The New Social Worker Vol. 19, No. 3, Summer 2012 | Page 10
Field Placement
What I Learned From My First Intern
by Tina Landeen Panos, LCSW
I
was so excited to get my first intern.
My mind was busy ticking off the
valuable bits of wisdom and knowledge I could impart to her. The years of
schooling, the papers, the internships,
the field experience, the naked clients
(that’s a story for another article)—I could
share them all. I had been through so
much, learned so much, and knew so
much. This was going to be my chance
to give back. I wasn’t prepared for some
of the lessons I would learn from her.
#1: Question authority.
This sounds almost silly coming from
me, as I tend to pride myself as being
somewhat of a rebel, but after so many
years in the field, it’s safe to say that some
of the “shiny” has worn off. Why we do
some of the things we do doesn’t always
cross my mind. The paperwork, forms,
and protocols seem to run into each other
like a stream that tumbles from here to
there. When presented with questions
from my intern, I was forced to take
notice of the processes I go through. I
took some time to examine my work and
either reaffirm its value or get rid of it.
Coming in the
Fall 2012
issue of
How to Write for a Graduate
School Acceptance Letter
Evidence of Time Machines
Book Reviews...
and more!
8
The New Social Worker
Mindful practice has always been a goal
of mine, and until I was really questioned
about it, I thought I was doing it. I learned
that continued questioning keeps the fidelity to one’s practice.
#2: Keep learning.
In finding some of the weaknesses in
my intern’s knowledge, I dutifully sought
opportunities for trainings she could
attend. Tagging along to these trainings
that I always seemed too busy for previously gave some fresh light on practices
I was currently using, as well as opening my eyes to new possibilities. Again,
sometimes we are on such automatic
pilot dealing with our day-to-day operations that we lose sight of the power of
learning from each other. Isolating ourselves in our practice doesn’t benefit us
as clinicians or our clients. This leads me
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