What is life like for social workers in NYC? (Maryland: school, live)
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Location: Where ocean meets up with the naked land.
324 posts, read 572,403 times
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I've watched the movie Precious and I happened to really like it. I'm sure many individuals within the NYC area have their own opinions about how NYC was portrayed in the film..
One of the characters in that movie really grabbed my attention. She was the social worker, played by Mariah Carey. After looking at her physical transformation to play the character in the movie, I wondered to myself, do social workers really look that "burnt out" and lethargic in real life? My goodness, she looked like a walking corpse.
I've been inspired to become a school social worker, not necessarily because of that movie but because of witnessing so many children that grow up in a disruptive environment and then lead disruptive lives and end up in jail. I mean, is that a life? It's not fair for them as they had NO control over being born into an environment of destruction.
QUESTION: Does anyone have any experience in social work in the NYC area, more specifically outside of Manhattan? Are there any "horror" stories regarding social workers and their clients. Please, enlighten me.
I've watched the movie Precious and I happened to really like it. I'm sure many individuals within the NYC area have their own opinions about how NYC was portrayed in the film..
One of the characters in that movie really grabbed my attention. She was the social worker, played by Mariah Carey. After looking at her physical transformation to play the character in the movie, I wondered to myself, do social workers really look that "burnt out" and lethargic in real life? My goodness, she looked like a walking corpse.
I've been inspired to become a school social worker, not necessarily because of that movie but because of witnessing so many children that grow up in a disruptive environment and then lead disruptive lives and end up in jail. I mean, is that a life? It's not fair for them as they had NO control over being born into an environment of destruction.
QUESTION: Does anyone have any experience in social work in the NYC area, more specifically outside of Manhattan? Are there any "horror" stories regarding social workers and their clients. Please, enlighten me.
You aren't serious right. Mariah played a fictional character and you are asking if social workers really look like her.
Yes, social workers like every other worker gets burnt out from the cases they have but a lot of them do keep their appearances up.
Why would you want to know the horror stories, wouldn't you rather want to know the great successful stories social workers have experienced.
I've watched the movie Precious and I happened to really like it. I'm sure many individuals within the NYC area have their own opinions about how NYC was portrayed in the film..
One of the characters in that movie really grabbed my attention. She was the social worker, played by Mariah Carey. After looking at her physical transformation to play the character in the movie, I wondered to myself, do social workers really look that "burnt out" and lethargic in real life? My goodness, she looked like a walking corpse.
I've been inspired to become a school social worker, not necessarily because of that movie but because of witnessing so many children that grow up in a disruptive environment and then lead disruptive lives and end up in jail. I mean, is that a life? It's not fair for them as they had NO control over being born into an environment of destruction.
QUESTION: Does anyone have any experience in social work in the NYC area, more specifically outside of Manhattan? Are there any "horror" stories regarding social workers and their clients. Please, enlighten me.
I'm curious to know why you think there would be more intense work (more horror stories) working in NYC outside of Manhattan than working in other places?
As a social worker working in Maryland just outside of DC, I can assure you I've heard plenty of stories about intra-familial incest, rape, drug abuse, you name it.
I think just about ANY city you work in or work near you will come across "horrors" and probably not just near cities, too. It may be like that across the board for therapists. People don't come into therapy because their life has been fantastic and easy, esp. those on Medicaid, Medicare, who have lead a hard life, period, in addition to any trauma they may have experienced on top of it.
believe a social worker can feel like a corpse with all the budget cuts. I've been working 6 days per week since feb, this weekend being my first full one since 2/19. i am a NY LMSW and have been doing this since the gulf war
i can share my experiences with you but you'd have to ask me specific questions so i can answer
i didn't see the film and i work with relatively stable outpatients so i may not have real horror stories to tell you about
i could however tell you about the multitude of as***** co-workers i have to work with on a daily basis and the things i have to get back at them (including to employees who were fired!!)
Location: Where ocean meets up with the naked land.
324 posts, read 572,403 times
Reputation: 193
Quote:
Originally Posted by cocoaeve
You aren't serious right. Mariah played a fictional character and you are asking if social workers really look like her.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cocoaeve
Yes, social workers like every other worker gets burnt out from the cases they have but a lot of them do keep their appearances up.
Why would you want to know the horror stories, wouldn't you rather want to know the great successful stories social workers have experienced.
It's always best to be prepared for the worst, rather than the best at times. It really is, especially in a profession that you plan to go into. Yes, definitely I'd LOVE to hear about the success stories, but not in this question.
And about the physical appearances, I was just wondering why they would make that character look that way.
Location: Where ocean meets up with the naked land.
324 posts, read 572,403 times
Reputation: 193
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violett
I'm curious to know why you think there would be more intense work (more horror stories) working in NYC outside of Manhattan than working in other places?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Violett
As a social worker working in Maryland just outside of DC, I can assure you I've heard plenty of stories about intra-familial incest, rape, drug abuse, you name it.
I think just about ANY city you work in or work near you will come across "horrors" and probably not just near cities, too. It may be like that across the board for therapists. People don't come into therapy because their life has been fantastic and easy, esp. those on Medicaid, Medicare, who have lead a hard life, period, in addition to any trauma they may have experienced on top of it.
I was curious because I was considering moving in specific regions and so I wanted to ask more specific questions. So if there was any notorious incident that was mentioned in the news that popped up into any individuals mind, I would have wanted them to share it.
I know that there are MANY instances where abuse has been taken place, regardless of location. It's so sad. I applaud any social worker for what they do. I admire many of them.
To answer your question, yes, you can get 'burnt out' being a social worker if you don't take good care of yourself emotionally. But, that's really true with any job where the work is busy, intense, and at times frustrating.
The work is super-rewarding, but to be honest with you, the rewarding parts are often spaced far apart. Mostly, people don't change their bad habits or negative thought pattens easily or quickly and it can be frustrating for the therapist to watch their patients make the same mistakes over and over again.
In your work, whatever work a person ends up doing, they want to feel a sense of efficacy, like they're being effective. You won't have that sense often as a social worker because it takes a long time for people to change. Often you will probably wonder if your work with someone is having any effect at all, and that may make your self-esteem take a hit. Enough hits and you may get angry at your clients for not changing, which can hurt your positive regard for them, which will harm the work you're doing with them, because it will become all about making you feel better instead of helping them heal themselves.
And yes, the work is depressing, it's depressing to hear about all the devastating and traumatic things that can happen to people throughout the course of their life.
Like I stated, the work can be rewarding because when you get through to someone, you can directly, positively impact their life not just for the time-being but for always. You can help them help themselves make better decisions and to not worry about or dwell on what others may think or what has happened to them in the past. Those moments, for me, are worth the negative side of being a social worker.
My best advice to give someone that plans to go into this type of work is to have a good, strong, healthy support system going into the job, only take a job where you are surrounded by other social workers or counselors who support and help each other and develop hobbies where you can work out your own frustration or anger and take up hobbies that also let you self-soothe and pamper, such as meditation, yoga or getting a massage or pedicure. Taking good care of yourself is the only way you'll be able to help others take better care of themselves.
i could however tell you about the multitude of as***** co-workers i have to work with on a daily basis and the things i have to get back at them (including to employees who were fired!!)
see, this is EXACTLY what my post was talking about. It is SO IMPORTANT for social workers to have a healthy work environment.
rlrl, I hope things get better for you and that you find the help you need and that you have the courage to leave your job if it gets worse.
because i lack assertiveness skills with coworkers who are character disordered. the kind who suffer from delusional jealousy and make emotional threats when they don't get what they want. they also think that if they don't get what they want all it takes is a phone call to the state licensing board to have your license pulled and they find out that it just doesn't work that way at all
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you'd better
