Introduction
To celebrate Black History Month, we asked African American social workers to talk to us about their career.
Ray Fisher, MSW, LCSW
Psychotherapist
Council for Relationships
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mr. Fisher
Q. Mr. Fisher, where did you earn your social work degree, where are you currently employed, and what is your area of expertise?
I received my social work degrees at Temple University's School of Social Administration (BSW) and Smith College School for Social Work (MSW). I'm currently employed at the Council for Relationships, in Philadelphia, PA, which is one of the oldest family and relationship counseling centers in the United States.
I am a clinical social worker currently providing therapy to individuals, couple, and families. My expertise is in working with men, especially adolescent, helping them find viable ways to communicate their needs and feelings to those whom they are intimately involved with.
Q. Why did you choose social work as your profession?
I became a social worker because the profession was one that fit my belief system and worldview. The profession's commitment to the most vulnerable in any society spoke to who I am as a person. I have a strong interest in helping others grow and achieve their highest honor. My commitment to the profession and those who we serve came from life challenges that another social worker helped me face and grow through.
When I was going through a particularly hard time I wanted to enter therapy, but I wanted to work with an African American male therapist. Unfortunately I was unable to find one at the time that I was looking. From that point on I always thought that I wanted to become a valuable resource not only for the profession but also for the African American community. I also loved the fact that with a social work degree wasn't limited to providing therapy. With a social work degree I could do a number of different kinds of jobs from law to administration to training.
Q. If you were able to make one lasting impact on the world, what would it be and what would be your strategy for achieving it?
The impact that I would make on the world is by changing the way that people view Black men throughout the world, but especially in the United States. Positive images of Black American men are difficult to find. How I would go about achieving this goal is by creating a think tank that does research specifically geared to understanding the plight and lives of African American men hoping to find ways to develop and create academies that cater to African American men and boys.
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