Interview with Emma Evans, History 150 Honors Spring 2022, Conducted by Mallory Evans, March 12, 2022.
Overview to Social Change Interview:
On December 12, 2019, the first symptoms of a disease which would come to be known as COVID-19 (Coronavirus) emerged in a cluster of patients in Wuhan, China. It was not until January 31, 2020 that the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, the devastating and unprecedented effects of this disease became a reality when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, when schools across the country switched to online learning and the terms “virtual” and “remote” permeated work life.
My sister, Emma Evans, was one of the millions of job-holders who transitioned to virtual work during the COVID-19 Pandemic. I interviewed her on March 12, 2022 via Zoom about her transition to online social working and how the pandemic continues to affect mental health and access to support resources. Isolation, safety concerns, and the loss of structure affected both my sister and her clients, and my interviewee’s main goal was, and still is, to establish beneficial connections and create a safe space to share emotions and struggles on a remote platform. We began by discussing her college experiences and how she applied coursework to her current position as a counselor in the human resources department for the American Disabilities Act (ADA) office at Virginia Commonwealth University. She then addressed the various differences of helping adolescents versus adults, which progressed into her initial reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and how she was personally and professionally impacted by remote work. We ended our conversation with her most important lesson learned during the past two years, a point that was both thought-provoking and inspiring.
Before conducting this interview, it was compelling to hear and read about other people’s experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic from class interviews. Specifically with Meghan Villarreal’s interview, learning about another perspective of a collegiate setting helped shape some of the questions I asked my interviewee. It was also intriguing to read Carter Payne’s interview which highlighted a teacher’s opinions during the pandemic, specifically with the progression from initial work experiences to the drastic changes in her work environment.
Biography:
My sister, Emma Evans (she/her/hers), was born and raised in Lovettsville, Virginia. She has a twin brother, Hank. In 2010, she began her college education at George Mason University in Washington DC to obtain a degree in psychology. In 2019, she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA. Upon graduation, she worked as a counselor in an addiction clinic Presently, she is employed by VCU as a counselor in the human resources department for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Office, primarily working with graduate students in the medical school. I interviewed Emma about her experience transitioning to online social work during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020.
Research:
For research, I examined sources related to counseling, psychology, and social work services, specifically in accordance with how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted these fields. I was curious about the ways in which organizations modified their protocols to deliver the best results to clients.
Since Emma works in a college environment with primarily graduate students, she is exposed to the various examples of social change around campus and how students are adapting to new settings, especially with the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. My sister currently works for the ADA at VCU. Her job is constantly evolving to promote educational opportunities, activities, and resources which are accessible to all students with disabilities.
UNICEF collaborates with global partners to further policies and provide resources and services to assist all children. Values include child protection and inclusion, child survival, education, social policy, emergency action, gender, and supply delivery. The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) is a global organization which advocates for human rights, social equality, and inclusive development processes through social work. A particular article I analyzed from this source discussed several ethical challenges social work employees face, including how to best maintain trust, which service user needs should be prioritized, and how to appropriately acknowledge and respect emotions. The Conversation is a nonprofit news organization which strives to report trustworthy information composed by academic experts, including topics of politics, economics, education, health, history, and ethics. It encompasses a global group of news organizations which promotes a collaborative environment of journalists and features a newsletter and analytics pages. The Washington Post is a newspaper organization which focuses on politics, business, entertainment, and global news. It prioritizes diversity and contemporary reporting methods. The article I read in this newspaper described how mental health struggles, specifically with children, are increasingly linked to “pandemic politics,” continually creating distress and negatively impacting the children’s mental health crisis.
Transcript:
Mallory Evans 0:05
All right. This is a digitally recorded interview with Emma Evans. The interview is conducted by Mallory Evans on Zoom on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at approximately 3pm. We’re going to be discussing social work and the transition to an online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emma, thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview with me! How are you today?
Emma Evans 0:31
Hi, Mallory. Thank you so much for asking me to be a part of this! I’m doing well. You know, it’s currently snowing right now, which is kind of odd, [laughs] but, you know, just staying safe.
Mallory Evans 0:46
[laughs] Exactly, yeah. Okay, so, to get started, how did you apply what you learned for your bachelor’s degree toward your master’s degree in social work?
Emma Evans 0:59
Yeah, so, in my undergrad degree, I got my undergrad in psychology and took a few years off, and then I applied to the Masters of Social Work program at VCU. So there is a lot of overlap between the two fields, as far as, like, for example, professional and ethical principles that you need to adhere by, or who you adhere to; the therapeutic skills and interventions tend to overlap as well. So there, there were a lot of concepts and principles that got reinforced for me, where, you know, I would enter into a class in my graduate program and certain terms and concepts would be like, oh, yeah, I remember that from my undergrad experience.
Emma Evans 1:59
But I would say the main difference is that social work is more of a field that really emphasizes the importance of challenging social injustice and emphasizing social change. There, we’re really looking at our work with clients through that lens, through that social justice lens, maybe more so than someone who proceeds with a career as a psychologist or a counselor. They may also incorporate those, those principles as well. It’s just definitely emphasized in social work, for sure.
Mallory Evans 2:40
Yeah, definitely. And were there any work related experiences that you’ve done that provided insight into identifying and helping people with addictions?
Emma Evans 2:54
Yeah, so right after grad school, I worked in the substance abuse field. And that experience really gave me some great insights into how addiction impacts the brain and some of the challenges that my clients would face in that path to recovery. So I think it was a really good experience for me, and it allowed me to extend a lot of compassion for anyone who is struggling with addiction, because if you think about, like, the brain science around it, it really hijacks – addiction can hijack those major systems in the brain responsible for decision-making, and it takes a lot of strength and determination to disrupt that cycle of addiction. So I think we’re just learning a lot about, like, the mechanisms and stuff like that behind, you know, addiction, and it really was a good experience and helped inform how I might treat a patient experiencing those difficulties.
Mallory Evans 4:05
Of course, yeah. And then, in your work, how has your professional approach differed from working with adolescents versus working with adults?
Emma Evans 4:17
Yeah, so, what I would say is that my approach for working with both populations really starts with me gauging where they are, from their willingness to engage in services, their receptiveness to, like, my interventions, and their motivation for change. So those are some of those benchmarks I look for. And so working with adolescents, where they may be developmentally younger, those benchmarks may look different than adult populations.
Emma Evans 4:53
But, I would also say that it’s hard to predict. And so the main thing is just to go case by case for me, and to meet the person where they’re at, and go from there. So, you’re kind of getting a good glimpse into what they’re coming in with, whether it’s an adolescent or an adult. You know, and, and so, you’re looking at strengths, protective factors, things like that, what kind of things do they have in our toolbox already? And that spans in my work with both populations.
Mallory Evans 5:30
Yeah. So, for you, it was more of their experiences, and as you said, their toolbox, rather than an age, probably.
Emma Evans 5:38
Yeah, yeah. And there’s a difference between also chronological age and developmental age, too. And so, you know, developmentally, it’s hard to predict where one falls too, like, you know, whether they’re an adult or an adolescent, that developmental age might be different as well. So –
Mallory Evans 5:59
Yeah, definitely. And can you describe your initial mindset going into your job? And after a few years of employment, has that mindset changed, and in what way?
Emma Evans 6:14
Yeah, so, I definitely think my mindset has changed a bit based on my changing roles. So, during grad school and in my first year out, I was working directly with clients offering individual and group therapy in mental health settings. Then I turned to transition to working with individuals with disabilities, where I wasn’t providing therapy, but more case management, or, you could think of it as coaching. So, the scope of my role changed, and therefore I had to adjust. And so, in my role now, I work with students, college students with disabilities, strictly from an academic standpoint. So, for an example, I may be working with a student to develop study strategies that they can implement.
Emma Evans 7:06
But then they also start to talk about their mental health struggles, and how that really, you know, has an effect on their academic standing. Well, I have to be mindful that if these concerns come up, I would assist them by referring them to the counseling services or counseling center, you know, rather than working with them directly in a counseling role. So, it’s important for in my mind, an important mindset for me to take is, you know, what is my role? And how does that inform how I support my client? So I’m not extending beyond what my role is, in my position.
Mallory Evans 7:51
Yeah, definitely. And, of course, with the pandemic, that really created a divide in those interactions, in every aspect, so in what ways did you originally anticipate the COVID-19 pandemic affecting people?
Emma Evans 8:11
Yeah, that’s a really good point. It definitely threw a lot of people for a loop. At the start of the pandemic, I wasn’t sure what to think. […]
Emma Evans 9:04
I was transitioning jobs, and I was starting to work in a case management role. So, you know, but then we’re starting to see as time progressed, we were seeing, really, the devastating effects of the pandemic, and I couldn’t help but think about how people were losing their jobs, you know, they lost a sense of safety. I also thought about the population that I worked with, and how isolation, and that loss of stability, and it was taking a toll on mental health, and specifically on someone who’s struggling with substance abuse, it really, there was risk of relapse, and, you know, risk in their recovery.
Emma Evans 9:51
So, in a big way, I think people depend on a sense of community and connection to get them through dark times. And so the very nature of the pandemic was blocking them from this very thing, and I think that service providers, they’ve been able to adapt to telehealth, which is great, but I never really anticipated how much the pandemic would affect how we operate, and really how we continue to operate. So –
Mallory Evans 10:22
Yeah, and that’s where you were saying, people crave human interaction. So, those connections are obviously, any chance that you could get was really important.
Emma Evans 10:32
Yeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh, I know, and especially, and that mental health, you know, how the mental health gets impacted when you have all of a sudden, a huge, you know, change or lack of that connection.
Mallory Evans 10:51
So, how were you impacted by the transition to online social working?
Emma Evans 10:57
Yeah, I would say that, you know, transitioning to an online format, it really impacted me the most from a communication standpoint. If I was in an office setting, where I could just walk across the hall at my supervisors office, to consult on a case, but when you work from home, you have to coordinate your time more strategically. So, the ease of communication for me, you know, it was not what it used to be.
Emma Evans 11:32
And so, for me, I would find myself having to write down my questions, and bring them up in scheduled meetings with my supervisor, or, if more pressing, having to really reach out and schedule specific times to meet. So that was that added component, when we transitioned to an online format. And I saw an increase, I definitely saw an increase in my caseload, but not so much because of the transition to remote work, but more so, like we were talking about the effects of the pandemic and how it really impacted people in so many different ways.
Mallory Evans 12:11
Definitely, yeah, and then, another part of that, how were you personally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Emma Evans 12:21
Yeah, I mean, I transitioned from working in an office to working primarily from home. So, luckily, I had a lot of great support from my supervisors and colleagues as I navigated that change. And, you know, personally, I did elect to get vaccinated, because I felt like that was the best way to keep myself safe and those around me. But I would say, however, even with that vaccine, I still felt uneasy seeing friends and family. And it definitely impacted me socially, because I had to cancel trips and experiences with my friends, as well. So even, though there is that disappointment of not seeing your loved ones as often as you’d like, I think at the time having that peace of mind that we were being safe, that ultimately outweighed kind of the negatives of that.
Mallory Evans 13:27
Yeah, of course.
Emma Evans 13:28
Yeah.
Mallory Evans 13:31
And then, for your job, specifically, what areas did the treatment plans change for when we were still in the COVID-19 setting?
Emma Evans 13:43
Sure. So, my work with clients changed a bit with the pandemic, because, really, it’s, it was the pandemic itself was a main concern with my clients. So, those treatment plans or interventions, they looked a lot different because the pandemic was at the forefront of their minds, so I got a lot of concerns surrounding, like, for example, how to safely enter into the workplace, or the employment setting, and minimize risk of exposure. That was the main concern for people because, you know, you had to work – how do you work safely? And how do you keep your family safe? And so, it definitely changed – the pandemic changed people’s priorities and their needs. It just changed their whole worldview. And so, it definitely, as a result, impacted my work with my clients, for sure.
Mallory Evans 14:46
Yeah, so, going off of that, how did the therapeutic model you employ alter by this transition to a virtual platform?
Emma Evans 14:58
Yeah, so, this, in particular, did not change much. I used some techniques from motivational interviewing, and Person-Centered Theory, which can, which can still be implemented from a virtual setting. You’re still going to be, a lot of those therapeutic models rely on, you know, asking thoughtful questions, asking open-ended questions, which you can still do virtually. But I think the difference is, is I may be able to pick up more on nonverbal cues when I’m in an in-person setting versus a virtual setting.
Emma Evans 15:40
And so, for example, if there are internet connectivity issues, or if I’m just seeing a very limited frame of view, that can be hard to gauge someone’s affect or mood, you know, you can just lose important contextual clues, I think, so there are some of those barriers there. So, for me, I might ask some more follow-up questions, just to kind of get a sense for where the client is currently, emotionally, or where they are mentally, you know, so it requires a bit more effort from that standpoint.
Mallory Evans 16:30
Definitely. So, how would you describe the relationship with your clients during this pandemic?
Emma Evans 16:41
Yeah, well, I would say that my relationship with clients, during the pandemic, it really hinges on ongoing communication and outreach. So, I think it’s important to, for me, it’s specifically to check in on them to see how things are going. I’m no longer in a therapeutic role, but doing, you know, sending in an email to check in on how they’re doing, this makes a huge difference – during the pandemic, when challenges seem to be, like, magnified, and policy changes, you know, related to masking employment, and so on, this, you know, that can lead to a change in need as well.
Emma Evans 17:28
So, there’s a lot of change, and sometimes, you know, it’s very normal for someone to be averse to change, you know, so I would definitely say just keep up with, keep consistent with your communication – is important. You know, it can be, for me, like, checking in every couple of months; it doesn’t have to be something where we’re meeting on an ongoing basis. But, you know, I think that’s important, because it really reinforces that connection there. And they also might find, by me checking in, they can be like, well, how am I doing, you know?
Mallory Evans 18:11
Yeah.
Emma Evans 18:11
Checking in on themselves, as well. Yeah.
Mallory Evans 18:14
Yeah, that two-way, like emotional support, almost.
Emma Evans 18:20
Yeah!
Mallory Evans 18:20
Because it is a very challenging time, and to know that, you know, you have somebody else that’s in your corner, like, thinking of you, and you’re also thinking of them – that’s, it must bring, like, some gratification, sort of.
Emma Evans 18:36
Yeah, yeah. You know, sometimes people have negative experiences with service providers, so it’s really important to, like, make that effort, you know?
Mallory Evans 18:49
Yeah.
Emma Evans 18:49
Especially now [laughs].
Mallory Evans 18:50
[laughs] And then, lastly, what would you say is the most important lesson that you’ve learned during this process of doing social work in, like, having to transition to this virtual platform?
Emma Evans 19:07
Yeah, I think the main takeaway for me is, you know, from working in this profession during a pandemic, is that we all need each other for support, and hopefully, this has led to more people feeling comfortable with asking for support, because it is needed, and we’ve all seen that kind of cumulative trauma develop because of the pandemic. And it’s important to recognize that, you know, when you need a break, or, you know, need something to lift you up a bit. Something that was kind of one of the main lessons for me is, like, we’re all kind of in this together.
Mallory Evans 19:51
Yeah, exactly. There’s, we’re all kind of in the same playing field, I guess, and we’re constantly still learning things. You know, even though in some areas, we’re not at the peak of the pandemic anymore, it’s still a prominent part of our life, and we’re still trying to get through it. So –
Emma Evans 20:12
Yeah, yeah, it’s kind of lingering, for sure. But that doesn’t mean emotionally – we’re probably, some people are probably still very much in it, even if the cases have gone down, so –
Mallory Evans 20:30
Yeah. Okay, well, this has been a great conversation, and once again, thanks so much for letting me interview you today.
Emma Evans 20:39
Yeah, sure. Thank you so much for organizing all of this. Alright, I hope you have a great day!
Mallory Evans 20:46
Yeah, have a great day, thank you!
Emma Evans 20:49
Okay, bye!
Overview of Interview Technology and Process:
This interview was conducted remotely via Zoom on March 12, 2022. After reviewing various Zoom tutorial videos and instructions, I felt confident in the platform and explained the interview plan to my sister, who luckily is very familiar with the website due to her online assessment work. Before conversing, we made sure the audio was properly coordinated (using AirPods) and that, on my end, the recording feature was accessible. The interview was very successful, there were no technical difficulties, and I did not need to edit much during the transcription process, besides a few filler words and splitting long dialogue pieces into smaller sections for clearer reading.
Bibliography:
Banks et al. “Ethical Challenges for Social Workers during Covid-19: A Global Perspective.” IFSW, International Federation of Social Workers. <www.ifsw.org/ethical-challenges-for-social-workers-during-covid-19-a-global-perspective/>.
“CDC Museum Covid-19 Timeline.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 5 Jan. 2022. <www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html>.
Interview with Michael Aten, History 150 Spring 2020, Conducted by Jess Aten, 4/11/2020.
Kingstone, Tom, and Lisa Dikomitis. “The Pandemic Transformed How Social Work Was Delivered – and These Changes Could Be Here to Stay.” The Conversation, The Conversation US, 19 Aug. 2021. <theconversation.com/the-pandemic-transformed-how-social-work-was-delivered-and-these-changes-could-be-here-to-stay-165993>.
“Social Service Workforce Safety and Well being during the …” UNICEF, UNICEF for Every Child. <www.unicef.org/media/68501/file/Social-Service-Workforce-Safety-and-Well being-during- COVID19-Response.pdf>.
Warner, Judith. “We Have Essentially Turned a Blind Eye to Our Own Children for Decades.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 21 Mar. 2022. <www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/03/21/childrens-mental-health-crisis-politicization/>.
Photos:
My “Featured Image,” titled “new-healthcare-pic.jpg,”can be found on the Media Library section of the WordPress website.
https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/sc-interviews/files/2020/04/new-healthcare-pic.jpg
Transcription Process:
During the transcription process, the initial Otter.ai documentation was fairly accurate in relation to my interview dialogue. While editing, I began by checking that each speaker section matched the designated dialogue for that person. I simultaneously played the audio and read the transcription to orderly make any necessary changes such as deleting filler words or correcting grammar. There was one point during the interview where there was a pause, a transition to a new question, and I signaled this with brackets and an ellipsis, […]. I followed the style guide’s information for various grammar and transition information. There were no additional explanations needed for meaning, tone, or inflection of voice in the interview.
Reflection/Follow-Up:
Our follow-up conversation via text was very brief, as Emma did not express any questions, concerns, or elements to change about the transcript. Even though Emma is my sister, her answers maintained professionality, as she provided thorough descriptions on her opinions and experiences regarding social work and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Her individual story of remote working since the spring of 2020, as discussed during the middle and latter parts of the interview, details the adaptability necessary to transition to virtual platforms and the goal of creating meaningful connections with clients, even through a screen. It was very meaningful for me to read over our conversation and reflect on the multitude of changes our society has encountered since the beginning of this global pandemic. Although difficult, patience and understanding are crucial to persevere through the challenges and find manners to embrace the joys which are still present in interactions and novel occurrences.