Everyday lessons in living in the present moment ... mindfulness ... and how that can facilitate whatever Social Work Practice emphasis we use.

Pic: Public Domain, Mother Teresa

With March being designated as Social Work Month, here's some reflections about living in the present moment, mindfulness, starting where the client is at and how these approaches facilitate our Social Work Practices for how to live a holistic life.

Recently when I had a chat with long-time friend and Professional Counselor, Peter Nahkid, I re-discovered some basic tenets to health living and found a better understanding about living and practicing Social Work in the present moment

After some normal initial pleasantries, Peter simply asked me, "Is there somewhere you would really want to be now?" - which I took to allude to what upcoming places I would like to visit after we has shared about some recent trips we had taken.

So I went on to list off some sites I'd hoped to eventually visit, including getting together again with some of our shared buddies who live around the world.

But Peter kept coming back to that question, "Is there somewhere you would really rather want to be right now?"

Then Peter helped me to break into the real matter at hand ...

So I answered, “There is no other place, Peter, I would rather be than with you at this moment!”

We tend to not only live so much in the past or the future when the one only moment we can live in is the PRESENT MOMENT!

So where's your treasure??? Sometimes right right “Where Y'at?!” as us “Yats say!

As Social Workers, we strive always to follow our dictum, "to start where the client is at," so that we may best be able to understand the person, the environment and the context involved and thereby facilitate the person in discovering their own paths to holistic living. 

In whatever Social Work practice setting that we may be involved with, there will certainly be an emphasis on a particular dimension to assessment, treatment and evaluation.

So may we always strive to be open to truly being present to and with the clients we are blessed to serve and learn from ... so that they can start and be open to where we are truly at!

As Mother Teresa so wisely noted: "We are not called to be successful, but faithful!"