THE CRITICAL SOCIAL WORKER: Josie Heyano, LMSW
This episode of the Critical Social Worker was hosted by our Professor Christian Stettler and guest Josie Heyano, a licensed master social worker. Josie Heyano is an Alaskan Native that is committed her outstanding work ethic to her work as a social worker. In this episode, they talk about social worker conflicts, the problems found in the systems of social work, and work ethic.
In 2023, she was awarded the Director’s Community Leadership Award from the FBI for her efforts in her line of work at the Covenant house and for efforts to prevent and intervene human trafficking.
Josie grew up in the Anchorage winters and spent her summers 20 miles up the Yukon river at a fish camp. Her family and the locals in the communities that use substanace fishing have been suffering from the limitations that have been placed on their lands. Students and researchers from UAF have been advocates for indigionous peoples rights to fish and live off of the land.
Her work has focused on the advocasy for youth homelessness, exploitation, and trafficking within Alaska. She was stationed at the Covenant house in Anchorage, AK while employed with the South Central Foundation. She has spent five years working with the youth there experiencing exploitation and human trafficking. She was also apart the the human trafficking prevention and intervention program during her time there. During her undergraduate at UAF, she worked with the youth that was experiencing homelessness in Fairbanks and completed her graduate fellowship in 2022.
What I want to shine light to is the work ethic of those in the field of social work and those related to social work. It’s obvious that Josie cares deeply (further than my understanding) about social work and the health and wellbeing of the community. She has experienced what doctors, nurses, firefighters, EMT’s/paramedics, and police officers have experienced, anger. Anger in a way that isn’t directed to anyone specific but anger at perfomance. She amongst many others experience anger when we go to work. The system of our work limits us to follow suit. That’s not always a bad thing considering that it could be limited for our safety. It’s anger that we can’t do more. Anger that what we are doing doesn’t feel like were doing enough. Anger that we understand that we can be doing better for our community.
I instantly related to her work ethic. I always feel like we can be doing better at our work for the community and at times when we’ve fell short, it’s a tarrible feeling of defeat. I’m greatful for people like Josie because her work ethic and energy towards her work show how much she cares about the people she serves. I feel that most people get comfortable within the walls (restrictions) of their work and chug along believeing that they’re doing the most that they can, however, once in a while you see someone like Josie come by and make and incredible impact.
The life of a social worker isn’t easy. I cannot fully relate, however, I work in the medical field and have experinced bad days. Josie mentioned during the podcast that when she struggles and her supervisors notice, they simply state she needs to take care of herself, but, she’s angry and fustrated at the design of the system. She’s not the only one! I’ve experienced this too. There have been times when I question what I’m doing is really benificial to the comunity and actually helpful when the all results are “rinse and repeat.” Josie mentioned how imoportant it is to take care of yourself but it’s also important to have social work friends to call upon to in times of need. It’s difficult talking about mental lugage to someone who has never stepped into your line of work and has spent at least 24 hours of work in your shoes. It’s almost better to simply talk it out with your co-workers. We can be our own therapists.
“If your soul is on fire to serve in a way that scares you to death, and you don’t feel worthy, ready or able, and that burning feeling woll not leave you alone, congradulations, you have your calling.”- Jaya John , Medicine Words for Your Brave Revolution.
Josie has founded Signify Consulting, LLC in 2022 and uses her experience, wisdom, and knowledge to engage with communities who experience human trafficking.
She works in memory of her Great Aunt Linda Miller who was murdered in Anchorage in 1973, her casre remains unsolved.
Here is the link for the podcast which I highly reccomend tuning into! If you want to reach out to Josie and or support her, here is her linked In link too!
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John Da Broi
I really enjoyed listening to Josie Heyanos’s podcast because she said the truth we don’t need to sugarcoat the problems that we have we need to be able to take them head-on to deal with them.
Michelle Dunham
Tough Love! The the right amount to empower rather than enable.
Since starting college again, the Mental Health clinicians I have worked with for the last two years, all tell me the same thing. “Find someone now who can counsel the counselor.” And I couldn’t agree more.
The “stuff” within our souls that is hiding behind closed doors needs to be exposed for our own healing, and so that our own pain or trauma is not interposed onto our patient/client.
Christine Ryan
Things I took away from the podcast:
When all the restrictions started happening and her mother’s village was suffering, other villages stood up, helped, and shared. Everyone opts to help each other out and we should see a wonderfulness in that. I loved listening about her summers at the fish camps and how it started with a Costco tent to building a cabin.
Be aware of a job that has a sign-on bonus. Why is it so high? Are we selling our soul and passion to be miserable? She regretted spending the money and then having to pay it back when she could not stay in the job. Christian also mentioned being recruited to a place and not knowing the work-life balance and if you would be worked to the bone.
Josie takes social work seriously, but she can recognize people without degrees and certifications can still do the hard work. She talked about how some of her peers take the licensure very seriously and you can’t identify or call it social work without it.
This podcast was very insightful and gave me a lot to think about. I am also interested in hearing more about her work with the FBI.
Great job on your blog.
Sharla Huckabey
I enjoyed listening to the podcast hosted by Josie Heyanos and Professor Stettler and reading your blog. You highlighted some really good things in the podcast. The anger that one has, as Josie said, is not always a bad thing. This stood out to me as well.
Josie spoke of Christina Love, an advocate for domestic violence and human trafficking. Christina is from my region, and I was able to hear her speak recently at a Trauma-informed conference held here in the Copper Region. At the conference, Christina also spoke of Josie.
Robi Naranjo
I really liked this podcast episode, it was a good conversation and I’m glad she addressed some of the challenges she has come across and conflicting values and how she handled it. And how most likely we will run into it in the future shes just paving a good way for us that when we come across this stuff in our own lives or careers we don’t have to stay
Josh Fine
Ben, Thank you for your concise, but informative coverage of this episode, it was very easy to read and acted as a great primer. This podcast episode gave me quite a bit to think about. Specifically the portion about physical touch when working with clients. Currently, my policy is much like her original policy; Handshakes, but nothing more. I have that firm boundary to protect myself, but it’s also there because it has been pounded into my head since my orientation class 2 years ago. There have been moments at work where I felt that a hand on the shoulder or even a hug would have been helpful in the moment, but I refrained. Hearing Ms. Heyano speak about how that policy changed for her, is empowering. Her unwillingness to settle also amazes me, excellent episode.
Simone Smith
I so enjoyed the podcast and am so inspired by Josie, thanks for the blog on it Ben! Human trafficking is terrifying and I would love to work with youth like her. I loved her take on weaponized self care as I have experience this in my work at an addiction recovery center. I will for sure be following her and her foundation.
Jackson Foster
I enjoyed listening to the podcast like Josie was so inspiring just because of how she explained on the challenges she was facing and how she was able to handle it like its hard to go through challenges but Josie story about how she was able to deal with those problems can really make a difference in someone’s life.
Maren Chaffee
I truly enjoyed listening to this podcast and reading this blog about Josie! Working in behavioral health, having things like this helps me remember why I am on the path I am on. I agree that having connections and validation is an area that keeps many going when the work is hard and draining.