Editorial –Forging a New Chapter: Message from the New Editor-In-Chief

It is my great privilege to be writing my first editorial for Smith College Studies in Social Work (“Smith Studies”) as the journal’s new Editor-in-Chief. I would like to express much gratitude to the outgoing co-editors, Drs. Marianne Yoshioka and Marsha Pruett. Under their leadership, Smith Studies, previously known as a journal with a psychoanalytic/psychodynamic orientation, has expanded its scope and aims and become a forum for a wider range of theoretical and empirical knowledge and practice of clinical social work.

It is impossible to write about Smith Studies without considering its relationship with Smith College School for Social Work (SSW). As the oldest clinical social work program in the country, Smith Psychiatric Training School was established in 1918 to help treat trauma among World War I veterans. Smith SSW has been since leading the discipline of clinical social work and remains today as a premier graduate school of social work with a sole focus on clinical practice education. Launched as one of the first social work journals in 1930, Smith Studies has served as a scholarly home not only for Smith SSW faculty but also other practitioners and scholars in a wider social work arena. The journal has published a number of historically prominent, seminal articles that shaped the theory and practice of clinical social work for nearly a century. Published on a range of topics from therapeutic relationship, transference and countertransference, the role of culture, clinical supervision to social and policy contexts that impact clinical practice, Smith Studies has long played a significant role in the clinical social work communities. More recently, the journal has led important dialogs about the intersection between theory, research, and practice, articulating and examining elements of culturally relevant, theoretically and empirically grounded clinical practice. So, what is next for Smith Studies?

I am deeply honored and humbled to take on the role of the editor-in-chief to further the journal’s mission, which is to advance and transform knowledge and practice of clinical social work in times of unrest and uncertainty. This new appointment comes in such a critical time for the profession of social work. The racial unrest and reckoning during the last few years precipitated an important movement in social work, in which our leaders have come to terms with and apologized for social work’s problematic (historical and ongoing) involvement with racist and colonial projects. From cultural genocide of Indigenous people, internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, to racist child protection practice, we as a profession are in an early phase of unlearning what we thought was “good practice” and challenged to undo harm in many marginalized communities (National Association for Social Workers, 2021). As I write this editorial in early 2023, we are witnessing a series of unscientific, discriminatory policy-making practices related to reproductive rights and gender affirming care in a number of states. Designed to disproportionally impact the wellbeing of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), women, queer and trans* people, disabled folks and other members of marginalized communities, these oppressive policies call on clinical social workers to develop competencies – ethics, values and skills – in better supporting marginalized folks.

As a long-time clinical social worker who is also a first-generation, queer immigrant of color, I have come to a visceral experience of how whiteness, white supremacy, and other dominant ideologies are deeply embedded in the communities and practice of clinical social work (BlackDeer & Ocampo, 2022; Lee & Bhuyan, 2013). I acknowledge that the profession has historically been predominantly represented by white, cisgender, and heterosexual individuals, while being heavily influenced by colonial knowledge (i.e., centering of Eurocentric ways of knowing). It is, however, my sincere hope and dedication that Smith Studies will provide a platform for scholars and practitioners to explore ways in which we can reimagine and transform clinical social work for the future.

Since I became the editor-in-chief in January 2023, I have implemented a few initiatives. First, we have a new Editorial Advisory Board (EAB). Please take a look at the list of our new EAB members on the journal website. Comprised of mostly BIPOC and/or queer-identified clinical scholars and practitioners, I am excited to work with and learn from these highly critical, creative, and rigorous thought partners. In our initial work, EAB has decided to maintain the journal’s focus on clinical social work while expanding its scope to clinical practice, education, and research. It is my hope that those who teach or research clinical practice will consider Smith Studies as a potential home for your work. Additionally, to facilitate submissions from clinicians and teaching-focused academics, we have implemented the option for Brief Notes (in addition to regular full lengths paper submissions). Whether it is a brief note on practice, education, or research, the format of Brief Notes might be especially accessible to those who might be new to scholarly writing. Finally, we are going to retire the journal title of Smith Studies at the end of 2023 and launch a new title in January 2024! The new title will better reflect the scope and aims of the journal and mark the beginning of a new phase of clinical social work as a professional and academic discipline. The new title will be revealed at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in October 2023. Scheduled to be held in Atlanta, GA, I am excited to share the new title and more exciting changes about the journal at the Smith SSW Dean’s reception. I hope to see you all there!

The current issue

In this issue, we feature articles of four promising, emerging social work scholars. It is important to share that Smith Studies has played an important role in my own scholarly career. With the support and encouragement of then Editor Dr. David Burton, I wrote a conceptual paper based on my clinical work with queer and trans* youth in Seattle, WA, and published my very first peer-reviewed article in Smith Studies. So, it gives me great pleasure to share the exciting and important work of four emerging scholars in this issue – my first journal issue as the editor-in-chief.

This first issue of the year starts with a manuscript by Lee, Rose and Sousa. Sangeun Lee, a doctoral candidate at Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, shares insights on the working conditions of bicultural and bilingual Asian human service workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Informed by Asian Critical Theory, Lee and colleagues conducted a phenomenological study to document how these workers navigated multifaceted challenges, from anti-Asian racism to changing service needs, while staying committed to supporting their highly vulnerable and marginalized clients. Next, Sarah Yang Mumma, a doctoral candidate at Smith College SSW, shares a critical, thought-provoking insight into how a larger race-based discourse might impact a clinical space. Using both psychological and social theories, Mumma theorizes a rupture within a supervision relationship and offers recommendations for clinicians and social work education. This is followed by another conceptual work on clinical practice. Matthew Meurer-Lynn, also a doctoral candidate at Smith College SSW, shares a timely work on telemental health (TMH). Grounded in a literature review, Meurer-Lynn discusses highly practical and nuanced recommendations about TMH for those who remain committed to relationally-focused clinical practice. The first issue of 2023 concludes with the work of Maria Maldonado-Morales, a doctoral student at Smith College SSW. Maldonado-Morales brings her own personal and professional experience as a Latinx therapist into clinical practice with Latinx youth. Using psychodynamic concepts and other relevant literature, she theorizes the notion of belonging among Latinx youth and discusses ways in which Latinx therapists might engage in therapeutic relationships to assist youth in fostering a sense of belonging.

In addition to being emerging scholars, it is noteworthy that each of these scholars’ work is firmly grounded in their rich clinical practice experience as social workers. For nearly a century, Smith Studies has been committed to sharing ideas, knowledge and empirical evidence with students, practitioners, and educators of clinical social work. This commitment will remain central even with the upcoming change to the journal. As the Editor-in-Chief, I will continue to value and prioritize research and scholarly work that has significant relevance to and impacts on clinical social work practice. Finally, if you are an emerging scholar, especially those from historically marginalized communities, I encourage you to reach out to me directly at [email protected] if you have any writing ideas or questions regarding academic publishing. I am interested in and committed to mentoring you and supporting the process of knowledge creation and sharing through this journal.