Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jheri Walters. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jheri, appreciate you joining us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
One defining moment in my career that changed the trajectory was when I was accepted to an accelerated BSN program. I entertained the idea of becoming a nurse, after experiencing my first round of burn-out as a social worker. Although, this was a wonderful opportunities, there were many barriers for me to complete school. I had limited funding and social support. I saw this as a sign that I needed to look for other opportunities in my field, as a social worker. I began to seek out management opportunities and additional training experience that would allow me to coach other social workers.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from LSU. My degree was literally B.S.! Without a masters or doctoral degree my employment opportunities were limited. I sat out of school for almost two years, until I landed a job as a paid sports marketing intern at the University of Houston, My office mate’s fiancé was in the Master of Social Work program there, and he encouraged me to schedule a meeting with the admissions coordinator. The majority of my classes at LSU, along with my GPA met the admissions criteria for the MSW program. I graduated in 2009, over that time I have worked as a psychiatric technician, inpatient therapist, hospital social worker, community mental health manager, and now a clinical director and board approved clinical supervisor.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to learn that is okay to make mistakes, to get stuck, and not have all of the answers. As a helping professional, people lean onto you both personally and professionally, so I always felt I had to have all the answers and have everything together.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
In addition to training and knowledge, the most helpful qualities for success in the field of social work include empathy, strong communication skills, cultural competence, and resilience. Empathy enables social workers to connect with clients on a deeper level, while effective communication fosters trust and collaboration. Cultural competence and resilience are vital for navigating diverse situations and handling the emotional demands of the profession.
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