• What “transitional trauma” means and how it impacts newcomers navigating unfamiliar systems
• The realities of language barriers, stigma, and access to care in immigrant communities
• How culturally grounded practice can build trust, safety, and connection
• Jaeyell’s creative use of comics and storytelling to make mental health more approachable
• His advice to the next generation of social workers on cultural humility and lifelong learning

This episode is a powerful reminder that social work is not just about services — it’s about understanding, belonging, and meeting people where they are.

Lisa is an Anishinaabekwe of the Bear Clan and a band member of M’chigeeng First Nation. Before any professional role, she grounds herself in her relationships — as a daughter, sister, mother, wife, cousin, friend, hunter, and helper. These responsibilities guide how she moves through the world and how she shows up in community. 

Living and working in Sioux Lookout since 2009, Lisa has spent over 20 years supporting community wellness through roles in harm reduction, youth justice, counselling, shelters, management, and frontline service. Today, she works with the Hepatitis C Program at Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, continuing to support healing and wellness in First Nations communities.  

In this episode, Lisa reflects on: 

• The importance of relationships and accountability in social work 

• How land-based knowledge and culture shape her practice 

• Supporting community through harm reduction and frontline care 

• The role of lived experience in guiding healing and wellness 

• The land as teacher and guide in both life and practice 

Marie-Michèle est travailleuse sociale depuis 2009 et exerce à Québec, où elle travaille au sein du réseau de la santé et s’implique actuellement dans le milieu syndical et les négociations. Gaëlle, travailleuse sociale depuis l’obtention de sa maîtrise, a bâti sa carrière dans des milieux communautaires et institutionnels à Montréal, avec un engagement profond envers la collaboration et la pratique systémique. 

Dans cet épisode spécial, Marie-Michèle et Gaëlle racontent comment leur parcours personnel dans le travail social a commencé, ainsi que le cheminement qui a mené à la création de l’Association québécoise des travailleuses sociales et travailleurs sociaux (AQTS) — une association professionnelle dédiée à la représentation et à la défense des travailleurs sociaux à travers le Québec.   

Dans cet épisode, elles reviennent sur :  

• Leurs parcours uniques vers le travail social et ce qui continue d’inspirer leur pratique   
• La création d’une association provinciale et l’importance d’une voix collective  
• La distinction entre les ordres professionnels, les associations et les syndicats  
• La nécessité d’une plus grande reconnaissance et visibilité de la profession  
• Leurs espoirs pour l’avenir du travail social au cours des 100 prochaines années  

Karen brings years of practice experience across community senior services, long-term care, and geriatric acute care, alongside a deep commitment to research and advocacy for older adults and their families. Her contributions have been recognized with the Inspiring Social Worker of the Year Award and the Distinguished Service Award. 

In this episode, Karen reflects on: 

• Supporting older adults and people living with dementia 

• The realities of transnational family caregiving 

• How structural forces — including racism — shape access to dementia supports 

• Addressing stigma and barriers within Chinese communities 

• The role of research in advancing anti-oppressive gerontological social work 

Through both practice and research, Karen’s work highlights how social workers can challenge inequities and improve systems of care for aging communities. 

Julia shares how her journey began in pediatric health and nutrition before she realized social work aligned more deeply with her holistic values. After completing her BSW, Julia found her calling in grief and loss. 

In this powerful conversation, Julia reflects on: 

• Anticipatory grief and how loss reshaped her practice 

• Building her own practice with a bereavement leave fund  

• The barriers people face when seeking grief support 

• Her vision for a clearer “map” to help individuals and families navigate grief resources 

Through free monthly workshops for young people navigating loss, Julia is expanding access to grief-informed care and raising awareness about the fragility and sensitivity of grief. 

This episode reminds us that social work is everywhere - in policy spaces, in private practice, in community workshops, and in the quiet moments of holding space for loss.  

• Why she chose social work
• The defining moments that shaped her practice
• The power of mentorship and lived experience
• Her hopes for the next 100 years of the profession
  

This episode sets the tone for the series with a thoughtful, honest, and grounded conversation, in values that continue to shape social work across generations.

National Social Work Month is about recognizing the impact of social workers in communities across the country and this conversation is a powerful reminder of why this profession matters.

For more information on National Social Worker Month 2026 and The Social Worker Podcast, visit https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/national-social-work-month-2026