The Modern Social Worker is a new blog written for social workers by an urban social worker practicing in big cities for close to thirty years. Social Work practices are varied. We all agree that social work is a profession discrete from other counselling and direct healthcare practices. Social workers listen, engage, collaborate, & offer a range of approaches founded on principles of care and compassion. People share personal and family stories with us, especially at times when the unexpected happens. They tell and re-tell stories of resilience, love, passion, recovery, and growth. People share these life stories with us – the good, the bad, and the ugly. We all have them. Often, it is in this telling and re-telling that people come to understand events in their lives, in their own words, and in their own ways. It is in this process of coming to understanding that healing happens. Sometimes, finding a social worker to talk with opens the door to deeply held emotional pain. This is often the first step to personal healing. Not everyone is interested in speaking to a registered social worker or therapist when problems occur. It is also true that speaking to a friend or a small group of friends helps. The key to identifying when you need to find a social worker is when your feelings and emotions grow overwhelming and you are not able to carry on with your life or day in a manner that brings you joy & happiness. This site is created for regulated professionals who continue to provide a range of clinical social work therapies to children, adolescents, young adults and families. It is an online space for social work clinicians to learn, share, and promote creative evidence-informed approaches that really work to process feelings and to carry on with life.