Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Why we need to make the time to do lifebook work
Doing lifebook work is a critical part of the permanency planning process. I recently had the opportunity to take a teen client to re-visit a community where she once lived. Her excitement was visibly clear, as was her slight anxiety. As we drove two hours over windy New England roads, she reflected on the friends she had made there, the places that held memories for her – both good and bad – and how much she appreciated the opportunity to go back and experience that place again as an older, wiser person. Looking at her past gave her a chance to see where she is today: more stable, on a better path, and ready to make good choices. She deserves to be recognized for all she has survived and accomplished.
Working with kids who are unable to live with their birth families due to abuse, neglect, and trauma is challenging, but extremely rewarding. This day was one of those rewards. We should never forget to be reverent and respectful of the lives of those we serve. Walking this path with them, bearing witness to their past, their joys and tears, their disappointments and accomplishments is an honor for me as a social worker. To make a difference, one life at a time matters.
