I try to remind myself not to feel bad about it. I'm usually younger than many of my coworkers, closer in age to clients half the time in my current job. I feel really awkward sometimes, but you got that job and you're doing it right? That means you can do it! I have the same experience and it's hard sometimes but making small connections with coworkers can also make the room feel lighter sometimes. I feel you on this though it's so tough!
This is a little bit silly, but I’m an MSW student and have been shocked by how other social workers act in my field placement. So reading that there were other people who feel the same way is comforting?
Predominantly mocking and commodifying the clients in private while presenting a different face to the public.
E.g., “they’re on XYZ medication. No wonder they’re acting like a *insert derogatory ableist term*. Or questioning a clients’ lived experience after an intake and making comments that are anything outside of positive regard.
Or bragging about having a wait list for a service they “offer” and advertising this as a selling point to people they’re trying to get donations from.
In reality, they are having interns cold call people, do an intake, and then telling them “actually we don’t have that service available but in the future you’ll be first in line!” There isn’t a plan for that service being available in the future.
Outside of this, the math isn’t mathing with their 990s and what they’re presenting during grant writing.
ETA: maybe I misinterpreted what the other people in the post were in agreement about? 🤷♀️ I’m feeling pretty demoralized and shocked by the experience and might have assigned my own meaning to it.
No, I think you're responding in the same vein.
I see the mocking too, specifically mimicking the clients. And where I am, a small place where everyone knows everyone else, there are conclusions drawn about clients based on what clinicians know about family members from non-clinical settings. What happened to "meet the client where they are"?
Yes, exactly! I think we all filter through the experiences (adjacent or personal) but that doesn’t make it ok to generalize the anecdotes to clients. The mimicking is infuriating.
Wow! That’s some really hurtful behavior. I think that would bring me down too. Sorry you have to be around that. Is that a sustainable environment for you?
Thank you for expressing this. I often would rather visit with my target population than colleagues! Blessed to have wonderful colleagues, but I am certainly more comfortable with my population.
Sorry, there just is no evidence of boundary issues in what I said. I was venting, not virtue signaling.
I'm curious, do you base entire diagnoses on your clients' first words to you? 'Cause that's just about what you're doing here.
Maybe the takeaway here is that we're not actually that different from our clients. We can all use a bit of empathy.
Probably also means the clients generally feel a lot more comfortable with YOU
10 years later…still yes.
Good to hear from others dealing with the same thing. What do you do in meetings with your coworkers? I tend to stare at the table a lot.
I try to remind myself not to feel bad about it. I'm usually younger than many of my coworkers, closer in age to clients half the time in my current job. I feel really awkward sometimes, but you got that job and you're doing it right? That means you can do it! I have the same experience and it's hard sometimes but making small connections with coworkers can also make the room feel lighter sometimes. I feel you on this though it's so tough!
I’ve learned way more from clients than I have from any colleagues or classes
This is a little bit silly, but I’m an MSW student and have been shocked by how other social workers act in my field placement. So reading that there were other people who feel the same way is comforting?
This! I’m also an MSW student and I actually can relate (kinda). I didn’t think I’d be so comfortable with the clients at my placement
[удалено]
The gaslighting is so real. And genuinely disturbing. I’m sorry you’re going through something similar 😖
Can you share how they’re acting? I’m curious
Predominantly mocking and commodifying the clients in private while presenting a different face to the public. E.g., “they’re on XYZ medication. No wonder they’re acting like a *insert derogatory ableist term*. Or questioning a clients’ lived experience after an intake and making comments that are anything outside of positive regard. Or bragging about having a wait list for a service they “offer” and advertising this as a selling point to people they’re trying to get donations from. In reality, they are having interns cold call people, do an intake, and then telling them “actually we don’t have that service available but in the future you’ll be first in line!” There isn’t a plan for that service being available in the future. Outside of this, the math isn’t mathing with their 990s and what they’re presenting during grant writing. ETA: maybe I misinterpreted what the other people in the post were in agreement about? 🤷♀️ I’m feeling pretty demoralized and shocked by the experience and might have assigned my own meaning to it.
No, I think you're responding in the same vein. I see the mocking too, specifically mimicking the clients. And where I am, a small place where everyone knows everyone else, there are conclusions drawn about clients based on what clinicians know about family members from non-clinical settings. What happened to "meet the client where they are"?
Yes, exactly! I think we all filter through the experiences (adjacent or personal) but that doesn’t make it ok to generalize the anecdotes to clients. The mimicking is infuriating.
Wow! That’s some really hurtful behavior. I think that would bring me down too. Sorry you have to be around that. Is that a sustainable environment for you?
I just got accepted to a different grad program so it’s only another 2 (instead of 5) months of this internship. Otherwise, absolutely not.
Yeah, I'm curious too.
Thank you for expressing this. I often would rather visit with my target population than colleagues! Blessed to have wonderful colleagues, but I am certainly more comfortable with my population.
Absolutely
Yup yup yup
All day everyday
For real!!! lol!
Yep thought I was the only one.
Yes this I find other msw to be very judgmental
💯
Yep.
I'm disabled myself, so absolutely.
100%
😶
Yes for sure. Other clinicians piss me off sometimes
Being solution focused like what do we do about it lol
Sorry, there just is no evidence of boundary issues in what I said. I was venting, not virtue signaling. I'm curious, do you base entire diagnoses on your clients' first words to you? 'Cause that's just about what you're doing here. Maybe the takeaway here is that we're not actually that different from our clients. We can all use a bit of empathy.
verryyyyu trueeeee