NASW News


Social Work in the Public Eye


Linda Szmulewitz

Linda Szmulewitz

NASW member Linda Szmulewitz, a licensed clinical social worker and certified gentle sleep coach, offered her insight for an article posted at Romper.com concerning the seven myths about sleep regression in babies and toddlers.

Sleep regressions are “a period of time (anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks) when a baby or toddler who has been sleeping well suddenly starts waking at night, for no apparent reason,” the article points out, citing information from Babysleepsite.com.

Szmulewitz says sleep regressions typically happen right before a baby meets a new developmental milestone, like crawling or walking.

Romper.com also quotes NASW member Kim West, known as the Sleep Lady. West said regressions are short phases and should pass in a few weeks, the article says. It adds that readers can rest easy knowing sleep regressions are normal parts of child development and not a sign that something is wrong.


Iris Carlton-LaNey

Iris Carlton-LaNey

North Carolina Public radio, WUNC, interviewed NASW member Iris Carlton-LaNey. Carlton-LaNey, the Berg-Beach Distinguished Professor of Community Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discussed how she inspires students to work for systemic change and social justice.
Her comments included advice to social work students.

“I encourage students to always have that lens that asks why,” Carlton-LaNey told WUNC. “When you read something, when you read a scholarly article, then ask: Who are they really talking about? Who’s included here? But the best question is: Who is excluded? Whose voice isn’t heard?”

“And so you as the professional become that voice,” she said. “And I think we have to say: Well, they’re talking about this group of people, but they’ve left out this population. And what’s often left out in terms of strength-based practice is black and brown people.”
“And we have to say: Were any black and brown people included in this study?” she said. “And it’s not enough to say: We didn’t include too many black and brown people in this study. That’s not enough to validate the results.”


Cristina Young

Cristina Young

The Greenwich Sentinel highlighted NASW member Cristina Young, a Greenwich, Conn.-based licensed clinical social worker who held a parenting workshop titled, “Ten Practical Ways to Build Accountability in Your Kids.”

“Degrees of accountability in kids are a massive predictor of success as an adult, and accountable kids share better connections with others,” Young is as quoted as saying, referencing a recent study.

“My goal is that each of you can take away at least one or two of these strategies and start implementing them tonight, because evidence shows that if we don’t make any changes within the first 24 hours of learning them, we won’t do any of it,” Young said.

“Ninety-nine percent of parenting is about the adults, and whatever we draw attention to, grows,” she said. “Kids learn to be accountable because parents highlight it, comment on it, praise it, or note its absence aloud.”


Danielle Forshee

Danielle Forshee

When people go through a breakup, the reason they feel sad, have crying spells, have changes in sleeping patterns and appetite, and experience a decrease in energy and motivation is because of the decrease in serotonin stimulation and production, says Danielle Forshee.

Forshee, an NASW member, doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker, was quoted in Elite Daily about what happens to people physically after a breakup.

The article notes serotonin is known as the feel-good chemical, and when people don’t have enough — like when we experience a breakup — it can cause “situational depression.”

“While the symptoms are very similar [to a major depressive episode], a situational depression lasts much less time in duration,” Forshee is quoted as saying.

“One way to combat this is to engage in strategies that are likely to increase serotonin stimulation and production,” Forshee told Elite Daily. “The more you attempt to increase serotonin, the better you will feel.”

To read other media stories like these, visit socialworkersspeak.org.

.