Pathway to thought process

Google is my friend….thought process. 

I was pretty sure when I began this process my thought process was the same with every situation I encounter.  Although with more complex situations the process and stages are a longer process or repeated several times. rinse and repeat =)  argh…

One thing that I have learned is that it is helpful to talk things through with co workers and the best husband in the world to sort through my feelings and my thoughts.  I just need to learn that my husband CANNOT read my thoughts...oops I guess I forgot that one.  Need to work on that communication...lol

For me it is a process to make the right decision I must rethink and think everything over and over.  I feel that when I am dealing with children and their families it is not something we should take lightly.  My thought process is the same for most decisions in my life big or small.   Maybe that is why I am mentally exhausted after a tough day at work…  I am sure my coworkers get sick of me (not really)(smirk). I like to get second, third and fourth opinions.  In the spirit of Thanksgiving I am very thankful for my co workers and they know who they are =)

Pathways to left and right brain

    In reviewing the table and then looking at myself, I am more the left brain than the right brain.  I am not really that creative but I also think I pull some ideas from the right brain.  I am a very logical person I like facts and evidence to prove my ideas as there will be no issues with the decisions I make.

     When I was reviewing myself in regards to the list I chuckled to myself.  I have been on this journey of school for a long time now with some of my co-workers which I have become very close with and I am sure once they read the post they will say, “Yup that is sooo Crystal.”  It is in regards to my writing, I believe I have good knowledge of paragraphs and ideas and good flow of what I am trying to convey but my lack of technical ability lessens my ideas.  I am definitely more right brain in this matter than left brain.   This was proven when my English professor told me in front of the whole class that I was basically a “coma lover”…  He actually stated, “Crystal there will be no coma splices in your paper right.”  As embarrassing as it was…it still did not fix my coma splices.  The one good thing I have going is that in my circle of school and work friends I have at my disposal the grammar queen!  Thank you Deidra (cheesy grin)

     I like to think that I pull from both as I pull from both sides and adapt myself to the circumstances.  With further investigation into the left and right brain functions and taking a test it confirms that I am left brain dominant.  You can take the test here: http://www.intelliscript.net/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire.cgi

Interesting to see how each side of the brain works!

Pathway to case plan

Freewrite…

Ok so this week we had to develop a case plan with an assessment.  We know I do this almost everyday for my work so it was not a far fetch to complete the assignment BUT I had a hard time developing a case plan that was not “cookie cutter”.  We are in a job to help families and no two families are alike.  I believe we need ALL resources available or resources need to be developed in order to adequately help a family or see the behavioral change we need to reunite or keep the family together.

Specifically with clients that are not high enough functioning to get “it” but are too high function for any services that may be offered in rural areas.   Which make it’s it difficult to see the desired behaviors we are striving for. 

It is difficult providing services to people with developmental delays in rural areas.  I think that is why I like Safety Organized Practice (SOP) formerly Signs of Safety (SOS) because you can pull in some of their natural supports into the case plan or to create safety in the home.   

Ok I am off my soap box now…

Pathway to Silence

The art of social work is silence.  Most people are uncomfortable with silence and they will talk to fill that void of silence.  You never know what you will get out of those uncomfortable moments of silence- in my experience a lot. 

You could also use the silence as a benefit by making a person think about what they said or their actions.  Especially if you are practicing active listening, you may reiterate what the client said with a long moment of silence to let them reflect on their actions or inaction's.

Silence could be used for reflecting on a situation and how you could have handled the situation differently.  In addition, it could be used as a brainstorming session to think of new creative ideas to help a particular family. 

"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence."                                                                                    Leonardo da Vinci

Pathway to coping.

OK so this is a free write this week… Did not realize the due date this week so I am late, sigh.  This has been a week from hell for me.  Got sick going on four days now, husband quit his job, the pressure is adding up, we have to move, yada yada yada 

This week all I have been able to do is just get by.  I feel like I have only given 60 percent to school as my attention has been focused elsewhere.   Anyways I am utilizing or trying to utilize coping skills I am not being very successful.  Until next week and a better state of mind…

Pathway to stress

Oh my goodness where do I begin… Typically when I get stressed I tend to shut down.  Right now I am feeling more stressed than ever.  I need to learn the balancing act of life.  How do I balance working full time, being a mom of two active boys, keeping the husband happy, keeping my mother happy, keeping my house clean, getting school work completed and don’t forget sleep.  Ok I am ranting…been a stressful week, sigh.  I am really thinking why I created this stress for myself taking on school. I honestly thought I was only taking two “real” classes this semester boy was I wrong.  Then I look at my children and it becomes clear.  

                                                 

As you can tell I have limited time to do any one thing.  When a monkey wrench gets thrown in the middle I get flustered. If you are a teacher or administrator at HSU and reading my blog could you do me a favor and open all assignments early that would sooo rock?!  It would also help with my time management skills.  I am a perfectionist, my mother always told me to do it once perfect and you won’t have to do it again, this equation does not work well, lol.  So if you see a few extra letters in the middle of a word with no rhyme or reason you will know that my two year old is helping type my blog =)

How do I deal with my life…prioritize complete the task, rinse and repeat. I am very grateful for my husband who gives me support when I need it the most.  Just this week he has been a little preoccupied, =/ which I am sure has added to my stress.

Generally I take the bulls by the horn and just go.  If I dedicate myself to a task I am going to complete it to the best of my ability.  In my educational journey I will contribute to the process I love learning new information or looking up information I may not know. 

Well you probably cannot tell from this post but in life and in my professional career I am a cheerleader.  I am a motivator and I get great satisfaction in seeing people succeed as it makes me feel good.  I hope I will contribute the knowledge I have as a social worker.  If it is from the Child Welfare side or from Adult Protective Services side I will strive to share my experiences with people and keep it positive. 

Pathway to Social Work

Good day my fellow bloggers,

First and foremost I would like to state this first week of school has been very stressful…maybe I just been out of practice with summer and all.

So let’s get to it…

Social work definitely found me.  I like to say it all started when I was laid off and I moved back home (well where my mother lived).  I was working for Intel Corporation for six years and when jobs where being transferred to other place; I got a nice severance package and took a year off.  When it was time to look for work I could not find a job so I moved to Crescent City. 

Before I moved I applied for a job with the county was not the first pick for the job and was called stating I did not get the job.  Fortunately for me the person they hired did not work out and I was called back for an interview and I got the job!  I started out as a legal clerk for child welfare.  Well, that is the official title of the job but I basically did anything they really asked of me.  Boyfriend just moved from Nebraska to be with me (Yes we met online, we are now married for six years and have two wonderful kids) he was unable to find a job in this rural area.  We decided to move to Eureka for better employment options for him.   I do have an AA in business and it was easy for me to find a job.  I found a job with a construction company.  Two days after I left Child Welfare I was begging for my old job back. =(

No luck getting the job back.  I decided to quit my job and look for something else.  We moved back to Crescent City and I became an assistant manager for US Bank in Crescent City.  Well two years later and vigilant scoping of jobs with Del Norte County specifically in Child Welfare I was hired back as the legal clerk (with a huge pay cut which I was willing to take to go back to a job I loved).

I worked as a legal clerk for six months and then they opened a job as a training social worker (specifically for me to get case management experience) in Adult Protective Services.   I worked in APS/In home supportive services (IHSS) for three years.  Moved up the ladder and have obtained Social Worker III status.

Then one day I went to a meeting where Humboldt State was presenting a new program called Pathways.  Pathways is grant program where they will pay for people currently working for Child Welfare or people that are working for a Tribal government to go back to school with a commitment in the end.  Similar to CALswec program that was spoke about in our orientation earlier this week.  I had to choose between staying with APS or moving to CPS and receive a college education that I could not afford on my own due to family obligations.  I moved to Child Welfare for the betterment in my professional career.

Currently I have worked for the last year and a half in Child Welfare as a social worker in the ongoing court unit with a wide array of cases, from reunification services, to family maintenance cases, or guardianships. I absolutely love my job.  The best part of being a social worker is empowering families and becoming their cheerleader and giving them hope. Without hope we have nothing…