In everyone’s career, there comes a time when you have to learn things the hard way. There are moments that force you to slow down, look inward, and honestly evaluate where things went wrong. Sometimes those moments feel catastrophic. Sometimes they shake your confidence, your direction, or even your sense of self. When confronted with failure, there are countless ways we can respond. We can deflect blame, shut down, give up, lash out, or pretend it never happened. It is easy

April 2017. Nine years ago. Have you ever heard the theory that your body holds trauma? I know it does because nine years later, every April, I struggle. I struggle with anxiety and depressive symptoms I just cannot shake. When asked what is wrong, I do not always have a clear answer. Nothing catastrophic is happening right now, so why does my body feel like the sky is falling? This is known as the Anniversary Effect (Learn More), sometimes called an anniversary reaction. It

I Am Infuriated And As a Social Worker I Should Be I am infuriated. We live in a country where some of the leading causes of death, like heart disease, are largely preventable. Preventable. And yet the very systems designed to prevent illness remain inaccessible to so many people. Preventative care is treated like a privilege when it should be a right. From a clinical social work lens, this is not just frustrating. It is a systemic failure that contradicts our ethical commitm

The Protective Instinct to Overachieve All my life, I’ve carried a protective instinct to overachieve ( Learn more about protective parts within Internal Family Systems (IFS) here .). As the oldest daughter, I learned early that doing more, doing it well, and being the best wasn’t just encouraged, it felt necessary. Somewhere along the way, achievement became tied to worth. This part of me wanted to feel validated, good enough, affirmed. So I did what it knew how to do: I kep

LEAD 2026 was my second LEAD experience. Although last year was technically LED, long story. But what matters is how different this year felt compared to last. Not just the event itself, but me, and the political landscape we were stepping into. Walking back into the Capitol this year felt familiar in a way I did not expect. It also felt heavier, clearer, and more intentional. Who I Was Then A year ago, I attended LED unsure of my macro social work goals. I knew I liked commu

My time in school social work has been short, but I am already finding my values and identity. To a lot of the adults in the building, when a kid blows up, storms out, yells, or just won’t sit still, it looks like aggression, attention-seeking, or straight-up avoidance. The response is usually fast: consequences, office referrals, being sent out of class. But as the social worker, I have to start somewhere else. Why is this happening? And once I understand the why, what can I

Exercise is a privilege, not a punishment. Somewhere along the way, skinny became romanticized at any cost, as if thinness itself were proof of discipline, health, or worth. What we do not talk about enough is that there is a very real price tag attached to being thin or even just being perceived as healthy, and that price tag is privilege. Capital shows up in multiple forms. Financial capital is the obvious one. Healthy food costs more. Gym memberships cost money. Fitness cl

Spending the last year at RISE Community Solutions / CAC Osceola has been an unforgettably formative experience. Leaving almost feels like a breakup. Packing my office to move back to Tampa, I am excited for this next chapter but forever grateful for the learning and experiences I had here. I will always hold other organizations and jobs to the standards this one gave me. I had a Executive Director who was consistently honest, prompt, and vulnerable about the political landsc