Rena Gower, LCSW
An estimated 8% to 12% of reproductive-aged people globally have infertility issues.
Those in a partnered relationship will have a different psychological experience during this process, according to a story posted at Well + Good.
“In the case of a heterosexual relationship, one person is using their body and experiencing the physical stress that comes with infertility and infertility treatments, while the other person may be watching their partner suffer or feeling helpless as to how to make things better,” says Rena Gower, LCSW, an NASW member and infertility counselor.
The only thing more difficult than navigating a stressful experience is navigating it alone, the story says.
“It’s so important to gather a few loved ones in your corner who can support and nurture you throughout this journey,” Gower says in the article. “The hardest part is making the ‘ask ’— but doing so can make a huge difference in your ability to cope with the process."
Claudia Rodriguez Kypuros
Between the late-night study sessions and the early morning cramming, finals can take a toll on the health and well-being of students.
The Trinitonian, an independent, student-run newspaper at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, spoke with NASW member Claudia Rodriguez Kypuros about how to handle the stress of finals season.
Kypuros, who is a clinical social worker at Trinity Counseling Services, shared these suggestions in the article:
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Acknowledge how you feel.
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Take care of your basic needs.
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Make sure that you get rest, drink water and eat.
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Give yourself permission to take a break.
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Practice healthy boundaries.
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Be OK with saying “no.”
Setting boundaries protects us and the people around us. If you are committed to studying for four hours and someone asks you to hang out, be OK with setting boundaries and saying “no” or “not right now,” she says. Know that this is temporary. Finals are temporary. Time is brief, and it will pass.
Joshua Davis
Growing up as a military child influenced U.S. Army Maj. Joshua Davis’ decision to serve, but it was ultimately his father’s service to others that led to his commitment to helping others, says a story posted at Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
“As the son of an Army physician, I learned to appreciate and love service to those who have served,” says Davis, an NASW member. Those values helped Davis decide to become an Army social worker — the best decision he’s ever made, he said.
“I became a licensed clinical social worker to help and serve those who chose to serve,” Davis said. “After 10 years, I’m still in the Army and I can’t imagine life without those choices. I chose to be a social worker because
I always knew I wanted to help people.”
Davis said awareness of mental health issues in society and the Army are some of the reasons he enjoys his job and why it matters. He hopes to use his skills to help others heal from the trauma of war, the story says.
Donna Oriowo
“If self-care is about what you do for yourself, then community care is what you put into and what you are able to receive from the community you have built around yourself, as well as the community you live in,” says NASW member Donna Oriowo, PhD, LICSW, therapist, author and licensed independent clinical social worker.
Oriowo shared these thoughts in a Livestrong article about the benefits of community care.
“Self-care and community care are very much linked,” Oriowo says. “There is only so far self-care can go without a community around you to help support you in the moments when you may not be at your best. True self-care does not look like the hyper-individualism we have been taught.”
In other words, the article says, there’s no community care versus self-care: Rather, the two complement each other, and both are necessary for individual and collective well-being.