6 Months In // What a Social Worker Really Does
(Okay I must qualify that today isn't a so-called typical day, but seriously, seems like nothing is typical as a social worker)
What I did today that really surprised me-
Right at the top place: Dissembling the clogged toilet sink and pulling on years-worth of muck and hair.
I literally crowed when after seriously being stumped on just how to put back all these parts, we managed by sheer force and equal willpower to stick everything back in place.
Coming in second: Counseling a distraught grandmother of my youth client over the phone for 1 hour, and giving actual counsel. We had a 1 hour call yesterday too.
I am surprised at many things for this one actually-
(a) Me asking point blank up front about whether symptoms of depression were observed
(b) How calm and emotionally unaffected I was, even as I reflected her emotions which elicited more ventilation of these long pent-up issues
(c) Being able to somehow counsel in Chinese
A close third: Getting all the groceries needed for the Masterchef Challenge that we were doing for programme today within 20 mins. Inclusive of thinking hard about what to get for prizes (healthy but unpalatable option? presentable? worth the cost? presentable packaging? can share?) choosing the freshest ingredients, self-scanning that load of stuff.
I guess also surprised at how much I found myself laughing at misfortunes, predicted misadventures at work, and at myself. It is lovely to have people whom I can be so upbeat with while talking about what we would normally call 'workplace issues'. Thankful thankful.I have this hypothesis that social workers can find humour in all sorts of crappy things that happen to them, or even their clients.
Oh and another thing- Being so unfiltered it's both mortifying and funny to my colleagues. Hypothesis: Filtering quota maxed out from attending to clients. Reinforced by the don't-really-care attitude (this is kind of how my case notes assessment looks like- trying to understand the behaviour of another human)
Okay its 3.05am and I'm done indulging myself. Hope this benefits at least one other person too.
What I did today that really surprised me-
Right at the top place: Dissembling the clogged toilet sink and pulling on years-worth of muck and hair.
I literally crowed when after seriously being stumped on just how to put back all these parts, we managed by sheer force and equal willpower to stick everything back in place.
Coming in second: Counseling a distraught grandmother of my youth client over the phone for 1 hour, and giving actual counsel. We had a 1 hour call yesterday too.
I am surprised at many things for this one actually-
(a) Me asking point blank up front about whether symptoms of depression were observed
(b) How calm and emotionally unaffected I was, even as I reflected her emotions which elicited more ventilation of these long pent-up issues
(c) Being able to somehow counsel in Chinese
A close third: Getting all the groceries needed for the Masterchef Challenge that we were doing for programme today within 20 mins. Inclusive of thinking hard about what to get for prizes (healthy but unpalatable option? presentable? worth the cost? presentable packaging? can share?) choosing the freshest ingredients, self-scanning that load of stuff.
I guess also surprised at how much I found myself laughing at misfortunes, predicted misadventures at work, and at myself. It is lovely to have people whom I can be so upbeat with while talking about what we would normally call 'workplace issues'. Thankful thankful.I have this hypothesis that social workers can find humour in all sorts of crappy things that happen to them, or even their clients.
Oh and another thing- Being so unfiltered it's both mortifying and funny to my colleagues. Hypothesis: Filtering quota maxed out from attending to clients. Reinforced by the don't-really-care attitude (this is kind of how my case notes assessment looks like- trying to understand the behaviour of another human)
Okay its 3.05am and I'm done indulging myself. Hope this benefits at least one other person too.
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