We’re happy to announce that Shruti Nirvane (she/her) has joined our Family Programs Team as our new Master of Social Work intern. Shruti will be primarily based at our Family Resource Center at Cedar Crossing, where she will support our Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Groups, and work with our Community Connector Nicole Freitas. She will also be supporting our School Community Resource Navigator Renée Pierce at our Satellite Resource Center at Broadview-Thomson K-8 School. Read below to learn more about Shruti’s background and why she chose to pursue an internship at FamilyWorks.
Shruti Niravane (she/her)
I was born and grew up in the UK, where I lived until 2016 when I moved to the US. I got my master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and worked in clinical research laboratories in New Jersey. I worked in pre-implantation genetic testing for IVF and worked in cancer diagnostics after that. Following this, I moved to Denver, CO, where I got my Trauma-Informed Yoga Certification. I have had the joy of teaching yoga and mindfulness to children in schools in underserved areas and to adults in the community. For the past year, I have been working as a mental health technician at an eating disorder recovery center working with both adolescents and adults. In my role, I get to support clients in their recovery journey and run psychoeducational groups based on CBT, DBT and ACT. I am also a first year social work graduate student. I feel passionate about human service work and changed careers to pursue this path. I am excited to get involved with the community through FamilyWorks and learn from this space. I treasure any time I get to spend in nature and try to hike some of Washington’s beautiful natural areas during the summer.
I enjoy psychology and therapy but I don’t believe our mental health exists in a vacuum. We are connected to our families, communities, and systems. The social work approach fits the best for me when it comes to mental health and social service work. I also chose social work because I strongly believe in the need for social justice and equity for all. I have mostly worked in healthcare or healthcare adjacent spaces. I wanted to experience a new environment to get a diverse training experience and learn more about my options as a social worker. Familyworks seems like a great place to do community based social work. I have always enjoyed working with children and families and think the services offered at Family works could be truly life changing for participants. I am looking forward to connecting with my peers and learning about all of the programs offered. I am also excited to meet with the participants and learn about what they need and how we can help them.
– Shruti Niravane (she/her)
Family Programs Intern