On the frontlines of directly helping children and families, you’ll often find a social worker. These individuals have dedicated their lives and careers to aiding the most vulnerable in their communities. They’ve pursued rigorous training and continued education to keep up with the ever-shifting issues facing Missourians. They’re the cornerstone of caring for others, but caring for themselves is just as important in an often stressful and demanding profession.
During Social Work Month this March, we asked a social worker to give us insight to the day-to-day trials and wins of social work. Meet Meg Linear, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Meg is a community and residential therapist at Missouri Girls Town in Kingdom City, Missouri, where she’s worked for 12 years. In this Q&A with a Social Worker, Meg tells us about why she became a social worker, challenges social workers deal with today, and one of the most impactful moments of her career.
What made you want to become a social worker?
“My parents both worked in helping professions (my dad also as a social worker and my mom as a pre-school teacher and parent educator) so I grew up visiting their offices and watching them help families and individuals in need. Since a young age, I felt the need to try and help others but never understood how I could do that or what it truly looked like until later in life when I entered the social work program at the University of Missouri – Columbia. When I enrolled in college, I originally went to MACC using my A+ Scholarship and wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. I took a juvenile justice class as an elective at MACC and was immediately sure about transferring to the social work program once I completed my general education. I knew I wanted to work with teens and I knew I wanted to do this through social work as a therapist.”
What do you wish more people knew about social work?
“I wish people understood how much discipline and healthy coping you must have in your own life to be able to offer help to others every day. It is so true that you must take care of yourself first to take care of others.”
Meg Linear, LCSW
What is one challenge facing social workers in Missouri/your community today that you’d like to see change?
“Lack of resources and funding. There is such great education and training surrounding trauma-informed [care] right now, but most programs are lacking the resources and funding to move forward with ideas and create change. We are also seeing some programs close due to these issues, and this is happening in our own community.”
What is one of your favorite moments of your career?
“My favorite moment to date is a client who I served over five years ago who continues to keep in touch with me and reach out for support when she needs it. She emails me often about her life in this world as an adult. She has been in and out of rehab, but she continues to push forward and try and make a better life for herself. I feel like our organization helped to instill hope in her that she still carries with her today. We haven’t seen each other in person in years and she still feels safe enough to reach out to me. She is currently clean and having visits often with her family and her child, and she sounds genuinely happy. That’s what we want most for our clients.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“Being a social worker is a hard job, but the smiles and success we see in our clients are worth it!”
Learn more about Missouri Girls Town’s services on their website or their MCC member page. Explore Social Work Month on its official webpage.
Blog written by Charlotte Renner
