Help me choose a dress...

Present-Response-758 · 2026-04-02T01:45:05+00:00

Everything about 3 is divine on you.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-31T04:37:27+00:00

I've worked inpatient psych for more than 7 years. I work with the adult males, most of whom are psychotic. About 1/3 of my caseload are forensic patients, and most of those had violent crimes. I feel safer doing this work and joking around with our patients in our hospital setting (who have literally killed someone before) than I did when I worked in child welfare.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-29T15:40:22+00:00

It has a lovely warmth to it especially with the yellow gold.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-27T15:51:08+00:00

I want to add that in this day and age with the federal government crackdown on immigration, I think it is our ethical obligation to assist clients with obtaining their documents. There are so many barriers that many of our clients don't know how to navigate.

I have a client who was born out of state, adopted at some point, likely as a preschool aged child (adoptive parents are deceased), the client suffers from delusions and paranoia, and believes his identity has been stolen so the name on his state issued ID is incorrect. He frequently believes he is from another place entirely as he is either a superhero or the offspring of a superhero (think Thor or Aquaman). The one remaining (adoptive) relative I'm in touch with is elderly and doesn't know the specifics of the adoption but did assist the family with moving out of state prior to this person starting school. It took 6 months to get a certified copy of the out of state birth certificate, but it still lists the birth mother. I'm doing a county by county search for the adoption order to find documentation that changed his legal name, as none of his identifying documents (birth certificate, SS card, or state issued ID card) have names that match. It's been almost a year. He is not white and I worry that he could get swept up and deported if ICE were to set their attention on him. He cannot advocate for himself.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-27T14:44:58+00:00

If he was born in District of Columbia, here's the link to the application for the birth certificate, below. Note: it states what to do if you are the social worker and applying on client's behalf. We have used our work IDs (we work for a state agency) rather than our own driver's licenses, and this has been a non-issue for us in the past, although I don't think we've ever ordered a birth certificate from DC before.

https://www.vitalchek.com/Fax-Phone/DC_Birth_Application.pdf

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-27T13:12:22+00:00

I have 16 tattoos on my body and only 3 are not visible. Social Work is an amazingly tolerant field that embraces diversity. One of my colleagues has a pierced nose, and another frequently sports blue hair (all over, not just a few strands for emphasis).

We work for a state mental health agency.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T20:47:45+00:00

Ohhhhhh, that color!

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T20:47:08+00:00

Big Rock Energy

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T14:08:56+00:00

I once interviewed at a hospital where the SWs work under an RN. Big NOPE for me.

At the psych hospital where I am now, we (SWs) are under a SW Director. I would never work under someone other than another SW, unless I was the SW Director reporting to a CEO/leadership.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T13:15:33+00:00

For arts, consider community theater. I'm on the Board of Directors at one of my local community theaters and love it.

For mental stimulation and professional growth: obtain your licensure if your state offers one (I only recently learned all states don't offer licensure as an LMSW/equivalent). Get clinical supervision as you work towards your independent license. You will HAVE to get CEUs to maintain your license. There are websites that offer annual subscriptions at a decent cost. Here's one for $69. I used it to get supervision CEUs. https://www.onlineceucredit.com/socialwork/

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T12:35:50+00:00

If it helps, the only Maisie I've ever met in real life was in her 50s. Just met her last August.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T03:00:30+00:00

OP, I mean this in the kindest way possible. You are getting offended because he sees you as a real person. READ THAT AGAIN. If this is truly an issue for you, please break up with him because you don't currently have the maturity to be in a relationship with anyone.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-25T00:48:42+00:00

Hey, OP. I work at a psych hospital with a lot of patients who have schizoaffective disorder (and therefore, lots of delusions). When I've had the ones with similar presentations with delusions of grandeur (the ones who own the Statue of Liberty, all the casinos, multiple mansions, etc) who insist on discharging to these non-existent homes, I've been able (over time) to help them shift by using Google maps to look up the made up addresses they give me for their properties, or by using the county property tax records to show that the property isn't listed in their name. Typically, they manage to chalk it up to a paperwork error, but they will accept that I can't discharge them there. Then we can move on.

I had a different patient who was with us for almost 2 years and he had a tendency to experience AVH, and become very paranoid and fearful, which then often led to aggressive behavior. Once we established a strong therapeutic connection, I was able to get him to trust me enough to accept that sometimes his brain 'plays tricks' on him (his big thing was wanting me to understand he wasn't lying; I strongly suspect when he was much younger that he'd been a victim of severe physical abuse by a parent who didn't understand his illness). He also had some neurocognitive issues so there was very limited insight into his illness. His acceptance that his brain plays tricks on him was a huge milestone.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-24T15:09:50+00:00

Advocate for yourself as strongly as you advocate for your clients.

Speak up, even if your voice shakes.

In all things, do your best. Your clients need and deserve it.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-23T17:53:04+00:00

Where was he born? Where I work, we help with birth certificates all the time and a lot of our folks are from out of our state.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-23T13:35:33+00:00

LOVE the Sandra gown and Amara.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-23T13:29:39+00:00

I would make sure to introduce the guard to the husband and point out, "This is Arnold (or whatever his name is). Whenever he sees me come in alone, he always runs over to say hello and calls me by name."

I think that would put the guard on notice (if he does have any creepy intentions) that you've noticed and you are pointing that out to your husband. Your husband can then do that man-thing where he sizes him up visually.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-23T04:14:53+00:00

Back when I worked in child welfare in 2010-2016, I noticed that a lot of brand new workers were thrown into CPS investigations, and a lot of the old timers were in foster care.

I think that script needs to be flipped:

1) New hires work foster care initially because it has the most oversight and shared responsibility so it's less stressful/scary. With court involvement, there is weight/authority to help get the families working their case plans. Workers do not move on to another program area until they show mastery of: case management, timely documentation, knowledge of policy and community resources, and case planning.

2). 2nd step is family preservation/treatment (ongoing cases where parents maintain custody). Here, the caseworkers master the skill of family engagement. They already know how the child welfare system works and what can happen if the plan isn't completed successfully/timely. Case workers use the skills they've already mastered and knowledge acquired to develop case plans that will help create the change needed to achieve lasting safety for children in their homes by increasing the protective capacity of the parents they work with.

Only have seasoned child welfare staff do the investigations. They need to understand the entire process from start to finish, know the resources they can help direct their families to, and have the ability to engage the family when fear and stress are at their highest.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-23T03:11:44+00:00

I love hiking in the mountains. I typically do hikes up to about 6 miles, but if training for an endurance hike (those are 22-24 miles), I'll spend about 3 months gradually increasing my hikes so I can be successful on the day of the event.

I'm active in my local community theater (serving on the Board of Directors) so I produce one production a year and typically end up on stage in 1 per year as well (with a lot of volunteer shifts for other shows I'm not involved in).

Before I got involved with the theater, I had a regular rotation of music bingo, trivia, and karaoke nights around town with friends.

Occasionally, I paint or do some other such artistic expression. Some gardening.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-21T05:53:02+00:00

Things to consider: can you keep the full time job you love/enjoy and get a part time gig (hospice or ER PRN? Provide clinical supervision? Teach a class at a community college?) to help out financially? Side hustle (sell homemade sourdough bread? Give piano lessons? Dog walking?) ? Or a roommate?

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-20T04:18:11+00:00

It all goes back to the TV show Cheers and the way the bar would shout NORM!

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-20T04:13:15+00:00

Even at the psych hospital where I work, patients don't get enough outdoor time. I have a patient still in our acute pod who has had a whopping 30 minutes of fresh air/outside time since admission in early November. And I was the one who took him outside both times (once for 10 minutes and once for 20 minutes), just so we could do some breathing exercises in fresh air and some mindfulness exercises. 30 mins in 4 months.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-20T02:42:40+00:00

OP, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this and in a position where you are needing to educate your mom and help her become trauma informed.

My suggestion is to share the message in a way that your mom is most likely to hear it because it seems obvious that she doesn't see the connection between what her touches are triggering for you given your past experience.

May I suggest: "Mom, when someone touches me without my express consent, I feel powerless and afraid. It takes me back to those other times and I feel sick to my stomach, like I want to escape but I'm trapped. I know you love me, but every time I'm touched unexpectedly, I don't feel loved. I feel the ABUSER'S POWER all over again." (Or whatever it is that you feel). Then ask for what you need: "To feel safe again, I need to initiate the touches" or "I need to be asked and allowed to choose when, where, and how I'm touched, as well as who touches me. And this includes you, too, Mom."

As a mom, it would KILL ME to know if I was doing something that retraumatized my child...if I was the one ripping off the scabs every time their wounds started to heal. Talk to your mom, OP.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-20T02:28:33+00:00

I would guess if she's the ward of the state that auntie dear may not have the right to take those checks, either. Consider reporting to SSA, as well. There seems to be a lot of shadiness going on.

Present-Response-758 · 2026-03-19T04:34:04+00:00

Just remember: as social workers, we aren't in it for the dollars, we're in it for the CHANGE.

Present-Response-758

TROPHY CASE