Season 2: Ep 04 - Social Work is People Work

“Social work ain’t what you thought.” In this fire episode of The Wholehearted West Coast Living Podcast, Brittani, Alex, and Mike break down the real roots of social work — beyond textbooks and titles — and bring it home to the block, the culture, and the community. This ain’t your average lecture. We’re talking grandmas as the OG social workers, mentorship as medicine, and why hip-hop has always been therapy. The crew dives into the power of women in leadership, the emotional labor of motherhood, and what it means to hold space in 2025 as a healer, a parent, and a professional — without losing yourself in the grind. They also get real about:

• Reclaiming the spirit of social work from the systems that tried to sanitize it
• Setting boundaries with family (without the guilt trip)
• Breaking generational cycles while honoring the wisdom that came before us
• Imposter syndrome, black excellence, and healing through rhythm, movement, and connection

From hood to healing, from clinical to cultural, this one’s for the community workers, the therapists, the cycle-breakers, and the future social workers who grew up navigating survival and are now creating spaces of resilience. Tap in and tell your homegirl, your cousin, your mentor, and your therapist. This one hits.

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