Social Work Month Highlight
Meet Javin Hintz (he/they), MSW, LCSW, LICSW
Hi There! I’m Javin Hintz (he/they), MSW, LCSW, LICSW. I graduated from the UW-Madison School of Social Work Part-Time Program in 2016. It seems like only yesterday that, my carpool pals (pre-pandemic here) and I traveled to Eau Claire every Saturday for a day of connecting and learning…where has the time gone? While enrolled in the program, I participated on a few student panels and have had the honor of being a guest speaker in the program on a few occasions since graduation. What drew me to social work in the first place was the incredible flexibility of the profession.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve in a variety of settings working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness, homeless youth, LGBTQIA+ folks, survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence, and have engaged in grief/loss/trauma work on a broader scale for several years. Throughout all these areas, I noticed threads of humanity related to sex and sexuality, an integral part of our existence and how we interact with the world around us. I believe sex and sexuality should not only be normalized but explored and celebrated with the intricacies that show up in unique ways. Unfortunately, I also realized that this is an area that often goes without acknowledgement or exploration, many times because of discomfort with the topic from providers. With this realization and desire to support my clients and the community in more meaningful ways, I decided to pursue my PhD in Clinical Sexology. Along this incredible journey, yes, I am still enrolled as a PhD student, I decided to transition to private practice as well. Opening my own practice was such a difficult decision because I absolutely loved my previous organization and the team I supervised.
One thing I have learned in social work is the value and importance of self-care and the responsibility to model it for those around us. So, I took the leap into private practice in effort to deepen myself into the world of sexual wellness, better care for myself, my family, and developing my plan of continued growth as, “I’m bringing sexy back.” Another valuable aspect that I carry with me is the value of relationships among colleagues that extend beyond graduate school. These relationships have played a critical role in my own growth as a person, a professional, but also has been a launching pad for change across systems and communities. So, in the end, I give an important reminder to find your people, stay connected, and carry on because the work can feel lonely at times, but you are never alone.
Thank you Javin for all your contributions to the social work profession and for allowing UW- Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work to highlight you!
Thanks to Michelle Helmer, MSW, LGSW, Eau Claire Site Director, Part-Time MSW Program for organizing this series celebrating social workers!