episode is the second of a two-part conversation with Dr. Lisa Damour, author of the 2019 book Under Pressure. In today's episode we talk about rape culture; the problem with the word "consent"; and how society's criticisms of the way girls speak is really just another way of criticizing girls. In Part 1, Lisa and I talk about the difference between stress, anxiety and trauma; what "good" and "bad" pressure look like; and how schools, parents, and providers can think about pressure. You can connect with other social workers at the Social Work Podcast Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/swpodcast, or follow the Twitter feed http://www.twitter.com/socworkpodcast. You can listen to the Social Work Podcast from socialworkpodcast.com, by downloading the episodes through iTunes, Google Play, or any number of other apps, or you can stream the 10 most recent episodes right from your mobile device using the Stitcher Radio mobile app http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/social-work-podcast/the-social-work-podcast.