Ukraine War Trauma and Human Trafficking in Alaska | Dr. Nataliia Gusak | Ep 86

Ukraine war trauma meets Alaska’s service realities. What does effective social work look like when systems are strained?Episode 86 of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast (hosted by Professor Ace) features Dr. Nataliia Gusak, associate professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and a Ukrainian scholar whose work focuses on building and evaluating community-based social and mental health services for people impacted by displacement, trafficking, maternal mental health challenges, and war-related trauma.In this episode:Ukraine to Alaska: pathways, contrasts, and what carries across contextsTrauma-informed practice without flattening human experienceCommunity and peer support as real infrastructure for sustainabilityTeaching social work: safe learning environments and real-world applicationHuman trafficking in Alaska: vulnerability, gaps in data, and systems responseStaying anchored to social work values under pressure✅ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionarySocialWork/sub_confirmation=1📩 Connect and collaborate: [email protected]🌐 RevolutionarySocialWork.comChapters (theme song + intro is 1:25, timestamps adjusted)00:00 Theme song + intro01:25 Introduction to Dr. Nataliia Gusak05:59 Journey from Ukraine to Alaska10:09 Comparative Social Work Practices14:48 Supporting Ukrainian Social Workers During War19:46 Understanding Trauma and Self-Care in Social Work24:22 The Importance of Community and Connection28:34 Teaching Philosophy and Pedagogy34:15 Reflections on Group Work and Team Dynamics42:43 The Intersection of Vulnerability and Human Trafficking51:36 Staying True to Social Work ValuesResources:University of Alaska Anchorage: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/International Organization for Migration (IOM): https://www.iom.int/UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): https://www.ohchr.org/Journal of Human Rights and Social Work (Springer): https://link.springer.com/journal/41134Guest:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliia-gusak/UAA faculty profile: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/#socialwork #UkraineWar #Alaska #TraumaInformed #HumanTrafficking #MentalHealth #SocialWorkEducation© UAF Social Work