Social Workers: Advocates, Champions and So Much More

Celebrating Social Work Month

“What we do is hard and messy and challenging….and important, essential, and beautiful,” said Kathryn Schley, LCSW, when asked that what it means to be a social worker.  Social workers are represented throughout SouthLight, in nearly every program, and bring an abundance of compassion, advocacy, and expertise to the work we do. 

Kathryn, a licensed clinical social worker and Senior Director of Operations at SouthLight, said “My favorite thing about being a social worker is realizing the breadth of our impact.  Social Workers are not just counselors, we are champions, justice seekers, teachers, program directors, solutions finders, administrators, disrupters, believers and so much more.  We work in the community, in hospitals, in the courthouse, with children and adults…we are everywhere!”

We asked a few of our counselors what it means to be a social worker at SouthLight. Here’s what they shared:

TiaAndrea Scriven, MSW, LCSWA, CMR, CAC: To me being a social worker means being a line to hold on to when everything else seems to be falling apart. It means being the calm in crisis and finding the solutions when a person is stuck. It means being the person that I needed when I was younger and providing that for someone else now. 

As a social worker we tend to wear many different hats–case management, therapy, resources gurus, and crisis management–but I think of myself as a partner to the client to walk with them through their journey to mental health.  My favorite quote is by someone unknown, but I try to live by it each and every day, “My job is to break down barriers to care, not build them.”  

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.

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.

Ashley Tucker, MSW, LCSW, LCASA: People tell me in my personal and professional life that I smile a lot, but I enjoy smiling because it can help to brighten someone’s day. My hope in being a social worker is to brighten my client’s day since sometimes (especially now with the pandemic) my face/smile might be the only ones that they see. Two quotes that I love and chose to live by in life and being a social worker is: “Use your smile to change the world; don’t let the world change your smile” and “SMILE – See Miracles in Life Everyday.”

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.

I encourage each of you to take a little time to connect with the social worker in each of you this month.

About SouthLight:

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.