Selfless is the story of Kristen Holzapfel's journey to the dark side of social work, her dream to enter a 'selfless profession' that broke her heart, and nearly her body and mind. It is the story of her descent in to anorexia nervosa, her recovery from that terrible time and her struggle with the workplace that forced her back to the front line. Faced with the stress and vicarious trauma that drove her back to hospital and anorexia she had little choice but to give up the career she'd dreamed of since her childhood. This is her story of that time, and of her recovery, told as both a warning and as hope for others dreaming of a 'selfless career'.
Olive Stevenson is one of the most foremost social work educators of her generation; an inspiring tutor, a compelling lecturer and an inquiring and persistent researcher. For more than 50 years she taught hundreds of social workers at the Universities of Bristol, Oxford, Keele and Liverpool and latterly the University of Nottingham, and inspired many others through her work. This memoir knits together many disparate parts of a life spent in public service.
In this provocative examination of the fall of the profession of social work from its original mission to aid and serve the underprivileged, Harry Specht and Mark Courtney show how America's excessive trust in individualistic solutions to social problems have led to the abandonment of the poor in this country. A large proportion of all certified social workers today have left the social services to enter private practice, thereby turning to the middle class -- those who can afford psychotherapy -- and away from the poor. As Specht and Courtney persuasively demonstrate, if social work continues to drift in this direction there is good reason to expect that the profession will be entirely engulfed by psychotherapy within the next twenty years, leaving a huge gap in the provision of social services traditionally filled by social workers. The authors examine the waste of public funds this trend occasions, as social workers educated with public money abandon community service in increasing numbers.
The End of Social Work: A Defense of the Social Worker in Times of Transformation explores the deeply flawed status quo of the social work profession. Its message is clear: it is not acceptable for social workers to labor under intolerable working conditions and financial strain because they work with the poor and oppressed. Steve Burghardt addresses why social workers no longer have the income and status once shared with nurses and teachers. He addresses the leadership failures that cause social workers to be blamed for not ending poverty yet expected to handle burnout through self-care rather than collective action. He looks beyond nostrums of social justice to the indifference to systemic racism in the profession's journals and programs and explores the damage caused by substituting individuated measures of unvalidated competencies for grounded wisdom in practice. It is thus no accident that a profession committing to "care for everyone" undermines the herculean work that so many social workers do on behalf of the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. Situating the work in the crises of 2020, Burghardt ends with a proposed call to action directed at a transformed profession. Such a campaign would be situated within the national struggles for racial justice, climate change, and economic equality so that social work and social workers regain their legitimacy as authentic advocates fighting alongside the poor and oppressed--and doing so for themselves as well. A rallying cry for social work itself, The End of Social Work is an ideal resource for social work programs and practicing social workers driven to enact meaningful change.
Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in 14 different foster homes. In this unforgettable memoir, the author recounts her years growing up in the foster care system, revealing painful memories but also her determination to discover the power of her own voice.
Learn how to shut your mind off, get out of your head and embrace the art of 'gutism.' Emotional Intelligence is proving to be the greatest predictor of people's happiness and success. Cultivating Emotional Intelligence (E.I. or E.Q.) improves self-awareness, leads to more meaningful relationships and overall increases your emotional well-being. Strengthening your inner E.Q. can feel like a big undertaking, both overwhelming and time-consuming. Romi Grossberg's incredible journal-style book breaks it down in to simple 5-minute per day exercises that are straightforward and more importantly - fun! Reclaim your Inner Power.Learn how to get past perfectionism, get through procrastination and re-discover your true voice. Connect to your Source, your Inner Voice, your Gut; the Centre of your Emotions. With this inspirational new 30-day program toward Emotional Intelligence we'll address common blocks to emotional understanding and your fears of expression. Start your journey toward self-discovery with just 5 minutes of writing a day. Let your Intuition Speak. Learn how to listen. This journal is for you. No judgement; there is no right or wrong, no good or bad. There is no particular end destination. The challenge is in the doing. So do. Write. Get to know yourself. See what participants say: 'Through Writing from The Source I went from thinking, "I can't write and I have nothing to say" to finding myself writing deep and creative stories in a completely organic way. Connecting to your source is undoubtedly a great way to connect to your true self.' Kiara, UK 'This process gave me the tools to navigate the blocks that plagued my creative process and I had a blast doing them.' Tia, U.K. 'These amazing exercises were extremely helpful for me to get out of my 'never stop talking mind'. I learned the importance of surrendering to whatever comes on to the paper.' Ai, Japan As the author I have set up a FB support group for those on their journey with this book. Please feel free to join, share your obstacles and triumphs or ask questions. The FB group is the same name as the book.
Alistair Findlay has written the first ever memoir of a career in Scottish social work. He reflects on the changing landscape of the profession since he entered it in 1970 in a memoir that is thoughtful, progressive, humane – and funny. He conveys how he and his fellow workers shared friendship and banter in work that can be hard and thankless but also hugely rewarding and worthwhile.
What might we dare to expect from an actor's autobiography, even one from a star as personable as George Sanders? In the case of Memoirs of a Professional Cad, we possibly get more than we deserve. George Sanders undoubtedly led a colourful, glamorous and even action-packed life, spanning the peak years of Hollywood's golden age. But the greatest joy of his memoirs is how funny they are, and how penetrating their author's wit. Endlessly quotable, every chapter shows that the sardonic charm and intelligence he lent to the silver screen were not merely implied. George's early childhood was spent in Tsarist Russia, before he was obliged to flee with his family to England on the eve of the Russian Revolution. He survived two English boarding schools before seeking adventure in Chile and Argentina where he sold cigarettes and kept a pet ostrich in his apartment. We can only be grateful that George was eventually asked to leave South America following a duel of honour (very nearly to the death), and was forced to take up acting for a living instead. Memoirs of A Professional Cad has much to say about Hollywood and the stars George Sanders worked with and befriended, not to mention the irrespressible Tsa Tsa Gabor who became his wife. But at heart it is less a conventional autobiography, and more a Machiavellian guide to life, and the art of living, from a man who knew a thing or two on the subject. So we are invited to share George's thought-provoking views on women, friendship, the pros and cons of therapy, ageing, possessions, and the necessity of contrasts ( Sanders' maxim: 'the more extreme the contrast, the fuller the life'). Previously out of print for many decades, Memoirs of A Professional Cad stands today as one of the classic Hollywood memoirs, from one of its most original, enduring and inimitable stars. This edition also features a new afterword by George Sanders' niece, Ulla Watson. 'Even when asking a hatcheck girl for his coat, he conveyed the impression of a malevolent cat fastidiously licking its chops over the prospect of a particularly toothsome mouse.' Salon
The ‘Memoir of Professional Social Workers’ is the second volume of the book ‘Work and Life of the Professional Social Worker’ published by the Indian Society of Professional Work (ISPSW) in the year 2022. We hope this will motivate other professional social workers to write about their own life experiences by themselves or someone else whom they know. Their in-depth experience and enriched knowledge will be advantageous for other professional social workers to learn from their life. The current volume two has fifteen scholarly articles from eminent social work professionals (both educators and practitioners) across the country.
