That phrase is going through my mind today. I was reflecting on a recent observation in which the medical professional was talking down about a patient and the social worker dug deeper to find out the barriers to care. It was not that the patient was in denial or that they didn’t want to take their medicine. There were barriers of fear, cost, transportation, caregiver stress, and lack of understanding due to the big words that the professional used.
Yes, God made social workers to “fill in the gaps.” We fill in the gaps of understanding and communication, we are the bridge to resources, and we are willing to slow down and empathically listen. How good does that feel….to be heard, to be helped nonjudgmentally, and to be seen as wonderfully made?
Social workers meet people where they are. If they are feeling lost or not ready or in a trauma hole, social workers reach in the messiness to find a way through. We see the strengths that no one else notices and use them to meet the needs that are expressed or noted. It’s about walking together.
It’s not for everyone though. Some professions prefer dealing with other aspects of helping…………maybe it’s building literal bridges to enable help to reach unreachable places…….or maybe it’s educating on meds or diagnoses or explaining finances. And, I get that. Uniquely made for such wonderful purposes in the fields they were shaped for.
But, I am a social worker…….uniquely made to help people find the heroes inside of themselves as a famous video on social work explains (It’s “Social Work as Superheroes” on Youtube, google it). It’s a great video, but I am not a superhero. I’m called by God to serve others with my hands and my heart, and it can be messy and it can hurt. It’s not for everyone. In some settings, it’s a supplemental role and in some settings, we are the primary servant, educator, advocate or counselor.
Why social work? Because I want to be a change maker for people and some of the unfair situations they struggle through. I have a heart (yes, I’ll say it……..bleeding heart and proud of it) for the underdog who is hurting and may have been told or felt they weren’t worth much or were treated unfairly. There’s always a reason behind the person for the behavior …….and if we blame the person for being “this” or “that” with a label then we are not seeing the human. There’s always a reason and social workers look at the psychosocial stressors contributing to problems.
Need help? Call a social worker.
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