InDepth / SMITH School COLLEGE Works / SCHOOL FOR SO CIAL WORK
SPRING 2017
IN THI S I SSU E SUPPORTING REFUGEES POST-ELECTION RESPONSE DIALOGUES IN UGANDA
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SSW community members join women’s marches nationwide. Here, a protester in Boston on January 21, 2017. More on page 28.
InDepth is published by the Smith College School for Social Work. Its goal is to connect our school community, celebrate recent accomplishments and capture the research and scholarship at the School for Social Work.
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As construction begins on Maya Lin’s reimagined Neilson, resources and alternate study space are in place for SSW students.
MANAGING EDITOR
Myrna Flynn DESIGN
Lilly Pereira Maureen Scanlon Murre Creative CONTRIBUTORS
Dawn Faucher Myrna Flynn Patricia Gilbert Dane Kuttler Laurie Loisel Tynan Power Megan Rubiner Zinn Katharine Whittemore PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Shana Sureck
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AND ALUMNI UPDATES CAN BE SENT TO:
InDepth Managing Editor Smith College School for Social Work Lilly Hall Northampton, MA 01063 413-585-7950 indepth@smith.edu ©2017
InDepth SMI TH COLLEGE SCHOOL FOR SOCIAL WORK
SPRING 2017
F EAT U RE S
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A Welcome Refuge
SSW partners with Catholic Charities and area social workers to provide resettlement support and services to arriving refugee families.
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Taking Care of Moms FO LLOW US O N :
Facebook facebook.com/ smithcollegessw Twitter twitter.com/ smithcollegessw Instagram instagram.com/ smithcollegessw YouTube bit.ly/SSWYouTube
After conducting years of postpartum depression research, Associate Dean Peggy O’Neill finds screening, treatment and support for new mothers is increasing—with outstanding results.
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Marching Forward
From nationwide rallies to a course on a Trump presidency, SSW community members react to a new era.
DE PA RT M E NTS
02 From the Dean A note from Marianne Yoshioka
03 SSWorks School News + Updates Faculty Notes Student Focus
33 Alumni News Alumni Desk Day-Garrett Winners Alumni Lives In Memoriam Obituaries Alumni Profile
48 Post Script An End Note
O N T H E COV E R
SSW faculty partner with local agencies to support arriving refugee families like Jasimiyah Hussein and her sons. Photo by Shana Sureck.
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M ARIAN NE R .M . Y OSH IOK A, M .S.W., PH .D .
Grounded for Tomorrow The best clinical social workers inform their practice with multiple theories and approaches. This is what we want for our students.
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The spring is always an exciting time at the School for Social Work as we prepare for another summer session. This year seems especially dynamic as SSW, like so many institutions, continues to experience a period of rapid evolution. National shifts in demographics and trends that impact student populations, as well as our profession’s labor demands, initiated broad change. Internally, we have succeeded in bringing greater diversity to our student body and instructor ranks, bolstering our community. As the School evolves, I am commonly asked about how our priorities may be shifting. Some wonder whether we are moving away from our clinical focus and becoming a social justice institution. Others ask if we will commit to teaching psychodynamic theory in a practice world that demands science-based intervention. Passion can run deep among Smithies! We are and will always be a school focused on clinical social work with an anti-racism lens. The practice of leading-edge clinical social work is inextricably linked to larger structural frameworks of oppression. The best clinical social workers are able to bring both an individual and structural perspective to every client situation. This is what our students graduate with, and it sets them, and us, apart. It is our strength. The realities of agency-based practice and third party payers require social workers to be facile with a wide range of treatment modalities and models. Evidence-based models are important and effective. It is foolhardy to believe that they are inferior to dynamic models of practice. The sophistication of these models and their demonstrated
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effectiveness is the reason why the National Institutes of Health have invested so heavily in them. Within this environment, as a leading clinical school, we maintain our commitment to relationally-based practice. These are not common words. Psychodynamic theories are part of the Smith tradition; we cannot deny that they provide necessary scaffolding for effective client work. They remain a part of our program because we value their contribution. Our curriculum must broaden responsibly beyond dynamic theories to include other equally valued clinical and social theories. In fact, we have always done this. The difference now is that we will present this content in new and different ways. The best clinical social workers inform their practice with multiple theories and approaches. This is what we want for our students. The faculty and I continue to engage in invigorating discussions about how we envision excellence in clinical social work. It is this level of engagement that makes the School so special. Finally, two updates. This spring marks the end of the research thesis as a mandatory requirement within the M.S.W. program. The decision to eliminate the thesis was a difficult one, but we are confident it serves our students’ best interests. Watch for information on a series of events we have created to mark this historic moment. Please save the date for the School’s centennial celebration on June 28– July 1, 2018, a reunion weekend that will be filled with learning, laughing and surprises. Plan to join us to reconnect with our passionate community. ◆
SSWorks News from Lilly Hall IN THIS SECTION
SCHOOL NEWS FACULTY NOTES STUDENT FOCUS
Women in Northern Uganda engage in dialogue groups facilitated by Professor Joanne Corbin. More on page 9.
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A New Chapter Neilson Library Renovation
Members of the College community get their first look at designs of the “new� Neilson library. In the foreground, a model depicts the site as imagined by designer Maya Lin, above. LEARN MORE about the library renovation at smith.edu/libraries.
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While famed designer Maya Lin planned the $100 million William Allan Neilson Library renovation project, teams of faculty, staff and administrators developed plans to ensure the campus community efficiently accesses needed resources during the period Neilson is unavailable. Neilson will close after the spring academic term, with its entire 54-person staff and holdings moving elsewhere on campus and off. Also relocating: places to study, alone and with others.
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As a house of learning and knowledge, the library must act as a space that helps knit together the community and the campus in a way that is respectful of the existing landscape, and yet talks to us of our new century. —MAYA LIN
Library Dean Susan Fliss described the considerable efforts underway to ensure SSW students have their library needs met during the Neilson closure. For the 2017 summer term, she explained, faculty will supply their reading lists well in advance, so those resources can be on reserve at the Young Library, in Bass Hall, when students arrive. While the majority of Neilson staff will move to Young, Neilson books will go to a library annex in Hatfield, where many staff will also work. Via the online catalogue, students will be able to order books to be delivered to Young. Books that are checked out or that are not available through the five colleges can be requested through interlibrary loan. The SSW community relies heavily on e-books, in part because they are
especially handy when students are in the field. “We already have an extensive e-book collection, and we intend to keep building it,” Fliss said. In addition, SSW classes often use online journal articles in order to work with the most current practice theory—and those resources, of course, are not affected by the Neilson project. To replace study areas, there are designated spaces in the Young, Josten and Hillyer libraries. And new work spaces are being created, including refurbishing the atrium at Hillyer; new areas in the residence halls and other repurposed spaces are still in the planning stages. To help students find these alcoves, a digital app will be piloted with SSW students. Lin has a longstanding affection for Smith. Her late mother, Julia Chang Lin, graduated from Smith in 1951 after fleeing China in 1949. When a committee began to invite firms to submit proposals, President Kathleen McCartney suggested they include the New York City-based Maya Lin Studio. Lin is working with Shepley Bulfinch, a women-owned design firm with vast experience designing college libraries, which has been helping Smith plan for the Neilson redesign since 2010. Lin’s design aims to preserve the core of the library but remove or alter some of the additions and change the building’s relationship to its surroundings. Lin came to fame while an undergraduate at Yale University in 1981, when she was selected from a field of 1,441 designers to create the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, now an iconic structure of black cut-stone granite. The V-shaped wall bears the names of 57,661 soldiers who died in the war. The new Neilson will open in 2020. —Laurie Loisel
Continuity + Progress Lewis-Kulin leads the way After the retirement of longtime Director of Field Education Carolyn du Bois, the depart ment is prepared to move ahead under interim leadership from Katelin Lewis-Kulin, who served previously as associate director. A 2000 graduate of SSW’s M.S.W. program, Lewis-Kulin remained closely affiliated with her alma mater as director of field training in California, a role through which she discovered her love of mentoring emerging social workers. Professionally, she worked for more than a decade as director of adult outpatient behavioral health services in a San Francisco hospital. She also ran a thriving private practice in the Bay Area. When asked to step up as interim direc tor, Lewis-Kulin didn’t hesitate; she sees the role as critical to ensuring a smooth transi tion for the benefit of the students. Changes in the works under the direc tion of du Bois have continued since her departure, Lewis-Kulin said. Those include developing curriculum for new, integrated and required field seminars and hiring new instructors. In addition, Lewis-Kulin aims to increase partners in field education. Though the search is underway for a new director, Lewis-Kulin and her colleagues welcomed a new colleague to support the field office during its transition. “We are delighted to have adjunct faculty and faculty field advisor Martha Reeves join the field team in the role of interim associate field director,” Lewis-Kulin said. “Martha has already been instrumental in establishing employment-based field internships and creating new affiliations with agencies on both coasts.” Lewis-Kulin said she expects to see the search for a permanent director of field education conclude by the time students arrive for the summer. —Laurie Loisel
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Enroue Halfkenny and Mamta Dadlani provide support for SSW students throughout their time in the School’s graduate and doctoral programs.
Sotomayor Fellowship Program expands to further support the Community In an effort to better support the school community around issues of racism and social oppression, SSW has expanded its Marta Sotomayor Fellowship. This program has existed for many years but has been available only in the summer terms. As of fall 2016, fellows are available to the community year-round to provide assistance throughout field education terms. Originally called the Bertha Capen Reynolds Fellowship, the program was renamed several years ago to honor distinguished alumna Marta Sotomayor. (See article on page 7.) Fellows serve as confidential consultants and ombuds to the SSW community regarding issues of race and racism, gender and abilities in the context of field education and the classroom learning. With this new expansion, three fellows will be located in different regions of the country. In the summer of 2016, Mamta Dadlani, Ph.D. was the first fellow tapped by SSW and has been serving as lead fellow since October. Dadlani is a clinical psychologist in private practice in —MAMTA DADLANI Berkeley, Calif. and an adjunct faculty member. She is also a Scholar of Multicultural Concerns in the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association. The second fellow, Enroue Halfkenny, M.S.W., began his tenure in November 2016. Halfkenny, who has had a lifelong dedication to social justice activism, is also a graduate of Smith’s M.S.W. program and is in private practice in New Haven, Conn. He taught as an adjunct faculty member in the summers of 2014 and 2015 and is currently a community practice project adviser.
The School decided to expand the Sotomayor Fellowship after conversations last summer revealed that students would benefit from an additional program resource throughout the year, in case issues of social identity, power or privilege emerge and impact some aspect of students’ academic progress. The expansion provides students year-round access to a confidential resource, should they have questions about how to address an interaction or set of events, whether in the classroom, on campus or at the field site, that prompts them to wonder if some dynamic of social oppression is at play. Dadlani brings to the fellowship not only her experience as a practitioner and instructor, but extensive experience in outreach-based work as well. She has also found that, as a person of color in academia, she can be a role model for students and can understand and speak to issues from a variety of perspectives. “Being a woman of color with multiple identities has helped me learn how to code switch, but in an authentic way, and to bring myself forward confidently and name things that are difficult to name.” Enroue Halfkenny has found that his role as a fellow has dovetailed with his priorities in private practice— social justice work, spiritual and mental health and engaging with organizations and agencies for positive change. “While the fellowship is grounded in issues of race, gender identity and ability,” he observes, “it is really overall about equity and justice.” Halfkenny says he is providing a space to listen. “It’s like having two people think about one person—not in a therapeutic way and not in an organizing way, but just accompanying them and giving them support as they determine what they need,” he said. According to Dean Marianne Yoshioka, the School will add a third fellow soon, and she hopes that more faculty and advisers will take advantage of the fellows’ support. In her view, this will not only help them personally and professionally but will help bring more accountability to SSW. “I want this to be a resource that helps us truly infuse the anti-racism commitment into all areas of our work; to help us learn how to live this commitment in very concrete and specific ways.” —Megan Rubiner Zinn
Being a woman of color with multiple identities has helped me learn how to code switch, but in an authentic way, and to bring myself forward confidently and name things that are difficult to name.
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ABOUT MARTA SOTOMAYOR The Sotomayor Fellowship is named for Marta Sotomayor, one of the School’s most distinguished alumnae. Sotomayor, M.S.W. ’60, became the first Latina in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in social work. During her impressive career, she served as president and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging and as senior policy adviser to the Secretary’s Task Force on Minority Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). She advocated fiercely and effectively for the needs of Latino communities across the U.S. and was an eloquent and powerful force for social justice. In 2008, the School awarded her the Day-Garrett Award for her outstanding contributions to professional social work and the SSW educational community. While her accomplishments more than speak for themselves, her granddaughter, Lariss Maldonado shared some memories of her grandmother. “We called her Gramma,” Maldonado wrote in an email interview with InDepth. “I was pretty close with her growing up, and I spent some school breaks with her and lived with her for a while in high school. My brother, Joven Schlatter, also lived with her for several years when he was finishing high school. As a child, Gramma was sort of a mystical character to me, we would visit her in Washington, D.C. on the holidays, and the whole experience felt like going to another world.” Sotomayor traveled extensively throughout her career, for fellowships, research and speaking engagements. Maldonado described her grandmother as a talented storyteller who spoke of her travels in such detail that Maldonado felt she herself had been there. “I remember her telling stories about visiting Istanbul and the Grand Bazaar. I had these visions of the metal lanterns with colored glass, mounds of gooey baklava, and calls from merchants to drink tea and see their rugs. I felt like I took each step with her. Gramma’s house was like a museum, with trinkets and art she collected from her travels. It was pretty amazing and helped bring her stories to life. When I finally visited as an adult, it all felt so familiar.” “She inspired me to travel and live abroad and helped me imagine things I never would have known growing up in my small town in South Texas. She was very invested in sharing the world with me. She got me a subscription to National Geographic and would often mail me articles she cut out of newspapers and magazines,” Maldonado added. Maldonado thinks her grandmother would have had an additional message for the recipients of her namesake fellowship. (See article on page 6.) “Travel! Exposing yourself to different experiences, cultures, values and ways of thinking is central to compassion and understanding. She cared deeply for the disadvantaged and for people who did not have a voice and wanted to empower them to find their voice, be it through her advocacy or through her leadership and mentorship.”
—Dane Kuttler
The Innovation Challenge Two Proposals Win Grant Funding Last fall, in an effort to implement part of the College’s new strategic plan, President McCartney invited members of the Smith College community to participate in a unique funding competition: the Innovation Challenge: Advancing Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. The School for Social Work is proud to announce that two of the eleven winning proposals were submitted by our creative and dedicated team members. Psychosocial Capacity Building with Local Refugees Reflecting the SSW’s anti-racism commitment and their experience working with refugees and immigrants, Professor Josh Miller and his colleagues will use their Innovation Grant to train others who will engage with and help to resettle refugees. Transgender & Gender Nonconforming Affirmative Mental Health Care Education Resources Associate Dean Peggy O’Neill and Tobias Davis, assistant director of continuing education, will use their grant funding to build a video-based online curriculum to educate social workers about how to best serve transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. —Myrna Flynn
SPOKEN WORD
“ Social workers must work with competency and integrity in support of the dignity and worth of each person, affirming the importance of relationships—the person-to-person life of service to support social justice.” JIM DRISKO, PH.D. , SSW professor, 2015 recipient of the Smith College Charis Medal.
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Faculty Notes Recent news and accomplishments
School’s Vision Guided du Bois through Changing Times
For more than two decades during which Carolyn du Bois shepherded Smith College School for Social Work’s field education program, social and political changes rocked the world of clinical social work and society at large. Under the guidance of du Bois, the field component, the cornerstone of SSW social worker training, evolved to meet changing needs. Du Bois retired from her position as the director of field education in January, although she is continuing with her long-standing clinical practice in Northampton and will continue to teach clinical practice as an SSW adjunct faculty member. Included in the activities she looks forward to pursuing in the time semi-retirement provides is her work with the refugee resettlement efforts in the Northampton area. But on an unseasonably warm day in December, du Bois, 64, sat down for an interview in her cozy Lilly Hall office overlooking Green Street and a Smith residence hall. She reflected on her long tenure running the field program for her alma mater. She graduated from Smith’s social work school in 1976. “I entered the field during the heyday of community mental health,” she said, noting in that era a wide range of services were available to clients within their home communities, and that people didn’t necessarily have to be in “dire straits” before they were able to access care. After graduating from Smith, du Bois accepted a position at Clifford Beers Child Guidance Clinic in New Haven, Conn., where she worked with inner city children and families and began supervising Smith interns. In 1979, du Bois moved to the University of Massachusetts Mental Health Center, where she worked with college-aged youth and served as the coordinator of social work training as well as of
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child and family services. In 1985, du Bois began teaching clinical practice at Smith and by 1989 signed on as assistant director of field education under the administration of then-director Susan Donner. In 1997, du Bois was named director. The mandate for Smith’s Office of Field Education is clear, its scope large. Field internships give SSW students real-world clinical experiences, during which they apply what they have learned in their summer coursework. The program serves every student in the School and, at any given time, there are 250 students in the field, working in 225 agencies in 16 different states and Canada. Du Bois worked with a full-time associate director, half-time associate director and a cadre of 48 faculty field advisers. “I think her job is about the hardest in the school, maybe second to being dean, and she has stuck with it,” said Donner, professor emerita and former longtime administrator at the school. “She really gave her heart and soul.” Smith’s singular focus on clinical work is supported by field internships, which engage students in doing clinical work as early as possible in their training—and a lot of it. While the Council of Social Work Education, the accrediting body for schools of social work, requires students to complete a minimum of 900 hours of field-based learning, Smith students spend 1,920 hours on field work in clinical settings during their time in the School’s M.S.W. program. After spending the summer on the Smith campus engaged in a rigorous academic program, SSW students are placed around the country in clinically-focused field internships, where they work 30 hours a week over the course of eight-month internships. Among the internships du Bois initiated in recent years are those that integrate the social justice focus that is a hallmark of the SSW educational
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experience. These include agencies dedicated to outreach work and programs for individuals involved in the criminal justice system as well as for the children and families of those individuals. When scouting new sites, du Bois said, she aimed to find programs that worked with underserved populations. An internship site where Smith students work with children and their incarcerated parents at the point at which the parents are transferred from jail to state prison is an example. “I’ve wanted to expand our outreach, because what determines whether a person with mental health or substance abuse issues ends up in the criminal justice system versus a hospital or treatment facility is often a function of money, race and access to resources,” she said. Du Bois believes that keeping a laser focus on clinical social work training has been among the greatest achievements over her nearly fourdecade career. Field education, she noted, is key to that evolution for all Smith students. “So much learning happens in the field,” said Peggy O’Neill, associate dean for academic affairs. She said du Bois was successful at building partnerships with a wide range of agencies that provide clinical care in diverse settings.
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I hope I’ve managed, in the midst of changing times, changing realities, changing economic forces, to help students be the finest clinical social workers they can be.”
“She distinguished herself in many ways by holding and believing strongly in clinical social work education in the field, and she cultivated relationships with supervisors, faculty field advisers and agencies to create a network of support and education for our students of the highest order.” O’Neill called du Bois a woman of great integrity and a big heart. “She poured herself into her role,” said O’Neill. Du Bois said that, throughout her tenure, “I worked hard to integrate theoretical frameworks with agencybased practice.” Students are expected, for example, to prepare field case studies that are tracked and recorded for later use in a classroom. “We have a responsive curriculum, so the reality of clinical practice gets fed back in; they are teaching from case materials done by our students in the field,” du Bois said of SSW faculty. Today’s social workers face a much different reality than she did when entering the field in the 1970s, du Bois noted. “Forty years later, the folks being seen in clinical settings have oftentimes struggled for a very long time with significant mental health issues, substance abuse, massive trauma,” she said. This different reality means clinicians-in-training face highly complicated clinical issues very early in their time in the field.
“Students are going into the agencies and working with serious psychosocial problems right out of the gate,” she said. Cognizant of that reality, the School has also taken steps to bolster its support of students in increasingly stressed field agencies. “As agencies are under more pressure, it’s gotten harder for many to offer the kinds of didactic training that they used to be able to provide,” said du Bois. In response, Smith has turned what were once optional seminars for students during their field internships into required, credit-bearing courses taught by a cadre of clinicians around the country. These seminars, she said, serve as a bridge between students’ intensive summer academic work and their work in their field internships during the rest of the year. “The seminars are designed to help link the theory they get in the summer to their practice,” she said. For first-year students, the seminars address questions such as how to get started in an agency, how to establish a professional identity, how to link theory to practice and how to make effective use of supervision. For second-year students, the seminars are more closely focused on case study analysis. Donner said bringing students’ practice experiences back into the classroom and ensuring that SSW field internships are in both cutting-edge and relevant social work programs have been legacies of du Bois’ tenure. “She did an excellent job of having the School expand to new and different types of agencies,” said Donner. “She always really cared about the nature of students’ education. That was always front and center: ‘What are the students getting?’” “I hope I’ve managed, in the midst of changing times, changing practice realities, changing economic forces, to maintain an absolute commitment to the practice of clinical social work,” du
Bois said. “And to help students be the finest clinical social workers they can be.”—Laurie Loisel Corbin Applies Ugandan Research to Student Learning
Throughout her tenure at SSW, Professor Joanne Corbin’s research has addressed what seem to be disparate concerns and populations: the education of social workers in the U.S. and the experiences of Ugandans displaced by decades of violence. Regardless of the nature of her research, Corbin’s goal has been to use it to enhance the wisdom of Smith students. “I bring experiences to the classroom through my research or related articles. Students reflect on the application of theory or research methods, and this helps them think about how to work in culturally respectful and responsive ways with diverse populations.” Corbin’s longtime work has centered around the lives of Northern Ugandan women and children, specifically the effects of armed conflict and displacement and the resulting social, cultural and economic roles and responsibilities of the women. Corbin, who currently co-directs the Ph.D. program and teaches research methods, came to Smith from the Yale Child Study Center in 2000. In 2005, then SSW Dean Carolyn Jacobs, knowing of Corbin’s interest in mental health issues in Africa, approached her about pursuing research on children involved in armed conflict there. Corbin chose to go to Uganda, where approximately 30,000 children and adolescents who had been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army were being returned to their communities. It was the healing from such trauma, along with reintegration into their families, that Corbin studied—the findings she shared with her students.
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projects and officially registered their groups with the local government. Corbin returned to Uganda in January. With the first round of dialogue groups completed, she is now working with participants to evaluate the process, the structure of the groups and determine next steps. —Megan Rubiner Zinn A Career of “Healthy Curiosity,” Professor Joyce Everett Retires
Over the last several months, Corbin’s research intensified and evolved, as she interviewed women who had been affected by 20 years of violence, living for long periods in Internally Displaced Persons Camps. Family and institutional structures had been thoroughly disrupted, and the women’s roles in their families and communities changed significantly. Many had lost husbands to violence, disease and, in some cases, other families, and had become the heads of their households. They had dependents to provide for, and were, in most cases, land insecure, which limited their access to food and shelter. Rather than limit her involvement to that of a researcher, Corbin began working with the women to develop an intervention, generated and sustained from within, to address the social and economic changes they experienced and to re-establish community structures. Together, she and the participants designed what she calls “dialogue groups.” These groups, which began meeting in May 2016, include up to 20 men and women who meet for monthly discussions led by a locally-based facilitator. Topics have included respect, communication, relationships and marriages, domestic violence and women’s access to land. Back on campus, Corbin kept in regular communication with the facilitators, and the results defied her expectations: participants have taken ownership of the process, adapted the groups to fit their needs and engage in difficult conversations. Some have even devised income-generating
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A 2015 talk in the Smith School for Social Work Public Lecture Series provided the spark for Professor Joyce Everett’s most recent research, but in many ways, the project is an extension of her life’s work. Law professor Carmen G. Gonzalez lectured on her book Presumed Incompetent: The Intersections of Race and Class for Women in Academia. In hearing Gonzalez talk specifically about experiences of faculty of color in law schools, Everett hit upon her next area of research. She would study the experiences of faculty of color in schools of social work, microaggressions and their relationship to self-efficacy and mentoring. Everett said her goal was to answer the question of whether mentoring mediated the effect of microaggressions and improved self-efficacy. In a December interview at her home near the foot of Mount Tom in Holyoke, Everett said she was just beginning to analyze the data, so it was too early to offer any conclusions. But she talked about other research
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she’s conducted over the course of her three-decade career, and the ways her research topics are interrelated. Recruited to teach policy and research at SSW, Everett served for about 10 years as co-director of the School’s doctoral program and now teaches some of its courses. Her specialty is policy, though she also offers courses on research methods and teaching. She said while she found Gonzalez’ work thought-provoking, she was even more intrigued by the fact that, though there were articles written about the experiences of people of color in law school, very little had been published about faculty of color in social work schools. The last study she could find dated back to the 1970s. To remedy that, during her recent sabbatical, Everett and Ann Marie Garran, a faculty member at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, got to work. They prepared a list of 110 questions and sent the survey to faculty of color in 254 accredited schools of social work. They received 174 completed surveys, a 10 percent response rate. Everett said she hopes to increase future response rates. Conducting research to better understand the experiences of under-studied populations has been a theme throughout Everett’s career. Early on, she studied kinship care and the experiences of family members fostering other family members’ children. That work resulted in Child Welfare: An Africentric Perspective, which she wrote with Bogart Leashore and Sandra Chipungu in 1994 and
Her work has tended to center on populations for whom there is a dearth of data and a resulting lack of attention.
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2004. Everett’s research suggests that policies that may work for white children often don’t work as well for African American children; considering family life from an African American perspective, she believes, leads to child welfare practices that will improve outcomes for African American children. Five years ago, Everett conducted research on another topic that had not been studied in depth since the 1970s: black women, stress and coping. Working with former doctoral students J. Camille Hall and Johnnie Hamilton-Mason, who are now on the faculty at the University of Tennessee and Simmons College, respectively, their findings suggested that major stressors were family needs and traumas. This differed from the earlier study, which indicated that the major stress points for African American women were financial. Building on that study, Everett later looked at the experiences of African American women and workplace stress. Working with two of her doctoral students, Laverne Marks and Jean-Clark Mitchell, she also researched relationships of African American mothers and daughters and the connection between self-esteem, resilience and coping. The commonality in all of Everett’s topics, she noted, is that they had been largely neglected. Her work has tended to center on populations for whom there is a dearth of data and a resulting lack of attention in terms of evidence-based policy development. “Usually when you’re doing research, you’re motivated by something you’ve experienced,” she said. “In my case, it’s not always that I’ve experienced it, but I have a healthy curiosity about it.” In May, Everett will retire from her full-time role at SSW. She will continue to advise doctoral students, chair dissertation committees and will become the editor of Smith College Studies in Social Work. When asked to summarize her career at SSW, Everett said, “I have been honored to work with the faculty and to have advised and taught many bright, committed and devoted
students at the School. I am proud of the small contributions I have made to the program and the College.” —Laurie Loisel Professor Dennis Miehls Retires
After an association with the Smith College School for Social Work that stretched back to the 1980s, Professor Dennis Miehls retired from teaching in January. Miehls joined the Smith community when he earned his doctorate at the School, began as an adjunct professor in 1994 and became a resident faculty member in 2000. Inspired to enter the field after working in a children’s psychiatric hospital, Miehls discovered a particular interest in treating emotionally disturbed adolescents. Two faculty members in his M.S.W. program were SSW graduates, and their mentorship inspired him to pursue his doctorate there. He returned to Smith to teach, drawn particularly by the School’s psychodynamic theory foundation and the opportunities it afforded to teach both practice and theory courses. During his tenure at Smith, Miehls impacted the School’s curriculum in a number of ways. After developing an interest in neurobiology and the ways it interfaces with clinical practice, he introduced the subject into the curriculum. Miehls brought a passion for working with trauma survivors to the curriculum as well, broadening the application of trauma theory to clinical practice courses. Additionally, he worked to further embed the School’s anti-racism and anti-oppression missions into practice courses. Regardless of the subject, Miehls’ priority as an educator was to instill in his students a respect for their clients. “I hope they graduate with an appreciation of the inherent dignity and self-worth of the clients they are serving; that they have a respect for the multiplicity of mental health issues that our clients face and a recognition of their strengths as well.” Beyond teaching and advising, Miehls’ service to SSW included chairing the Human Behavior and Social Environment sequence, serving as faculty liaison to the Anti-Racism
Task Force, co-chairing the School’s accreditation process with Professor Joanne Corbin and editing Smith College Studies in Social Work. A prolific author, Miehls has also published broadly in the areas of relational theory, individual and couples therapy, supervision, neurobiology, social work identity and issues of racism and clinical practice. David Byers, one of Miehls’ former doctoral students, described the broad impact that Miehls had on him
as a student and on the field of social work as a whole. “Dr. Miehls is a true scholar-practitioner, which I think is why his writing is so clear and remarkably useful to clinicians in the field. I remember first reading his work on trauma and reflexivity as an M.S.W. student.” Byers continued, saying “When I later trained to be a clinical supervisor, his writings on relational supervision were the central texts. He was my adviser in the field, chair of my dissertation and he supervised my teaching. He will be impossible to replace.” While teaching at SSW, Miehls also maintained a private practice in Northampton, specializing in working with trauma survivors, couples therapy and men who were bullied as children. He will continue to practice after his retirement from the School, to provide supervision for other clinicians and to serve as a consultant for fellow practitioners. He’s looking forward to a different pace to his work and the opportunity to enjoy more leisure activities and quieter summers. —Megan Rubiner Zinn
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GaBrilla Ballard will complete her M.S.W. this August and graduate with her classmates on Friday, August 18.
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BY DANE KUTTLER
Rising Star Morningstar Scholarship Recipient GaBrilla Ballard After years as an interdisciplinary artist working in music, visual art, writing and performance, GaBrilla Ballard began reading clinical texts in an attempt to integrate the worlds of clinical social work and the arts. She was sure that applying to the School for Social Work was the right next step toward creating the change she wanted to enact in the world. She knew that the costs of graduate school would be significant—a hardship, even. But Ballard was convinced that the investment would be worth it. She was thrilled when the fat envelope arrived. A notice about the Morningstar Scholarship caught her eye. She hadn’t applied for any scholarships; she hadn’t even known there were any to apply for. And then she read the description: “The Morningstar Scholarship recognizes a dedicated candidate committed to populations to whom social work is committed and has exceptional potential to contribute to the social work profession. The scholarship covers all tuition and on-campus room and board expenses over the full 27-month period of the M.S.W. program.” Suddenly, her dream was more attainable than she’d ever imagined. Ballard
described it as “a blessing—a weight off me.” “I felt like Smith and Smith’s reputation made it a great place for me to be so I could learn to integrate the art, the spiritual and the clinical…. It’s about to get really uncomfortable in the world; more uncomfortable than it already is.” During her time in the M.S.W. program, Ballard has focused her research on how African American women with chronic illnesses or pain find ways to live well. She describes the work as both inspiring and challenging. “One of the things that social work can do is hold space, offer resources and tools for people to learn to regulate themselves and become attuned so you can tap into the people around you, your close family and friends, and, with that, be able to pass on or transmit this healing energy that we need in order to heal ourselves but also to envision the world we really want to live in.” ◆
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BY ME G A N R U B IN E R Z IN N
A Win-Win Employment Based Field Internship Appeals to All After working in the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Holyoke, Mass. for more than five years, Nelly Carmona aspired to a supervisory position but knew she needed to further her education to move up in the agency. Smith’s M.S.W. program seemed like a great fit, especially with its theoretical grounding, anti-racism commitment and focus on social justice. However, with a young daughter to raise, Carmona couldn’t leave her job for the 27 months Smith’s program requires. Determined to find a workable arrangement, Carmona wrote on her Smith application that she wanted to continue to work at DCF while pursuing her M.S.W. At the same time, she approached DCF about incorporating her work there into her education. Smith was excited to have a strong candidate like Carmona, and DCF was anxious to keep her in the agency as a supervisor. Both institutions knew it would benefit everyone to coordinate the requirements to allow Carmona to earn her M.S.W. Carmona wasn’t the first M.S.W. student to arrange a field placement where she already worked, but these arrangements were very uncommon. However, starting with the 2017 admission cycle, the School has formalized a pilot project—the Employment Based Field Internship (EBFI)—to make it possible for experienced social workers to do at least some of their field work in agencies where they are already working. According to Irene RodriguezMartin, associate dean of graduate enrollment and student services, the School was concerned that it was losing many excellent M.S.W. candidates who weren’t able to leave good jobs to pursue advanced degrees. With Carmona’s arrangement as an example, RodriguezMartin and her colleagues saw an
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opportunity to make a Smith education possible for this pool of talented and experienced candidates. As Rodriguez-Martin explains, “This year we are reaching out actively and saying ‘Are you currently working in an agency, is this the work you’re feeling passionate about? If so, we’d like to see whether or not we can work with you to develop a placement around where you are now.’” Not surprisingly, the Admission Office has already found great interest among prospective students. The ideal candidates for the EBFI are those who have developed skills in a social work setting and a commitment to a population, but who have reached the limit of their knowledge. It is someone, Rodriguez-Martin describes, “who has developed a social passion where they believe the only way for them to better serve is by getting an M.S.W.” Rodriguez-Martin anticipates that as EBFI widens the pool of candidates, it will make the School more accessible to students of color. “I’ve been doing admission for about 12 years,” she notes. “I’ve found—and the literature bears this out—that students of color, particularly those who are the first generation to go to college, are far more risk averse. The thought of leaving a paying job to go to school for
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27 months and go into debt is a giant leap of faith.” Further, when an agency is willing to work with the student and the school to develop an internship that fits the SSW field education requirements, as well as to release the student to attend summer classes, it reflects well on both the agency and the prospective student. It shows the agency is committed to training excellent practitioners, and, as Rodriguez-Martin says, “When an agency is willing to go out on a limb like that to retain this person as an employ‑ ee, it’s such an affirmation of the potential and the talent that this person has.” Each student participating in EBFI needs to work carefully with the School and agency. The internship must meet Smith’s requirements and learning objectives, and the student cannot do the same work they had in the past— they will need the opportunity to de‑ velop new skills or work with new populations. And while it may be possible for students to do both field placements at a large field agency, one term might only be possible at a smaller agency, so as to ensure the student has as broad a learning experience as possible. If Nelly Carmona is a test case for EBFI, the test is going quite well. “Without being able to continue working for DCF,” she says, “I would have had to choose either Smith or my employer. And now I’m going to graduate—I can’t believe it—with my M.S.W., with the support of the Department and Smith!” When she graduates, Carmona’s first priority will be working at DCF to make up for her leave time. She plans to get her L.I.C.S.W. and establish a practice working with children and families of color and Spanish-speaking clients. She’s also looking forward to staying connected to the Smith community, serving as a field adviser, and helping guide others who want experiences similar to hers. With the EBFI and this expansion of field education opportunities for Smith students, it’s likely she’ll have plenty of students to mentor. ◆
/ Student Focus /
Nelly Carmona balances work, family and the demands of SSW’s graduate program by way of the School’s new Employment Based Field Internship.
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Refugees to find local support from SSW-Catholic Charities partnership
A Welcome
Refuge BY DANE KUTTLER • PHOTOS BY SHANA SURECK
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“
My wife was coming back on the bus to Amherst, and she was texting me: ‘Trump is winning, Trump is winning.’ She didn’t want to call me because she didn’t want people to hear her speaking Arabic.” —anonymous Syrian asylum seeker and local graduate student “Adnan”
Adnan’s testimony emerged during a November 10 meeting between Pioneer Valley social workers, SSW faculty and a Catholic Charities refugee resettlement coordinator. His voice trembled as he described attempts to attain asylum, fears about deportation and the challenges of life as a refugee, even in a town where some businesses post “Refugees Welcome” signs in their front windows, and multicolored “Good Neighbor Project” signs dot many front yards. The on-campus meeting, which featured a presentation by SSW professor Joshua Miller on “Psychosocial Capacity Building with Refugees,” intended to jumpstart conversations about the best ways to serve 51 incoming refugees from Syria, Iraq, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo. In order to receive federal resettle ment funding, a region must agree to welcome at least 51 refugees. Susanna Crolius, a representative from the Catholic Charities refugee resettlement office, said that Catholic Charities was “interested to see how Northampton would accommodate and support refugees.” Crolius added, “So this is kind of a test. If it goes well, we would look into settling more refugees in Northampton.” Crolius shared with the group that her office had received over 800 calls and emails from local residents who wanted to help with the incoming
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refugees, a number that has grown substantially since November. Professor Miller’s presentation served as a useful jumping-off point for the broader conversation during which Adnan told his story. Miller’s Powerpoint opened with a set of framing questions, including “What informs our ‘expertise?’” and “How will we know if we’ve been helpful?” Miller then followed with a broad description and critique of what he called the Western Disaster Trauma Approach, which focuses on individual and group therapy with a trained clinician, evidence-based practices and a focus on universal, bio-physical reactions. The approach, Miller cautioned, assumes that all people who experience trauma will also experience PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, a fallacy since only 5–30 percent of people who experience a traumatic event show signs of PTSD. As a possible means of helping refugees, the Western Approach also misses the mark because it privileges talk therapy over other forms of healing, creates a hierarchy between “expert clinicians” and “victims,” and creates an insistent focus on the individual, as opposed to the community. All of these characteristics carry some risk when working with refugees; namely, they may inadvertently promote the kind of isolation and helplessness the therapy is designed to combat.
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Fortunately, Miller continued, an alternate approach exists. Psychosocial capacity building offers respect for the “natural healing process,” centralizes cultural practices and promotes resiliency. There is also an increased focus on “training the trainers” and working with leaders within the community to facilitate healing, rather than claiming leadership and expertise. In addition to the presentation, Miller also announced that he and professor Yoosun Park had just won a grant from Smith President Kathleen McCartney to sponsor a one-day conference to train local social workers in anti-racist, culturally competent psychosocial capacity building. Social work students who are interested in working with refugee populations will find a variety of courses at the School to prepare them for this kind of work. Seminars like Managing Ethnicities: A Socio Legal History of Immigration to the U.S. and Collective Trauma: The Impact of Intercommunal Violence on Individuals, Communities and Cultures provide students with a more extensive understanding of how social work can help shape healing within refugee communities. However, the course that may best fit the ways in which the School is currently engaging with the local social work community is a practice general elective called Knowing, Not Knowing and Muddling Through, in which “Class members will be encouraged to value ‘not knowing’ and the ‘beginner’s mind’ as much as they value ‘knowing’ and being an ‘expert.’” The latter course title could have easily served as a name for the discussion on November 10, as attendees presented ideas about how to serve incoming refugees and accepted immediate feedback from Miller, Crolius and
“ As all refugees and displaced people around this miserable world, we have to resist the chain of despair and fight back against all odds.�
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Adnan. Many of the ideas presented were dismissed for being too logistically complex, not appropriate for the group’s need or simply too overwhelming. “Trauma therapy isn’t going to be a first priority,” Crolius admitted. “We have to get the basics covered first— jobs, housing, food.” Adnan added, “You have to encourage the refugees and make them understand the context in which they are living. It’s not Syria, where you knock on your neighbor’s door and borrow sugar or a tomato or share a good meal. You can’t rebuild that; you can’t recreate that. At least [the Northampton group of 51] has families coming. Individuals are at a bigger risk for suicide.” At a subsequent meeting on January 23, just before President Trump advanced his initial executive order on immigration, Kathryn BuckleyBrawner, director of Springfield’s Catholic Charities office, arrived with exciting news: the first three refugee cases had been allocated to Northampton. Each would be connected with a Circle of Care, a model of refugee resettlement in which a group of volunteers stays in close contact with the refugee, offering support and language practice. While the refugee’s first several months in the U.S. involve intense contact with their case worker, the
A Syrian refugee, holding his American-born child, was reunited with his wife during a stay on the immigration ban. He was the only Syrian admitted to the U.S. on February 4.
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“ Trauma therapy isn’t going to be a first priority. We have to get the basics covered first—jobs, housing, food.”
Circles of Care begin to offer the bulk of the support thereafter. Despite optimistic news of the first arriving family, uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s next moves tempered reactions at the meeting. Adnan, who had missed several of the group’s gatherings, informed participants on January 30 that the president’s executive order had impacted his own family: his brother, an admitted Syrian refugee on the way to reunite with his wife, also a Syrian refugee, and their American-born child was turned away by officials at the Istanbul airport. Terrified, Adnan had responded at once, coordinating with the ACLU, multiple lawyers and several state officials to secure his brother’s admittance. When a federal judge ordered a stay on the immigration ban, Adnan’s brother was able to fly into Boston’s Logan airport, the only Syrian refugee to enter into the country on February 4. In a Facebook post, Adnan wrote, “Today, my brother and his family made it safely to L.A. to start his new life. As all refugees and displaced people around this miserable world, we have to resist the chain of despair and fight back against all odds.” In some ways, the scope of the project shifted overnight. Where once there was talk of finding ways to vastly improve the existing resettlement system, there are now questions about whether the original 51 refugees will
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immigrate at all. Resettlement workers are keenly aware that conditions may change at any moment. After more than a year of planning, two families have been settled in western Massachusetts, as of this writing, with 12 more individuals approved for entry into the country soon. On February 16, a Bhutanese family originally slated for Northampton arrived in Westfield, where others in their family settled previously; State Department policies dictate that families are to be kept intact whenever possible. According to Buckley-Brawner, the mother in the Bhutanese family believed learning English would be too difficult for her and that, because of a disability that confines her to a wheelchair, the State Department would exempt her from the requirement that refugees learn the language. Her social worker from Catholic Charities convinced her to give it a try. Now,
Left: Jasimiyah Hussein and her sons review stacks of documents following their arrival in Northampton. Below: Adnan and his extended family joyfully pause for a Facebook photo after Adnan’s brother made it into the U.S.
she is learning alongside her daughter, eagerly using English words she’s picked up since their arrival. And on February 19, her birthday, Jasimiyah Hussein arrived in Northampton with her two sons, Yousuf Al-Dulaimi, 26, and Ayoob Al-Dulaimi, 20. After fleeing Iraq in 2014, the three spent two-and-ahalf years in Turkey, where they had received refugee status, before being granted entry into the United States. “We have more than we need,” Yousuf said through an interpreter to volunteers who’d met him and his family at Bradley International Airport late that night, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette. “We’re thankful to everyone for the welcome.” Like the mother in the Bhutanese family, Jasimiyah also uses a wheelchair, so finding accessible housing was paramount. After a couple of weeks in a temporary apartment in downtown Northampton, local
construction firm Wright Builders offered the family lodging for one year in a new, first-floor condo. Catholic Charities will fund $825 per month to rent the apartment, significantly less than the $2,200 monthly fee Wright Builders normally charges. Neighbors in the development have volunteered to cover the $485 monthly maintenance fee. In support of Northampton’s refugee resettlement effort, the United Way of Hampshire County launched a fundraising campaign, with Smith College making the lead gift of $20,000. Other groups in the area have begun to work toward the $102,000 Catholic Charities hopes to raise to support incoming families. On February 26, local organizers hosted a swing dance at the Florence VFW. Their goal was to raise $6,000 for the effort. Over 200 people attended, and they raised close to $7,800.
“You don’t see that kind of extraordinary giving,” said Buckley-Brawner. “It’s just really amazing to see that kind of outpouring of compassion.” Due to the overwhelming public interest in the area’s newest residents, Buckley-Brawner requested that interviews with the two families take place at a later date. In lieu of that, she offered InDepth an observation. “Both have expressed joy at being here and have such motivation to move forward with their lives and learning.” Back at SSW, Josh Miller and his colleagues aim to serve refugee communities as they’d intended. “While it is a heartbreaking setback to think that the refugees slated to immigrate to the United States might be prevented from entering here, we will go forward with our plans to convene a conference at Smith on May 17,” he said. “We will invite representatives from a number of community sectors—therapists, police, schools, DCF, Circles of Care, interpreters—and then offer support so that those trained can go back to their organizations and colleagues and share what they have learned.” Miller said he will open the conference to select M.S.W. students so they can share information with their peers this summer. ◆
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Taking Care of
MOMS Mental Health Professionals Prompt Increase in Postpartum Depression Screening and Treatment
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T
he messaging about new motherhood does not match the experience of new motherhood,” says Associate Dean Peggy O’Neill, Ph.D., LCSW. “Ads, billboards, television: they offer images of motherhood that are glorious,” she says. “Yes, it can be a joyful time and it can be hard and, for a sizable number of postpartum moms, it can be sad, painful, unfulfilling. Feelings can become complicated for mothers who experience postpartum depression or anxiety. You can have these emotional complications—and still love your baby.”
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“ The stakes are high: postpartum depression impacts some 13–20 percent of all mothers.”
In fact, O’Neill prefers just that term: “emotional complications” in new motherhood—rather than the more clinical term “postpartum depression” (PPD). Whatever you call the condition, attitudes toward PPD are evolving at an accelerated rate, as I learned from O’Neill, who conducts research in this area, and from two current SSW students who provide support services to new mothers.
One student sees the postpartum experience at her internship at a Boston hospital, another through a family outreach program in California. And then there’s O’Neill, who has researched in this area and works with agency providers in the region. O’Neill says that we’re still in the early stages of moving toward integrated screening, treatment and support. Evidencebased models of therapeutic care exist, such as interpersonal psychotherapy,
cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy. But we’ve got to move faster and go deeper, she explains, because the stakes are high: postpartum depression impacts some 13–20 percent of all mothers, and when you add in poverty as a risk factor, that number jumps to 40–60 percent. O’Neill emphasizes that “only 25 percent of women with postpartum depression receive treatment, and just 6 percent sustain mental health care. Such lack of access and follow-through of mental health care heightens the profound negative impact on women, children and families. We need to find a more sustainable pathway to care.” To understand what’s happening, I first met with O’Neill on a rainy autumn day at her office at Lilly Hall. Tall with with a warm smile, she has long worked in the field and in academia on issues of challenging oppression and finding resilience in the face of trauma. And she’s adamant that PPD qualifies as a community trauma because of its disproportional impact on women in poverty, reflecting underlying dynamics of social injustice. “There are lifelong ramifications if there are problems with attachment in those first months of a baby’s life. It affects the mother, the children, the partner and thus the community they live in.”
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The good news? The issue has gotten more exposure in the press in the past decade, thanks to a number of celebrity moms who’ve spoken out on their struggles with postpartum depression, including Brooke Shields, Bryce Dallas Howard and Hayden
“ There’s power in a circle of women who accept you for where you are and allow you to say what you mean without fear of being judged.”
Panettiere. Plus, there’s anecdotal evidence that more pediatricians and ob/gyns are screening moms for PPD at their appointments. These days, it’s less common for the condition to be dismissed, as it once was, for being typical and temporary, i.e. “the baby blues.” Even so, screening remains spotty across the country, says O’Neill. “Providers have been hesitant with screening because they didn’t know where to send the moms after they got the results.” She says there is a need for integrated services to enhance screening and referrals for appropriate care. Legislative efforts on the state and federal level are underway. Where postpartum depression screening is mandated, more women are being identified, prompting health care providers and systems to respond. Massachusetts is a leader in this effort and funds consultative expertise in perinatal mental health care for providers and direct access to assessment and referral for moms at high risk (MCPAP for Moms). O’Neill recognizes the importance of a medical approach yet sees the limits of medical care alone. She has focused on the efficacy of peer support as a way
Longterm research conducted by by Associate Dean Peggy O’Neill finds new mothers who engage in frequent conversation with other new moms experience fewer symptoms of postpartum depression.
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to help those with PPD in validating their experience, targeting their sense of isolation and facilitating connections with other levels of care in the community. O’Neill conducted a study in partnership with MotherWoman, a nonprofit organization in Hadley, Massachusetts, that offers community safety nets for mothers at risk. O’Neill worked with MotherWoman to evaluate its peer-led PPD support groups held in local communities. Sixty-five participants who attended the MotherWoman peer support groups reported that their depression decreased significantly after joining the group. “My research shows that we can impact PDD. Depression went down as social support went up,” says O’Neill. “There’s power in a circle of women who accept you for where you are and allow you to say what you mean without fear of being judged.” This said, O’Neill emphasizes that more robust research on group peer support as an intervention is needed. Can this success be replicated? Hard to say: emotional complications create, as it were, other complications. Avian Weiswerda, M.S.W. ’17, works with mothers from underserved populations at The Prenatal-to-Three Program of San Mateo County in California, south of San Francisco. “There’s shame around the group idea, unfortunately,” says Weiswerda. “The thought of being sad and sitting in a group of others who feel sad seems overwhelming,” she says. “There are lots of fears and preconceptions about groups.” O’Neill emphasizes the differential experience of PPD among women in communities impacted by social forces of racism and other forms of oppression and poverty. It is critical, she says, to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experience of postpartum emotional complications and sources of support across cultures and diverse communities. In fact, Weiswerda mentioned three women in her caseload who have PPD on top of other challenges: one has an existing mental health condition, another is finding that new
motherhood has reopened unresolved issues about her own traumatic babyhood (her mother left her to go to America to help the family financially). And another is a single mom whose own mother died just before the baby was born. “It’s not the first time these moms have been depressed, and then pregnancy hormones can trigger more depression,” says Weiswerda. “Nothing happens in a vacuum.” Therefore, treatment must move on several different fronts. Those with significant past emotional challenges have often already pursued psychiatric medications and talk therapy, so at least there’s a precedent for seeking care. The main problem is isolation, since many of these mothers have limited supports. So Weiswerda often helps them set up short-term goals, like securing childcare so they can get out of the house, as well as attend medication consults and therapy. Chelsea Davies, M.S.W. ’17, has regularly encountered PPD in her recent perinatal placement at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
There, she has shadowed supervisors in a number of clinical areas, from neonatal intensive care to postpartum care and more. Davies notes there are several ways to test for PPD. Mothers are given the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire, for example, but Davies and her supervisors also add in a more conversational exchange. “I try to see if the mother’s mood and affect lines up with what she’s saying,” she explains. Many first-time moms verbally downplay how bad they feel, and say they don’t need help. “There’s stigma and shame around what it means to be a mother,” Davies says. “There’s this idea that ‘mothers are supposed to be able to figure things out on their own.’” Weiswerda and Davies have seen in their day-to-day experiences what O’Neill observed: a gap between image and reality when it comes to taking care of a baby. “At Beth Israel, we’re very up-front that it can be isolating,” says Davies. “Moms constantly get this message that pregnancy and infancy is all teddy bears and butterflies. So
“ PPD qualifies as a community trauma because of its dispropor tional impact on women in poverty.”
when it doesn’t go that way, they feel that they’re doing something wrong.” But they aren’t, she says, and they’re not alone. It’s good and right to get help. That’s the topical update, then: the community has reached a better stage in recognizing and treating postpartum depression, but deliverance is still a ways off. ◆
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Marching Forward BY TYNAN POWER
A Trump
Presidency
Prompts Action within the SSW Community
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I
n the days after the 2016 election, many social workers and SSW students found themselves responding to clients who were upset by Donald Trump’s victory, while experiencing their own personal and professional concerns and distress. Brianna Suslovic, a first-year M.S.W. student, didn’t expect her patients at a psychiatric unit to talk about Donald Trump—but she found his name came up frequently.
“Some of my patients are ambivalent, others are more ruminative about the potential for harm or disruption under a Trump presidency, and others still are drawn to Trump’s persona and campaign promises,” said Suslovic. Noah Cochran, also a first-year master’s student, found that elementary school children did not talk much about the election but picked up on the mood of adults in the school. High school students were more vocal. “The students there were much more engaged in discussing the election and its potential effects on their lives and the lives of those they love,” said Cochran. “After the election, clients brought up feelings regarding the election daily,” said Ben Borkan, a second-year M.S.W. student interning at a middle/high school in Boulder. “After about two weeks, the frequency lessened. My internship has discouraged engagement in political conversations at school which has, most likely, influenced the amount of political discussions.” For many, the post-election concerns are not diminishing. “I believe that those experiencing the election results in a more acutely negative light are generally marginalized folks: queer and trans people, people of color, immigrants and folks
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who are dependent upon state and federal funding for their healthcare,” said Suslovic. Adjunct instructor Crystal Hayes, M.S.W. ’06, believes social workers have an obligation to speak out. In December, Hayes joined forces with Professor Joshua Miller and Assistant Professor Hannah Karpman to pen “Social Work at the Crossroads: How to Resist the Politics of a Donald Trump Presidency” for the Huffington Post. In it, the authors state, “[S]ocial work is not nor should it be a neutral profession. Social work’s commitment to vulnerable communities is explicit.” As of this writing, the three have published four subsequent pieces in the online journal, each one stating ways in which the social work profession should respond to the current political climate. Shortly after the election, Cochran, who is queer and gender non-conforming and contributes to SSW’s Dispatches blog, wrote about the challenge of being a social worker with a marginalized identity serving distressed clients who also hold marginalized identities.
SSW students, faculty and alumni joined in marches across the nation, including Washington, D.C., Boston, Northampton and Greenfield, Mass.
“Audre Lorde taught me that self-care isn’t self-indulgence, but an act of political resistance,” said Hayes. Suslovic, a queer woman of color, finds support among fellow organizers and activists. “I’ve been fortunate to have a community of supportive co-organizers in Boston,” said Suslovic. Among her supporters, — members of the SSW Suslovic counts several faculty, Huffington Post SSW alumni—including her supervisor. “These are the individuals who checked in with me the day after the election, bringing their understanding that current events have a huge potential to affect my clinical interactions,” said Suslovic. “They’ve been great resources to me throughout the placement, but especially following the election.” Cochran also has found alumni and fellow students to be a source of support. In fact, last summer’s student activism around anti-racism has served to bring students together and helped them build meaningful connections. “One of the places I felt the most connection and cohesion this summer was through the student-of-color-led racial justice organizing in Smith’s community,” said Cochran. “These spaces in particular felt bridging across cohort years and laid the foundation for growing connections rooted in student solidarity and activism with a lot of heart, bringing together clinical social work and anti-oppressive practice.”
“ Social work is not nor should it be a neutral profession.”
“Communities of color, Muslims, immigrants, women and disabled folks—along with queer, trans and gender non-conforming individuals—are among those who stand to bear the most backlash from this election and the coming years,” said Cochran. “I have spoken to other social workers who embody these identities about the tension of holding and being held—especially in response to clients who are bringing experiences that threaten the parts of ourselves in the room, either visibly or invisibly.” Support is crucial at such trying times. “Maintaining my relationships with an anti-racist community that affirms and reaffirms these values is critical,” said Hayes, who also prioritizes self-care.
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“ I strongly believe in the imperative of integrating social justice, anti-oppressive politics and actions and clinical social work” —Noah Cochran ’18
For some, taking a stand included inauguration day actions around the country. Borkan participated in the Women’s March in Denver. “I think it is important to find solidarity with others as a means to express our free speech,” Borkan said. “We, as a nation, need to recognize the power there is in standing together, to fight injustice.” Cochran attended a protest in Washington, D.C. the day after the inauguration. “There’s no other place I could have been than with my community and fellow activists that day—those I will continue to fight alongside and in solidarity with for the next four years and beyond; those who are echoing back to me feelings of fear, sadness and rage,” said Cochran. “I strongly believe in the imperative of integrating social justice, anti-oppressive politics and actions and clinical social work, and I am grateful for a Smith community that reflects this commitment,” Cochran added. Suslovic decided to spend the weekend of the inauguration at the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Creating Change conference, where she found support in reuniting with organizer friends from across the country. “I think marches are a valid form of resistance when executed with attention to identity and differential impact,” said Suslovic. “I’m also committed to relationship-building, however, as it seems to be an essential part of creating sustainable movements for resistance!” “By organizing to protect Obamacare and other federally-funded programs from the likely-impending
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budget cuts under the [Trump] administration, I’m demonstrating a commitment to social justice and the livelihood of many of my patients, something that falls in line with my reading of the NASW Code of Ethics,” she added. Agencies and schools also have a role to play in supporting social workers so that they can best provide services to their clients and advocate for social justice. “I believe that new social workers especially are in need of more conscientious check-ins and supervision about the election, more training on how to respond to clients’ election-related needs and more information about how to protect insurance coverage and healthcare access for our client populations,” said Suslovic. Hayes believes that schools of social work can play an important role in training social workers to respond to injustice and take action in ways that are in keeping with social work ethics. She points to SSW’s new elective course, A Trump Presidency: How did we get here and where are we going?, as an example of directly addressing the challenges ahead. The course is based on the “Trump Syllabus 2.0” developed by historians N. D. B. Connolly and Keisha N. Blain. Committed to thinking about the responsibility of social workers in an era of the new administration, SSW faculty members Rory Crath and Hannah Karpman have revised this syllabus for social work students and say “it will examine the rise of ‘Trumpism’ as a social and historical phenomenon in which politically legitimated violence, raced based exclusion, the centralizing of market values and the eschewing of empirical truths become consolidated as a legitimate and validated politics.” “We will pilot and evaluate it this summer at Smith before sharing it with other schools,” said Karpman. “We only get to the other side by moving through it,” said Hayes. “We all agree that there’s a problem. It’s going to take some collective thinking, collective work to resolve that. I’m excited about that.” ◆
Alumni News I N T H I S S ECTION
ALUMNI DESK DAY-GARRETT WINNERS ALUMNI LIVES IN MEMORIAM OBITUARIES ALUMNI PROFILE
Freddy Laris, M.S.W. ’16, stands in support of his fellow graduates during the August 19 Commencement Ceremony.
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DAWN M. FAUCHER Alumni Relations & Development Director
Promise to the Future A Legacy for SSW’s Next 100 Years
Many of our most distinguished graduates have said that it was the gift of a Smith College School for Social Work education that enabled them to pursue their life’s calling.
We believe that any prospective student who has the desire, talent and potential to thrive in our M.S.W. and Ph.D. programs should be able to do so, regardless of their financial circumstances. Many of our most distinguished graduates have said that it was the gift of a Smith College School for Social Work education, made possible by the generosity of others, that enabled them to pursue their life’s calling. Our goal is to build a student body out of the most qualified applicants who are defined above all by their talent and promise, and we will do this by ensuring that all admitted students receive the financial support necessary to complete our rigorous clinical social work program. In order to fund 100 percent of demonstrated financial need of our students, SSW must significantly increase its financial aid endowment over the coming years. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous undergraduate alumna and the vision of Smith College, SSW will receive matching funds through the Promise to the Future Challenge that will help us raise one million dollars in endowed scholarship funds by our centennial celebration in June 2018. Here’s how it works: A gift of $50,000 or more, whether outright or pledged over time, that establishes a new endowed scholarship fund or adds to an existing fund will be matched, dollar for dollar.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with longtime SSW supporters and recent Promise to the Future donors Betty Morningstar and Jeanette Kruger. This is what they had to say about the creation of the Morningstar-Kruger SSW Scholarship Fund and Promise to the Future Matching Gift: “We are both very committed veterans in the field of social work. One of the ways that we can insure the future of the profession is to support students from a wide range of communities and family backgrounds in their pursuit of clinical social work excellence. We are gratified that the college is able to match our donation, so that promising students can complete the program without fear of running out of funds.” Named scholarship funds are a meaningful way to leave a personal or family legacy or to honor individuals who have been inspirational in your life. Your fund may be added to by anyone at any time in perpetuity, and it is a life-changing gift of education for future generations of clinical social workers. The SSW Office of Alumni Relations & Development is working to help the School and our alumni fulfill their Promise to the Future.
Clockwise from top left: Dean Yoshioka cheers approaching graduate Jacqueline Cosse; Venae Rodriguez shares a photo with Meghan Wilson; left, Allison Barbey enjoys Baccalaureate; right, CarmenLeah Ascencio, public health social worker, addresses the graduates; members of the class of 2016 approach John M. Greene Hall; Nathalie Rodriguez and Kat Roubos participate at Baccalaureate, with Robin Douglass and Katie Green joining in behind them; Danielle Leonard and Autumn Benedetti take a selfie; Nicolas McQueen celebrates, diploma in hand, following the commencement ceremony; Northampton Poet Laureate Lenelle Moïse performs her Baccalaureate reading.
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BACCALAUREATE & COMMENCEMENT
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BY LAU R IE LOISEL
EDITH FRASER
Day-Garrett Award Winners Edith Fraser believes social work is a calling to fight for social justice as much as it is a calling to help people. Fraser has enjoyed a rewarding career achieving both through clinical work and research around pressing social problems including domestic violence, homelessness, child abuse and AIDS. She is clear about what motivates her. “The thing about social work—and what I love about social work—is that we are advocates for social justice.” Fraser was honored at the 2016 Smith School for Social Work Commencement ceremonies with the Day-Garrett award. In announcing the committee’s selection, Dean Marianne Yoshioka noted Fraser’s “significant work both in the United States and internationally.” Born in Louisville, Kentucky to parents who never finished high school, Fraser became the first in her family to earn a doctoral degree, which she received from Smith in 1994. Fraser taught and also served as director of field study and chair of the social work department at Oakwood University, a private university in Huntsville, Alabama from 1985 until 2009. She is a
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Professor Emerita at Alabama A&M University and, among other distinctions she earned over the years, was inducted into the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame in 2015. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Louisville in 1970 and her master’s degree from Boston University in 1972. “I believe education is transformative. I start by telling my students, ‘if at the end of your class, your life has not been transformed by the concepts we have learned and the way we have learned them, then I have failed you as a professor.’” She taught at Smith for 18 years, 10 of which were spent as a Senior Bertha Reynolds Fellow, in part to learn how leaders in the field are educated so she could bring that back to Oakwood, where she dedicated herself to ensuring students were steeped in key concepts of theory and prepared with the required skills for practice. Her efforts worked. “The students would come back and say ‘this program is a breeze,’ so graduate education was not disconcerting,” she recalled. “No matter where they went, they felt comfortable there. Just because you came from a small HBCU nobody ever heard of, they would not stand out. They would not be marginalized. That would be another way to make sure they had a voice, they were comfortable, they had agency.” Fraser won a Fulbright scholarship to Egypt in 1995 that she said was a pivotal trip for her. There, she studied attitudes toward domestic violence, the prevalence of honor killings and social issues like single parenthood, divorce and teen pregnancy. Her overseas study included research in Thailand, Ghana, Myanmar, China and the Republic of Georgia. Each experience enriched her social work instruction back home. Though she retired in 2014, Fraser continues to teach, having just wrapped up another summer at Smith, during which she taught a SSW course on group work and another on race and diversity and their implications for the field. ◆
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SU S A N D O NN E R
THE DAY-GARRETT AWARD, established in 1978, is presented annually to one or more individuals who have been outstanding contributors to professional social work and who have been significant members of the Smith College School for Social Work educational community. The award is to be given to those who, in the judgment of the Committee, have personified in their lives and service to the community the high purpose of professional service for which the school is renowned.
Five years after her retirement from the Smith School for Social Work, Susan Donner was honored last August with the Day-Garrett award at the School’s Commencement ceremonies. The award is given annually to members of the community who make significant contributions to the School and embody the ideals of the profession. “She has maintained an absolute and steadfast commitment to the field of social work, to the School, to our students and to the clients they serve,” wrote Dean Marianne Yoshioka in her announcement of the Day-Garrett award recipients. In an interview, Donner discussed her social work journey. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1968 and a master’s degree from Simmons School of Social Work in 1970, she arrived at Smith in 1978 to earn her doctoral degree and, apart from a field placement at McLean Hospital, remained at SSW. She worked as an assistant professor and then joined the faculty full time, earning her doctorate in 1988. In addition to teaching at Smith, Donner held multiple administrative positions within SSW including acting dean, associate dean (for three different deans), director of field work and faculty field adviser. “She made contributions across the board in her teaching, her scholarship and her administrative leadership,” said Carolyn du Bois, former director of field work. “She was a beloved teacher, and she’s a scholar. She’s a very bal-
anced, calm administrator who was always able to listen to faculty, to students. ” Du Bois noted Donner’s leadership in the School’s commitment to antiracism work. As an administrator, she said, Donner had a habit, when an issue became particularly conflictual, for reminding people: “This is an issue around which reasonable people can disagree. Time and again, she helped understanding of the issue at hand move forward.” Donner’s collaboration with others to transform the School by embracing a commitment to anti-racism work involved looking at all aspects of the institution: admissions, finance, whose voices are heard or marginalized, and then uncovering assumptions that support racist practices and policies. In addition to being done on an institutional level, Donner believes anti-racism work also must be a fundamental part of clinical practice. “People see the world somewhat differently based on their social location, and that needs to be taken into account in clinical work,” she said. Throughout her career at Smith, Donner maintained a private clinical practice. She believes anyone teaching emerging social workers should also be engaged in clinical work. “Knowledge is always being added to and being subtracted from. It’s really important to keep current, and it’s not just an academic exercise,” she said. ◆
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Alumni Lives Updates from far and near 1954 Dottie Brier writes, “Reaching out for other new challenging experiences, I am now rehearsing for a late March 2017 dance performance, choreographed by an instructor at my Y who is using seniors to supplement professional dancers. Of the 14 or so seniors, there is another Smith alumna, Gay Manuele, M.S.W. ’67, whom I have known for a long time through the SCSSW alumni group in New York. Although performing four consecutive nights in a real New York City dance theater takes me far out of my comfort zone, it is a lot of fun. Also, I am still very active as a disaster mental health worker with the Red Cross and as a guide at the American Museum of Natural History.” 1965 Betty Habach McCollum writes, “I am a new member of the Board of Directors of the Smith College Club of New York City. In that capacity, I am the liaison between the SSW and Smith College alumni living in New York City.” ¾ Brenda Hirsch Schimmel writes, “I started working as an MFLC—Military Family Live Consultant (contractor) in 2011. I hope to have the privilege of working with our military children again this summer. It has been rewarding to give back to our military families who are underappreciated. Even the children sacrifice for our country. The oldest of our five grandchildren graduates from high school on May 21, 2017.” 1967 Edward Eismann writes, “I am still blessed with health of mind and body at age 85 and continue to work, bike and trek through the wilds with my companion border collie. A jaunt through the Holy Land at Christmas time expanded my more local treks. Those of you who have been my students over the past 30 years at the School will remember a community mental health organization I founded, called Unitas, an outreach program to alienated youth in the South Bronx. It has thrived unbrokenly for almost 50 years now and remains the continued passion and hallmark of my life. During 2015–16, as part of a broad intercultural exchange of peacemakers from Uganda and Rwanda sponsored by
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the School, I hosted three delegations for an “in vivo” demonstration of and participation in Unitas’ model interventions of conflict resolution and peacemaking. I would love to hear from any of you, all now my colleagues in arms. You can reach me at edoc95@gmail.com.” 1969 Monica McGoldrick writes, “My news for the past year includes a new book The Genogram Casebook (Published by W.W. Norton, 2016), and a 5th edition of my book on The Expanding Family Life Cycle: Individual, Family and Social Perspectives (Pearson, 2016). I consulted in Heidelberg and for Pegasse in St. Malo, France.” 1971 Amy Barkin writes, “My husband and I moved to Sarasota, Florida in May and love living here. The area is replete with cultural and intellectual activities. I am now a member of the Smith College Club in Sarasota so that my ties to the school are quite active!” ¾ Deborah Kent Stein writes, “After 35 years in Chicago, Dick and I are seriously considering a move to join our daughter Janna, who has relocated to Davis, California. I’m still editing Future Reflections, a quarterly magazine for parents and teachers of blind children. Book publishing has tapered off, but in 2016 I published a book for middle and high school students on the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. I still use my old social work skills doing lots of volunteer work with parents and kids through the National Federation of the Blind. I’d love to hear from any of my Smith classmates!” 1972 D. Michael Geller writes, “I practiced social work actively for four years subsequent to graduation. There have been many milestones in my career but nothing as public as a story about my project: Caregiver Experience through the Lens. This article appeared on January 1, 2017 on the front page of the Virginian-Pilot, a prominent newspaper in Tidewater, Virginia. You can see the article at pilotonline. com. I entered medical school in 1976 and retired from full time practice in 2011 with a lot of adventure
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and transition in between. Smith helped me greatly to focus my energy and to keep my focus on more than what is in front of me. Still works.” ¾ Gloria Manns writes, “I was recently appointed by the governor of Virginia to the Board of Social Work. This is a four year appointment. I own a private practice and am very involved in the community.” ¾ Alan Siskind writes, “I am the co-editor with Dr. Alma Carten and Mary Pender Greene of Strategies for Deconstructing Racism in Health and Human Services, recently published by Oxford University Press.” ¾ Caroline Stanhope writes, “I would love to see some news from the ’72 B class. I only hear from Eleanor. I am retired and living in Gainesville, Florida with my husband, who retired from the University of Illinois-Springfield in 2000. I have been retired for 21 years. We moved to Gainesville in 2010 and love life here, as there is a lively art community and many natural wonders close at hand. We spend summers in Minnesota.”
was a psychiatric social worker, social services director, teacher and college academic advisor at several agencies, hospitals and community colleges. This year, our two girls were married. Last spring, we both retired.” ¾ Lisa Aronson writes, “I am living in Ojai, California. I have a private psychotherapy practice in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, counseling disadvantaged teens in a local high school, visiting the National Parks, digging into ceramics and continuing photography, discovering the wonders of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and helping my parents as they meet their challenges.”
1973 Merlinda Weinberg writes, “This has been a time of richness and creation: a new book entitled Paradoxes in Social Work Practice: Mitigating Ethical Trespass, published by Routledge in 2016 and my first grandchild, Winn Sarah Garten. Also, my daughter, Alyza Weinberg, a student in the School for Social Work, is getting married to Micah Peckarsky. Trips to D.C. to visit Alyza and Micah have included the opportunity to reconnect with Emmy Henard, my dear friend and classmate who graduated with me in 1973.”
1978 Jim Wayne writes, “The Mayo Clinic got rid of my larynx cancer last year after a summer-long treatment of chemotherapy and radiation. Quite an ordeal, but I am healing well. Having completed my MFA in fiction a few years ago, I embarked on a journey to write my first novel. The Unfinished Man (Fleur de Leis Press) was released this past summer to great reviews. As clinical social workers my classmates and other alumni will appreciate the psychodynamic slant of the therapy scenes in the book, which deals with the systemic and personal trauma of child sexual abuse in a hope filled way. More information at www.jimwaynewriter.com. Also, Bellarmine University of Louisville has established the Wayne Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy, which offers a one year low residency certificate in advanced psychotherapy theory and techniques. This has been a five-year effort of mine. More information at wayneinstitute. com. Hope all my classmates are healthy and happy!”
1974 Mary and Doug Allan write, “We were married while at SSW in 1973. After graduating with an M.S.W. in 1974 we moved to Rhode Island for clinical jobs. Doug became the director of the outpatient and emergency psychiatric departments of a CMHC and Mary continued to provide treatment in a variety of in- and out-patient settings. We moved to Massachusetts in 1980. Doug returned to school for an M.B.A. and spent the next 35 years as CEO of three successive agencies in Massachusetts and Illinois. Mary
1975 Bill Hayes writes, “I retired in 2014 after 39 years in upstate New York healthcare and child/adolescent therapy…but now back per diem to mentor new staff in a reconfigured medical social work unit. I keep busy with five grandkids, a sailboat, serial house flipping, travels in U.S. and Tuscany, and plans for a bucket list trip to Australia.”
1979 Monica Blauner writes, “Having moved to Los Angeles 12 years ago to
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get married, I worked at CedarsSinai and later served as Program Director of the Sexual Recovery Institute. Currently, I am focusing on my private practice. I’ve enjoyed co-leading the Integrative Seminar for Smith students placed in L.A., and recently had the pleasure of teaching UCLA’s first quarter M.S.W. students. I’ve been serving on the board of the California Society for Clinical Social Work since it fell on hard times a couple of years ago, actively working to revive this important organization for clinical social workers. I was voted president-elect and I’m looking forward to my term as president, beginning July 2017.” ¾ Jan Cehn writes, “After getting my M.S.W. I worked with sex offenders in a Massachusetts maximum security prison set up for the evaluation and treatment of “sexually dangerous persons” and did evaluations of adolescent sex offenders. I started a family therapy program there. From there I got a job at The University of California Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute as the supervisory social worker on the inpatient adolescent unit, a milieu treatment unit where teens could stay for 18–24 months. There I was involved in lots of clinical work and teaching, including co-starting an ongoing family therapy consultation group for staff, psychiatric residents and psychology and social work interns. Within 4 years the mental health care tide was quickly turning, and I left when the average patient stay was 1–2 months. I became the director of child and adolescent services at Jewish Family and Children’s Services. I started a small private practice after getting licensed and after my daughter was born in 1991, I left JFCS to be home more and build my practice. While I was at JFCS I got married and in 1995 had my son. I’ve continued in my practice and specialize in adolescent and family treatment, adoption and trauma. In the early 90s I was trained in EMDR which I have found to be an enormously helpful treatment technique not only for trauma, for which it was originally developed, but for many conditions and issues that our clients struggle with. A few months ago an ex-client published a book about our work together: Every Moment of a Fall: A Memoir of Recovery Through EMDR Therapy. Most recently I have been consulting to two Native American agencies that provide a range of services to that population, and that has put me face-to-face with the tragedy of the intergenerational trauma that is experienced by so many in that community. I can’t imagine retirement and will probably die in my
Linda Collins Thomas ’81, with pink neckerchief, at a recent family reunion
Lauren Burgess Jones ’83 and Bob Jone ’86
chair! There are a few classmates who I’m in touch with and I would love to hear from any others, so please get in touch!” ¾ Anne Cole writes, “It seems like just yesterday that I graduated from SSW. Recently, I closed my solo practice but will remain at the private group practice in Acton, Massachusetts called Boundaries. Cathy Comstock, M.S.W. ’80, and I live in Concord with our beloved Samoyed, Tulle, and often see John Hubble, M.S.W. ’80, and his wife, Kate, as well as Nancy Lax, M.S.W. ’79, David Browning M.S.W. ’80, and occasionally Pat Guilino, M.S.W. ’80.
1982 Ruth Paris writes, “I spent March of 2016 at Bar Ilan University School of Social Work in Tel Aviv, Israel on a Fulbright specialist grant. My work focused on building capacity in community-based clinical research among faculty and doctoral students, as well as presenting my research at University of Haifa, Hebrew University and Sapir College. This was a wonderful way to spend part of my sabbatical from Boston University School of Social Work, where I am an associate professor of clinical practice and conduct research focused on therapeutic interventions for vulnerable families with very young children. My curiosity about best practices and what works and why in therapeutic interventions was first nurtured at Smith. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to start my career at the School for Social Work.”
1980 Tom Kovar writes, “I am still living in a small house near the center of Florence, Massachusetts and have a son in the Northampton school system. For almost eight years I’ve been working for what’s now called the Central/Western Massachusetts region of the VA; we added in all the Worcester based services a few years ago, though my office is actually in Springfield. For my job, I see the most severely mentally ill Veterans, in their homes, so I do a LOT of driving in a federal vehicle. Other than work, I am still playing music (my other career); my band, The Retroverts, plays gigs about every other month or so. Life is good, though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about retirement. I would love to hear from other alums from my era.” ¾ Pamela Raab writes, “I continue to feel so fortunate to live and work in Greenwich Village among a rich and inspiring group of colleagues. I am on the faculties of three Manhattan-based analytic institutes. I teach, supervise, consult on curriculum issues and offer treatment to candidates. Greetings to members of the 1980 Class!” ¾ Bill Wechsler writes, “This year promises to be better than 2016, due to three big events in my life:
1) the marriage of my younger son in March; 2) the arrival of my first grandchild by my older son and his wife in April; and 3) my upcoming retirement in June. I have been working as a school social worker for the past 17 years, after many years in community health administration. It is with some sadness that I retire at age 63 and still feeling young, (working with high school students will have that effect) but made necessary by my diagnosis in March 2016 of ALS. Unfortunately this illness is taking its toll on me and has no treatment or cure. I can only hope for the future. So I am looking forward to the events of 2017 as much as I can. If anyone would like to contact me, email is best: wechslerb@gmail.com. Be well, and if I’ve learned anything this past year it’s to live life to the fullest every day.” 1981 Linda Collins Thomas writes, “Life just keeps getting better after an M.S.W. from Smith College School for Social Work. Besides my flourishing private practice, I now have a blog, www.lindacollinsthomas.com, am writing a book to come out in 2017 and am teaching classes at URI in the Life Long Learning Institute. I married a playwright, David Christner, whose work is currently being performed in Italy, Russia and Singapore. I caught the writing fever from him and we created a small production company in Rhode Island. Between us we have seven grandkids. Here’s a pic of a recent family reunion of our rowdy loveable family. That’s me in the pink neckerchief, 35 years after Smith. I’d like to give thanks to all my classmates of l981 who were so warm and welcoming to me when I was a shy younger version of myself back in classes, in the dorm, on outings to swim and eat pie at Flo’s Diner and dance like crazy on weekends to disco, especially ‘We are Family.’ It was the best!”
1983 Lauren Burgess Jones writes, “Five years ago my husband, Bob Jones, M.S.W. ’86, and I formed a 501(c)3 non-profit, Cape Cod Village, to develop housing to meet the community living and residential needs of adults with autism. As parents of a 28-year-old son with significant autism, we brought together a group of dedicated volunteers that shared our concerns. To date, CCV has purchased a four-acre site in the town center of Orleans and developed the architectural and engineering plans for four separate housing units that will be the homes for a total of 15 people with autism. Cape Cod Village is in the process of raising $6.5 million dollars through a combination of private and public support and is scheduled to open its doors in late 2018 or early 2019. The project has been approved by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Massachusetts Department of
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to come. I would love to hear from any of the “B” program class of 1984 and can be contacted at beareardon@ mindspring.com.
Allyan Watson Rivera ’83
Developmental Services. Please go to our website, capecodvillage. org, where you will find a complete description of the Village.” ¾ Allyan Watson Rivera writes, “Enjoying retirement in Salem, Massachusetts. I teach Spanish at the Explorers Lifelong Learning Institute and also take classes there. My summers are dedicated to gardening and kayaking, including volunteering with the Spaulding Rehab adaptive kayaking program. I serve on the Board of Explorers and North Shore Elder Services and on a committee planning an annual LGBT Elders in an Ever Changing World Conference at Salem State University. Professor Cheryl Springer, SSW Ph.D., is also on the Board at NSES and the LGBT Elders conference committee.” 1984 Bea Reardon writes, “For the past eight years I have juggled private practice in Gloucester, Massachusetts with homeschooling my daughter. She (and I) have just made the transition to full time high school in a private secondary school. Now in my 25th year of private practice, I still look back with gratitude to the strong clinical education and training I participated in through Smith College School for Social Work. I am still enjoying clinical practice, seeing children, families, couples and individuals in a diverse community. 2016 brought the energy of phone banking for the Bernie Sanders campaign all spring, and active involvement organizing our Congressional District for the Green Party by the fall. Standing out against the Trans Pacific Partnership and in solidarity with the water protectors of Standing Rock has brought me back into another activist phase of life. The addition of engaged, progressive friends has been a wonderful benefit, and I know it will sustain me in the social change work
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1986 Jessica Reed writes, “I think about my Smith experience often and with great fondness. It was the first time in my life that I felt part of a community and was moved to become active and involved. Now that my children have grown up and moved into their own lives, I have been quite involved in my two most recent communities: Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) and the New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation (NESTTD). I am on the Board of NESTTD, where our mission is to help educate clinicians of all types in the treatment of complex trauma and dissociation. I trained to become an IFS therapist about 9 years ago and found it to be personally and professionally transformative. I continue to have a fulltime private practice in my home in Needham, Massachusetts. My step-son Colin, who was 10 when we graduated from Smith, is now 40 and is married with three children. My older daughter Katie is 29, married and teaches 3rd and 4th in the Cambridgeport Public School. My younger daughter is 26 and engaged to be married December, 2017. She works at The Commonwealth School in Boston in development. I feel very lucky to have my girls in the Boston area. David and I have been together for 37 years and our relationship is growing in new ways since we have become empty-nesters. I like the slower and more self-focused pace of parenting adult children and yet find myself hoping for grand children! I hope you are all well and that we can elect a woman President in our life time!!!” 1987 Emily Williams writes, “Much has happened since 12/30/13 when I retired from private practice in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. I moved to Essex Meadows, a very attractive, friendly, and stimulating continuing care community in June of 2014. I have been enjoying it immensely and also continue involvement in my church, which is nearby, and with my youngest son and family who live in Old Lyme. The latest exciting news is that I was married this past October to a delightful gentleman who moved here in June of 2015. We are enjoying our senior years; laughing a lot, going to the theater, concerts and numerous activities here. All I can say is: “It ain’t over till it’s over” and we recommend jumping in! Warm regards to fellow
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alums, faculty and the Smith community. One of many things that Smith taught me was to take risks, deal with the unknown, and I’m so grateful for that.” 1989 Randy Ingham writes, “My last book, Love of Having: Compulsive Buying, Spending, and Hoarding, was substantially based on my SSW thesis. This is the first book to examine harmful behaviors using the tools of psychology, neurology and sociology. It’s available on Amazon. 1990 Yvette Colón writes, “I received tenure and promotion to associate professor at the Eastern Michigan University School of Social Work and continue as M.S.W. program director. The most significant event in the last few years was going on a social work trip to Cuba. I will return in 2017 and be able to spend time in my mother’s hometown! I completed two terms as president of the Center for Clinical Social Work and am finishing my board service as immediate past president for one year. I was appointed to NASW’s National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity and helped with the updated version of the Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice, released in December 2015. I am a Michigan delegate to the NASW 2017 Delegate Assembly. I continue as a member of the Alumni Leadership Council as Development Representative and am deeply grateful to work with the other Council members and staff (shout out to Dawn Faucher and Pat Gilbert!) at the SSW.” ¾ Nina Rovinelli Heller writes, “I am the dean and Zachs Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work and the interim director of the University of Connecticut Hartford Campus. I divide my time between West Hartford, Connecticut and Brattleboro, Vermont, where my husband, Dan, and I keep our home. I have continued to publish in the areas of mental health and social work theory and have a book due for release in spring 2017, Beyond the Risk Paradigm: Mental Health Policy and Practice, coedited with colleagues from the UK and Australia.” ¾ Renée Smith writes, “I remain happily married to Claire Siverson, M.S.W. ’91, and we have been together for 26 years having met on campus when we were both students. Claire and I live in Vallejo, California. Claire has a part-time private therapy practice and works part-time in the HIV clinic at Kaiser Permanente-Martinez. I am the programs and services manager in the
Custody Division the Solano County Sheriff’s Office and am currently enjoying supervising a Smith SSW first year student.” 1991 Michele Collins writes, “I am living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I have opened a private practice in Stoneham, Massachusetts. I am also working in a program within the Geriatric Division at McLean Hospital in Belmont. I have a website listing on Psychology Today. I spent many years working in Hospice in the area and loved that work. I am now very excited to be beginning a new phase of my professional career at McLean and in private practice.” ¾ Claire Siverson writes, “I continue to enjoy boogie boarding with Nan O’Connor, M.S.W. ’92 in the Pacific Ocean near Pacifica, California. We enjoy clinical consultations while floating on our boards in our wetsuits waiting for a good wave. I remain happily married to Renée Smith, M.S.W. ’90, and we have been together for 26 years having met on campus when we were both students. Renée spied me from the back Dr. Sacksteder’s Comparative Psychodynamic Theories for Clinical Social Work Practice class. I hope Smith still teaches that valuable course alongside the evidence-based classes.” 1992 Nicole Christina (Reeher) writes, I have recently launched a web course on mindful eating, and am working on new web course about aging mindfully called Greying and Grateful. I also have been writing articles on mindfulness practice. One of my articles appeared in Mindful.org. I was instrumental in bringing the film Embrace to Syracuse, New York. Embrace is a documentary looking at the rampant
Claire Siverson ’91 and Nan O’Connor ’92
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body dissatisfaction that takes place among women all over the world. I live in Syracuse with my husband, son and two rescue Jack Russell Terriers.” ¾ Sarah Hixson writes, “I was promoted last December to local clinic director in the satellite office of High Country Behavioral Health in Pinedale, Wyoming. I have worked at a private not-for-profit outpatient mental health provider for over 20 years. We work with adults and children and also are providers for the county treatment court.” ¾ Annie Weiss writes, “I was awarded Fellowship in the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) and am excited this year to be leading a 2-day experiential group at the AGPA annual conference. I also am excited to be leading the experiential training group for therapists through the Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy (NSGP) and continue to lead an observed therapy group for group-therapists-in-training at the Brookline Community Mental Health Center. This year I have enjoyed working as a Program Assistant in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) training program, and this spring I look forward to the publication of a chapter about using Internal Family Systems (IFS) in group therapy in a Routledge Relational Perspective Series book entitled Moments of Meeting in Psychoanalysis: Interaction and Change in the Therapeutic Encounter. 1993 Susan Munsey writes, “I am the founder of GenerateHope, a unique program I designed to work with sex trafficked women. March 2017 is our eighth anniversary of helping women to step out of sex trafficking and into their futures free from the trauma of the sex trade. We provide housing and basic necessities, education toward a high school diploma and college preparation, group and individual psychotherapy to treat the trauma of the sex trade and adjunct therapies like yoga, photography, dance, art, equine therapy and more.” 1994 Gay Lee writes, “I continue enjoying and reaping benefits as a ‘Smithie’ almost 22 years later. I am in private practice and certified as ‘Minority Woman Owned Business.’ I train beginning and seasoned clinicians in psychiatric social work, teach clinical sociology, serve as an office of alcohol and substance abuse services clinical screening and assessment provider and am studying to become an alcohol and substance abuse counselor. I was recognized by the
National Organization of Forensic Social Workers as a member in good standing and a member of the National Anger Management Association.” 1995 Daniel Beck writes, “I am proud to announce that I am a father again at age 60! Ada Dora Beck was born September 7, 2016. I continue to teach at Simmons College and Boston University and have expand ed my solo practice in Brookline, Massachusetts into a group practice.” ¾ Nancy Forsythe writes, “Still enjoying private practice and teaching psych residents at Dartmouth Medical School. Enjoying life in Hanover, New Hampshire. I have a 5-year old granddaughter, Willa, who is a big part of my life, and a little grandson in Brooklyn. I occasionally see Amy Fleischer. Anne Clement and I are in contact and have kept our close friendship all these years. Would love to hear from anyone who is nearby—or coming through! Crazed about Trump.” ¾ Kirk Woodring writes, “I was recently promoted to Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) at the Brattleboro Retreat in Brattleboro, Vermont. I previously held positions as the Vice President of Quality at the Retreat, and as the Vice Presi dent of Clinical Services at the Center for Human Development in Springfield, Massachusetts. In my role as CCO, I oversee the clinical services, implementation of ACT and DBT programs in the hospital’s seven inpatient units, and supervise the directors of ambulatory services, quality and risk management, patient advocacy, and social services. I am also an adjunct professor and adjunct clinical professor at the SSW, where I coordinate the group theory and practice sections for first year students, teach the third year group psychotherapy course, and supervise Ph.D. candidates at the Retreat. I am also the co-author of the book Assessing the Risk: Suicidal Behavior in the Hospital Environment of Care (HcPro, 2011).” 1996 Rachel Louden Carnicelli writes, “I am enrolled as a first-year candidate at the Denver Institute of Psychoanalysis. I have a busy full-time private practice in Denver. I am also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver in the International Disaster Psychology program, where I teach clinical seminars and supervise student therapists. I am also a clinical candidate at the Denver Institute for Psychoanalysis University of Colorado School of Medicine.”
1997 Sara Schwab writes, “I just started working at 1440 Multiversity—a fabulous new place near Santa Cruz, CA. It’s an immersion learning center focused on personal growth, business development and health and wellness. It is amazing, and I could go on and on but briefly: it’s designed for those of us who care deeply about society and about social work—and CEU credit is available for some programs! Check out our website 1440.org. Thrilled to be here!” 1998 Julie Cunningham writes, “I have been both devastated and activated by the election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States. I am organizing an emergency forum on civil rights with state representatives with several asks: that Vermont be designated as a sanctuary state, that all educators and law enforcement get trained in implicit bias, that funding be protected for survivors of domestic violence, rape and for people with disabilities. Action not anguish has been the phrase motivating me to do this work on top of my full-time job. With all due respect, I must express my disappointment that Smith School for Social Work is asking me about grandchildren and get-togethers. Lawyers are organizing online with a group called Lawyers of the Left and have identified several important action steps. Where are the social workers? The last issue of InDepth barely examined the events on campus last summer and with the retirement of Fred Newdom, I fear that the School is abdicating a central focal point of our work—that sometimes we must stand up and advocate. We must fight against racism, misogyny, homophobia and xenophobia. The stakes have not been higher in my lifetime. I hope that the next issue takes this seriously and with great intention for the dangers we face as a country and in promoting the essential core of our responsibilities as social workers.” 2001 Lynn Cormier-Sayarath writes, “I currently have my own private practice in Templeton, Massachusetts and specialize in the treatment of eating disorders. I am also an adjunct professor of psychology at Becker College in Worcester, where the college established its first masters program in Mental Health Counseling that began in the summer of 2016. My proudest work is being the Board Chair of Girls on the Run Worcester County, a non-profit organization that teaches girls in grades 3–8 to
be joyful, confident, and healthy through running as an activity. The volunteer-driven council is two years old and has already served hundreds of girls in Worcester County. ¾ Shoshana Ringel writes, “I have two publications coming up, one in Contemporary Psychoanalysis: ‘The Role of the Creative Process in Holding and Facilitating Traumatic Experience,’ one in Psychoanalytic Psychology: ‘Self States in Cyber Space,’ the latter with Faye Mishna, Ph.D. ’94.” ¾ Angela Marie Rowan writes, “I started a new job in November 2016 as the clinical manager of DBT Services at the Brattleboro Retreat in Vermont. In this role I am developing and supervising DBT services on multiple inpatient units and residential programs.” 2002 Stephen Bradley writes, “I am currently in private and group practice working with children and families, couples and adults. I am also an adjunct assistant professor at Smith SSW, where I teach in the practice sequence and faculty field advise Smith students in placement. I specialize in an approach called the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics developed by Dr. Bruce Perry, which focuses on how to work effectively with the impact of developmental trauma on children.” 2003 Janah Boccio writes, “I am in the middle of my 10th year as the middle school social worker at The Churchill School and Center, and my 12th year in private practice. I am especially interested in gender and sexuality diversity, and I run groups for parents on how to talk to their kids about sex and sexuality. I am also the Region II area coordinator and recently co-hosted a very well-attended networking event for alumni and current students with Wendy Bassett, M.S.W. ’03. We are planning more networking and continuing education events in the near future! I live in Brooklyn, where I enjoy spending time with my husband and my five year-old son.” ¾ Kian Jacobs writes, “We relocated down to Ormond Beach, Florida and I’m currently working per diem at Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine in the emergency and in-patient unit. I have also added one day per week at the LifeSource Group in addition to occasional online counseling. I am licensed in both Connecticut and Florida. I am planning to refocus my strengths toward EMDR trauma work. If you visit the area or live nearby, I do miss my northeast friends, please send
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American males, improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged students, and ending homelessness for civilians, Veterans and immigrants. Currently, I’m a Ph.D. candidate at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina.”
Above: Jamie Loveland ’07. Below: Ann Marie Garran ’08, Cathy Kerr ’09, Stephanie Bryson ’96, Steven Hoffler ’15
me a note. Kian Jacobs at kfjacobslcsw@gmail.com.” ¾ Michelle Kwintner writes, “My article ‘Wearing Two Hats at the Agency: Disability Determination during Ongoing Psychotherapy’ appeared in Smith College Studies in Social Work volume 86:3 in 2016. I am going to finish my fourth year as a candidate at the International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training. Based in Washington, D.C., it accommodates distance learners in different parts of the world, including people like me who live and work in centrally isolated places such as Ithaca, New York.” ¾ Angelia Washington writes, “As a member of the Jacksonville City Council, I was instrumental in the passage of the holiday known as Freedom Day. In observance, the City Council passed resolution naming the second Monday in December as a city holiday beginning December 2016. The City of Jacksonville, North Carolina is the first municipality in the United States to observe the 13th Amendment as a holiday. I was recently appointed as vice chair of the National League of Cities (NLC) 2017 Human Development federal advocacy committee. I have served on this committee for three years, and this is my second appointment as vice chair. I’m the first as well as the first African American Jacksonville City Council member to be appointed to a NLC leadership position. This appointment allows me to collaborate with municipal leaders across America in garnering support from Congress in establishing the 13th Amendment as a national holiday. Advocacy for our nation’s citizens further supports actions with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address violence among young African
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2004 Clio Wiesman writes, “After working in the prison system in New York City, I spent eight years as a therapist with violent juvenile offenders in New Orleans. Recently I completed an MPhil at Oxford in Evidence Based Social Intervention. Currently residing in New Orleans, I have opened a practice and am completing work on the role of sustained trauma in personality formation and published an article on Feminist Epistemology in The RSWP. After the election results, my household is seriously considering moving to the west coast, either Oregon or California where we will not be surrounded by Trump supporters.” 2005 Susan Perry writes, “I accepted the position of assistant head of school for student affairs at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. We are a preK–12 independent school with approximately 1,175 students, so no shortage of challenges and exciting opportunities to help students and families grow and learn. Lots of wonderful Smith SSW contacts and graduates here in North Carolina!” ¾ Kelly Wise writes, “After completing a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality at Widener University, I started an LGBTQaffirming Sex Therapy practice in the heart of Brooklyn. I am proud to have another Smithie on staff, Avigail Hurvitz-Prinz, M.S.W. ’14, who is working with me part-time and working at the Blanton-Peale Clinic part-time. We are Wiser Sex Therapy, visit us at www. wisersextherapy.com.” 2007 Jamie Loveland writes, “I completed my Ph.D. in clinical social work with a specialization in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, Illinois. My dissertation was a qualitative design examining the psychoanalytic approach of working with couples with addiction. Since graduating in June 2016, I continue to work in private practice primarily with couples, and volunteer as the clinical director of the Houston chapter of a Home Within—the only national organization that provides pro bono psychotherapy for foster children “as long
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as it takes.” My husband Mark and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary this year!” ¾ Virginia Wyatt Wharton writes, “September of last year, my husband Jonathan Metry and I had our daughter Piper Wharton Metry.” 2008 Tamika Brock writes, “I served on a panel at the NASW 2016 Conference.” ¾ Adam Brown writes, “I received a Ph.D. in social work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration. In the fall I began a tenure-track faculty appointment at the Silberman School for Social Work at Hunter College, where I teach advanced clinical practice to M.S.W. students and research the assessment and treatment of child and adolescent sexual abusers. My wife and I live in New York City and we welcomed our first child, Arthur Barack Brown, on December 31, 2016.” ¾ Ann Marie Garran writes “In July 2016, CSWE launched their inaugural Program Director Academy, a year-long leadership certificate program for faculty who are transitioning to administrative/ leadership roles. Participants were chosen after submitting an application and reference materials. Of the 51 people chosen to participate, four of us are graduates of SSW’s masters or doctoral programs! We thought you would like to know about the continued success and leadership of SSW graduates. Information about the four of us is listed below.” ¾ Cathy Kerr, Ph.D. ’09, assistant professor educator, M.S.W. program chair, University of Cincinnati School of Social Work, kerrc@uc.edu ¾ Ann Marie Garran, Ph.D. ’08, associate professor and M.S.W. program director, University of Connecticut School of Social Work, agarran@gmail.com ¾ Stephanie Bryson, Ph.D., M.S.W. ’96, associate professor and B.S.W. program director, Portland State University, sbryson@pdx.edu ¾ Steven J. Hoffler, Ph.D. ’15, assistant professor and B.S.W. coor dinator Southern Connecticut State University, Social Work Department hofflers1@southernct.edu 2009 Karen Davis McGinty writes, “I continue to live in central Vermont. After six years of providing psychotherapy to adults and elders, I began to focus on the growing opiate epidemic in the state. To that end, I am close to completing certification as an alcohol and drug counselor and currently work with addicts in recovery as the medication assisted treatment (MAT) clinical care
coordinator at Gifford Hospital, our local hospital in Randolph, Vermont. I assess patients, do brief psychotherapy, work with three prescribers of suboxone and ensure that patients are abiding by the state rules of our grant-funded treatment program. I would love to hear from anyone from the class of ’09!” 2010 Charlotte Curtis writes, “I live in Brooklyn, New York with my part ner, Mariana Valencia, a dance artist. I have a full-time private practice in downtown Manhattan. I provide clinical consultation for LMSW’s doing intimate partner violence pre vention work in NYC high schools, a program run by Rebecca Stahl, M.S.W. ’13. I started a peer consulta tion group for those building private practices, affectionately called “Couch Coven,” along with Paul Sireci, M.S.W. ’10 and Sandra Dipillo, M.S.W. ’09. I am in the relational psychotherapy training program at the Stephen Mitchell Relational Study Center and am working towards an EMDR cert ification. I hope to begin psychoanalytic training next year. More information about my practice can be found on my website: www. charlottecurtisLCSW.com.” 2011 Amanda Slatus writes, “I am living and working in Washington D.C. as an LICSW in both community mental health and private practice. I accept BCBS PPO and Federal insurance and just moved my office to U Street, NW. Contact me at Amanda.SlatusLICSW@ gmail.com or via my website www. AmandaSlatusPsychotherapy.com.” ¾ Dianne Terp writes, “I got licensed in November. It took nine months due to California’s change in exam policy. I am currently the behavioral health clinical case manager at the Curry Senior Center in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, providing psychotherapy to low income seniors with mental health and/or substance abuse issues.” 2012 Alexandra Jamali writes, “I have completed in-depth training in relational psychodynamic psychother apy at The Psychotherapy Institute in Berkeley California. There, I had the pleasure to work with Smith pals Zehara Levin M.S.W. ’12 and Ali Kimmell M.S.W. ’12. I have opened a private practice in Berkeley and will be presenting a paper at the APA Div. 39 conference in New York titled, Racially Queer: In Search for the Mixed Race Perspective in Psychoanalytic
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Thought, Theory and Practice. Calling any and all Smith folks to come join the conversation!” 2013 Daniel Rodrigues writes, “This year has been a huge year both professionally and personally for me. I had the pleasure of taking a new position at Cape Cod Hospital as the LICSW for Maternity and Pediatrics, I became a part of The National Association of Perinatal Social Workers, I have become certified as a bereavement counselor through Boston Medical Center’s Sudden Infant Death Center and, most importantly, I became a father to our first child, Isabella on May 20, 2016.” 2014 Mere Abrams writes, “I have a new position doing clinical research at the UCSF Child and Adolescent Gender Center Clinic, a member of the Trans Youth Network. The position is implementing and executing the first ever NIH funded research on studying the impact of early interventions for transgender youth. It is a longitudinal study throughout which I conduct surveys and interviews with youth/parents every six months for 24 months (and maybe longer if we can secure more funding). Funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the $5.7 million dollar project will be not only the largest-ever study of trans youth, but also only the second to track the psychological effects of delaying puberty—and the first to track its medical impacts. The study aims to recruit 388 adolescents who identify as transgender, and to follow them for at least five years. One group will receive puberty blockers at the beginning of adolescence, and another, older group will receive cross-sex hormones. The findings will help clinicians to judge how to more effectively serve transgender youth and adolescents who are seeking to align their gender through medical interventions. Gathering this data will also be important to encourage insurers to cover treatment for gender dysphoria, as the drugs used do not have FDA approval for treatment of this condition. In addition to increasing our knowledge, it is hoped that the research findings will impact the future of trans care for children and adolescents.” ¾ Anderson Beckmann Al Wazni writes, “I am a 2014 M.S.W. graduate and, since graduating, have focused upon policy and social justice work in the area of Islamophobia, Muslim women, feminism and countering extremism. My thesis on Muslim women and hijab was adapted
into an article that was published in the 2015 October issue of the NASW Social Work journal. I have since been published by the Oxford University Press blog, including one original article and one interview on my work in this particular field. I have continued my academic interests by studying part time through an online option with an Islamic seminary (Al Mahdi Institute) based in Birmingham, England. I have also been published in the UK in a Shia Islamic Studies online journal based in London. I was a presenter at the national NASW conference in Washington, D.C. last June. I gave a thirty minute presentation entitled Muslim Women, Hijab, and Feminism; Rethinking the Image of Empowerment and Terrorism. Smith Continuing Education Committee has also asked me to teach a one-day seminar June 14 on Islamophobia and clinical work, which I have accepted. I am also currently working on new research regarding the rise of far right nationalism and Islamic extremism. On a personal note, my husband and I welcomed our first child this past August—a baby boy we named Reza.” ¾ Avigail Hurvitz writes, “Here is an update about me and my friends. I am a candidate at the Mitchell Center for Relational Studies this year with three other SSW alumni: Joanna Wiederhorn M.S.W. ’15 who is working at the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services and Aurora Behavioral Health eating disorder center; Charlotte Curtis M.S.W. ’10 who is in private practice in New York City; and Asher Pandjiris M.S.W. ’13 also in private practice in New York City, specializing in treating trauma and it’s somatic manifestations (with particular emphasis on disordered eating) and the GLBTQ community.” ¾ Liam Lattrell writes, “After working as a case manager and therapist for ServiceNet in Northampton, I recently accepted a position with the State of Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (Northampton Office) as a case manager working with adults suffering from chronic and severe mental illness. I love the work, as I find it rewarding, challenging and stimulating.” ¾ Pear Wilson writes, “My news is that since July I’ve been doing a part-time post-graduate fellowship at the Wright Institute Los Angeles, which is psychoanalytic training at a sliding scale clinic. It is such a rich and meaningful experience, and I’m learning so much! I really recommend it to postgrads as a way to learn further and build up a private practice to transition into. For income, I’m also working part time as a medical social worker at
UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, which I’m very grateful for as well. Overall, I am so grateful for these opportunities which my education at Smith College School for Social Work has opened up for me!” 2015 Hannah Mason writes, “I have been working for a little over a year at San Francisco General Hospital in an outpatient intensive case management program for adults who are high utilizers of the medical emergency department. I am enjoying staying in a job for longer than eight months, being part of an interdisciplinary team and being able to do a mix of therapy and case management with a never-a-dull-moment population!” 2016 Josh Altman writes, “After I graduated from the Ph.D. program, I was recently hired as the associate director of student counseling at Adelphi University.” ¾ Autumn Benedetti writes, “After graduation I was hired as a comprehensive support and community treatment therapist for L’esprit, working with middle school youth in the Livingston, Montana school district. I’m happy to be home in the mountains!” ¾ Katy Cole writes, “I’m writing to report a new job after my recent graduation from Smith SSW in August. I’m currently working at the Jefferson Center for Mental Health in Lakewood, Colorado as a family services outpatient clinician. I started work in November 2016. I am excited to learn news of other alums!” ¾ Liza Detenber writes, “I am working for River Valley Counseling Center Teen Clinic at the Peck Middle School in Holyoke, as the enhanced mental health clinician. Part of my time is spent providing individual therapy for 4th-8th grade students, while the other part of my time is spent as a mental health consultant for the school. As a consultant, I provide trauma trainings as well as collaborate with administrative to launch restorative justice circles as an alternative to suspensions. I also just completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training and plan to incorporate trauma sensitive yoga into my therapeutic practice as well as possibly offer yoga classes to staff at the school as a way to manage the stress and vicarious trauma experienced at the school.” ¾ Lisa Guthrey writes, “I am currently a post-masters fellow at Wardenburg Counseling and Psychiatric Services at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The fellowship is a wonderful opportunity and experience.” ¾ José Hernandez writes, “I have
been working since mid-September at St. Anne’s maternity Home. St. Anne’s has been around for over 100 years providing services to at-risk youth. I am part of the wraparound team as a therapist. I use play therapy and trauma informed approaches to work with my young clients.” ¾ Nicolas McQueen writes, “I was hired at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain (Boston). My work centers on stabilization of depressive and anxious symptoms from diverse communities in the greater Boston area. I’m active as a group and individual therapist and LOVE the work I have the opportunity to do. I’m coming up on three months in this position with plans of attending a group therapy conference this year as well as connect with a peer psychotherapy support team.”
IN MEMORIAM Class of 1939
Amelia Wright Croft Class of 1948
Mary Richards Reed Class of 1952
Patricia Lynch Zavell Class of 1954
Phyllis Rolfe Silverman Class of 1955
Veronica Hari Class of 1956
Jean Weaver Campbell Class of 1962
Helena Baier Donna Church Bryant
Muriel McCaffrey-Couzon Class of 1966
Fred Mazor Class of 1969
James Kennedy Class of 1973
Carolyn Saari Class of 1979
Barbara French Meiners Class of 1982
Lawrence Smith Class of 1988
Patricia Fedders Barry Rosenberg Class of 1994
Deborah Carlin Class of 2015
David Landry
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OBITUARIES Mary Elizabeth Richards Reed Class of 1948
Mary Elizabeth Richards Reed, age 90, died April 13 after a short illness, a long and good life lived with unfaltering grace and 65 years of marriage to her beloved husband Murray. Mary was born in the small prairie town of Hebron, Nebraska on August 22, 1925. She was one of a graduating class of around 30, among them, a lifelong group of friends known as “the tens.” Propelled by her parents’ high expectations and by her natural intelligence and work ethic, she attended the University of Nebraska where she received her bachelors and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. From there, she journeyed to Smith College, where she earned a Masters in Social Science, having served an internship in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City. Her first professional position was at the most prestigious psychiatric hospital in Cincinnati. It was in Cincinnati that she met Murray. They married in 1950 and moved to Boston, where she worked with autistic children and their families. In 1951 they moved to St. Paul so that Murray could begin a Ph.D. program in psychology at the University of Minnesota. Mary turned immediately to starting a family, expertly raising the children and creating a beautifully structured, vibrant family life, first in the University barracks, then in Lauderdale and, in 1962, in a newly-built house in Shoreview. She and Murray kept their warm and welcoming family home on the shore of Lake Emily for 47 years, and brought that same sense of home to their lovely apartment in South Minneapolis. Mary was loved and admired by family, friends, and virtually everyone who crossed her path. She was, in addition to being the most devoted and exceptional wife, mother and grandmother, a deeply committed volunteer in the community. She devoted thousands of hours to preschoolers at the Head Start program at Unity Church, to children with cancer at Children’s Hospital, and advocating for children in the courts as a Guardian Ad Litem. She loved a good book, classical music, Frank Sinatra, dogs, See’s chocolates, and watching the Twins on TV. Her strength, discipline, gentle radiance and signature comebacks—always both unexpected and delightful—will be sorely missed. She is survived by her husband Murray Reed, her sister Charlotte Korff, her children Bruce Reed (Agiua Heath), Susan Reed (Luke Logan), Mark Reed, Kathryn Reed (Martin Klammer) and Cynthia Reed (Kristin Dean), her nine grandchildren Maya and Nelson Iginla, Dylan (Katie Schrader), Eleanor, and Rose Reed-Maxfield, Sarah and Natalie Reed, and Isaac and Eva Reed, and a brand-new great-grandson, Samuel Reed Maxfield. She was preceded in death by her mother and father Edith and John Richards, sister Jacqueline Hiller, and daughter-in-law Jan Fondell. Memorials may be given to St. Paul Children’s Hospital, or to Unity Church Unitarian, St. Paul.
James F. Kennedy Class of 1969
Written by Jim Wayne, M.S.W. ’78 Upon graduating with my M.S.W. from Smith in August, 1978, I took a position as clinical director of a mental health center in rural southern Indiana. Isolated from other professionals, I sought a supervisor who spoke “Smith.” In the days before the internet I turned to the alumni directory to find a Smith graduate in Louisville, Kentucky, 45 miles away: Dr. Jim Kennedy. He was a 1969 D.S.W. graduate of Smith (the degree was later changed by Smith to Ph.D.) Jim would be my kind, supportive, knowledgeable clinical supervisor for the next five years and dear friend for the next 38 years. He taught and practiced at the University of Louisville School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry for over 30 years after several years at Barry University in Florida. At Louisville his specialty was children and adolescents. His guiding hand helped shape the lives of hundreds of children and
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their families as well as the careers of dozens of clinical social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists. The author of articles for several professional journals, he was active in his community, running for a city council seat and founding, with his wife Mary Alice, his neighborhood organization to fight greedy developers. Ever interested in the impact of social policy on the lives of individuals and the environment, Jim was a fine example of a clinical social worker who wedded the micro and macro of the profession. He was faithful to his alma mater as well, serving as treasurer of the Smith College School for Social Work Alumni Board in the early 1990s. He loved nature and was a deeply spiritual man. A hearty walk at dawn lifted his mood for the day and gave him a healthy perspective on aging and the gift of life. He died on April 20, 2016 after a short illness. Mary Alice had died two and a half years before. He is survived by their son, Ben, a brother, Pat and dozens of friends, including me, who benefited from his life dedicated to service.
Carolyn Saari Class of 1973
Dr. Carolyn Saari, 76, of Peterborough, New Hampshire, passed peacefully on September 1, 2016 at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire after a period of failing health. Carolyn was born in New Jersey on October 30, 1939 the daughter of John Saari and Ina (Bain) Saari. She grew up in Montgomery, Alabama where she graduated from Robert E. Lee High School. A lifelong learner, Dr. Saari was an accomplished scholar, a seasoned educator and a gifted practitioner in the field of social work. She received her bachelor’s degree from Vassar College, her master’s degree in social work from Simmons College, and her doctorate of philosophy from Smith College. Dr. Saari was honored as a Distinguished Practitioner by the National Academy of Practice in Social Work. She was also a member of the CSWE, the NASW and the Illinois Society for Clinical Social Work. She has served as a consultant to various mental health centers and social service agencies. Dr. Saari conducted workshops in the areas of clinical diagnosis and treatment, the creation of meaning in social work practice, and supervision. Dr. Saari also served as the Clinical Coordinator for the Program of Advanced Studies at Smith College School for Social Work and as an Assistant Professor of School Work in Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. She also taught as a visiting instructor in the doctoral program at the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago. In 2003, she was named Professor Emerita in the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago, after 22 years of distinguished service as a professor, dissertation advisor, and director of the doctoral program at the school. In addition, she authored three highly regarded books about the process of Clinical Social Work Treatment, the Social Work Person and Environment Configuration, along with numerous papers in clinical social work journals. Dr. Saari was the Editor of the Clinical Social Work Journal for 11 years, a position she maintained into early retirement. Following her retirement in 2003, Dr. Saari relocated to New Hampshire where she worked tirelessly as a volunteer for many organizations. She was proud to contribute her time and energy with Monadnock at Home and in the library of the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. She was also an active member of the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church. She was a strong advocate for social justice and was active in local politics. Dr. Saari enjoyed writing, baseball, and all kinds of digital gadgets. She is survived by a brother, John, of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, many close cousins and her beloved dog, Moxie. She is predeceased her parents, John and Ina Saari. Carolyn lived her life with no regrets and was blessed to have lived a life enriched by so many cherished personal and professional relationships.
Barbara French Meiners Class of 1979
Barbara French Meiners died peacefully and painlessly at home on November 29, 2016. She was 65. She will be profoundly missed by her husband David and their sons William and Thomas. She also leaves behind
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her brother Gordon French, his daughter Michelle, and her family, who all live in her beloved Oregon where she was born and raised. In addition, her extended Cincinnati family, David’s brother Dan, his wife Lynn, and their children, spouses, and grandchildren all mourn her. To the long list of her friends, both new ones and some dating back more than 50 years, she is a testimony to how friends can enrich you and change your life forever. Barb worked 35 years as a clinical social worker for Butler Behavioral Health Services in Hamilton. Admired and respected by her colleagues, she was absolutely dedicated to her clients and their well-being. She loved her work and was deeply saddened when she was no longer able to continue. She lived every day with a spirit of friendship, kindness, humility and love. She met her illness with true courage. We are indeed better for having known her. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Center, Hospice of Cincinnati, or a cause of your choice. www.springgrove.org.
Lawrence B. Smith Class of 1982
Lawrence B. Smith, LCSW-C, age 65, passed away at his home in Silver Spring, MD on Thursday, August 11, 2016. He was born on January 28, 1951 in Albany, New York to William and Jean (White) Smith. Larry grew up in Dover, New Hampshire and attended St. Thomas High School graduating in 1969. Larry went on to attend Georgetown University graduating in 1976 with a degree in Psychology. Larry also received a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the Smith College for Social Work in 1982 as well as a two-year post-graduate certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy from the Washington School of Psychiatry. Larry Smith was a recognized leader in the field of Attachment Disorder and was in private psychotherapy practice from 1993-2016 specializing in Attachment Disorders, Developmental Trauma, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Anxiety Disorders and Neurological Impacts of Technology. Larry was a guest lecturer at the University Of Maryland School Of Social Work and also facilitated numerous workshops across the U.S. in his areas of specialization. Larry was a member of the Clinical Social Work Association, National Association of Social Workers and the Attachment Trauma Network, where he served on the board of directors. Larry was an avid lover of dogs, in particular Siberian Huskies, of which he had many over the years. He was deeply committed to his profession and touched the lives of many families throughout his career in private practice. Larry greatly enjoyed spending time with his family and large network of friends and neighbors. He had an unmistakable laugh, sharp sense of humor and love of music, which he shared with many. Larry is survived by his brother Thomas Smith, sister Mary Lynne (Smith) and her husband Phil Cincotta, nephew Eric Smith, nephew Jonathan Smith, niece Elizabeth Cincotta, and niece Katherine Cincotta. In memoriam, donations can be made in Larry’s honor to Delaware Valley Siberian Husky Rescue at www.siberianhuskyrescue.org, Attachment & Trauma Network at www.attachtrauma. org, or Camp Attaway at www. campattaway.org.
Patricia Ann Fedders Class of 1988
Pat Fedders, 69, of Cincinnati, Ohio died Monday, May 30, 2016 after a long bout with cancer. Born in post-war Germany on September 15, 1946, Pat moved with her family to the United States when she was a young girl. She graduated from Barat College (Lake Forest, IL) in 1966. She taught French in Chicago before moving to Washington, D.C. where she held positions with the National Education Association and American Classical League. While singing in a church choir in D.C., Pat met her future husband David. After their marriage, the couple moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where David began a psychiatric practice and Pat raised their two sons Mark & Jeff. During the years devoted to caring for her family, Pat maintained an avid interest in her own independent activities including significant talents in all areas of fiber
arts (weaving, knitting, crocheting, sewing, designing clothing and teaching these crafts to others). When her boys were raised, Pat decided to pursue her long standing interest in clinical social work. She wanted to pursue further education but also wanted that education to prepare her for a professional career. Pat entered Smith College School for Social Work as an older adult student in 1986. She had two field placements in Cincinnati (at Jewish Family Service and at Central Psychiatric Clinic) graduating in 1988. Following graduation, Pat went to work at the Butler County Community Mental Health Center in Hamilton, Ohio. She remained there for 15 years and then went to work for Catholic Charities in Cincinnati for 10 years. In total, Pat worked for over 25 years as a professional clinical social worker. Pat was also very active in the Ohio Clinical Social Work Society. She became a member in 1991 and served as treasurer of the State Society for 20 years. She spoke fondly of the camaraderie she enjoyed with other Smith SSW alums as they carpooled from Cincinnati to Columbus, regularly engaging with issues as licensing, third party reimbursement and other advocacy measures. When the state society disbanded in 2002, Pat was one of two people who carefully attended to all the legal and financial issues involved and well as contributing to the organization’s rebirth as the Ohio Valley Clinical Social Work Society. Pat also remained a committed member of the Cincinnati SSW Alumni group. In her retirement, Pat continued to enjoy her fiber arts, her gardening, volunteered her services at several local agencies and was active in her St. Anthony Parish (Madisonville) Community.
Barry Rosenberg Class of 1988
Barry Rosenberg, M.S.W., Ph.D., of Washington, D.C., passed away on January 17, 2016 at the age of 80 after a courageous five-year battle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn Stone Rosenberg and Louis A. Rosenberg, both of Atlanta, GA. He is survived by his beloved son Scott Rosenberg and granddaughter Charlotte Ray Rosenberg, both of New York City; sister Lillian Rosenberg Ross Weber; nephew Michael Ross and niece Ellen Ross Katz, all of Atlanta. Barry proudly served his country in the United States Army in Aberdeen, Maryland. He was a graduate of Georgia Military Academy and The University of Georgia. He received a M.S.W. from Smith College and a Ph.D. from The University of Virginia, where he was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. Barry practiced psychology for over 20 years at RICA (Rehabilitation Institute for Children and Adolescents) in Maryland and later at RICA in Virginia. At his request, his body was donated to medical research. Donations may be made in memory of Barry Rosenberg to Art Start, 526 W. 26th Street, Suite 501, attention Johanna DeLos Santos, New York City, New York 10001, www.art-start.org. —Published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Jan. 22, 2016
David Landry Class of 2015
Helen Steiner Rice wrote ‘The Comfort and Sweetness of Peace’ ‘After the clouds, the sunshine, after the winter, the spring, after the shower, the rainbow, for life is a changeable thing. After the night, the morning, bidding all darkness cease, after life’s cares and sorrows, the comfort and sweetness of peace.’ We now trust David Landry knows just that…the comfort and sweetness of peace. David died unexpectedly on Thursday, January, 14, 2016. He was 38. He is the much loved son of David and Sandra Landry of Statesville, North Carolina. David was in the M.S.W. class of 2015 at Smith College in Northampton. David was known to many for his gentleness, kindness and thoughtfulness. He is remembered by his professors as a hard-working, focused, and serious student, and a “genuinely nice guy.” While at Smith, David completed his first placement at the Boston Juvenile Court Clinic and his second at the Johnson & Wales University Counseling Center in Rhode Island. He was well regarded for his clinical work. He was an active member of the School for Social Work, working as a student field representative and with the Men’s Group. David completed a thesis on “Flow in the Therapy Setting: An Examination of Optimal Experience in Clinical Social Work Practice.” It was characteristically thoughtful and well-done. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Buddy Dog Humane Society, Inc., 151 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, MA 01776, a humane society, shelter and adoptions center. —Legacy.com
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BY MY R NA F LYN N
Hollywood Calling Alumna’s work lands her on set with Eastwood and Hanks
Graduates of the School for Social Work expect to apply their clinical skills in a variety of settings throughout their careers. Few are likely to anticipate doing so on the set of a major motion picture. But in the fall of 2015, Dottie Brier, M.S.W. ’54, found herself surrounded by lights, cameras and the action of a Hollywood production as she reenacted the duties of a Red Cross volunteer following the 2009 US Airways water landing, dubbed “miracle on the Hudson,” in Clint Eastwood’s Sully. Brier explained that, upon receiving a call for volunteers from Eastwood, “the American Red Cross of Greater New York offered several personnel, who had worked at Flight 1059, the opportunity to appear in the movie as greeters at the pier where passengers and crew disembarked from their rescue boats.” She swiftly considered the offer. “My affirmative response was immediate!” Following the actual incident, Brier was not at the pier but was instead assigned as a Disaster Mental Health (DMH) worker at a nearby hotel, where many passengers spent the night. Though she was the only one of nine Red Cross extras who had not been at the pier during the emergency, Brier was familiar with such scenes. As a licensed DMH professional, she previously worked at six tragic aviation incidents including TWA Flight 800 in 1996, EgyptAir Flight 990 in 1999 and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York—all events which saw considerable loss of life. Brier recalls this significant differentiation from Flight 1059, in which, thanks to the skill of Captain Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger, all passengers and crew survived. In Sully, Brier is seen greeting shaken, but largely uninjured,
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passengers with Red Cross blankets as they arrive on the river’s shore after escaping their disabled aircraft. Brier’s scene comprises just a few moments of the film, yet telling that portion of the story, she says, took a full day and involved many. “There were maybe 200 or so extras on the pier (EMTs, Firefighters, NYPD, FBI, politicians, media) with their trucks and other equipment plus a great many movie crew members. Cameras were all around, some visible, some hidden. I never knew if a camera was on me.” Even as an extra, Brier says, the task was challenging. “There were many repeat shoots. The work was physically exhausting. Although the filming was outdoors in early October, that day was unseasonably cold and raining. Fortunately, we wore our Red Cross winter attire,
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as the real disaster occurred in January.” Despite its scale, Brier says the atmosphere was a pleasant one. “The Red Cross was treated nicely…. The enormous movie crew were also very friendly and upbeat. And we were given a delicious buffet lunch in the pier’s restaurant—a production in itself.” When asked, she summarized the daylong opportunity as “a wonderful life experience, especially at my advanced age.” At the long-awaited film screening, Brier met and spoke with several actual passengers from Flight 1059. All, she says, praised the film’s mastery. “They stressed how accurate the movie was from what they experienced.” Red Cross volunteers concurred, and Brier calls their portrayal “absolutely accurate.” “‘First things first.’ ‘Be where the client is.’ ‘Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ are things we learn early in our social work training. They are well exemplified in the movie by our meeting the immediate needs of the cold, frightened, bewildered passengers as soon as they arrive on land,” Brier says. “Physically they needed the warmth of the blankets and emotionally the calm, compassionate presence of a human being, respecting their dignity by walking them through the mobs of people. Appropriate nonverbal behavior was essential and well done in the movie.” Brier explains that those who volunteered at the pier in the winter of 2009 were not necessarily DMH professionals such as clinical social workers, psychologists, mental health nurses
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or counselors who possess graduate degrees and are state-licensed. Yet, she says, “the greeters were highly sensitive, kind and experienced Red Cross-trained personnel, most of whom had taken the Psychological First Aid course given by Red Cross DMH volunteers.” Recalling her numerous DMH experiences, Brier explains that, as rightly depicted in the movie, “Red Cross Mental Health workers, such as those like me who worked at the real ‘miracle on the Hudson’ also often start their contacts by unobtrusively meeting immediate practical needs and giving clients the opportunity to talk more, if they so wish. In this real disaster,” she says, “reactions ranged from the fright of what might have been to the relief that they and others all survived. As
expected, people vary in their perceptions and reactions to disasters, based on many current and past individual and disaster-related factors.” After a momentary encounter with Eastwood and getting to see Tom Hanks, who plays the movie’s heroic title character, Brier, who, prior to Sully, had no background on screen or stage, says she left the set nursing an acting bug bite. “This experience gave me the courage—or maybe I should say the audacity—to volunteer from my senior exercise class at the Y to be in dance performances this spring.” As she prepares to perform at one of New York City’s prominent dance theatres, Brier recalls the path that brought her there. “One never knows what a Smith College SSW degree may lead to!” ◆
Physically they needed the warmth of the blankets and emotionally the calm, compassionate presence of a human being, respecting their dignity by walking them through the mobs of people.
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/ Post Script /
Florence Hollis Florence Hollis earned her M.S.S. from the Smith College School for Social Work in 1931. A member of the faculty for more than two decades at Columbia University, her steadfast commitment to SSW was evident each summer, as she returned to campus to teach. She received the Day-Garrett Award in 1981. Hollis and other noteworthy alumni will be honored at the School’s centennial celebration on June 28–July 1, 2018. Watch for more event information in the fall issue of InDepth.
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A single focus on clinical social work education with an anti-racism lens Smith College School for Social Work Theory Driven, Research Informed Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, both our M.S.W. and Ph.D. programs follow our unique block structure, alternating concentrated periods of rigorous on-campus education with off-site training at leading clinical or research sites around the country. You’ll have double the time in the field than other programs, with the support of an on-site supervisor and a faculty field adviser. More experience. More supervision. More recognition.
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| Clinical Research Institute | Post-M.S.W. Professional Education | Certificates
Lilly Hall Northampton, MA 01063 smith.edu/ssw
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2017 Public Lecture Series in Social Work
LYDIA RAPOPORT LECTURE
BROWN FOUNDATION LECTURE
ANTI-RACISM LECTURE
E. DIANE DAVIS LECTURE
Meg Hutchinson Sunday, June 4 Convocation 4:15–5:15 p.m. Weinstein Auditorium Wright Hall
Dr. Lisa Brenner Monday, June 12 7:30–9 p.m. Weinstein Auditorium Wright Hall
Dr. Leigh-Anne Francis Monday, June 26 7:30–9 p.m. Weinstein Auditorium Wright Hall
Dr. Usha Tummala-Narra Friday, July 21 Annual Conference 7:30–9 p.m. Weinstein Auditorium Wright Hall
Weinstein Auditorium is wheelchair accessible. Continuing Education Credits are available with a registration fee of $15 per lecture. Those who wish to earn CECs should arrive 15 minutes ahead to register and pay in person (check or money order only).
The Public Lecture Series in Social Work focuses on leading edge issues in clinical social work, anti-racism and their intersections. For more details on the speakers and their topics, visit smith.edu/ssw.
CREDITS: MEG HUTCHINSON, PHOTO BY STEPHAN HOGLUND LEIGH-ANNE FRANCIS, PHOTO-ART BY WWW.YOSRA.CO.UK © YOSRA EL-ESSAWY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
LECTURES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC