Heads I'd Like to Get In To: 50Cent

A few years ago a new show came out on Oprah's channel in which a "celebrity life coach" was there to "fix" the lives of famous people dealing with setbacks.  I never watched it but it made me think about famous heads I'd like to get in to and the one that comes to mind most often is Mr. Curtis Jackson, aka 50Cent.

As Social Workers, we are fully aware of the benefits of therapy.  We understand how freeing it can be to talk about the hard parts of our lives and how therapy helps people move on from traumatic experiences. Therapy sessions provide a safe, caring environment where people can process their thoughts and experiences in a positive way.  I might be biased but I love therapy!  I really do.  In my opinion, the benefits of a therapeutic relationship with a qualified professional cannot be overstated.  

So, I realized a while ago that I have a soft spot for 50Cent.  Before you crucify me, hear me out.  If you can get past his disrespectful, misogynistic attitude and behavior; his quick, aggressive temper; his seeming lack of concern for the feelings of others and his blatant narcissistic tendencies you'd see what I see: a man deeply affected by unresolved childhood trauma.  Its like I can see his pain and how he masks it.

One of the things about being a social worker is our ability to see past outward behaviors down to the underlying issues.  We don't see "bad" kids, we see kids dealing with dysfunctional homes and families acting out in the only way they can.  We don't see "junkies" and "addicts", we see people struggling to cope with life problems and falling into traps they can't get out of.  Social workers are able to see past the exterior.  

I think part of the reason why his story resonates with me so much is my feelings for young boys growing up in the inner city.  I feel so strongly for them.  When I think about the problems young boys are facing, its hard to see a way out.  Neighborhoods like the one 50Cent grew up in are merciless in their ability to suck young boys in and spit them out right into jail or the grave.  Boys are losing their lives younger and younger and our communities are paralyzed by violence, fear and addiction.  It's no wonder why so many young boys turn to crime and violence, their neighborhood is truly a trap.

Knowing his story and reading about some of the things he does and says now, I'd be willing to bet there were some conduct issues in childhood along with some sort of learning difficulties as well.  Because of his childhood and his mother's murder when he was eight, I'm also thinking about symptoms of PTSD and maybe a mood disorder like depression.  He also seems to have issues relating to others which could be the result of broken attachments in childhood that affect his relationships to this day.  And there's probably much more.  Being exposed to drugs and violence in the home and community has profound impacts that can last forever.   Of course, I don't know him personally and I could be totally wrong, but I'd love to get in that head and really go deep to help him process his life experiences.    

Are there any famous people, living or dead, that you would love to get on the couch?  Why?

Quick Tip: Let Them Talk

A few weeks ago, two young girls were referred to me during their pediatric visit at the clinic.  The girls are sisters, 17 and 13 and they recently came from Jamaica to live here with their father.  Their mother stayed. The doctor called me over to help the father get into some literacy classes, however, it was the girls who actually needed the attention.

After quick meetings with the girls, they opened up to me, sharing very personal feelings and emotions that seemed to be held in for a long time.  After several repeat visits, their physician remarked on how quickly they bonded with me and asked how did I do it.  The answer is simple.  I let them talk.

A lot of times, families are hectic.  Parents are away at work and sometimes school, and when they are at home, they're tired and not always available for a heart to heart.  Mothers and fathers are absent in many families, leaving girls without a main source of support during a very challenging time.  For many of them, you will be one of the few people who takes a genuine interest in their life.

There are also many, many things that girls need to talk about that they feel they cannot discuss with their parents and its not just sex.  There may be family issues and secrets they can't ask about or feelings about a parent that they cannot express at home.  My goal is always to be that adult that a young person can discuss any and everything with. I simply let them talk while asking key questions to guide the session and actively listening and engaging with them in a calm and easygoing manner.  You'd be surprised at how much information you can get this way.

I've found that if given the opportunity, most young girls like to talk about themselves; about their goals and dreams and the things that make them happy.  When finally given the chance, they seem to open up in front of my eyes, they are free to relax and easy to motivate.  It often takes longer to engage girls dealing with trauma, but allowing them the chance to talk about other things in their life builds trust that will eventually help them open up completely.

Working with young girls can be tough but it is truly rewarding.  By becoming the person they feel comfortable with you are providing much needed guidance and motivation during a very challenging time in their lives.

Happy Social Work Month!

March is National Social Work Month and this year's theme is Forging Solutions Out of Challenges.  The theme made me think about my clients and how they do the best with what they have and how we, as Social Workers, are charged with not only helping people come up with solutions for their immediate problems, but also helping them let go of the past and look forward to better futures.  Its a tough job.  Some days are worse than others but day in and day out we get up and come in, never knowing what the day holds for us.  For that, you should be commended.  

Here you go:

Cheers to YOU!

On a more serious note, the theme made me think about the people I've met over the years.  The clients who have helped me learn about my job and myself and how I've done the best I could to help as many people as possible.  Its a challenging job but I really love it.

We all have our own families and problems to deal with so it takes a special person to come into work everyday for the express purpose of being the one someone cries to.  Its tough.

This isn't one of those jobs you just take because you need a paycheck.  You can, but chances are you won't last long.  It's just too involved.  It requires more, much, much more.  All the things you learned about in school: empathy, kindness, sincerity, compassion, these things must be IN you if you are to make a difference in someone's life. Some of this can't be learned.  It pulls on you emotionally, physically, psychologically...in every way imaginable.

As I said, I love this job.  You probably feel the same way about yours.  Underneath all of the things that piss you off about it (and there are probably many) in your heart you are a helper.  And no matter what goes on in your agency, real social workers are focused on the clients they are there to help. Real Social Workers operate from a Code of Ethics, not just a Job Description.

Just in case no one told you today

Just in case no one has told you today, you are seriously awesome.  And just in case you don't feel appreciated, know that the only people who matter (your patients/clients) truly do appreciate you and everything you do to help turn their challenges into solutions.

Keep up the great work Family.  What a privilege it is to be a part of change in someone else's life. You are storing up treasures in heaven with the work you do everyday.

40 Years of Solitude

Over the years, I had heard only bits and pieces about the Angola 3; Robert King, Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox; three Louisiana men who were serving time for a robbery when they were convicted of murdering a prison guard in April of 1972.  It wasn't until just recently that the case came back to my attention, when Mr. Woodfox was released last week after serving the longest sentence in solitary confinement in US history.  

Solitary confinement is a pretty self-explanatory term; "serious, predatory" offenders, are confined to a cell alone, for 22-24 hours per day, usually in an effort to protect the safety of themselves and others.  Prisoners who are considered to be at risk for violence (e.g. pedophiles, witnesses, children, etc) are also kept in isolation as well as prisoners, like the A3, who were "suspected of organizing illegal activities" inside prison walls.  The punishment was initially intended to allow prisoners to "reflect on their misdeeds and draw closer to God" through isolation and seclusion from others.

After their conviction in 1972, this was the fate of the Angola 3, who were kept in seclusion for fear that they would organize an uprising in the prison and spread "Black Pantherism" among the other inmates.  All three men were sent to solitary in 1972, King for 29 years before he was released, Wallace for 40 years until his release in 2013 and Woodfox, serving 43 of his 45 year sentence in isolation until his release on February 19.  

I won't even discuss the fact that Mr. Woodfox's case was overturned three times, how the prosecution's witnesses were discredited, how evidence was lost and racial discrimination was rampant throughout the trial.  I was more intrigued by the impact that spending that much time alone can have on a person's psyche and how Mr. Woodfox and the others seem to have emerged with their faculties intact. Its interesting that I didn't really think of keeping someone alone as a form of torture until I learned about the effect it has on people over the course of time.  

Prisoners who have spent time in solitary describe it as "spirit-killing," "mind-altering," saying that "people come in with a few minor problems and leave as sociopaths."  Many prisoners report that it only takes a few days for some to begin having hallucinations, talking to themselves and displaying early signs of psychosis such as paranoia, disorganized speech and bizarre behavior.  Mr. Woodfox says he was able to survive only through reading and trying to stay connected to the outside world, but still suffered severe panic attacks, hallucinations and insomnia for much of his time there.

Research shows that prolonged periods of seclusion can lead to a condition called "isolation panic"- with symptoms such as severe anxiety, insomnia, aggression, depression, delusions and self-harm. The psychological effects of forced seclusion are often irreversible and can present themselves in as little as 15 days.  This punishment is especially harmful to those already dealing with mental illness, as being placed in isolation exacerbates their conditions and limits access to medical and mental health care.

                   ********
I've read that the goal of isolation is to keep prisoners and guards safe from the most aggressive inmates, but it seems that prolonged isolation from others actually contributes to the high rates of recidivism among those who spend time there.  Many of those held in "super max" prisons need to be "re-socialized" before they can be released into society, and rates of recidivism among this group are as high as 20% in some states.

We don't have to debate the fact that people who commit crimes deserve to be punished.  I get it.  But, where are the limits?  Since we know human beings are social creatures what is the real goal here?  Are we trying to break people's minds?  Are we punishing them for their crimes by slowly driving them insane using methods we know for sure will work?  It just doesn't seem right.


So after 45 years, Mr. Woodfox is finally free.  Finally out of the 6x9 box he has spent the last half-century of his life in. As I said, I'm not here to debate his guilt or innocence, I'm just amazed that he survived this long in a room by himself and a little shocked that our system of justice relies on a form of psychological torture as punishment.
How do you feel about it?  Find out more about it here and let me know what you think.

I Don't Want to be a Case Study

I had a patient tell me that last week and at first, I thought he was joking. Then I thought about how many people in his position probably feel the same way and I realized it wasn't a joke at all.

The patient is what we call "Priority" here at my clinic, which means that he is HIV positive.  He moved back here from Chicago, came to my clinic to have a form filled out and casually mentioned that he has been positive since 2011.

That's where I come in.

As soon as I sat down with him, he hung his head low, taking long deep breaths, readying himself for what he thought was to come.  The first thing he said was:

"I'll come in for care, I just don't want to be a case study, you know?  

That's why I stopped going to the doctor in the first place.

They do that...study people.  Measuring the incidence of this and the occurrence of that.  

Every time I went to an appointment, there was a new person asking me questions.  

People that I never met before.  I hate feeling like I'm being studied. I'll stay home before I feel like that again."  

As he explained, I thought about it and the truth is he's kinda right.  When patients come in for appointments, they don't just see the doctor, there are at least 5 other people waiting to see them each and every time; each new person asking the same basic questions, checking the answers off on forms, paying them to take surveys and give up personal information.  I can totally see how he feels.

Most patients are thrilled to answer questions and a $50 gift card definitely sweetens the deal.  And then there are others, who couldn't care less about a gift card to Target and resent our intrusions into their personal lives.

So, to us, the surveys and questions make sense - we need the information.  We do need to know the incidence and occurrence of things because its our job to have that information and it helps us help our patients.  But, there has to be a way to make people feel better about things. I'd rather patients get and stay healthy than refuse to come in simply because of the questions on a form.  They are much more than that.

Flint Crisis A Byproduct of Poverty

"If there was even a whiff of lead in Grosse Pointe, better believe they'd be pumping in Perrier by the end of the day." ~Ron Fournier on NPR 


I caught a piece on NPR about the Flint issue, where the guest speaker mentioned how strongly poverty impacts the problem, stating plainly that this would not have happened if poverty weren't a factor.  It sounds obvious but when you sit and really think about it, its quite disgusting how the whole thing unfolded.  (See timeline of events here)

LeeAnne Walters: One of the first Flint residents to speak out 

As social workers, we are all too aware of the role being poor plays in a person's quality of life. Everything is impacted from birth to death and every moment in between.  Poor people are less healthy, less happy and they die younger from preventable causes.  This wouldn't have been an issue in the suburbs of Anytown, USA as its residents would have marched down to City Hall as soon as they noticed even the slightest twinge of a problem and the government would have responded posthaste providing remedies and follow up to make sure that everything was peachy-keen.

This could only happen in a place like Flint, where 40% of its residents live in poverty.  Poverty leads to lack of options, lack of options creates dependence and dependence can lead to a fear of standing up for oneself and a realization that nothing will change even if you do.

In some cases, there is that one resident who cries out and rallies the community behind their shared cause; but in many communities no one stands up because they are so used to being beaten down they feel there is no point.  When poor people speak out they are told to "stop complaining;" they are berated for having the audacity to expect that they deserve the same treatment as others.  Many of the children of Flint were continuously affected since birth, when their mothers made their bottles with lead-laced drinking water.  When they started to notice their water was turning brown, they were lied to, rather blatantly for over a year while politicians slept soundly at night, their children safe from the poison being funneled into homes a few towns over.

One of our basic tenets as social workers is to challenge social injustice "on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people."  We must advocate for those who can't advocate for themselves.  We must mobilize citizens and let them know how powerful their voices can be when everyone is on the same page.

Basic Areas of Concern for Teen Girls

Working with teens can be difficult.  You know this if you work in a school, group home, detention center or other agency that serves adolescents.  Young people are dealing with so much these days, so many choices, decisions and pressures that shape their feelings about themselves and the world around them.


Teenage girls can be an especially challenging group to reach, as girls are faced with a different set of pressures that affect almost all of the choices they make.

In practice, I've found some success in reaching young women and I've noticed a few key areas that seem to have the biggest impacts on their lives.  When working with them its been helpful for me to have basic knowledge of the following:

1. Parents & Siblings: What is the current status (and history) of relationships with parents and siblings, in the home or outside? 
2. Stability: Have living arrangements and important relationships been stable over time?   
3. Connection with Mother: Is the relationship with mom tense or supportive? Close-knit or estranged?  Is Mom even around at all?
4. Sexual History: Is the client sexually active now or in the past?  Is she in a serious relationship?
5. View of Self: How does she feel about herself in terms of self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-confidence and level of self-awareness? 
6. Present/Past or Future Orientation:  Are past issues dominating her present feelings? Is she able to see herself in the future?  Does she feel positive about her place in the world?

All of these pieces affect and are affected by each other to form the whole person.  Deficiencies in these areas tend to show themselves in internalizing behaviors such as depression, anxiety and somatic complaints and externalizing behaviors such as fighting/aggressiveness, sexual promiscuity and vulnerability to unhealthy relationships.  Being aware of these major areas of concern will assist with diagnosis and addressing the presenting problems.

Successful interactions with teenage girls will require more than knowledge of the above, the most important piece of the puzzle is YOU! Are you the type of adult that a young girl feels she can confide in?  What makes you different than her parents and other adults that she doesn't trust?  How can she be sure that you have her best interests at heart?  Here are a few ways to become the adult that the kids on your caseload need: 

• Remember your own time as a teenager: Fully remember the thoughts, feelings and pressures you were facing.  
• Realize they are not adults: Understand that they do not process things the way you do.
• Resist the urge to parent: They are not your kids so don't treat them as such.
• Recognize their need for autonomy: A teen's sense of control over their own life has a strong impact on the decisions they make.  
• Reinforce their strengths: Help them see how special they are regardless of their history or current circumstances.

These are just some of the things that have worked for me.  What works for you?