By Amy Colver, MSSA, MA, LISW

It’s that time of year again, my favorite season, fall. I’m pretty sure every time I write an editor’s message during this time of year, I start it off by saying something about how much I love the season – the crisp air, the way the sun hits the trees, the beautiful colors. I apologize for a somewhat repetitive introduction, but it’s simply the best time of year, in my opinion. I’ve especially enjoyed this fall as I’ve gotten to experience certain things with my son for the first time. While he’s too young to understand my love for the season, I’ve still enjoyed showing him all the great things that fall brings. I look forward to the coming years and continuing to experience the season with him, just in different ways as he gets older.

While there’s been great joy in this season, I’ve also found myself experiencing grief. I’m working on being present in these feelings and not trying to pinpoint the reason for them, which I’m humbly learning is a process. But, I at least want to acknowledge there are things going on in the world right now that feel so heavy. Our work can also be heavy at times. And, I’m sure some of us have things going on in our personal lives that feel heavy too. At the same time, there is joy, gratitude and anticipation for what lies ahead. Thankfully, every year, the fall reminds me that things change, seasons come and go, and our lives can be beautiful and heavy at the same time. Hopefully this message helps you with that reminder, especially if you’re feeling like you need it.

In thinking about change, there are a few coming up within AOSW. The time of year is approaching where some of the board members will no longer be serving in their current roles and we’ll be welcoming a few new people to the board. I would like to take a moment to thank our current board members for their service to the organization and our profession. It has been so nice working with you on Connections, and I appreciate your contributions and support of this newsletter. I would also like to welcome the new board members and look forward to working with you all too. As far as the newsletter team goes, I’m so excited to welcome our new Editor, Katherine Easton, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C to the team. If you see Katherine or have any communication with her, please tell her congratulations! We’re so excited to welcome you to the Connections team!

One thing that hasn’t changed is we’ve decided to continue with a theme for each issue of Connections. More to come about the themes in 2025, but in the meantime, the theme of this issue is survivorship. Cancer survivorship is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart being that I have my own, ongoing personal experience with it and have been present with many patients over the years through their ups and downs in survivorship. I’m so glad to share the following articles on survivorship with all of you as well as the others in this issue.

On the topic of survivorship, we have an article from Lailea Noel, PhD, MSW, FAOSW, our current Diversity Equity and Inclusion Director. Dr. Noel shares some of her research with us, focusing on social determinants of health in rural communities and the importance of our roles as social workers. Jeanice Hansen, LCSW, OSW-C, our current Communications Director, gives us an interesting perspective in her article about the process of survivorship and the parallels for the system, the clinician and the individual. Devon Choltus, MPH, and Kelly Hendershot, LGSW, LMSW write about supporting young adult cancer survivors and the programs that are available through their organization, the Cancer Support Community. On a similar wavelength, Deysi Vatman, LMSW shares an article about mental health and survivorship for young adults. She outlines the mental health concerns that are common among young adults and shares things for us to think about as we support people in this age group. Frances Ford, MSW, LCSW-R, OSW-C tells the story of a virtual writing group that is offered through her clinic. She shares how the group has grown and how much it’s meant to the people who have attended it. Michelle Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C also writes about group work, one focused solely on survivorship that is offered through the Dempsey Center. Michelle shares the types of topics that are covered in the group, like fear of recurrence, adjustment to life after cancer treatment and moving forward. She also shares some interventions that are used to help people through these common experiences.

To share some AOSW news, Catherine Cassingham, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C and Teresa van Oort, MHA, MSSW, LCSW-S have some updates for us on the incredible work of the Education Committee and the offerings we have to look forward to for the rest of this year and next. Kelly Hendershot, LGSW, LMSW, our current Education Director, reminds us about the importance of mentorship through her reflection on what it has meant to her throughout her career. As another reminder, AOSW’s Membership Committee recently relaunched the Mentorship program and you can learn more by visiting https://aosw.org/my-aosw/mentorship. And last, but certainly not least, our current President, Michael Grignon, LMSW, CCM, MBA shares a very thoughtful reflection on his journey with AOSW and reminds us that we never know where life is going to take us, but to be ready for it and to be open to learning more about ourselves throughout the process. Thank you for that reminder too, Michael.

In the spirit of gratitude, I would like to thank all the writers who contributed to AOSW Connections this year and in years past. I’d also like to thank Jeanice and the staff at Kellen, especially Patricia Sullivan, who also support this publication. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, this publication would not be what it is without all of you. For the authors, thank you for having the courage to write about your work and your personal experiences. I know writing an article or articles takes extra time and energy from your already busy days. Please know that your words have meaning and they bring us together –  they connect us on a personal and professional level.

And, as I always say, I hope all of you enjoy this publication. If you have any ideas for it, please send me a note. I’m here and open to listening to your ideas. I also hope you find something that you can relate to, something you’ve done or are interested in doing in your work, something about AOSW that you’d like to learn more about, and take a few minutes to reach out to the person who wrote about the topic you’re interested in. I know your words will mean something to them just as their words meant something to you.

In closing, I’d like to name all the contributors from this year (in alphabetical order, using your credentials from the time of publication). As I’m writing this, I’m realizing that this might not have been done in years past, so please accept my apology, especially if you’re one of the writers who have contributed to Connections in other years. Please know you are seen and appreciated. I’m growing into my role as Editor-in-Chief and coming up with ideas of how I’d like this publication to look as we go forward.

• Kiersten Anderson, MSW, LICSW
• Christina Bach, MBE, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW
• Billie Baldwin, MA, MSW, LCSW-C
• Shelly Barnard, LISW, CYT-500, RM
• Jennifer Bires, LCSW, OSW-C, CST
• Sandra Blackburn, MSW, LSW
• Jen Brown, MSW, LICSW
• Catherine Cassingham, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
• Devon Choltus, MPH
• Jennifer Dimond, LCSW
• Hayley Feuchs, LMSW
• Frances Ford, MSW, LCSW-R, OSW-C
• Melody Griffith, MSW, LMSW, OSW-C
• Michael Grignon, LMSW, CCM, MBA
• Alexandra Gubin, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
• Jeanice Hansen, LCSW, OSW-C
• Michelle Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C
• Kelly Hendershot, LGSW, LMSW
• Briana Joyce, LCSW, OSW-C
• Jenny Kwak, LCSW, OSW-C
• Chelsea Kroll, MSW, LMSW, OSW-C
• Melissa Levin, MSW, LICSW
• Nicole Marcouiller, LICSW, OSW-C
• Laura Martinsen, BS, CSW
• Debra Mattison, MSW, LMSW, OSW-C, FAOSW
• Rosie Nagy, MSHI, LCSW, OSW-C
• Lailea Noel, PhD, MSW, FAOSW,
• Trish Pangilinan, MSW, LCSW
• Lisa Petgrave-Nelson, LMSW, OSW-C
• Jill Randall, PhD, MSW, LICSW
• Nicole Robertson, MPH
• Kristin Scheeler, MSSW, CAPSW, OSW-C
• Teresa van Oort, MHA, MSSW, LCSW-S
• The AYA SIG (for connecting us with authors in this list)
• The Education Committee
• The Membership Committee
• Deysi Vatman, LMSW