This episode of Lauren Honestly is for new social workers, graduates, and anyone wondering if they chose the wrong social work career.

I’m taking you back to my first social work jobs after graduate school, including my experience as a foster care counselor, school social worker, and juvenile counselor. I talk honestly about social work burnout, career uncertainty, clinical social work, finding the right job, setting boundaries, and learning from difficult clients and difficult work environments.

If you're a new social worker wondering what comes after your MSW, feeling burned out, searching for your dream social work job, or considering a career change, I hope this reminds you that your first job does not have to be your forever job.

Every position can teach you something and sometimes the job you hated most becomes the experience that prepares you for exactly where you're supposed to go.

After stepping away, I'm finally back with a life update.In this episode, I'm sharing what life has looked like behind the scenes: transitioning into a new social work role, working alongside my husband, navigating stress, embracing personal growth, and learning how to redefine myself outside of school social work.This is a real conversation about career transitions, identity shifts and finding your way through uncertain seasons.If you've ever felt like you're reinventing yourself, questioning your next chapter, balancing work and family, or trying to find meaning during a stressful season, this episode is for you.In this episode:• Why I stepped away from YouTube• My transition from school social work to a new role• Working with my husband for the first time• Managing stress and major life changes• Rediscovering creativity and content creation• Weight loss, wellness, and mindset shifts• Disney trips, family life, and creating memoriesSubscribe for honest conversations about social work, personal growth, career transitions, motherhood, mindset, wellness, and building a life that feels aligned.______________________________________________________❀ 𝑺𝑶𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳𝑺 Instagram: https://bit.ly/2F3vQVh☞ collaboration enquiries: [email protected]

If you’ve ever felt like you might be capable of more… but something is holding you back, this conversation is for you.

In this episode we’re talking about something a lot of people don’t want to admit:

Sometimes we hide behind humility when the truth is… we’re afraid to go after bigger opportunities.

After getting a question about applying for higher-level social work roles, I started reflecting on something deeper — the fear that comes with leaving your comfort zone.

This episode explores career seasons, fear of leveling up, and the quiet ways we keep ourselves small.

Perfectionism once felt like my safety blanket — until I realized it was quietly disconnecting me from my body, my intuition, and my humanity.

In this episode, I unpack how perfectionism isn’t actually about high standards — it’s about fear, survival, and a deeply colonized belief system that teaches us mistakes are dangerous and approval lives outside of us.

We talk about:

00:00 – You don’t have to be perfect to start

01:45 – When perfectionism felt like safety

03:00 – Perfectionism vs procrastination

03:55 – “Perfectionism removes our humanness”

05:10 – Why polished = disconnected

06:45 – Listening to your body vs overriding it

07:05 – Perfectionism as a colonized survival trait

08:30 – External validation, credentials, and approval

09:45 – Impostor syndrome and who systems are built for

10:55 – Shame as motivation

11:45 – Choosing visibility over perfection

13:00 – Relearning self-trust and intuition

14:00 – Letting go of perfection for good

This is an invitation to show up messy, visible, and human 😌even when it feels uncomfortable.

❀ 𝑺𝑶𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳𝑺 Instagram: https://bit.ly/2F3vQVh

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuGjPIQBXXZ4BTpFDGH6ZhA/

☞ collaboration enquiries: [email protected].·:*¨ 𝑭𝑨𝑸 ¨*:·. ✧ name: Lauren✧ location: Texas ✧ credentials: LCSW-Ssub count: 34,562 (2/26)THANKYOU SM WOW ♡

his wasn’t supposed to be a work vlog… but here we are. In today’s video, I’m sharing a real-life “come to work with me” as I step into a new six-figure social work role, talk honestly about career growth in your 40s, manifestation, and what it looks like to live as if the life you want is already yours.We talk about: Starting a new job in your 40s (and the mindset shift it requires) plus Working in military mental health as a civilian social worker &Manifestation, visibility, and learning to be seenThis episode is imperfect, chatty, a little vulnerable — and very real. If you’re navigating career changes, body changes, or that quiet pull to finally step into the next version of yourself… you’re not alone.

2025 was a tough year for me. Between career transitions, workplace challenges, and personal growth, I hit some hard lows—but I learned some life-changing lessons along the way. In this episode, I share my journey through doubt, persistence, therapy, and finally realizing my worth.If you’ve ever felt stuck, out of place, or unsure of your path, this episode is for you. Let’s reflect together, process the gray areas, and step into the next level of growth.

💛 Key moments:

• My disappearing act on social media and why it happened
• The therapy session that changed everything
• How to tell the difference between a learning curve and a misalignment

Subscribe for more honest reflections and lessons from my social work and life experiences.______________________________________________________❀ Instagram☞ collaboration enquiries: [email protected].·:*¨ 𝑭𝑨𝑸 ¨*:·. ✧ name: Lauren✧ location: Texas ✧ credentials: LCSW-Ssub count: 34,515 (02/2026) on youtubeTHANKYOU SM WOW ♡___________________________#CareerPivot#CareerChange#BurnoutRecovery#SocialWork#LCSW#WomenInTransition#CareerReflection#TherapyWorks#PersonalGrowth#LifeLessons#TrustYourself#PodcastEpisode#HealingJourney#ProfessionalWomen

Social work notes can feel endless—whether you’re in school social work, clinical practice, or private settings. But what if your notes were more than paperwork? In this video, I’ll show you how to reframe documentation as a tool for advocacy, growth, and even job security.I’ll share how numbers tell your story, how to make them work for you (not against you), and why your internship documentation is more transferable than you think. Whether you’re a new social work intern or a seasoned LCSW, this perspective shift will help you build confidence and clarity in your practice.What you’ll learn in this video:Why documentation is your secret advocacy toolHow to use your notes to show your impactTips for easing documentation stressHow school-based experience translates into clinical roles🔗 Grab my documentation tracker here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Digital-Case-Load-Tracker-school-social-workers-counselor-google-sheets-4749133🔔 Subscribe for more tools, real talk, and support for your social work journey!______________________________________________________❀ 𝑺𝑶𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳𝑺 Instagram: https://bit.ly/2F3vQVh

Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-work-scrapbook/id1786359210Shop | https://www.amazon.com/shop/socialworkscrapbook?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfsocialworkscrapbook_2WPW0GN9CE9XRFBDVZCQWebsite | https://socialworkscrapbook.wordpress.com/☞ collaboration enquiries: [email protected].·:*¨ 𝑭𝑨𝑸 ¨*:·. ✧ name: Lauren✧ location: Texas ✧ credentials: LCSW-S

🚨 Starting your social work internship or practicum placement? Whether you’re in a BSW program or MSW program, these are the 3 things I wish I knew before starting my field placement. This video covers how to handle internship nerves, why shadowing social workers is essential, and how to learn from clients in your social work practice.

If you’re preparing for your first day as a social work intern, you’ll learn:
✅ Why being nervous is a GOOD sign and how to use it to your advantage
✅ How to get on the calendars of multiple social workers to find your own style
✅ Why your clients will be your biggest teachers (even the challenging ones)

Whether you’re looking for field education tips, internship advice for social work students, or just want to reduce stress before your placement, this video will give you practical, real-world strategies from a practicum coordinator.

In this cozy, honest kickoff to the new school year, I’m getting real about burnout, perfectionism, energy leaks, and why we have to stop expecting smooth sailing—especially as empaths, parents, and social workers. I'm talking straight from my older sister heart, sharing advice I wish I had before the back-to-school chaos, plus breaking down the “Marigold Effect” and avoiding emotional walnut trees 🥴🌳

If you're a therapist, counselor, teacher, or deeply feeling human—this one's for you. We’re not just showing up for others—we’re reclaiming our energy, protecting our hope, and letting go of the Pinterest-perfect pressure 💛

Timestamps below & links in the comments!

00:00 – Why I had to speak up (burnout + back-to-school pressure)

02:20 – Social media fatigue + merging my profiles

03:50 – Advice I’d give if I weren’t afraid to hurt your feelings

04:55 – Cut the Pinterest pressure! No one cares about bento boxes

06:00 – It’s okay if the first week is rocky—expect transition

08:25 – Stop skipping meals! Empath hormones need fuel

09:45 – Your energy is sacred: protect it

10:35 – The Marigold Effect vs Walnut Trees

12:30 – Traits of energy-draining people

14:35 – Don’t be your kid’s walnut tree

16:10 – Hope matters: the spark kids feel at the start of the year

18:50 – Delegate! Being needed isn’t your whole personality

20:30 – Say no to protect your yes

21:00 – Final love note + new beginnings

// watch MORE full videos for school social workers → | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMFUT-L_TEk&list=PLtzpeRNiPkZdwppi1z6ui-GXuYXTJl5z3&pp=gAQB

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❀ 𝑺𝑶𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳𝑺

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2F3vQVh

my big breakthrough-- When Saying Sorry Feels Like a Death—You’re Probably Healing! In this deeply personal episode, I open up about my struggle with apologizing, what I’ve learned and how apology is more than guilt—it’s acknowledgment, healing, and connection.This is for the empaths, the gentle parents, the cycle breakers—the ones working through ancestral patterns and learning to lead with heart. I also reflect on recent headlines, including the Bryan Kohberger sentencing in the Idaho student murders and the emotional weight of victim impact statements.Whether you’re navigating marriage, motherhood, or your own emotional growth, this episode is a reminder: Sorry is a full sentence. 💛🪞Timestamps, resources, and carousel below! ❀ 𝑺𝑶𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳𝑺 ⁠Instagram⁠______________________________________________________0:00 – Sorry is a full sentence1:06 – Getting called out by my husband and mom2:55 – Why I struggle with apologizing4:58 – What my husband taught me about guilt 6:30 – How society fumbles apologies7:58 – Public example: Hill Country flood response9:16 – Teenagers as mirrors for emotional accountability10:00 – Bryan Kohberger sentencing & refusal to apologize11:45 – The power and purpose of victim impact statements13:32 – Casual apologies in professional life 15:12 – Learning to say sorry without justifying16:18 – Who needs your apology? 16:52 – Final takeaway

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this if it resonated.

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Users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission or editing, of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of Lauren Gutierrez, which may be requested by contacting [email protected]

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use or interpretation of the information presented herein.