Social Workers: Loving and Serving Others in their Darkest and Brightest Times

This month, we celebrate social workers–advocates giving a voice to the voiceless and working to bring equality and inclusion for those they serve.

By Kathryn Schley, LCSW

Becoming a social worker is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life and something I’m so proud of. What this profession does and believes is so perfectly in sync with who I am.

So much of my identity is tied to being a social worker: loving and serving others in their darkest and brightest times. 

One of the greatest things about social work is the breadth of our impact. In my nearly 20 years in the field, I have served as a benefits advocate, a referral coordinator, a therapist, a case manager, a program director, a senior operations director, and most recently a fundraising and development professional.  I have worked in local government, large academic hospital settings and in non-profits. 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to how and where social workers impact our community. 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to how and where social workers impact our community. 

In my current role as Director of Development with SouthLight, I get to use my experiences as a client advocate, counselor, and program director to tell the stories of the work we do and the people we serve.  It is humbling to have the opportunity to help our neighbors, friends, partners, donors, and funders understand the tremendous impact SouthLight has in addressing the behavioral health and substance use crises our community is facing. 

Social Workers are not just counselors; they are champions, justice seekers, teachers, program directors, solutions finders, administrators, disrupters, believers, and so much more. What we do is hard and messy and challenging….and important, essential, and beautiful. Social workers are represented throughout SouthLight, in nearly every program, and bring an abundance of compassion, advocacy, and expertise to the work we do. 

We reached out to a few of our social workers at SouthLight and asked, “What does it mean to be a social worker?” Here’s what they shared.  

Jacki Agusta, LCSWA, LCASA: To me, being a social worker means being holistic. I strive to focus on the whole picture–not just the person, but also the larger environment, community, and society. Most importantly, it means being there for my clients and focusing on empowerment and advocacy–both in counseling and in the larger community. 

It means being there for my clients and focusing on empowerment and advocacy–both in counseling and in the larger community.

Ashlei Brown, LCSWA: As a social worker, I take the time to really think about the information I already know about the person I am serving. Where are they? Then I join with them wherever they are on their journey. Sometimes I cry with them, maybe it’s a moment for laughter or fear – recognizing the person I serve is a person first and foremost, before they are a client or consumer. 

Halee Smith, MSSW, LCSW: To me social work has always been about empowering my clients. I find it a privilege to walk with clients in some of their darkest seasons and show them what’s possible. 

We notice, across the life course of our work, that social work is not an occupation but a way of life, connecting with others, sharing what it means to be human, loving, hurting, hoping for purpose and meaning. 

Robert Stuckey, MSW, LCSW, LCAS, CCS-I: Social work becomes infectious. Although our history, and sometimes current practice, is a story of helping the “less fortunate,” our work has shown us that in many ways we are those whom we serve. We are transformed by the power of dignity and hope of those with whom we work day in and day out. We notice, across the life course of our work, that social work is not an occupation but a way of life, connecting with others, sharing what it means to be human, loving, hurting, hoping for purpose and meaning. 

Jessie O’Neill, MSW, LCSW: As a social worker I get to help our clients realize their strengths and achieve their potential. I get to develop therapeutic relationships and be there for others in a capacity that is unique to social work. I value being a resource, tool, and support to our clients in a consistent way and making a difference.

Ashley Tucker: As a social worker, I will have the opportunity to step into people’s lives and when I do sometimes it may be at their most difficult time in their life, but through all the pain they may be experiencing or during the challenges they are facing I will be able to give my clients the hope to get through it by providing them with the tools they need. I love what I do because each day at my job I have at least one client that will amaze me by their ability to find the strength they need to overcome life’s challenges with a sense of hope for their future.

Within our work each day, we continue to advocate and fight for a better world for our communities. It’s in the code that social workers live by.

Abigail Kaufmann: I love being a social worker because I have the privilege of getting to know people from all different walks of life. I think it is such an honor to be in an occupation where you get to watch and support other humans as they work to grow through their challenges and meet goals that they set. While we work in a broken system that can sometimes tie our hands behind our backs, I love that one of the main ethics in social work is advocacy for justice and equity. There are days where it is hard to do this job when we witness firsthand how the systems we work in are unjust to fellow man. But within our work each day, we continue to advocate and fight for a better world for our communities. It’s in the code that social workers live by.

Kathryn Schley, LCSW, is the Director of Development for SouthLight. To learn about ways to help and get involved, read more here.

About SouthLight Healthcare:

Founded in 1970, SouthLight Healthcare is one of the area’s largest nonprofit providers of substance use treatment and mental health services. SouthLight partners with individuals and communities to provide innovative treatment solutions delivered with compassion and dignity. With outpatient and community-based programs, SouthLight provides prevention, education, and treatment services in the Triangle and beyond. Call 919-787-6131 for help or more information or visit www.southlight.org.