Alexander Camire, Community Clinical Training Specialist, The Center for Education & Professional Excellence 

On what inspired Alexander to pursue a career in social work he shares, “I consider myself a helper, one who had always worked service jobs in different industries throughout my working career. In 2013, I was 3 years into a job, working closely with an array of clinical professionals at Aetna's Employee Assistance Program (EAP), within their Behavioral Health sector. I made the brilliant decision to begin college that year with a desire to become a clinician - inspired by the work and wisdom of my clinical colleagues and my ongoing will to helpfully serve others. I remember intentionally choosing social work as the focus over other potential pathways because I appreciated the diverse career options the social work degree holds beyond clinical therapist roles.”

The most rewarding aspect of his career has been the academic journey of becoming a social worker: “The academic journey of 'becoming' a social worker is what comes to mind first for me. I started college from scratch with only a trade high school diploma to my name prior to this journey. To say I learned a lot would be an understatement. As someone who historically disliked and struggled with school - college was a much different, more positive experience and it had much to do with the social work curriculums. It was personally rewarding to learn not just about social work, but human services, psychology, various systems including government and criminal justice, and a host of other courses that gave me a much better understanding of humanity - our cultures, our evolution and development, our societies and civilizations, our thoughts and behaviors and much more. I came away with a greater appreciation and understanding of who I was, of who I am in relation to the systems I developed and exist within beyond the newfound knowledge to help and guide others.”

The current state of the world has shifted Alexander’s focus towards making a larger impact: “It's made me think a lot more about pursuing macro roles with a desire to affect positive change at higher levels for more people. Our social safety nets and resources are being eroded which makes the ground-level work with individuals much more difficult than it needs to be and political advocacy is part of social work!”

For those considering a career in social work, Alexander’s advice is clear: “Prepare to be challenged! The education and work will absolutely challenge you! You'll be challenged in what you think you know about the world around you. You'll be challenged in what you think you know about yourself. Your very attitudes, values, thoughts and beliefs will be challenged - they may even change. You'll be challenged to 'unlearn', to deconstruct biased worldviews as you acquire new educational and experiential information. Your capacity as a learner and as a helper will be challenged. Your personal motivations for considering the field and desire to stay will be challenged. You will grieve and mourn at times. You will feel exhausted and frustrated at times. But within each and every challenge is an opportunity for your own personal, as well as professional growth. And amidst the challenges there is joy, so much joy in working in a field that gets to offer help, hope, guidance, and encouragement to others. Challenges are abundant, they don't call it social 'work' for nothing - but I can also say; it's worth it!"

Lauren Favorite, MSW, LICSW, Social Justice Director

Lauren’s journey into social work began with a passion for child advocacy. She shares, “I began my career working in child advocacy by way of foster care and adoptions while living down South. I trained foster and adoptive families on the process and conducted home study assessments. At the time, I had the privilege of working with one of the only agencies in the state that accepted single parents and LGBTQ+ parents and felt a calling to do more with breaking down barriers for marginalized communities. 

I went on to pursue my master’s in social work, with a focus on clinical social work. My internships continued to focus on strengthening my skills in child advocacy and child development, when I was placed at a child advocacy center working with families impacted by abuse or neglect, and then subsequently at the Child Guidance Clinic with BHN. I loved working with this population but started to shift towards more macro level social work when I took a job with BHN's Medical Integration program post-graduation! For the next seven years, I saw daily the intersection of policy and practice, and how the populations we serve are limited or restricted by bad policy.”

The most rewarding aspect of her work, Lauren believes, is the trust her clients and staff place in her: “It’s a gift, or privilege really, that our clients and staff have allowed me to be part of their respective journeys. That in their most vulnerable moments, they trust me to hold space for them. The gift of time and trust will always be rewarding.” She continues, “Since moving into my role as Social Justice Director, I also have the privilege to make systemic changes through policy practice, training, and education - and being able to share knowledge and help create opportunities is a real blessing.”

The current state of the world has impacted Lauren’s work, particularly in terms of the barriers that bad policy creates: “When there is political unrest, cultural divides, and lack of equitable resources, it impacts us as social workers because it makes our jobs harder. In clinical work, you can never help your client fully achieve their goals if they lack safe housing, reliable food or income, and healthcare systems impact their ability to manage health conditions. From a macro level, bad policy can feel insurmountable, and it can feel like you're shouting into a void. But when more people realize that when we lift others up, we all benefit....my motto is that I want to put myself out of a job because my services are no longer needed.”

For those considering a career in social work, Lauren advises: “Being a social worker is truly a superpower. It’s harder than you’ll ever know, and in order to sustain and make a career out of it, you need to establish boundaries, self-care, and good supports. You are entitled to excellent supervision, and if you're not getting it, seek it from someone who can meet your needs.”

Ashley Florence-McAuliffe, LCSW, Clinical Care Manager, BHCP

Ashley was inspired to pursue social work because, “I love the connection to the community and being able to serve those who need help in our community.” The most rewarding part of her role has been, “Being able to empower individuals through a wealth of knowledge and resources to provide them with the best possible outcomes. Being able to see some of the progress clients have made continues to motivate me to be the best social worker I can be.”

Reflecting on the current state of the world, Ashley shares, “Since the pandemic, the role of the social worker has been more valued than ever. The pandemic has brought forth many open conversations about mental health challenges that social workers have been navigating and supporting openly. We have been on the front lines of ending the stigma around receiving help for mental health.”

For those considering social work, Ashley encourages, “Social workers show up for those who may be at their most vulnerable moments in life and provide compassion and solutions. Social work has numerous opportunities that are both empowering and rewarding to the individual and the community they reside in. We speak for those who may not have a voice to raise awareness on local, state, and national issues that impact our clients daily.”

Vannessa Cintron, Outpatient Clinician

Vannessa shares that her inspiration to pursue social work stemmed from recognizing the need for mental health services, saying, “At some point in my life, I understood that there was a big need for mental health services and providers, and that need pushed me toward obtaining my degree in social work. I wanted to be part of the solution and help others get better.”

The most rewarding part of being a social worker for her has been, “Being able to see clients getting better, seeing them being able to manage their challenges effectively because they were able to learn how to navigate difficult aspects of their lives. I rejoice with my clients when we are talking about transitioning because they are doing well.” On how the current state of the world impacts her work, Vannessa says, “I feel the impact is palpable when looking for res

ources to be able to help clients. We are lacking resources to help individuals get stable.”

For those considering a career in social work, she advises, “It’s hard work, but it’s a rewarding career. It takes a special person to care about others’ well-being and to empower others for change.”