Revolutionary Social Work

About Revolutionary Social Work

Welcome to the Home of Revolutionary Social Work. Hosted by Ace and Alicia Revolutionary Social Work emphasizes self-reflection and personal transformation, uniquely prioritizing the examination and revolutionizing of practitioners' beliefs and practices. It asserts societal transformation begins with the self, insisting that revolutionary social workers first revolutionize themselves to revolutionize society. The goal is to (re)connect with our humanity, helping others do the same and become more fully human.

Publisher

Ace and Alicia

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Sept 2024

Latest episode

10 Feb 2026

Latest episodes

34 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Feb 2026

   Social Work, Workplace Trauma & Institutional Betrayal | Heliana Ramirez

   Workplace trauma is real trauma, especially when racism, anti-LGBTQ bias, and institutional betrayal are part of the job. In Episode 34 of the Revolutionary Social Work Podcast, Alicia Stettler and Causha Spellman-Timmons host a grounded, practical conversation with Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW on toxic workplaces, psychological safety, culturally affirming crisis response, and what it takes to stay bold in advocacy without losing yourself. Ace was taking a burnout break from podcasting, and Alicia and Causha held it down. Website: RevolutionarySocialWork.com Connect / collaborate: castettler@alaska.edu Guest Links Website: https://www.workplacetraumarecovery.com/ Provider page: https://care.headway.co/providers/heliana-ramirez About Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW Heliana Ramirez is a clinical social worker and researcher focused on the trauma of toxic workplaces, including workplace racism and anti-LGBTQ bias. During her own recovery from a toxic workplace, she recognized how unprepared many mental health providers are to address the specific injuries of workplace abuse and institutional betrayal. Drawing on post-traumatic growth and peer support, she developed communal resources to reduce isolation and strengthen recovery, including culturally informed somatic interventions, career-protection tools, a self-help workbook, blog posts, and on-demand webinars for survivors and the clinicians and advocates who support them. Her work spans anti-racist and LGBTQ+ affirming workforce wellness, occupational psychosocial safety, culturally responsive suicide prevention, somatic trauma therapy, harm reduction, and liberatory community building. Episode Focus Workplace trauma • institutional betrayal • psychological safety • suicide prevention • culturally affirming crisis response • social work advocacy inside institutions • middle management pressure • somatic recovery • community support Chapters 00:00 – Theme song + intro 01:50 – Introduction and Guest Introduction 07:38 – Exploring Workplace Trauma and Healing 13:09 – The Neuroscience of Trauma and Institutional Betrayal 18:54 – Navigating Middle Management Challenges 21:23 – Social Work's Role in Addressing Global Issues 28:49 – Overcoming Fear in Advocacy 31:45 – Living with Fear and Ancestral Trauma 37:26 – Workplace Trauma and the Me Too Movement 40:55 – Navigating Financial Abuse in the Workplace 49:05 – Understanding Workplace Abuse Dynamics 55:45 – The Intersection of Childhood Trauma and Workplace Abuse 59:12 – Gathering for Change: The Waves of Consciousness Summit 01:01:27 – Addressing the Suicide Crisis: A Call to Action 01:07:59 – Crisis Intervention: Rethinking Our Approach 01:13:24 – Cultural Healing: The Role of Community in Suicide Prevention 01:19:33 – Boldness in Advocacy: The Future of Social Work#WorkplaceTrauma #ToxicWorkplace #InstitutionalBetrayal #PsychologicalSafety #SocialWork #RevolutionarySocialWork #TraumaRecovery #SomaticTherapy #SuicidePrevention #LGBTQAffirming #WorkplaceRacism #MentalHealth #WorkplaceAbuse #CrisisIntervention #CommunityHealing © Revolutionary Social Work

2. 

   26 Jan 2026

   AI in Social Work | Purpose, Identity, and Connection with Ace and Alicia

   AI is reshaping social work, education, and everyday life fast. In episode 33 of the Revolutionary Social Work Podcast, Ace and Alicia talk through what this shift means for purpose, identity, mental health, and community, and how to lead with heart while staying grounded and ethically clear. If you’ve felt the tension between technology and humanity, this one is for you. Website: RevolutionarySocialWork.com Email (connect + collaborate): castettler@alaska.edu Chapters 00:00 Theme Song + Intro 00:43 Introduction and Check-In 01:55 The Impact of AI on Social Work 03:31 Purpose and Identity in a Changing World 08:38 Youth Connection and Social Interaction 16:29 Navigating Technology and Social Media 23:12 Adapting to AI in Education 25:50 Conclusion and Future Directions About Ace (Christian “Ace” Stettler)Professor Ace is a professor of social work, writer, and creator based on Hawai'i Island. He is the founder of Revolutionary Social Work, a framework centered on deep self-reflection, relational practice, and becoming more fully human. Ace hosts the Revolutionary Social Work Podcast and The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast, creating conversations that challenge conformity in the profession and call people back to connection, conscience, and kinship. About Alicia Stettler, LCSW, CYTAlicia Stettler is a Revolutionary Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Yoga Teacher, and guide for those seeking deeper healing, health, and happiness. With over a decade in mental health, her integrative approach blends evidence-based clinical practices with yogic philosophy to support personal and collective transformation.Alicia created the Circle of Self, a framework for lasting healing through (re)connection to seven essential elements: Movement, Stillness, Nature, Community, Spirit, Nourishment, and Love. She teaches that we must nurture our own Circle in order to share it with others. Join the conversation: What part of the AI shift feels most real in your work or life right now, and what helps you stay grounded? #RevolutionarySocialWork #SocialWork #AI#SocialWorkPodcast #EthicalAI #MentalHealth #Purpose #Identity #Community #Connection #FutureOfWork #SocialWorkEducation #Healing #CircleOfSelf #RelationalPractice #EmbodiedHealing © Revolutionary Social Work

3. 

   11 Jan 2026

   Alan Dettlaff on Abolishing Family Policing | upEND Movement + Revolutionary Social Work

   Alan Dettlaff (upEND Movement) joins Ace + Alicia for a direct conversation on abolitionist social work, ending the family policing system, and reclaiming social work from professionalized compliance. We get into electoral politics, the profession’s silence on genocide, desensitization and empathy, organizing for community, and practical action like economic boycotts and finding clearer information in a saturated media landscape. Connect + collaborate (we actually read these): RevolutionarySocialWork@gmail.com Website: RevolutionarySocialWork.com Explore Alan’s work:upEND Movement: https://upendmovement.org/Alan Dettlaff: https://www.alandettlaff.com/ About Alan Dettlaff:Alan began his career in the family policing system as an investigative caseworker and administrator. He later helped create the upEND Movement (2020) to abolish the family policing system and build healing-centered alternatives. He’s the author of Confronting the Racist Legacy of the American Child Welfare System: The Case for Abolition (Oxford University Press, 2023), co-editor of Social Work, White Supremacy, and Racial Justice (OUP, 2023), and co-founding editor of Abolitionist Perspectives in Social Work (open-access, peer-reviewed). Topics in this episode include: abolitionism, family policing, child welfare, social work education, solidarity, community building, media saturation, boycotts, and revolutionary social work. Chapters 00:00 Theme song + intro 02:40 Introduction to Revolutionary Social Work 03:49 Alan Dettlaff’s Background and Abolitionist Work 06:17 The Impact of Angela Davis on Activism 08:17 Distraction Tactics of Oppressors 10:36 The Limitations of Electoral Politics 13:44 Critique of the Democratic Party 15:14 Disappointment in Social Work Organizations 18:08 The Silence of Social Work on Genocide 21:54 The Performative Nature of Social Work 25:06 Desensitization to Global Issues 27:25 The Need for Political Education 30:25 Authenticity vs. Fear in Activism 32:46 Addressing Global Genocides 34:44 Revolutionizing Social Work 37:32 Reclaiming the Term “Social Work” 41:37 Reclaiming Social Work: A Complex Identity 47:31 The Role of Education in Social Work 51:18 Abolitionist Ideas in Social Work 56:12 Collective Action and Political Engagement 01:02:41 Building Community and Connection 01:05:59 Navigating Information Overload 01:15:25 Towards Liberation: A Call to Action #RevolutionarySocialWork #AbolitionistSocialWork #upENDMovement© Revolutionary Social Work

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

102,592

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

75

Social presence

0

YouTube

82

Engagement

32

Contact Revolutionary Social Work

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.