Being the Work
28 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsConversations with therapists, for therapists courageously cracking into our unspoken experiences. We seek to put voice to taboo topics in the helping professions, deepen our connections to each other, and ask the difficult questions of what it is to be fully human and a helper at the same time.
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Episodes
From Texas & Touchdowns to Finding His Spirit
May 27, 2024 05:15 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBIn this episode Ben talks with Matt H- a school social worker, who shares how he got from Texas, to scoring touchdowns and how recovering from tragedy helped him toward find his spirit. Matt shares about his childhood adoption, the people that influenced his passion to be the difference he wants to see, and experiences from his first year as a school social worker. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our commu...
Digging Deep and Getting Real- Still Self-Caring Together
April 01, 2024 05:15 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBJoin Ben and Blakely as they dig deep to self-care together. They explore the nuances of their mental health, trauma, and the path to healing as a professional helper. They get real with one another with their self-care challenges and navigate the complexities of providing help while also addressing their own vulnerabilities. This episode offers a raw, insightful look into the struggles and victories encountered in their journey toward understanding, acceptance, and growth. Just a Note: thi...
From the Farm to a Bear Hunt with Casi Ph.d
February 27, 2024 05:15 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBFrom helping struggling students to cherishing sweet victories, we explore the profound effect of genuine human bonds and the crucial role of vulnerability in connection for those we help, and for ourselves. Here’s a front-row seat to the realities and commitments of our journey of compassion…and to how Casi's passion took her on a bear hunt. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our community and show ad free and...
Striving for Understanding and Authenticity with Rachel LMSW
January 24, 2024 05:15 - 57 minutes - 66.2 MBToday we talk about striving for understanding and authenticity with Rachel. She's currently a medical social worker that has worked with children's mental health and a plethora of medical social worker roles. She's the highest paid Bingo-Caller we know! We talk personal history, motivations, humor, care, commitment, and recovery and prevention of burnout. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our community and...
Meditation, Social Anxiety and Spiritual Baggage
January 08, 2024 18:30 - 33 minutes - 38 MBToday we're on self-care challenge field trip. Blakely's challenge was to embrace her vulnerability and practice loving kindness. And, Ben's challenge was to get out of his head and do some improve. Today, we attend a group meditation and share our experience and reflections on togetherness, spirituality and what's getting in the way of wellness. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our community and show ad fre...
Balance, Honesty & Stepping Away with Sarah LPC
January 02, 2024 05:15 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBToday we talk with our Being-the-Work teammate, Sarah. We discuss professional challenges, growth, and the necessity of finding harmony in work and personal life. Sarah shares her journey from stepping away from counseling, how her counseling skills have helped her be a parent she’s is proud of, and her commitment to help others. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our community and show ad free and open to hel...
Self-care Challenges...Together
December 18, 2023 05:15 - 55 minutes - 63.7 MBWith a mixture of humor and confrontation, we build on the last two episodes, getting down to the business of setting some self-care challenges for one another based on what we know about each other. Self-care is so much more than mere coping skills. Join us as we face some vulnerabilities and fears and walk our unique paths to wellness, together. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our community and show ad fre...
Let's Self-care Together- part 2
December 11, 2023 05:15 - 39 minutes - 45.1 MBIn this episode we focus on authenticity and compassion for each other and ourselves through facing resilience, acknowledging personal limitations, seeking help, and the impacts of external factors like ADHD and societal expectations. We touch on stories about burnout, dealing with personal traumas, learning about diagnosis of ADHD. We highlight the importance of honesty, acceptance and change in the pursuit of self-care. We agree to offer self-care challenges each other in episode 3 episode...
Let's Self-care, Together
December 04, 2023 05:15 - 39 minutes - 45 MBWe're back! And, to kick off season 3, Let us introduce ourselves to you. We dive into a discussion about personal traits and their impact on our work, friendship, and journeys with self-care as Professional Helpers and now...Podcast hosts. Don't self-care alone! Let us know about your journey! @beingthework on patreon Email us at: [email protected] DM us on instagram @beingthework Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Support us in our mission of building connections between hel...
Money, Our Work, and Our Wellbeing
July 10, 2023 05:15 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBSupport us in our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. Our last episode of Season 2! This season we delved into the lives and work of fellow helpers, why they chose this work, why they've stayed, and what they might need to keep going. In this episode Blakely and Ben venture into how money influences our wellbeing, our relationships with the systems that control and manage the money. We'll be back in September for Season 3. If you'...
Bonus Interview with Danielle R
July 03, 2023 05:15 - 1 hour - 65.2 MBSupport us toward our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. We’ll give you a shout out on a future episode! Today Ben talks with an old friend, Danielle, who is a Clinical Professional Counselor. We get to know Danielle through her Strengths Finder, Enneagram, by ironing out an old conflict with Ben, having heartfelt conversations about personal and professional struggles, and what she needs for wellness. Episode timestamps: 2:28- Str...
Self-Care: A Habit or a Ritual?
June 19, 2023 05:15 - 57 minutes - 133 MBSupport us toward our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. We’ll give you a shout out on a future episode! In this episode, Blakely presents the definition of ritual and the idea that it’s is what is missing from her own self-care. Ben pushes back on Blakely's definition. Blakely, like many of us, feels bored and tied down by trying to stick to a routine, making self-care feel like an obligation. How do you do with self-care habits...
BTW Bonus Episode Interview with Annas B.
June 12, 2023 05:15 - 1 hour - 141 MBSupport us toward our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. We’ll give you a shout out on a future episode! We’re super excited to have Ben's old supervisor, Annas on BTW this week. We met her to record at the university where she was teaching. Annas shares about her journey to the Helping Field, what she been through while in the work and what she's learned about herself along the way. She's got some great quotes throughout this epis...
I was an Ass: Competition and Disconnection
June 05, 2023 05:15 - 50 minutes - 115 MBSupport us toward our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. We’ll give you a shout out on a future episode! In this episode, Ben talks with Sarah about competition and disconnection with other helpers. He shares his own history on how he used to strive to be the "best counselor ever" and how the culture at work supported and even encouraged this competition. We'd love to hear from you! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! DM or Lea...
BTW: Interview with Allison H.
May 22, 2023 05:15 - 1 hour - 152 MBIn this episode, Ben interviews Allison. He and Allison had only heard about each other through the social work grapevine until this interview. Allison shares her personal journey to social work, the stressors she faced, the physical toll it took on her mind and body, and how the personal choices she made for her wellness, her health, and to be true to herself. We keep our community and show ad free and open to helpers, your investment will help to directly build the brave space we all n...
There's a Difference: Empathy vs. Compassion
May 15, 2023 05:15 - 43 minutes - 100 MBSupport us toward our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. We’ll give you a shout out on a future episode! In this episode we welcome Sarah. She’s a new addition to our team! Blakely and Ben are balloons and Sarah is a string…every balloon needs a good string to be attached 😊. Welcome, Sarah! What’s the difference between Empathy vs. Compassion? Ben explores what’s he’s learned and his experienced to dissect the differences between...
BTW: Interview with Felicity C.
May 01, 2023 05:15 - 1 hour - 162 MBIn this episode, Ben and Blakely talk with Felicity who they met at a conference presentation they gave on Empathy-Stress and Identity. She quickly became a friend with her honesty and humanity. This conversation is open, inspiring and thoughtful. Felicity shares deeply personal stories of her journey to social work, her ideas on self-care and sustaining a career. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our communit...
Is Your Self-Care Even Working? Compassion Stress and Taking Things Personally
April 24, 2023 05:15 - 48 minutes - 112 MBIn this episode Ben and Blakely take on self-care. What makes it work? What gets in the way? Is it the Self-Help sorry "Self-Care" industry? It’s it us? Our relationships? Are we too busy, getting too distracted? Blakely embraces her desire to just be honest and say the "fucked up shit" that's on her mind. She explores her thoughts that we can’t be prescribed self-care practices that will “work”. We need to be aware of what works for us and use these practices intentionally. Ben explores ...
Can You Avoid Losing Yourself as a Helper?
April 03, 2023 05:15 - 50 minutes - 117 MBIn this episode we answer the question: Will the stress and demands of helping roles will inevitably lead to losing ourselves in fatigue and burnout? We walk through our experiences, what we've tried to avoid losing ourselves, and talk about an abundant resource we rarely use as professionals. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our community and show ad free and open to helpers, your investment ...
What are Your Thoughts on Imposter Syndrome?
November 15, 2021 05:15 - 54 minutes - 35.9 MBHey helpers! This week we're taking umbrage with the concept of "Imposter Syndrome," sharing some readings and intersectional ideas we hope you'll consider in reclaiming some healthy self doubt AND questioning the environmental and relational elements perpetuating your sense of not belonging. It's time to get inclusive out here y'all, tune in, we're so glad you're here. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. So you will hear us cuss sometimes. We keep our co...
How Does Containing so Many Secrets Impact You?
November 08, 2021 05:15 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBThis week Ben and Blakely are closely examining the impact of our roles as secret-keepers. One of the sacred foundations of our practice, and the public concept of us, is as locked vaults of human secrets. This containing impacts us, alters our perspective of humanity, and perpetuates some of our loneliness. We can admit we like being 'in on' human secrets, though stashing them all away can be wearying. Tune in, we're so glad you're here. Just a Note: this is an uncensored show full of our...
What is Your Experience With Burnout?
November 01, 2021 05:15 - 54 minutes - 36.4 MBHey Helpers! Okay, fine, let's get serious about this looming cloud of *burnout.* Burnout is a beast lurking in the shadows of the helper's life. Culturally many of us are burned out before we even step into the office, then we endure the work there too. Often, the way we define and address the concept of burnout is already working against us. Tune in while we break it down and explore some ideas of what intersects with the helper's burnout cycle, and what might help us break out of it. We'r...
How Do You Know It's Time to Go to Therapy for Yourself?
October 25, 2021 05:15 - 52 minutes - 29.7 MBWelcome back! This week it's time to get real about help for the helpers. It's essential we have our turn to access support, intervention, wellness - the work. It's also sometimes difficult to surmount an array of barriers deterring us from our own turn on the couch. Healthcare costs, stigma, and other tricky waters must be forged to get our needs met. So let's take a look at what it takes to do and be the work as the client. We're so glad you're here. A few FYIs: -we swear sometimes; th...
What Does 'Doing and Being the Work' Mean to You?
October 18, 2021 05:15 - 45 minutes - 43.8 MBHey Helpers, welcome back. We're so glad you're here to join us in exploring the balance of the DOING and the BEING in our work and our lives. Embodying an authentic version of ourselves while managing the workload of therapy and other types of helping can be incredibly challenging. Dive into the dialectic with us; it's messy but worth it. A few FYIs: -we swear sometimes; this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. We mention and are influenced by these wise women, especially ...
What Does 'Being the Work' Mean to You?
October 18, 2021 05:15 - 45 minutes - 43.8 MBHey Helpers, welcome back. We're so glad you're here to join us in exploring the balance of the DOING and the BEING in our work and our lives. Embodying an authentic version of ourselves while managing the workload of therapy and other types of helping can be incredibly challenging. Dive into the dialectic with us; it's messy but worth it. A few FYIs: -we swear sometimes; this is an uncensored show full of our personal opinions. We mention and are influenced by some wise women on this t...
Which Watershed Moments Led You to The Work?
October 11, 2021 05:15 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBIn our second episode, to continue in exploration of WHY we're here, Ben and Blakely share stories regarding those watershed moments in life which led our path to the helping work. Ben took a 'no' and turned it into a 'hell yes,' while Blakely decided she could do it better than Dr. Phil. Thanks, as always, for tuning in to join us in exploring all the tricky aspects of doing and being the work. A few FYIs: -we swear sometimes; this is an uncensored show -Stephen King writes some damn g...
What Brought You to & What Keeps You in the Work?
October 04, 2021 05:15 - 53 minutes - 97.6 MBSupport us in our mission of building connections between helping professionals and providing quality content. In our inaugural episode, we figure it's worth digging into our origins and constants - why YOU, why THIS work? Along the path Ben shares spiritual experiences and inherent empathy guiding the evolution of his 'Faith,' while Blakely took her own pathway of persistent Curiosity and early frustrations with injustice in the world. A few notes: We don't edit our (mostly Blakely's) ...
Being the Work Trailer
August 30, 2021 05:15 - 1 minute - 3.14 MBHey helpers! Coming fall 2021, two mental health professionals are teaming up for a weekly conversation about what it means to be a human and a helper. The stories of therapists and other helpers are often set aside in order to 'do the work,' but our lives are rich, tragic, exciting, and terrifying too! Join us to dive into the complexities of doing and being the work. We keep our community and show ad free and open to helpers, your investment will help to directly build the brave space we...