“Emily Does Social Work” is a blog where the personal, political, and professional merge, exploring social issues, self-reflections, societal commentaries, and everything in between.

As a practicing social worker for nine years, my practice has evolved, shifted, and grown. Alongside that journey, writing has remained an important tool. Writing has served a myriad of crucial functions across my social work practice: critical reflection to evaluate my biases and blindspots, unpacking my own values and experiences, disentangling my assumptions from my practice, processing emotions and experiences, creating narratives to conceptualize cases, mitigating the risk of vicarious trauma, and self-care to prevent burnout. This platform, blog, cozy little corner of the internet – whatever you’d like to call it – is about bringing this process to the forefront of connection. I’m not so self-important to think that what I am doing is profoundly life-changing. This is more about practicing vulnerability to offer connection. Even if it’s just one person, I think there can be significant power in showing up authentically and imperfect.

I am excited to see how this project changes and evolves as a fluid document. I anticipate there will be mistakes. Life is messy, and waiting until a “perfect” time hinders us and creates shame. With that, I hope there are also opportunities for growth, connection, and ongoing learning. Personally speaking, I hope this space encourages accountability for my own writing practices. I am hopeful that whatever stems from this and whatever this project turns into, I can confidently say I approached this with an open mind and heart. As I often say to clients, take what you need, and leave what you don’t.

-xx Emily
Clinical Social Work Specialist, MSW, RSW