Social Workers Matter | Podcast Guru

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Welcome to Social Workers Matter with Dr Sylvia Smith, where we explore the realities and celebrate the successes of social work practice, management and education. A few words from Dr. Sylvia on her background and Social Workers Matter I began my social work career at 16yrs old when I embarked on my first training course in social care. I now have over 35yrs of experience in social work; practice, leadership/management and education. Bringing a wealth of knowledge, skills and passion to my work and I want to convey these attributes in my Social Workers Matter podcast. I am passionate about 'reclaiming social work' and will be exploring the realities and celebrating the successes in this profession. I invite you to join my guests and me for insightful discussions, sharing of professional experiences and much, much wisdom in all things social work. If you're thinking about joining the profession, are newly qualified practitioners or a seasoned professional, this podcast is for you.

Recent Episodes

Complexity of Mother - Daughter Relationship

Social Workers Matter - Episode Notes Content Warning This episode contains honest, detailed discussion of childhood emotional neglect and physical abuse, and touches on pregnancy loss by choice. Karen's story is raw and, at times, harrowing. This is not easy listening. Please take care while listening, and consider whether now is the right time for you - it's absolutely fine to pause or come back to it when you're ready. Episode Summary In this deeply personal conversation, Karen s...

57 MIN

A Tribute To Professor Jason Arday & Caring Is Not The Same As Thinking

This episode opens differently. Before anything else, I pause to pay tribute to Professor Jason Arday, the youngest Black professor in Cambridge's history, who died after years of sustained public scrutiny. It's a moment to name a name, honour a life, and reflect on the particular weight carried by those who rise while being watched for a mistake. From there, the episode moves into a solo adaptation of the presentation I delivered for SCAPA, "Why Policies Fail Without Reflective Practice." Dr...

20 MIN

Emotional healing, self discovery and connecting with the inner child

In this episode, I sit down with Veronica Xavier-Leigh — author of The Mountain Beneath the Carpet: Healing the Little Child Hidden Within Us — for one of the most profound conversations we've had on the podcast. Together we explore: Emotional Suppression and Childhood TraumaChildhood Trauma and Adult BehaviourListening to the Inner ChildPattern of Controlling RelationshipsPersonal Healing JourneyFaith Journey TransitionSelf-Healing for Helping ProfessionalsUpcoming BookVeronica is open...

56 MIN

Bringing Yourself: Use of Self in Social Work Practice - Solo Drop

I've been away from this space longer than planned. Life and loss asked something of me that I needed to honour first. I'm back. And the episode I'm returning with feels right. This is a solo episode. Personal. Reflective. And I hope, useful. I talk about a period in my career when I became the kind of manager I wouldn't have wanted for myself, not because I didn't care, but because nobody had given me the tools to lead differently. I talk about what use of self actually means in pr...

15 MIN

Lifting as You Climb - Odeth Richardson

Lifting as you climb: a conversation with Odeth Richardson Head of Service for Occupational Therapy, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust & Chair, Royal College of Occupational Therapists What does it look like to lead with purpose, replenish yourself honestly, and commit to leaving a profession better than you found it? In this episode of Social Workers Matter, Sylvia sits down with the remarkable Odeth Richardson, a trailblazing occupational therapist, published poet, and senior lea...

38 MIN