Hi, I’m Tim, the MSW intern here at R3 Continuum (R3). I am a graduate student at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to being accepted for placement at R3 Continuum the field of Critical Incident Response was unknown to me. I have had an exciting couple of months learning about CIR and about the social work practice both at R3 and by our consultants across the nation.
Five times over the semester I meet with a faculty liaison and nine other grad students who are interning at various agencies in the area. We take turns sharing about our internship experiences and about social work practice in our agency. Among the others placed at schools, mental health organizations, and agencies serving refugees or children, my placement garners more than its share of the interest. Few students are familiar with the work of Critical Incident Response or aware of the professionals traveling daily to serve others in crisis.
There are always questions about the kind of events consultants respond to and the services they provide. I understand the curiosity as I myself couldn’t help but wonder about what R3 “did” after learning I would be interviewing here. After six weeks here I’m glad to be able to explain the important work of Critical Incident Response.
I share that our cases may involve an unexpected loss of someone, corporate downsizing, natural disasters, or workplace violence. I explain that our consultants are dispatched not as therapists so much as educators who give clients a chance to share their reaction, help them understand that it’s normal to feel that way, and provide them with the tools to move forward.
Some of us in the class have been the recipients of these services during our own time of crisis. We could appreciate the value of CIR professionals before we learned who provided them or what it takes to make these services available wherever crisis occurs. It may be an area of practice that we don’t fully understand until we are able to be the professional helping someone at a critical time in their life. As for me I am looking forward to what my time here at R3 will hold and I’m excited for the opportunity to be a part of a great team!
About the Author: Tim Piers is a graduate student in Grand Valley State University’s MSW/MPA Program. He lives in Holland, Michigan with his wife and daughter.
