Self-Care and Organizational Practices for School Social Worker Resilience

School-based practitioners, like other front-line mental health workers, have been under increased pressure and stress as the demand for their services continues to increase. Given the mental health provider shortage in the US, it is imperative that School Social Workers (SSWs) do not succumb to the pressures of the job and become unable to practice.

In Self-Care and Organizational Practices for School Social Worker Resilience, Lou Paschall examines the unique characteristics of SSW practice that challenge the wellbeing of practitioners. Including stories from Paschall’s decades of experience as a practicing SSW, the book discusses Social Work within the education system and identifies various occupational hazards--from burnout and compassion fatigue to secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization. To address these occupational hazards, Paschall consults the guiding ethical documents of the profession--The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics--to recommend practical strategies for individual self-care and professional self-advocacy, as well as organization-level strategies to promote SSW wellness. Paschall addresses the challenges that lead to SSW burnout, offers compassionate advice for SSWs and organizational leaders to ensure SSW wellbeing, and practical methods to promote SSW safety and resiliency.

Lou Paschall, LAPSW, NCSSW, is a Licensed School Social Worker and a Licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker for Manchester City Schools. She completed the process to become a National Certified School Social Worker in 2022, becoming the first in Tennessee to earn the certification. Paschall received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee.