By Scott M. Banford, LCSW
My personal history of observing presidential transitions began with Jimmy Carter.
I skipped the whole Nixon thing. I was in my early teens and mostly annoyed that the Watergate hearings were interrupting my TV shows. There is generally a peaceful transfer of power and usually an administrative adjustment to the center. Policies, Democrat and Republican, were predictable and less anxiety-producing—even though I didn’t agree with a certain political party’s policies.
Scott M. Banford, LCSW
It was before I became a social worker, and I frankly didn’t understand the importance of policy back then. Then Trump came down the golden escalator and shook all the predictability up.
As a psychotherapist I got a crash course in the anxiety unpredictability brings. Covid did the same thing but with pandemic uncertainty. We didn’t have a collective memory to manage the pandemic uncertainty. I also studied up on resilience or how to stay sane during an insane time.
While the Biden administration attempted a return to stability, Trump has returned and for better or worse is introducing numerous policy upheavals, driving a profound sense of uncertainty and anxiety.
What Can You Do?
I have read the NASW Forum email and the Facebook posts and in the comments, I have seen social workers across the country asking what they can do. In the first Trump administration I helped start a non-profit to address the President from a Mental Health perspective and was a march organizer in New York City—activities that took a lot of time and energy. Neither really made an impact. But still, I enjoyed it. I think some radical advocacy is a great thing and social workers are trained for this. Sometimes we can’t do a big thing but want to do something. I want to encourage you to do whatever suits you.
Random acts of kindness really do have an impact.
I read an opinion piece in the New York Times by David Brooks about the fraying of the fabric of society, referring to a project he started with the Aspen Society. My takeaway was, when there is a need in my community and I can’t for whatever reason do big things, I can be what Brooks calls a weaver. When my wife and I left New York City for Covington, Kentucky we sought out a community serving agency (The Center for Great Neighborhoods). We took a class on citizen service and picked a project based on community needs. My wife revitalized the neighborhood association, and I work on beatification projects. Volunteers and I planted six mini-pollinator gardens on my street the Saturday after the election. It’s not a big thing, but it matters because the people who walk down my street love it. It brings a sense of unity in the neighborhood, and it strengthens the fabric of society.
NASW and my state chapter have announced several opportunities to take action. I think they are great. Call your congressperson, write letters. In Kentucky we are having events where we can get training, and in February we are going to the capitol in Frankfort, KY for a Social Work Lobbying Day. The Boston University School of Social Work had a fantastic webinar earlier this week announcing the Beyond 2025 Action Hub, a repository for social workers with a database and toolkit and much more.
Pick What Inspires You
If you want to “do” something in the face of all this uncertainty and rapid change, pick what inspires you and fits you. It can be a big project with a large scope or something as small as donating $5 to the non-profit of your choice. It will help your anxiety—and do some much needed good.
I have found a method that might help you find where to start. I use the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai. Ikigai is essentially a Venn diagram with circles signifying what am I good at, what is the need and who is working in that space. (The linked article has an extra one for remuneration, but I’m dealing with volunteering here.) Where those circles meet is your place to engage. That area of need is where to put your focus. Know that others are working in the other areas. Find that organization working on your issue and “lock in” there.
Keep in mind that whatever you do is enough. If you start second guessing yourself and thinking you are not doing enough you are at risk of getting discouraged and quitting. There are thousands of social workers across the country—and you are one of them. Together we can each weave our thread and strengthen the fabric of society which has gotten so desperately threadbare.
Scott Banford is the northern branch chair in the NASW Kentucky chapter.
