Natalie Thiesen
Therapist, Child Abuse and Trauma Services
How did you get started in the field?
My introduction to the field of social work was through internships. While still in school, I was exposed to various ways social workers serve the community. Whether it was a rent assistance program, a food bank, the Juvenile Bureau, or an adult crisis stabilization unit, I gained a glimpse of all the ways we can offer hope.
Why did you go into social work?
It’s a bit of a mystery. I knew I wanted to work in a field where I could serve others and have variety in the work I did, but I was undecided as to what major I wanted to declare. The school I was at assigned my first semester of classes and one of those classes was Introduction to Social Work. It was in that class learning about all the ways that social workers can serve their communities and society at large that it clicked. This was where I needed to be.
What do you love about your job?
It’s hard to pick just one thing I love about what I do, but if I have to summarize, I’d say I love that I get to hold space and lend hope to children and families as they journey through some of the hardest times in their lives. I’m honored by those who allow me to be on that journey with them.
