Libby, Social Work Residency Supervisor

What is your average day like at The Jewish Board?

My average day always has twists and turns, which is part of what I enjoy about this work! I supervise social work residents across three clinics in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx, so I might be at any one of those sites (or my own home in Brooklyn if I’m working remotely). In addition to providing supervision, I also attend Leadership Meetings, Staff Meetings, and High Risk meetings for those three clinics as my schedule allows. I hold a few cases of my own, so depending on the day, I might be seeing a client or meeting with their caregiver. No matter where I am or what meeting I’m in, I’m always on Teams, chatting with one or more of my seven residents about any clinical or operational challenges they are facing on that particular day.

What is your favorite part of the work you do?

Without a doubt, it’s working with my residents and growing their knowledge of the Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) population. It’s been so lovely to watch them become more confident, skillful clinicians over the past year. When I was a full-time clinician, my favorite part of the work was demystifying systems for the families I worked with, and now that I’m a full-time supervisor, my favorite part of the work is doing the same thing for my residents. Knowledge is power, so the more my residents understand the systems their families live within, the more powerful they will be in helping families navigate those systems.

Why do you think the value “Strive To Be Outstanding” is so important?

It’s a huge responsibility to provide clinical care for clients, especially within a community mental health setting, and especially with such a vulnerable age group. To me, striving to be outstanding is an important value because that’s what you need to be if you are to ensure safe and supportive client-centered care. When we merely strive to meet expectations rather than exceed them, we risk the well-being of both our clients and our agency staff.

What song or album do you listen to when you need a burst of energy?

Always Beyoncé 🐝