In this episode of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast, Professor Ace sits down with Dr. Jonathan Singer—pioneer of social work podcasting and nationally recognized expert in suicide prevention.
Together, they explore the evolution of podcasting in the profession, the role of storytelling in community-building, and the ethical and practical challenges of addressing suicide, gun violence, and crisis intervention. They also reflect on youth mental health, inclusivity in schools, and the future of social work media. From analog beginnings to AI in editing, this conversation maps out a media lineage rooted in social work.
👤 About Dr. Jonathan Singer
Dr. Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW, is the founder and host of the Social Work Podcast, a trailblazing platform for accessible social work education since 2007. He is co-lead of the Grand Challenge: Harness Technology for Social Good through the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. Dr. Singer is also a nationally recognized expert in suicide prevention and intervention, particularly among youth. He has authored key texts, including:
📘 Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner's Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention https://amzn.to/430DQCW
📘 Podcasting in Social Work Education https://www.amazon.com/Podcasting-Social-Work-Education-Educators/dp/1032215585
🔗 Read his recent collaborative article: Social Workers and Social Media: Insights from #NASW2025 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/social-workers-media-insights-from-nasw2025-singer-ph-d-lcsw-fnn0c/
🔗 Reddit thread referenced in the episode: Why social workers don’t listen to podcasts https://www.reddit.com/r/socialwork/s/MvauPqX2Ta📱 Twitter: @socworkpodcast
🌀 Stay Connected
📧 Reach out to Professor Ace Stettler: castettler@alaska.edu
🌐 Visit: https://www.revolutionarysocialwork.com
⏱️ Chapters
00:00:00 – Podcast Introduction
00:01:40 – Connecting Across Distances
00:04:13 – The Birth of a Podcast
00:06:32 – Evolving Podcasting Techniques
00:08:56 – The Role of AI in Podcasting
00:11:28 – Social Podcasting: Opportunities and Challenges
00:13:52 – Navigating Controversial Topics
00:16:32 – Recommendations for Social Work Podcasts
00:42:44 – Connecting Through Podcasting
00:43:43 – Memorable Interviews and Insights
00:46:54 – The Power of Simple Questions
00:47:33 – Journey into Social Work
00:58:42 – Crisis Intervention in Social Work
01:00:47 – Understanding Suicide and Its Prevention
01:07:00 – Creating Inclusive Environments for Youth
01:14:13 – The Role of Firearms in Youth Suicide
01:21:15 – Future Directions for Social Work
#SocialWorkPodcast #JonathanSinger #SuicidePrevention #RevolutionarySocialWork #SocialWorkEducation #YouthMentalHealth #CrisisIntervention #DigitalSocialWork #SocialJustice #NarrativePodcasting #AIinPodcasting #SocialWorkMedia #GrandChallenges #PodcastingForGood #InclusiveEducation #GunViolencePrevention
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