Latest Posts

As people experience mental health and substance abuse, we, as social workers are there to help those in need during their healing journey. A trauma disorder is a mental health condition that can occur during or after a traumatic event. … Continued

Much of social work’s history – and indeed, history in general – has been told through an incredibly white-centric perspective. Throughout centuries, the wisdom of Indigenous peoples has been ignored, erased, and silenced. Today, I had the incredible opportunity to … Continued

Elizabeth Jackson What is a personality disorder? Each of us have different ways of experiencing emotions, forming thoughts, and communicating them. Often, this distinctiveness is seen as a personal trait or a unique aspect that distinguishes us. It is our … Continued

While reading the article ‘Colorblindness is Counterproductive,’ published in 2015, I thought extensively about the opening paragraph. It explicitly addresses individuals who attempt to demonstrate or show to others that they accept people of all colors and do not judge … Continued

What are ACEs? “Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). For example: experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect witnessing violence in the home or community having a family member attempt or die by … Continued

         Host Christian Stettler, a clinical professor of social work for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and host of “The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling” Podcast had the privilege of engaging in a profound conversation with Ilarion Merculieff, a … Continued

In A blog by Alia Harvey Wingfield titled ” Colorblindness is counter productive, Alia describes a common situation or experience we have all seen or found ourselves in, where we don’t think we are racist or judge people by their … Continued

Assessment & Intervention Strategies A social work practitioner’s main focus area when it comes to understanding ACEs is to assess the family based on their culture and diversity. Many families come to social work practitioners to seek help on a … Continued

I went into this podcast with an open mind, willing to approach social work from a fresh perspective. As the conversation unfolded, he emphasize a lesson we’ve been learning in class: to truly make a difference, we must start by … Continued

Millions of people suffer bipolar disorders alone, and it can occur at any point in one’s life. It is seen as major shifts in one’s mood and normal decision making. Such as somebody who doesn’t normally gamble decides to hit … Continued

For this weeks blog I was able to hear Christian Stettler the host of the critical social worker and Gabe Tegosiak who is an activist in Burrow Alaska discuss about keeping things in a balance like they were talking about … Continued

Revolutionizing Social Work Podcast w/Causha Spellman-Timmons I really enjoyed this episode of the podcast and was delighted to find access to it on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0dIMh0AcHmXBhEbmtdIAkt?si=858b78c1522e460c as well as Youtube: https://youtu.be/rnbm2S0ecZM?si=fYihV-EvgGiXv3Ux. Causha’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsurvivor_84/ There were quite a few things I … Continued

Elders of the Frozen North Subsistence is a very important way of life for the Indigenous people of Alaska. Evoking their deep rooted connection to the land, their wisdom passed down through generations, and their resilience in navigating the challenges … Continued

For this week’s blog, I had the opportunity to hear from Professor Stettler and his guest Gabe Tegosiak, who is an activist from Barrow Alaska, through the Critical Social Worker podcast. This particular episode was episode #41, which discusses keeping … Continued

Important Terms: Race- “is the word used to describe the physical characteristics of a person. These characteristics can include everything from skin color, eye color, facial structure, or hair color” (Tiffany, 2017). Ethnicity- “is the word used to describe the … Continued

Christian Stettler, a distinguished professor of Social Work at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, hosts The Critical Social Worker” podcast. This podcast leverages the core values of Social Work to facilitate insightful discussions, sharing the stories and experiences of individuals … Continued

Most of us grow up believing we are not racist, I know I did. I was told by my family and teachers that we must love people for who they are, not the color of their skin. I would never … Continued

To begin comparing any two or more things, we have to begin with defining the components to be compared. As you can imagine, there was no shortage of definitions in terms of cultural competence and cultural humility. To the right … Continued

Colonial legacies greatly impact our understanding of different cultures because history is often written by the ‘victors’ or oppressors. Colonization and the history of a colonized culture can be influenced heavily by Western values and norms, so something that is … Continued

Indigenous people had been utilizing the lands for hundreds of years. They used the lands to provide for surveille. Resources from the lands were used not only for food to feed their families, but also many other ways to help … Continued

An Alaskan Transplant Returning to their Passions I first began wanting to visit Alaska in 6th grade after learning about it in geography class. I was fascinated by the idea of people who endured so many extreme and natural “dichotomies”. … Continued

Dating back over a thousand years, the indigenous population has lived off the land we now call Alaska. During this time they managed the land, waters, and other natural resources such as plants and animals in such ways that kept … Continued

Christian Settler Christian Settler is the host of the Critical Social Worker which is a podcast that uses the values of Social Work to open the door to tell peoples stories and their experiences. He is a current professor at … Continued

When I used ChatGBT 3.5, it gave me a lot of good information about the codes of ethics like I learned that the concept of ethics serves as a moral compass, guiding the individuals, and organizations towards the principles of … Continued

(photo from Canvas) Dr. Lesther Papa’s journey starts in the Central Pacific island of Kauai. Lesther Papa grew up in Kauai, Hawaii with his immigrant parents. Lesther Papa was an excellent student, starting from kindergarten, entering both middle school and … Continued

Haki Kweli Shakur is an advocate of political prisoners and prisoners of war, new Afrikan citizen of the Republic of New Afrika, a new Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalist, and so much more. After listening to the podcast of Haki Kweli Shakur … Continued

February 7, 2024  | Elizabeth Jackson We will discuss the concept of being anti-racist and dissect the various forms of racism, from individual attitudes to institutionalized discrimination. Intersections of antiracism, in particular, will be a focal point, as we examine … Continued

The Host The host of this podcast, The Critical Social Worker, is Christian Stettler, our professor. A professor at The University of Alaska Fairbanks in social work. This is the 40th episode of this series. Christian met the guest, Lesther … Continued

I think a very relevant example of how power influences the perpetuation of racist policies is the common ideology of American politicians taking the stance of being ‘tough’ on crime. This stance of being tough on crime has been a … Continued

Reading this article reminded me of an early experience of racism I encountered. When I was in kindergarten, a new classmate from Mexico arrived, unfamiliar with how things worked in the States. My young self saw this as an opportunity … Continued

(Disclaimer: My intent is not to offend anyone and if anything sounds out of pocket then that was simply me not communicating my thoughts well enough) Racism has been a prominent issue since the beginning of time. I like to … Continued

Contextualizing Power and Policy: In what ways does the current structure of power influence the creation and perpetuation of racist policies? How can antiracist work seek to not only challenge these policies but also the very foundation of power that … Continued

Social Work: What Is It The following definitions could be seen as revolutionary, I found this definition in a paper written by Deepak Nayak where he sighted some Indigenous Authors on defining social work. One is Sushil Chandra (1954) defined … Continued

Rita Pitka Blumenstein (July 11, 1933 – August 6, 2021) or more commonly known as Grandmother Rita to the yupik community was the first traditional medicine certified doctor in Alaska and was a member of the international council of 13 … Continued

In our fast-paced world, the idea of healing and wellness often revolves around medical treatment and technological advancements. Yet, there exists a deeper form of healing, one that extends to our inner selves and our connection with the world around … Continued

Nikki Hayle is an American politician whose presidential campaign for 2024 is still in its early stages. She was the first woman to serve as governor in South Carolina and aspires to be the first woman president. She seems to … Continued

Dr. Kendi is one of the world’s leading historians and antiracist scholars. In this article (an extract from his book How To Be An Antiracist) he teaches us about antiracism, starting with introducing us to some of the key components … Continued

When I saw Linda’s appearance on this podcast as a blog post option, I had to jump on the opportunity. Linda is someone that has helped me on a level that I cannot properly put into writing. I remember our … Continued

What is Social Work? Social work is the ability to help people in difficult situations overall. Social work provides resources, offers programs, and so much more to people in need. It helps not only individuals but also communities. Social work … Continued

Grandmother Rita Yupik Traditional Elder We can all learn a great deal from Grandmother Rita because through her childhood, the way she was raised, her community, and her spiritual connection to the universe she is very much so removed from … Continued

“Savior complex” refers to a pattern of behavior where an individual seeks to save others in an often overbearing, unwarranted, or uninvited manner. Religion has been deeply intertwined with charity and social work, laying the groundwork for modern social work … Continued

I just watched The Critical Social Worker Podcast with guest Marya White , I thought it was a really great conversation and was filled with great insight and so much wisdom! I want to be a social worker like her! … Continued

Hello fellow classmates! My name is Annalee White, but you can call me Annie. I live in windy Palmer with my husband of (almost!) seven years and our kiddos. We have a five-year-old daughter Arabella. a three year old son … Continued

My name is Christine, and I am thirty-seven years old. I have taken different paths in my life. My parents divorced when I was six and the toxicity of that was buried till my former years in high school. I … Continued

The person I am today, and the person I want to be is constantly changing, and half the time I feel like I truly never really know what I am doing in my life. I am 22 though, I have … Continued

My journey of resiliance Hello, my name is Elizabeth, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to share some pivotal moments that got me where I am today. There is a moment of self-reflection where we often find ourselves … Continued

Who I am becoming is ever changing and expanding, and will for the rest of my life. I am 51 and I have learned more about myself and the world around me in the last four years than I ever … Continued

This time in my life has been filled with pivotal moments, and in these moments of clarity, I found new perspectives and opportunities to change my life. This last year, a 6-month prison sentence forced me to sit down, sober … Continued

This is coming from a small rural Alaska village girl’s point of view. I am reminded by my Yup’ik grandparents, “nalluyagiucaqunaku naken taillren,” which means to never forget where I come from. I come from Southwest rural Alaska, a small … Continued

Where I Started I was born in Anchorage, Alaska 26 years ago. I am the 3rd of 4 children I was raised with, though there is an oldest one that I’ve never really met. My dad went to jail when … Continued

In Athabascan, Nenana means “a good place to camp between rivers.” For most of my life, I have lived at the intersection of the Nenana and Tanana Rivers, in a small rural community of roughly 300 people. I grew up … Continued

“Who am I becoming?”, is the question. My answer is, “I think I know. I’m still trying to figure out who I am right now!” Will I ever know who I’m becoming? I was born and raised in Anchorage Alaska. … Continued

“Who are you becoming?” – aka the existential question that’s been making me lose sleep for months that I now have to write about.

Like many, my story of becoming a social worker comes from my experiences. I grew up in Northern Idaho and American Samoa but have been in Alaska for years and truly call it home. I have navigated through the storms … Continued

Who am I becoming? Well, I will tell you momentarily, but first let’s visit who I was. My name is Keyda, or as my mother would call me KeKee. I was born to a single teenage mother living with her … Continued

My Time In Florida I was born and raised in Florida, and it really is a beautiful place, no matter how much I complain about the heat. I have so many memories here, and it has definitely been a massive … Continued

As a Young One I was born and raised here in Fairbanks, Alaska in late 2002. I am the oldest of my four siblings, but the third oldest when you count in my five step siblings. Being the eldest of … Continued