Lifestyle

How social workers help refugees settle into their new lives

Published

3 years ago

November 8, 2022

Many people pursue social work qualifications and careers so they can directly impact communities and improve the lives of those they work with. Social workers don’t just work with children and families, they also support people such as refugees, who may be having a hard time settling into their new lives in unfamiliar environments.

Understanding the role that social workers play in helping refugees could help you decide whether you want to pursue a job in this field and make this kind of difference yourself. Below, we explore what a social worker is, what their duties involve and how they help refugees.

What is a social worker?

A social worker is a very important professional who helps society in various ways. They may be trained through formal education or an online course, such as an online social work graduate program, where they learn how to solve various problems for adults, children and families. Social workers assist people who need additional support to integrate with the rest of society, so their work can be highly varied, usually revolving around promoting wellbeing and human rights. Social workers work with various people at the same time, where they assess the individual’s needs and objectives and suggest ways of meeting them.

Social workers in children and family services typically work with children in care, or foster children, helping them overcome challenges and access their rights as citizens and people. They also work closely with immigrants to help them settle into their new lives in various ways, as this community may have economic and social difficulties due to language and cultural barriers. The refugee resettlement process is also quite complex in the US, as it involves various agencies and organizations. Social workers help refugees navigate this process, ensuring they have their basic needs met in terms of food, clothing and shelter.

How social workers help refugees with resettlement

Social workers support refugees in various ways when it comes to resettlement, as the experience can often be complicated and stressful due to potential language and cultural barriers. Here are some of the main ways social workers offer their help and guidance:

Ensuring physical and emotional needs are met

First and foremost, social workers must ensure the basic needs of refugees are met, such as food, clothing and housing. They do this by working closely with various service providers, such as The Department of Housing and other agencies. Due to the fact that refugees often don’t have access to banks and other services, they can be highly vulnerable. Social workers help to identify and address social and emotional issues associated with resettlement, as it can be a distressing and confusing time for refugees.

Protecting refugees from exploitation

Refugees can be vulnerable when they arrive in their new country, as they may be in a financially desperate situation. This can lead to them being exploited by employers, for example, who may be asking them to work for below the legal minimum wage or requiring them to work unfair hours. Refugees are unlikely to report these kinds of problems for multiple reasons. They may not even know they’re being exploited, as they need the money they’re receiving, and they may not know which channels to use to report such things. Social workers can help exploited migrants by reporting this kind of criminal activity and making sure the offending parties are dealt with.

Protecting refugees from other crimes

Refugees often fear deportation, as they may have fled their home country due to safety concerns. This can make them hesitant to report crimes, which they are significantly at risk of being victims of for numerous reasons. Social workers can act on behalf of refugees who are victims of trafficking, violence, sexual abuse or any other form of crime and report it to law enforcement agencies.

Protecting refugees from discrimination

Discriminatory practices and anti-immigration policies can put refugees at risk, and social workers play an important role in protecting them from these threats. The rights of asylum seekers can become threatened when they’re viewed as criminals, and social workers can help them by ensuring their human rights are met. Social workers protect the self-determination of vulnerable people by making sure their rights are fulfilled, especially when restrictions threaten their rights and wellbeing.

Lifestyle

When Seasons Shift: Dr. Leeshe Grimes on Grief, Loneliness, and Finding Light Again

Published

2 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Michelle Langton

Some emotional storms arrive without warning. A sudden change in weather, a holiday approaching, or even a bright sunny day can stir feelings that don’t match the world outside. For many people, the hardest seasons are not defined by temperature; they are defined by what’s happening inside, where grief and loneliness often move quietly.

This is the emotional terrain where Dr. Leeshe Grimes has spent her career doing some of her most meaningful work. As a psychotherapist, registered play therapist, retired U.S. Army combat veteran, and founder of Elevated Minds in the DMV area, she understands how deeply seasonal shifts and unresolved grief can affect people. Her upcoming books explore this very space, guiding readers through the emotional weight that can appear during different times of the year.

What sets Dr. Grimes apart is her ability to see clearly what many people overlook. Seasonal depression, for example, is usually tied to winter months. But she often sees it appear during warm, bright seasons, the times when the world seems happiest. For someone already grieving or feeling disconnected, watching others travel, celebrate, or gather can create its own kind of heaviness. Sunshine doesn’t always lift the mood; sometimes it highlights what feels missing.

The same misunderstanding surrounds grief. Society often treats it as a short-term experience with predictable phases and a clean ending. But in her practice, Dr. Grimes sees how grief keeps evolving. It doesn’t disappear on a timeline. It weaves itself into routines, memories, and milestones. People learn to carry it differently, but they rarely leave it behind completely. And that’s not failure, it’s human.

Her approach to mental health centers on truth rather than pressure. She encourages clients to acknowledge the emotions they try to hide: sadness that lingers longer than expected, moments of joy that feel out of place, and the waves of loneliness that return even when life seems stable. Instead of pushing for quick recovery, she focuses on helping people understand how emotions shift and how to care for themselves through those changes.

Much of her insight comes from her military years, where she witnessed the emotional toll of loss, transition, and constant survival. She saw how people continued functioning while carrying pain that had nowhere to go. That experience shaped her belief that healing requires space, space to feel, to speak, and to move through emotions without judgment.

In her clinical work today at Elevated Minds, she encourages people to build small, steady habits that anchor them during difficult seasons. Journaling helps them recognize patterns and name what feels heavy. Community support breaks the cycle of isolation. Therapy creates a place where emotions don’t have to be minimized or explained away. And intentional routines, daily sunlight, mindful breaks, and calm evenings help rebuild emotional balance.

Her upcoming books expand on these ideas, offering practical guidance for navigating both grief and seasonal depression. She focuses on helping readers understand that healing is not about escaping pain. It’s about learning how to live with it in a healthier way, honoring memories, acknowledging loneliness, and still allowing room for moments of light.

What makes Dr. Leeshe Grimes a compelling voice in mental health is her ability to bring language to experiences that many struggle to explain. She reminds people that emotional seasons don’t always match the weather and that there is no single path through grief. But within those shifts, she believes there is always a way forward.

The seasons will continue to change. And with the right tools, compassion, and support, people can change with them, finding steadiness, softness, and light again, one step at a time.