Holistic Self-care and Mindfulness for School Social Workers

This combined presentation focuses on the essential practices of self-care and mindfulness tailored for school social workers. It merges the principles of maintaining personal and professional wellness with the experiential practices of mindfulness. The presentation emphasizes the importance of self-care to combat stress, burnout, and secondary trauma while introducing mindfulness as a tool for enhancing well-being and resilience. It offers practical strategies and activities that social workers can use for themselves and share with students to promote a healthier, more balanced approach to handling the challenges of their roles.

PRESENTERS: Kristina Ray-Bennett is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 12 years of clinical experiences specializing in intervening with adolescent mental health issues. She is currently a Ph.D. student at Indiana University School of Social Work.

Kyle Walke currently works in the Schools Focus area of social work for Indiana University. He teaches several courses and schools-based practicum placements. He is currently the Chair of the Schools Focus Committee and in 2023 developed an online version of the course School Social Work Practice with Children, Adolescents, and Families. Kyle also serves as a licensure reviewer for the Indiana Department of Education. Before his career in academia, he was employed from 2008 to 2019 as a dually licensed clinical school social worker in or around Perry Township Schools. During that time, he served several different at-risk populations that included students experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and students with a mental health diagnosis.