📅 Release Date: October 25th, 2024 🎧 Hosts: Professor Christian Ace Stettler 🎙️ Guests: George Mataele In this compelling episode of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast, host Christian Ace Stettler sits down with George Mataele, a clinical social worker with 14 years of experience in mental health. With a background shaped by his Tongan heritage, a challenging upbringing in Los Angeles, and personal family losses to drugs and gang violence, George brings a uniquely holistic perspective to his work in addiction recovery and mental health. As a father of three and a substance abuse counselor in Denver, Colorado, George’s approach is rooted in transparency, authentic human connection, and the power of cultural influence in social work. Key Topics Discussed: Fatherhood & Masculinity: Redefining masculinity to embrace transparency and open communication with children.

Cultural Influences in Social Work: How George’s Tongan heritage informs his approach to community-building and addiction recovery.

Unity Consciousness & Community: The role of unity consciousness in enhancing community support systems.

Rethinking Social Work Education: Exploring a vision of education that prioritizes authentic connections over research-driven frameworks.

The Role of Curiosity & Authenticity: Why these qualities are essential for impactful social work practice.

Addiction & Personal Healing: Insights into overcoming addiction’s challenges through love, cultural roots, and self-reflection. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:36 Navigating Fatherhood and Masculinity 05:19 The Role of Transparency in Parenting 10:59 Cultural Influences on Social Work Practice 16:43 Unity Consciousness and Community Connections 23:59 Reimagining Social Work Education 31:31 Meeting Community Needs through Education 32:00 Privilege as Servitude in Education 32:56 Quality vs. Quantity in Social Work Services 33:52 The Importance of Localized Education 34:46 The Necessity of Personal Healing 35:58 Self-Application in Social Work Education 37:08 The Long-Term Impact of Social Work 38:51 The Role of Practicum Supervision 40:28 The Art vs. Practice of Social Work 42:16 Sustaining Authenticity in Social Work 44:02 Curiosity in Social Work Practice 45:05 The Rewards of Social Work 46:37 Personal Stories and Community Impact 48:32 The Role of Family in Social Work 50:00 The Deeper Meaning of Social Work 51:53 Addiction and Its Impact on Lives 53:02 The Unique Gifts of Each Individual 54:06 Revolutionizing Social Work through Love Join us for this inspiring episode as George Mataele and Christian Ace Stettler dive into the heart of revolutionary social work, examining how personal experience, cultural identity, and a commitment to community shape effective social work practices. #SocialWork #MentalHealth #Fatherhood #Community #CulturalInfluences #UnityConsciousness #AddictionRecovery #RevolutionarySocialWork #TransparencyInParenting #ChristianAceStettler #GeorgeMataele © A Conscious Party