Coffee with The School Social Worker Podcast

the title says it all – this has been a wonderful experimentation playground and all good things come to an end. special thanks to all my guests and to everyone who has tuned in, thanks for rockin with me. it's time I step into another light <3 with love, angela

of course we’re furious of course we’re disappointed of course we’re worried but if we wield shame in the same way it’s been used to oppress us, then we end up engaging in a zero-sum game. i’ve also been seeing a lot on the internet about media literacy, specifically about the ability to understand nuance. this type of empathy and compassion is hard to access but is necessary for us to move away f...

I woke up this morning and decided to let my thoughts flow freely! It seems like clinical licensure is just one of those things that we're just supposed to willingly accept for what it is. But I'm not okay with that and I explain my rationale in this episode. Shoutouts and Resource Credits go to: Capital Storytelling Leese Renee Hall, author of Inner Field Trip Dr. Jennifer Mullan of Decol...

Join me and Maggie in a heartfelt discussion as we delve into the delicate balance of being called in by loved ones out of concern about carrying toooo much school drama, leveraging power and privilege to address harm in schools, and the crucial role of school social work in making mental health services accessible to students and families. We also explore the importance of staying up-to-date with...

Have you noticed that restrooms have become battlegrounds at schools? I've turned to mindmaps to help me interrogate this very question. Listen as I explore the multiple facets at play here including [but not limited to] moral labor, mindbody health, exchanging adult supremacy for youth autonomy, insecure attachment styles, and the importance of microinteractions. How does this all come together?...

Grab your favorite brew ☕ and tune into this ep of Coffee with the School Social Worker podcast! In this episode, I'm reflecting on a year out of the field and why social work truly belongs in schools. From critical reflection to creating inclusive spaces, social workers are indispensable advocates for equity, justice, and student well-being. Pour yourself a cup and let's dive into the in...

"Wading through the waiting," came to mind in conversation with an educator. I was complaining about how uncomfy uncertainty can be and said, "it's like wading through a pool of waiting," and it just stuck. AH HA, I found the very phrase I needed to make sense of the jumbled mess of thoughts up here! I hope it resonates with you too <3

Join us in a dynamic exploration of emergent strategy, liberatory leadership, and the transformative power of advocacy as I delve into candid conversations with Petra Vega, a trailblazing radical social worker and advocate. In this episode, we venture into uncharted territories, unpacking the nuances of speaking up, embracing trouble-making, and fostering collective action. Discover the essence of...

In this episode, we delve into the vibrant world of youth development, play therapy, and the magic of children's wisdom. We explore the transformative impact of play on restoration and healing, uncovering the seeds of growth planted through our interactions with kids. We also navigate the intersection of entrepreneurship and clinical social work because being your own boss sounds cool until yo...

*content warning: you're gonna hear me cry, let's cry together* When I started this podcast back in August, I did so with the intention to connect with others and to show up wholly and truly. Things were scary then and even scarier now. And yet, we mustn't lose sight and we mustn't turn away from one another. In this episode, I read some snippets of the book I've been reading r...

In this episode, join me as I sit down with the remarkable Lakita Richardson, LSW who is a proud Black mother and dedicated career woman. We delve into the untold stories of being a school social worker. Together, we unravel the challenges she faces in combating unrealistic perceptions from her peers in education, shedding light on the vital role of school social work. Our conversation takes a hea...

Are you at the point in your social work career where you're feeling tired, uninspired, unmotivated, maybe even burned out? Well... it might be time for a PIVOT*! On this episode, I'm chatting with Alissa Adler – very earnestly – about the many pivots and shake ups that happen in social work. We're here to normalize the twists and turns, we're here to hold space for navigating the...

Reflection has gotta be one of the very first steps in healing; without it, we can't acknowledge what's going on to then figure out how to transform. On this episode, I'm doing exactly that with Kelli Shoemake in our conversation about how her multi-faceted role at her school lends itself to practicing transformative justice. As both the school social worker and behavioral intervention...

This one's a double feature, y'all! In this episode, I'm chatting with Damaris Rodriguez and Jasmin Lisowski about practicing social work from a harm reduction standpoint, BIPOC representation and affinity groups, the complexity of navigating the diverse needs of a school with diverse demographics, student and staff autonomy alike, interdisciplinary collaboration, and tips for decreasi...

A quick Google search tells me that Chaotic Good describes "characters that are  strong individualists marked by a streak of kindness and benevolence . They believe in all the virtues of goodness and right, but they have little use for laws and regulations." In this episode, you're going to hear about new ideas, failure as lessons and never as mistakes, accessibility, systemic issues...

In this episode, I'm chatting with Vanessa Robles about the importance of Latine representation in schools. It's important that we show up proudly and authentically not only to honor our ancestors but also to inspire students to embrace their culture too. We got to gas each other up for taking up space in spaces where we normally wouldn't be represented, while also recognizing the imme...

In this episode, I chat with my first guest, Maria Dibs who is a master of social work student and inner-child healing coach. We got to talk about what inner-child healing work means to her and how it will influence her work as a future school social worker. Maria picked my brain a bit as we got into what school social workers are and aren't and how that all actually plays out in practice. We...

In this episode, I'm setting the foundation of Coffee with The School Social Worker Podcast by sharing a bit about myself and letting y'all know what to expect in future episodes. On this podcast, listeners can expect to hear chats with former, current, and future school social workers all while enjoying a cup o' coffee; because who can't get through the school day without caffeine!? The intention...