Mon, 03/15/2021
LAWRENCE Social workers are trained to help people in times of crisis. But what happens when those professionals are experiencing a crisis along with the rest of society? University of Kansas social welfare researchers and students have created a body of work about the COVID-19 pandemic s effects on their education, well-being and profession.
As the pandemic unfolded in early 2020, social welfare researchers saw a call for papers on how the pandemic was affecting the field. At the same time, their students struggled as classes moved online and practicum experiences ended early.
“We felt like it would be a very big missed opportunity if our students weren’t involved in that, because they are often vulnerable in many ways that faculty members are not,” said Sarah Jen, assistant professor of social welfare. “And we wanted to represent as many voices as possible.”
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For David Muhammad, feeling anger and fear triggered by the news isn t new; he copes by being there for the kids in his martial arts classes.
People targeted by the symbols on display during last week s insurrection might be experiencing historical trauma, also known as intergenerational trauma. Here s what it is, and how it can be triggered by the news.
On Jan. 6, as I tracked news from the U.S. Capitol from the safety of my home, my pulse quickened and my hands began to shake. I watched as people bearing symbols threatening violence against me ( Camp Auschwitz sweatshirts, Nazi flags) paraded through the halls of power, sending representatives of the institutions that should protect me into hiding.