81: Empowering Social Workers: Shara Ruffin's Inspiring Journey to Licensure

Empowering Social Workers: Shara Ruffin's Inspiring Journey to Licensure In this episode of The Heart Centered Therapist Podcast, host Sindee Gozansky interviews Shara Ruffin, an independently licensed clinical social worker and founder of Journey to Licensure. Shara shares her extensive background in social work, touching on her specializations in grief, anxiety, and ADHD among others. She opens up about her personal struggles with mental health, the challenges she faced on her path to licensure, and how she overcame them.  Shara discusses how she launched her consulting company, which supports social workers in passing their licensure exams and offers professional development coaching. The conversation also explores Shara's unexpected journey to entrepreneurship through the use of LinkedIn, changing the landscape of social work with AI, and the power of vulnerability and storytelling in professional settings. Additionally, Shara talks about her books '90 Days of Prayer' and '90 Days of Inspiration,' which were born out of her own hardships and aimed at helping others. This episode is filled with inspirational insights for anyone in the field of social work or looking to overcome their own professional and personal challenges. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 00:18 Shara's Background and Achievements 02:33 Defining Heart-Centeredness 03:21 Shara's Personal Mental Health Journey 04:46 The Birth of Journey to Licensure 05:59 Overcoming Exam Challenges 12:49 LinkedIn and Professional Development 28:31 Writing and Publishing Books 34:22 Future of Social Work and Technology 38:38 Conclusion and Contact Information Connect with Shara: https://healthcareandbusiness.mykajabi.com/journey-to-licensure-main-page https://www.linkedin.com/in/shararuffin/ https://www.facebook.com/journeytolicensure https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgN8adZqV-VOhFXXB15IOrw https://twitter.com/SharaRuffin   Check out Berries: Berries Referral Link: heyberries.com/?via=heart-centered Discount code: Sindee50 for $50 off your first month Connect with Sindee: Visit my website: https://heartcenteredtherapistpodcast.com/  Join the Heart-Centered Therapist Community FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/478651669638167 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartcenteredtherapist/ Shop Mental Health Threads: https://mentalhealththreads.etsy.com Interested in realigning your own practice to be more heart-centered? Join Sindee on her podcast by signing up for a Therapist Alignment Session. This brief, 15-30-minute conversation is a unique opportunity to re-align with your heart-centered approach, both in your client interactions and in the development of your practice. Whether you're at the beginning of your career or an experienced therapist, these sessions are designed to help you gain clarity on specific issues you're facing. Sign up for your Therapist Alignment Session here: https://calendly.com/heartcenteredtherapistpodcast/therapist-alignment-session Want to be a guest on the podcast? Email Sindee: [email protected] For more information on the Couples Therapy Mentorship Group, email me at [email protected]