In this episode of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast, Professor Ace sits down with Dr. Jonathan Singer—pioneer of social work podcasting and nationally recognized expert in suicide prevention.

Together, they explore the evolution of podcasting in the profession, the role of storytelling in community-building, and the ethical and practical challenges of addressing suicide, gun violence, and crisis intervention. They also reflect on youth mental health, inclusivity in schools, and the future of social work media. From analog beginnings to AI in editing, this conversation maps out a media lineage rooted in social work.

👤 About Dr. Jonathan Singer

Dr. Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW, is the founder and host of the Social Work Podcast, a trailblazing platform for accessible social work education since 2007. He is co-lead of the Grand Challenge: Harness Technology for Social Good through the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. Dr. Singer is also a nationally recognized expert in suicide prevention and intervention, particularly among youth. He has authored key texts, including:

📘 Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner's Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention https://amzn.to/430DQCW

📘 Podcasting in Social Work Education https://www.amazon.com/Podcasting-Social-Work-Education-Educators/dp/1032215585

🔗 Read his recent collaborative article: Social Workers and Social Media: Insights from #NASW2025 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/social-workers-media-insights-from-nasw2025-singer-ph-d-lcsw-fnn0c/

🔗 Reddit thread referenced in the episode: Why social workers don’t listen to podcasts https://www.reddit.com/r/socialwork/s/MvauPqX2Ta📱 Twitter: @socworkpodcast

🌀 Stay Connected

📧 Reach out to Professor Ace Stettler: castettler@alaska.edu

🌐 Visit: https://www.revolutionarysocialwork.com

⏱️ Chapters

00:00:00 – Podcast Introduction

00:01:40 – Connecting Across Distances

00:04:13 – The Birth of a Podcast

00:06:32 – Evolving Podcasting Techniques

00:08:56 – The Role of AI in Podcasting

00:11:28 – Social Podcasting: Opportunities and Challenges

00:13:52 – Navigating Controversial Topics

00:16:32 – Recommendations for Social Work Podcasts

00:42:44 – Connecting Through Podcasting

00:43:43 – Memorable Interviews and Insights

00:46:54 – The Power of Simple Questions

00:47:33 – Journey into Social Work

00:58:42 – Crisis Intervention in Social Work

01:00:47 – Understanding Suicide and Its Prevention

01:07:00 – Creating Inclusive Environments for Youth

01:14:13 – The Role of Firearms in Youth Suicide

01:21:15 – Future Directions for Social Work

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