School workers play a vital role in the lives of American school children. A new book, The Art of Becoming Indispensable: What School Social Workers Need to Know in Their First Three Years of Practice, by Oxford University Press is designed to help the new school social worker adapt to and thrive within the school context.
Two field faculty associates: Katie Larsen-Klodd, MSSW and Jenny Braunginn, MSSW, CISW co-authored a chapter, entitled, “Self-Care and Self-Advocacy: Keeping Cool While Increasing Engagement.” The chapter, “explores the art and necessity of self-care for the school social workers and provides basic information about workplace stress, tools for quality-of-life assessment, and strategies to build immediate and long-term self-care routines,” according to the publisher.
The book, divided into four sections: The Host Environment; The Macro School Social Worker; Integration and Intervention; and School Social Worker Sustainability, offers insights for new social workers to become proficient professionals in school settings.
The book was recently selected by the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) for a 2022 Book Award and will be recognized at their national conference in April. Jenny Braunginn will also present the chapter at the conference. Her travel was funded thanks to the Rosemarie Carbino Fund at the school.