Yearly Recap: 2024 at Simply Social Work
2024 was a busy year for Simply Social Work! So I thought I would take some time to practice what I encourage many clients to do at some point in the beginning of the new year: reflect on the past year, the highs and lows, and celebrate the wins (big and small) that happened over the last twelve months.
Psychotherapy & Counselling
First and foremost, Simply Social Work is about providing accessible, neurodiversity-affirming, evidence-informed mental health support. A lot happened in the world during 2024, and we were here through it all. We continued to prioritize individualized, ethical, and effective care. I’m truly proud of the psychotherapy and counseling, sex therapy, and case management services that Simply Social Work provided to all of our truly incredible clients. But more than that, I remain honoured and humbled to have been trusted by so many. I’m truly blown away by the vulnerability, creativity, resiliency, and strength demonstrated by all of my clients. Sometimes I still can’t believe that this is what I get to do everyday!
Research
You may not know that after completing my MSW, I stayed on at the University of Waterloo as a researcher on a variety of projects with Dr. Margaret F. Gibson’s research teams. My main role is project coordinator on the Learning Access study, but I’m also a research assistant (RA) on the Neurodiversity Matters, Reimagining Care/Work Policies (RCWP), and Eloping projects. It’s been incredibly rewarding work, with each project adding to the field of neurodiversity, disability, and care work. It’s something that I thoroughly enjoy and that I feel is important, but I never imagined the opportunities it would continue to provide me.
In June, I travelled to Montreal to present findings from RCWP at the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE)’s annual conference. Not only did I get to visit a brand new city that I immediately fell in love with, but I got to connect with two other neurodivergent researchers, and I’m so grateful for the affirming and supportive friendship the three of us have maintained ever since. In November, I travelled to Ottawa to present at the annual Women In Mind conference hosted by The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
Our team also presented a training on working with neurodivergent students to field educators from Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, and Dr. Gibson and I also sat on a panel hosted by a student-led initiative at the University of Waterloo.
Philanthropy & Community
As a private practice, giving back and connecting with our community is essential to Simply Social Work. In June (yes, right after the CASWE conference … it was a long drive, to say the least), I got to attend the Brain Injury Association of Niagara (BIAN)’s annual Mix & Mingle, to raise funds for their support services to brain injury survivors and their families. It was a lovely event at a beautiful winery in Niagara, and I was surprised and thrilled to be reunited with my old co-workers at Connect Communities! I haven’t seen them in years, so it was so cool to reconnect.
Alex and I also were proud to represent Simply Social Work in November at the annual fundraising dinner hosted by the Hamilton Brain Injury Association (HBIA).
Rob
In April, we said a very fond farewell to Rob.
Rob Pepper (RP) joined the Simply Social Work team back in 2023, and we are so grateful for his dedication to his clients and the field of mental health during his time with us. I’m also so grateful on a personal level to have such an intelligent, kind, and supportive friend and colleague. You can find Rob at his incredible multilingual private practice, Courage to Be Psychotherapy.
Trainings & Certification
You might have noticed some new letters behind my name this year. I had the opportunity to take an incredible continuing education course by Dr. Tammy Nelson, one of the world’s leading sex and couples’ therapists, at the Integrated Sex Therapy Institute (ISTI). I’m now proud to be a Certified Sex Therapy Integrated Practitioner (CSTIP).
I also spent over 40 hours this year on additional trainings and courses in Acceptance & Committed Therapy (ACT). I became interested in ACT several years ago, after it had such a transformative impact on my own personal mental health. As a practitioner, I’ve done a lot of self-led research into the modality, but was thrilled to be able to enroll in a few courses this year to build upon my skills. I’m so grateful to have been able to learn from Dr. Russ Harris, one of the leading trainers and facilitators of the ACT model. I’m now proud to be certified in:
ACT for ADHD
Trauma-Focused ACT
ACT for Perfectionism & People Pleasing
Personal
Every year, I pick a word that I want to try and live by. My word for 2024 was balance.
It isn’t easy to run your own business, volunteer, prioritize your health, connect with your spouse, build a home, and maintain friendships. I have often struggled with neglecting certain areas in order to hustle. I didn’t want that anymore. I carved out time for my hobbies by building them into my routines. I invested in my relationships. I traveled. I also took some charge of my health, rather than continuing to avoid certain appointments for fear of the unknown. And you know what? Rather than “getting in the way” like I worried about, it made me better in each of my many roles.
Angel
And, of course, I wouldn’t be able to reflect on 2024 without making space for the most difficult part.
Many who have been here are familiar with Angel, my faithful rescue beagle. Whether it was in the background of sessions, or featured in more social media content than I could ever keep track of, Angel was an integral part of Simply Social Work that was loved by so many. I still can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that she crossed the rainbow bridge on Saturday, October 12. I was also blown away by just how many people offered kind words of condolence and support as I navigated how to still show up as a therapist in the face of such intense grief, and I’m so grateful.
