Social Workers Deserve a Push Gift

Happy Sunday and welcome back to the Undoing Toxic Blog! Happy Social Work Appreciation Month and Women’s History Month. There is much to reflect on and celebrate. Today’s blog is in celebration and recognition of my dear fellow social workers. Cheers to us. It’s our month.

March is Social Work Appreciation Month—a time to recognize the dedication, resilience, and heart that social workers pour into their work every single day. But we need to take a moment to really sit with what that means. Social workers don’t just show up; we hold space. We absorb pain, advocate tirelessly, and pour into others in ways that often go unseen.

I said over text to a friend, “Where’s our push gift?” We have been pushing through with these systems, challenges, and everything day in and day out. If you did not hear this term before, a “push gift” is usually a very nice gift given to a mother by her partner to recognize and honor the labor endured of bringing their child, a new life into the world. A push gift sounds nice, right? Can we add the labor of healing to that? What about the unseen emotional, mental, and even physical toll that social workers endure as they help individuals, families, and communities find their way toward stability, hope, and searching for a “new normal”?

The Labor of Healing

Let me be the first to tell you, finding a therapist is not easy. Yes, directories are filled with profiles. But how will you know? How will you know, this will be the therapist…for me. This will be the provider I choose to support me through this journey. I often remind myself, most people are not coming to you on day one Monique because things are going well. There is going to be the presenting problem. Social workers walk alongside people in their most vulnerable moments. We sit with grief, unpack trauma, challenge systems of oppression, and help individuals reclaim their personal narratives. The stories people often do not get to tell, sometimes we are the first to hear it. We all walk around with so much inside just looking for a safe place to land. Not only as therapists, in our various professional roles we have to be the voices of many. We advocate for resources that are scarce, navigate bureaucratic red tape, and still find a way to offer compassion, even when running on empty.

And yet, despite this labor, social workers are often underpaid, undervalued, and overworked. They are expected to be pillars of strength without being given the support they need to sustain themselves. Social workers need more than pizza. And social work is not a Black job.

A Push Gift for the Pushers of Change

So, what does a “push gift” look like for a social worker? It’s more than a simple thank-you—it’s tangible appreciation. It is competitive compensation that does not fight with our bills. More than a living wage. The ability to take personal days, or mental health days without guilt or retaliation. Organizational policies that protect against burnout need to develop a work culture that prioritizes sustainability over self-sacrifice.

On a personal level, a push gift might be as simple as a moment of acknowledgment:

• For the social worker who keeps pushing even when the system feels immovable—this is for you.

• For the social worker who fights for a child’s safety, a family’s dignity, an elder’s care—this is for you.

• For the social worker who carries the weight of others’ pain and still manages to show up with an open heart—this is for you.

Honoring the Work

This Social Work Appreciation Month, let’s go beyond the “thank you” emails, generic appreciation posts, and stopping at the donuts and pizza parties. Let us truly commit to pushing for what social workers truly deserve: respect, rest, and recognition.

If you are a social worker—this is your push gift. A reminder that your work matters, that you are seen, and that you, too, deserve the care you so freely give to others.

How are you celebrating yourself this month? If no one else has told you—thank you. Your labor does not go unnoticed. And, go and treat yourself!

Honoring Social Workers: How Organizations Can Truly Support Their Workforce

Beyond words of appreciation, organizations have a responsibility to actively support the well-being and sustainability of social workers. Here are some ways institutions, agencies, and private practices can push for real change:

1. Fair and Competitive Compensation

Social workers should not have to choose between financial stability and their passion for helping others. Organizations must advocate for competitive salaries that reflect the level of education, skill, and emotional labor required in this field.

2. Equitable Workload Management & Reasonable Caseloads

High caseloads are a direct path to burnout, and an unbalanced distribution of responsibilities only worsens the strain. Employers must implement workload caps that allow social workers to provide quality care without sacrificing their own well-being. Additionally, workload distribution must be equitable, not just equal—ensuring that BIPOC social workers are not disproportionately assigned the most challenging or emotionally taxing cases. True workplace equity means recognizing and addressing the invisible labor that often falls on marginalized professionals and creating systems that prevent undue burden on any one group.

3. Built-in Mental Health and Wellness Support

Social workers hold space for others, but who holds space for them? Agencies should offer access to therapy, debriefing groups, or supervision models that prioritize emotional processing.

4. Flexible Work Arrangements

Many social workers juggle heavy emotional labor with personal responsibilities. Offering flexible scheduling, remote work options, and mental health days without stigma can increase retention and job satisfaction.

5. Opportunities for Professional Growth

Social workers should have access to training, leadership opportunities, and career advancement. Investing in their growth ensures they remain engaged and motivated in the field.

6. Respect & Recognition Beyond One Month a Year

Appreciation shouldn’t be a once-a-year event. Organizations should create ongoing initiatives to celebrate social workers’ contributions, highlight their impact, and ensure their voices are heard in decision-making spaces. If we want to prevent high turnover and emotional exhaustion, organizations must treat social workers as the assets they truly are. Because when social workers are supported, the communities they serve benefit, too.

Let’s push for what we deserve and not settle. We do not need to stay where we are not appreciated. Happy Social Work Appreciation Month to us!

Let’s connect. Email me: moniqueevanstherapy@gmail.com

Accepting individual, couples, and family clients (self-pay and select insurance via headway.co- Monique Evans, LCSW)

For social work clinicians, I also offer clinical consultation meetings (Not to be confused with clinical supervision for licensure hours) at any level of practice.

Book me as your mental health presenter for speaking engagements, podcasts, panels, and presentations.

Disclaimer:

The intention for using social media for social workers and other mental health professionals is for marketing, education, advocacy, thought leadership, and providing content in a technologically changing field. We want to do this while making potential therapy-seekers aware of the risks and benefits of engagement on social media and Internet where mental health professionals are present. A therapeutic relationship is a professional relationship and in today's technological climate, a social media presence or following your therapist on social media is not to be confused with a relationship outside of therapy. Ethical, professional, and therapeutic boundaries must be followed and honored. 

• A counseling social media page or blog is not psychotherapy, a replacement for a therapeutic relationship, or substitute for mental health and medical care. A social media presence as a counseling professional is not seeking an endorsement, request, or rating from past or current clients. No social media posts or blog should be considered professional advice. The information contained in posts is general information for educational purposes only.

• Be mindful of sharing personal details or details or others if you choose to comment.

• Please consult your physician or mental health provider regarding advice or support for your health and wellbeing. 

• If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical and/or psychiatric mental health crisis and requires assistance, please call 911 emergency services.

• 988- National Suicide Prevention Hotline (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

• Safe Horizon 24-hour Hotlines (se habla español):

  • Domestic violence victims: 800-621-HOPE (4673)