EXPERT
Jeffrey Yarvis
Social Work
Dr. Jeffrey S. Yarvis, PhD, LCSW, BCD, ACSW is a top clinical social worker/board-certified psychotherapist and fellow specializing in adult survivors of sexual assault, current trauma, and combat-induced trauma serving the Austin, Texas Community. He is currently a high-reliability organization functional subject matter expert and executive leader coach to the Veterans Health Administration High-Reliability Organization Support Team and contractor to the Veterans Health Administration Office of Healthcare Transformation, rockITdata, & Victory Leadership Consulting, LLC., and Senior Professor of Practice at the Tulane University School of Social Work. He is a 35-year veteran leader in student/soldier affairs, executive medicine, clinician, life-long educator, and well-published social work and military scholar in the field of psychological trauma.
A transformational leader, Dr. Yarvis has built, transformed, restored, and grown large organizations and optimized their performance using high-reliability principles. He has significant experience in executive medicine including award-winning labor relations efforts, receiving significant research and program funding, collaborating between agencies, and restoring the integrity of failing programs. He has been described by his students, superiors, and subordinates as a visionary, honest, ethical, big-hearted, “real,” and a servant leader who inspires teamwork, coalition building, and mission success. He is an unconventional ex-military leader who gets things done with an infectious passion. His ability to leverage his skills and translate them to any setting makes him the ideal candidate for the most challenging leadership environments. Always attempting to improve his leadership repertoire, Dr. Yarvis recently completed two additional master's degrees in Executive Leadership and Strategic Studies.
Awards include NASW Pioneer, Outstanding DSW Faculty Award -Tulane University, Researcher of the Year-Texas A&M University-Central Texas, DiversityMBA.org-Top 50 Executives Under 50, Uniformed Social Worker of the Year, US Army Social Worker of the Year, Mental Health Professional of the Year, Military Alpha Designator as a Professor & Military Scholar in Social Work, the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge, the Legion of Merit, and Order of Military Medical Merit. Board Certified in Clinical Social Work and Fellow of the APA. Colonel (retired) Yarvis was the first active-duty Army Social Worker to Command a Combat Support Hospital, Medical Brigade, and Hospital Center. He is proud to announce the publication of his new book with Oxford University Press "Combat Social Work: Applying the Lessons of War to the Realities of the Human Services" with world-renowned authors Drs. Charles Figley & Bruce Thyer.
A transformational leader, Dr. Yarvis has built, transformed, restored, and grown large organizations and optimized their performance using high-reliability principles. He has significant experience in executive medicine including award-winning labor relations efforts, receiving significant research and program funding, collaborating between agencies, and restoring the integrity of failing programs. He has been described by his students, superiors, and subordinates as a visionary, honest, ethical, big-hearted, “real,” and a servant leader who inspires teamwork, coalition building, and mission success. He is an unconventional ex-military leader who gets things done with an infectious passion. His ability to leverage his skills and translate them to any setting makes him the ideal candidate for the most challenging leadership environments. Always attempting to improve his leadership repertoire, Dr. Yarvis recently completed two additional master's degrees in Executive Leadership and Strategic Studies.
Awards include NASW Pioneer, Outstanding DSW Faculty Award -Tulane University, Researcher of the Year-Texas A&M University-Central Texas, DiversityMBA.org-Top 50 Executives Under 50, Uniformed Social Worker of the Year, US Army Social Worker of the Year, Mental Health Professional of the Year, Military Alpha Designator as a Professor & Military Scholar in Social Work, the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge, the Legion of Merit, and Order of Military Medical Merit. Board Certified in Clinical Social Work and Fellow of the APA. Colonel (retired) Yarvis was the first active-duty Army Social Worker to Command a Combat Support Hospital, Medical Brigade, and Hospital Center. He is proud to announce the publication of his new book with Oxford University Press "Combat Social Work: Applying the Lessons of War to the Realities of the Human Services" with world-renowned authors Drs. Charles Figley & Bruce Thyer.
6 years
Experience
Jeffrey Yarvis
- Round Rock, TX
- Norwich University
- Accepting new patients
Combat Social Work
Social workers have a long, proud history of service in most branches of the United States military. The experiences of social workers and other human service professionals of...
My mother has been placed in a nursing home. How can a social worker help her?
Great question. Social workers trained in geriatric social work can provide emotional support, promote independence, help her manage the emotional aspects of change, and help READ MORE
Great question. Social workers trained in geriatric social work can provide emotional support, promote independence, help her manage the emotional aspects of change, and help her make social connections. They can also help facilitate any additional medical care she may require.
When is HIV said to be in the final stage?
AIDS is the final stage, most severe stage of HIV infection. Because HIV has severely damaged the immune system, the body cannot fight off opportunistic infections. Helen Land READ MORE
AIDS is the final stage, most severe stage of HIV infection. Because HIV has severely damaged the immune system, the body cannot fight off opportunistic infections.
Helen Land wrote a great book for social workers on navigating HIV with patients.
Helen Land wrote a great book for social workers on navigating HIV with patients.
What does a VA social worker do?
VA social workers provide a wide range of clinical interventions to meet the diverse needs of Veterans ranging from crisis interventions to long-term clinical interventions. Whether READ MORE
VA social workers provide a wide range of clinical interventions to meet the diverse needs of Veterans ranging from crisis interventions to long-term clinical interventions.
Whether arranging service member benefit payments, connecting homeless Veterans with housing resources, or counseling Veterans with injuries or trauma, VA social workers impact millions of Veterans’ lives. Practicing in every medical and Veteran center operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), their reach is exceptional. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the VA’s health care program, is the largest integrated health care network in the country.
Social work supporting veterans
VA social workers support clients with a wide range of services. Veterans’ diverse needs range from help with administrative functions to long-term clinical interventions.
Here are just some of the ways that VA social workers can help:
Assistance with access to care.
Education and assistance with financial or housing resources.
Linkage to resources from VA or community agencies.
Education and application for benefits from the VA, Social Security and other government and community programs.
Assessment and implementation of treatment approaches which address needs related to social determinants of health.
Facilitate Veteran communication with interprofessional healthcare teams on goals of care discussions and advanced care planning.
Education and linkage to resources offering support for caregivers.
Provision of case management.
Provision of counseling and other evidence based therapeutic interventions.
Whether arranging service member benefit payments, connecting homeless Veterans with housing resources, or counseling Veterans with injuries or trauma, VA social workers impact millions of Veterans’ lives. Practicing in every medical and Veteran center operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), their reach is exceptional. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the VA’s health care program, is the largest integrated health care network in the country.
Social work supporting veterans
VA social workers support clients with a wide range of services. Veterans’ diverse needs range from help with administrative functions to long-term clinical interventions.
Here are just some of the ways that VA social workers can help:
Assistance with access to care.
Education and assistance with financial or housing resources.
Linkage to resources from VA or community agencies.
Education and application for benefits from the VA, Social Security and other government and community programs.
Assessment and implementation of treatment approaches which address needs related to social determinants of health.
Facilitate Veteran communication with interprofessional healthcare teams on goals of care discussions and advanced care planning.
Education and linkage to resources offering support for caregivers.
Provision of case management.
Provision of counseling and other evidence based therapeutic interventions.
My daughter says one of her friends is being hit by her parents. What should I do?
Thank you for reaching out. Under no circumstances is violence acceptable. I view your daughter as a credible witness and sometimes nice people behave inappropriately. I would READ MORE
Thank you for reaching out. Under no circumstances is violence acceptable. I view your daughter as a credible witness and sometimes nice people behave inappropriately. I would talk to them and look for any signs of injury and your daughter. Her wellbeing is paramount to everything else. I probably would be reticent to have her play over there again if unsupervised. I would have her invite her friends over to your place and look for any signs of harm to their child.
Do social workers have choice over the area they are in?
Hello, thank you for the question! Yes our field is exceptionally diverse and social work has a vast amount of opportunities and skills that translate to a range of positions READ MORE
Hello, thank you for the question! Yes our field is exceptionally diverse and social work has a vast amount of opportunities and skills that translate to a range of positions from therapist to policy maker. We work is many industries such as healthcare, military, public health, government, criminal justice, legal, and corporate to name a few. Contrary to popular belief social work can be quite lucrative. Different BSW, MSW, and DSW/PhD programs specialize but as long as they are accredited, you can practice just about anywhere in the US and abroad.
How can I help my child cope with my divorce?
Be focused on your child. Absorb the blows directed at you. Try not to be defensive. Be honest and do not poison your child against the other parent. Show unconditional live READ MORE
Be focused on your child. Absorb the blows directed at you. Try not to be defensive. Be honest and do not poison your child against the other parent. Show unconditional live and understand that their acting out serves a function for them. Amp up the love.
Do social workers get anxiety or depression?
Yes. There are things such as compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, or vicarious traumatization. I do my own work with a therapist at times that I have a large panel READ MORE
Yes. There are things such as compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, or vicarious traumatization. I do my own work with a therapist at times that I have a large panel of patients. It's important to keep yourself out of your work and take care of yourself. You can only take people as far as you can go psychologically, emotionally, intellectually, and physically you can go at any given point in time.
Can insomnia be fixed?
Yes. I recommend you speak with a pulmonologist.
My daughter's friend is abused by her parents. What should I do?
These are tough situations. You may want to let the school social worker know to check in with your daughter's friend. Your referral and concern should be kept confidential.
What are the main duties of a social worker?
Clinical social workers are often very well trained therapists. I would find one who specializes in working with teens and ones who work with children in families experiencing READ MORE
Clinical social workers are often very well trained therapists. I would find one who specializes in working with teens and ones who work with children in families experiencing divorce.
How do social workers handle the job?
This is quite normal. Doing your own therapy and having outlets like exercise, sleep, prayer, meditation etc can really help. Also knowing what types of situations and populations READ MORE
This is quite normal. Doing your own therapy and having outlets like exercise, sleep, prayer, meditation etc can really help. Also knowing what types of situations and populations you can treat or not willing to treat is important.
How do you handle the stress of being a social worker?
I do my own therapy, practice self care to include protected exercise time, sleep, diet, and spiritual care. Seek supervision and have mentors for different circumstances.
What is a typical work day for a social worker?
Hi. It really depends on the kind of social worker you are. If you specialize in clinical social work you may see 6-8 patients per day. A medical social worker may spend the day READ MORE
Hi. It really depends on the kind of social worker you are. If you specialize in clinical social work you may see 6-8 patients per day. A medical social worker may spend the day coordinating patient care and resources after a hospitalization and visit with patients on the wards, a foster care social worker may visit with their foster parents, biological parents, and kids. CPS workers may spend time in the office and out doing home visits. Forensic social workers may spend time as a victims advocate in court or in correctional facilities. Military social workers may provide advocacy, prevention, education, and treatment in garrison and deploy to do combat and operational social work. Corporate social workers may provide clinical support in a corporate clinical setting and school social workers may assess and treat kids and work with parents and teachers in schools. These are but a few ways one might spend their day.
Is being a social worker worth the salary?
Early social work positions can be low in pay, but the field can be quite lucrative. If you are good at your craft and passionate about the work, the money will come.
What exercises encourage children to socialize?
Shyness is not indicative of poor social or psychological development. Some shy people can get up on stage and perform or excel in smaller safer venues. Focus on their strengths READ MORE
Shyness is not indicative of poor social or psychological development. Some shy people can get up on stage and perform or excel in smaller safer venues. Focus on their strengths rather than their shyness. Provide encouragement, but try not to express disappointment or judgement when they are uncomfortable. Some people begin as very shy and learn to overcome their reticence with time and support.
Are social workers rarely in an office?
It really depends on the type of work. I've had positions in which I never leave the office and others that are in the field all day.
Difference between school social worker and school psychologist?
Honestly not much. While social workers and psychologists have overlapping areas of focus, they serve their clients from different perspectives. As a result, their methods are READ MORE
Honestly not much. While social workers and psychologists have overlapping areas of focus, they serve their clients from different perspectives. As a result, their methods are aimed at achieving different goals.
Are conversations between student and social worker confidential?
Yes unless the student intends to harm themselves or someone else.
Are there social workers for veterans?
Yes in fact the VA, the US Public Health Service, and the military as well as many non-profits represent the largest employers of social workers.
Can you choose which age group you work with?
Outstanding! Yes you can absolutely choose the populations you would like to work with and even if you are not place with kids during your degree program in field, you can get READ MORE
Outstanding! Yes you can absolutely choose the populations you would like to work with and even if you are not place with kids during your degree program in field, you can get CEs and look for work with adolescents.
