Social work blog Archives - ...metaphorically speaking

‘The Magic of Metaphors: Engaging women at risk to prevent trauma in young children’

August 1, 2018

by metaphor with One Comment Community Development Community Work Cross Cultural practice Domestic and family violence Healing from Trauma Healing Our Children Metaphors Narrative work with Aboriginal communities Preventing the cycle of trauma Prevention of Trauma Project Implementation Reflective social work practice Remote social work SNAICC Conference Social work blog Social Work Practice Framework Social Work with Indigenous communities Social Work with passion Trauma-informed practice Two way learning Violence and Abuse Working with Metaphors Working with Women

This was the topic of a presentation I gave at the SNAICC Conference in Canberra in September, 2017. Thanks to some spontaneous video recording and retrieval work from another social worker sitting in the audience that day, I’ve finally been able to edit this together.

This presentation occurred as I came to the end of my contract with Relationships Australia NT, as Co-Ordinator of the Healing Our Children project. It was the culmination of about six years work; most of which was in the development phase working on an idea raised by concerned Elders on the Tiwi Islands, plus a further two and a half years to roll out a pilot program in remote communities on the Tiwi Islands, Katherine and Palmerston.

As a Co-founder of the project, I am proud of this work and what we have been able to create. I am incredibly grateful for the time I spent learning together with the women of the Tiwi Islands and NE Arnhemland about ways we can respond to domestic and family violence to protect children and prevent trauma.

This was a fantastic project because it was developed in community with community using the knowledge, wisdom and stories of Aboriginal people’s lived experience. It did not come from outside or abroad. Programs like this are not cheap to develop and involve a lot of sweat and tears, time and patience. We did it all on a shoestring!

I decided not to continue on in the role as Co-Ordinator because as much as I had invested in this project and believed wholeheartedly in what we set out to achieve, it was underfunded. I was employed for two days per week to support and mentor a team of local people in several communities. Unfortunately, the extension of funding beyond 2018 then reduced, rather than capitalised on the investment and success we had already made during this trial. This was disappointing, as the women and communities had invested so much of their energy and time voluntarily, on an issue they were passionate about addressing. It means that the local people employed in the project (which is one of the biggest aims of the funding) receive only casual wages and service delivery is sporadic at best.

We can do better than this.

My point is that I want to see projects like this properly funded, especially ones that are developed by communities for their own people. So they are sustainable and have every chance of enacting real change and closing the gap!

Everything that I brought to this project through my social work practice framework is represented in some form in this presentation. This includes strong values and a commitment to social justice, self determination and empowerment for Aboriginal people. This video may appeal to social workers interested in anti-oppressive practice, narrative community work or using metaphors in therapeutic work.

This presentation covers:

Background to the ‘Healing Our Children’ project
The culturally safe project model
Shared values that underpinned the project
Metaphors and how we came to use them in our training, therapeutic groupwork, resource development and evaluation
The healing potential and therapeutic benefit of using metaphors in trauma work
How the resource kit “It Takes a Forest to Raise a Tree” was developed
How metaphors assisted us in safe dialogue with women who had children living at home with violence

Please note: Due to our video camera running out of batteries half way through, we have edited together the two parts of this presentation.

My hope is that ‘Healing Our Children’ moves beyond surviving, to thriving!
Support, follow and learn more here.

‘Healing Our Children’ project at Relationships Australia NT

‘Healing Our Children’ Facebook page

…metaphorically speaking: Looking back, moving forward and just being present!

January 26, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Eco-social work Ecotherapy Forest bathing Healing the planet Healing with nature Health and wellbeing My personal journey Nature and Forest Therapy Social work blog

A new year is a good opportunity to reflect on the time that has come to pass, as well as set intentions for the future. But there is something to be said about just appreciating the present moment too.

I find myself in a new garden of Eden, set in the Nambucca Valley on the upper mid north coast of New South Wales. The sound of laughing kookaburras echo and the scent of a flowering lemon myrtle wafts over the gentle trickle of Nambucca Creek, winding its way through my backyard. Sweaty tropical wet season days have been replaced with warm, summer days and gentle cooling breezes. I feel my body slowly relaxing into this fresh environment, as culture shock gently subsides and the known but unfamiliar becomes engrained in daily life.
Yes, I have physically relocated. And things are moving for ….metaphorically speaking.

To reflect on the years that have come to pass, I’m reminded of the immense privilege of working in the Northern Territory, the relationships I’ve built that will stand the test of time, a mind-full re-connection to the earth and respect for the oldest culture in the world. My suitcase is full of rich stories, heart-filled memories, learnings and gratitude. 2017 was the year of completion and a sense of accomplishment; seeing out the initial trial of the Healing Our Children project on the Tiwi Islands, Palmerston and Katherine; launching my ‘Talk the Walk’ podcast; and of course, self-publishing my first children’s therapeutic picture book was a thrilling highlight.

As for new intentions (as I don’t do resolutions) well, there is some exciting opportunities on the horizon. In March I will graduate with a Certificate in Nature and Forest Therapy. I am not sure how the practice of forest bathing will look in the Nambucca Valley yet, but I am buoyed by the hope of working alongside First Nations people in exploring possibilities for nature-connected eco-tourism. Nature therapy will also offer an alternative path to health and wellbeing, recovery from painful loss and hope for those who struggle in daily life to find meaning in this stressful world.

As I write, our family is seeking to find a permanent place to set up home in the hills, nestled amongst protected state forest and freshwater springs. We long to grow our own food, foster regenerative land-care practices, learn to live more simply, and deepen our own spiritual connection with this place. We yearn to share our vision with others, in the short term offering a two-way, shared learning space for co-creating and workshopping, and in the longer term a healing sanctuary and affordable retreat accommodation in a bush location. I have no idea what this actually looks like; we trust that our vision for the regeneration of self and planet will grow organically, working with rather than against nature’s patterns and rhythms.

And so it is with a renewed sense of hope for humanity and the planet, that I embark on 2018. While that might seem like a lot of change in the wind, for my subscribers to the blog and podcast most things will stay the same. You will still be able to access my learnings on the journey in Indigenous social work practice as well as weekly podcast episodes of others’ experiences in social work with First Nation Australians. As we move forward, you may find I do more blogging about the integration of ecopsychology, ecotherapies and Indigenous ways of knowing and healing ourselves and the planet.

My hope for this space in 2018 is to ramp up the conversation, amplify the connections between us, and share the great work that is happening around Australia. If you’re engaging in Indigenous social work practice (or even just attempting to ‘walk the talk’), you have a story that others need to hear. Please join in. Send me an email and introduce yourself, comment on the Facebook Page, follow us on Instagram, volunteer to be a guest blogger or nominate someone for a podcast interview.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of packing up and moving, my podcast recording equipment is now sitting in a storage warehouse in Brisbane. A small oversight on my part which I hope won’t affect broadcasting too much in the coming months. I have three episodes waiting in the wings and will bring these to you each Wednesday starting next week.

In signing off, I’d like to acknowledge the hurt and sadness that exists on this day around Australia amongst our Aboriginal brothers and sisters. While many see January 26 as a day to celebrate, the rest of us mourn. I support #changethedate to recognise this painful history and to choose a more suitable date to celebrate what it means to be Australian.

May you be calm and keep on walking.

Lucy

Burnout and Vicarous Trauma: An employee defect or a yearning for collective action for social justice?

November 29, 2017

by metaphor with No Comment Burnout Challenges and struggles Commentary Ethics and values Justice issues My personal journey Self Care Social Justice Social work blog Social Work with passion Strengths and Resilience Strengths-based practice Vicarious Trauma

If you work in the area of trauma counselling, chances are you have an organisation or colleagues keeping a watchful eye out for the first signs and symptoms of burnout or vicarious trauma.

In my workplace we have to complete two tests every year – the Compassion Fatigue Self Test for Practioners and the Trauma and Attachment Beliefs Scale. We also have regular training so that employees can identify the symptoms in each other.

While it might be considered admirable for our organisations to have a Vicarious Trauma Policy and working proactively to promote the health and wellbeing of its employees, what is it that is really happening here? And what effect is this having?

If someone returns high results to vicarious trauma testing, the onus is on the individual to address it. They are encouraged to revisit their self care plan or self refer to the Employee Assistance Program. This kind of response pathologises the problem and locates it within the individual, that the counsellor is somehow defective or not strong enough. It follows then that the client is to blame for somehow causing an injury by sharing their story with us. Vikki Reynolds says using self care as an antidote for burnout “does nothing about the social determinants of health for people…. The problem is not in our heads or our hearts, but in the social world where clients and workers struggle with structures of injustice.” Vikki argues that assuming a position where clients are seen to be hurting us is not an act of accountability at all.

In Darwin where I practice, we are surrounded by some of the worst cases of injustice in Australia such as the mistreatment of youth in detention, the highest rates of removal of Aboriginal children from their families and concerning numbers of child abuse within the foster care system. Not far from us, refugees on Manus Island continue to suffer.

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to hear the sad and heartbreaking stories of abuse and violence and the impact this has had on our clients. And yes, I see and hear the impacts of intergenerational trauma outside my house; it’s difficult to escape it sometimes. However, I return a normal vicarious trauma result. I also hear inspiring stories of skills, knowledge and strengths of survival; stories of people speaking out to the Royal Commission so that the same thing doesn’t happen to other people; stories of people taking action to reduce the isolation caused by their poverty and homelessness. I admire the steps of resistance my clients make against systems of injustice. Indeed, clients do not hurt us, but instead inspire us, teach us and critique us says Reynolds.

The biggest critique our clients could legitimately make is why we, as workers, are not ‘fostering collective sustainability’*, coming together in solidarity to challenge the institutions and systems which marginalise and victimise our clients.

Indeed the collective silence of social workers in Australia is more likely to lead to my potential burnout, due to my frustration with the profession. Why are social workers not out on the streets marching together to get Manus Island refugees to Australia? Why are we silent in our support of our Indigenous comrades in the fight for Recognition? Why are we standing back and allowing removal of Aboriginal children from families to go up and up? Isn’t that why we entered this profession in the first place, to make a real difference to the social structures of injustice? I was once accused of getting too close to a community because I cared too much, and was threatened to be removed by my employer. However I was proud of my role as an advocate for social justice for the community and its people.

Social justice activism is a protective factor against vicarious trauma. It’s not our clients that are hurting us. It is our silence and inaction.

Perhaps the care we can show our colleagues is not to watch out for signs or symptoms of vicarious trauma in the workplace, but to gather in solidarity around shared ethics of social justice and collective accountability. Let’s get out on the streets and do what we signed up for.

*‘Fostering collective sustainability’ is one of the guiding intentions advocated by Vikki Reynold in Justice Doing in Community Work and Therapy.

7 Reasons why Social Workers should Blog

January 18, 2017

by metaphor with No Comment Blogging Commentary My personal journey Social work blog Social Work with Indigenous communities

It’s scary out there but you can show new social workers the way!

Curiously, I recently searched the web to see how many Australian social workers have a personal blog about their journey. Disappointingly, there are not a lot of us out there!

My main motivation for starting a blog was linked to my own experience upon leaving university. During my degree, there was not a great deal written about social work in Indigenous communities and the task seemed daunting. I would have really appreciated being able to hear real-life stories about ‘how to do it’. (Ah-hem – from real people, not academics!)

Thankfully, there are loads more academic texts and journal articles around these days on Indigenous social work. But my vision was to offer a space for graduating students to connect and prepare for their journey through stories. As well as a go to resource for the rest of us who continue to learn every day!

So here are my 7 reasons why you should start a blog.

1. You can make a difference

Remember when you first started studying social work because you wanted to make a real difference to people’s lives? Well, having your own blog is one way of teaching others about what works and how to avoid making the mistakes you made. You will be shaping and mentoring the next generation of social workers.

2. Experienced professionals want to hear your voice

You will be surprised at the wide range of people that will benefit from reading your stuff. Not just senior social workers, but nurses, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, youth workers and even entrepreneurs. Some of these people don’t ‘get’ what it is we do. Now you can show them.

3. New social workers need to hear your voice

Social work in Indigenous communities is bloody hard sometimes. Newcomers need to hear that! We need people who are prepared to walk the talk, take the knocks and pick themselves back up, accept they are not going to change the world and be content to take the small wins. So we have to tell it like it is. I have seen too many people come to remote Australia expecting to change the world, only to leave feeling helpless because they had no idea what to expect. Whatever field you practice in, there is a lot of work to be done and you can help prepare newbies.

“Oh, the places you’ll go and the people you’ll meet!”

4. You can inspire people with the rewards

OK, so entrenched social problems arising from a history of colonising practices in Australia make this one of the most challenging fields of work. But it also comes with a-m-a-z-i-n-g rewards and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, if workers have the patience and perseverance to stick around long enough to see it. With stories about the people you meet, the places you go and the successes you have, you can inspire them.

5. You can tell stories about the real world

Some people just want to know what ‘A Day in the Life of a Remote Social Worker’ actually looks like. You can’t get that from reading a journal article or text book. Stories of lived experience can teach others about the pitfalls, the challenges, the rewards, the tips and the strategies for surviving and thriving. Blogs are authentic and practical – real world stuff!

6. Blogs are immediately accessible

Writing a journal article takes a lot of time and is a highly scrutinised process. I just wanted to get my ideas, my opinions and my experiences out there. You can write about a current issue and hit publish today. You can start a conversation, mobilise a mob and get immediate feedback. How powerful is that!

7. You can earn PD points.

Having a blog is another alternative for reflecting on your practice with yourself initially (like when you’re staying out bush and you’ve got nothing else to do) and then with all your followers who hopefully send comments. Even the AASW recognises the value of social workers sharing their perspective and contributing to the growth of the profession. Go to Category 3 ‘Professional Identity’ to claim PD points for ‘Presenting or Promoting the Social Work Perspective’ and claim the hours you have taken to write your piece. Bonus!

So if this has convinced you that blogging is a good thing, go for it. There is lots of information out there about how to get started. Please drop us a line if you do. I, for one, would love to be the first to read it (and comment).