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[brian-mccann]

The Clinical Side of Social Work

Clinical social work carves out a unique space within the broader profession by zeroing in on mental health support. Professionals in this area usually possess advanced credentials, such as a master's degree and a clinical license, which equip them to handle diagnoses like depression or bipolar disorder. They typically operate in outpatient clinics, hospitals, or private offices, delivering therapy to individuals or groups. This emotional and psychological care focus distinguishes them from colleagues who prioritize resource coordination or community outreach.

Education for clinical social workers demands a level of commitment beyond standard social work training. Most regions require at least two years of graduate study, followed by thousands of supervised hours, often around 3,000, to qualify for licensure. This preparation sharpens their ability to assess mental health conditions and apply targeted interventions. Unlike direct-service practitioners who might guide clients toward housing or food assistance, these specialists build expertise in navigating the complexities of human behavior and emotional distress.

Clinical social workers' daily tasks cover a wide range of activities tied to therapeutic practice. They design individualized treatment strategies, sometimes working alongside doctors to integrate medication into care plans. Maintaining strict confidentiality proves essential, especially when addressing sensitive topics like addiction or family conflict. Beyond therapy, they often advocate for clients within larger systems, ensuring access to necessary services while upholding the profession's core commitment to dignity and support.

Looking past its technical demands, clinical social work blends a personal connection with clients with structured knowledge. It sidesteps the spotlight yet steadily meets a growing need for mental health resources in an overstretched world. As technology and self-help trends rise, these practitioners hold their ground by offering something algorithms can't replicate - a human presence rooted in skill and understanding, reshaping lives one conversation at a time.

[brian-mccann]

Elements of Wine Tasting

Wine tasting pairs art and science, employing senses such as smell, sight, and taste to determine the relative merit of a bottle of wine. The taster starts by examining the wine color and clarity, then distinguishes aromas before proceeding to the first sip.

When making a visual assessment, it’s important to view the wine against a lighter background and hold the glass by its stem, which avoids inadvertently heating the wine and preserves the original aroma. The ideal color depends on the vintage and grape type, with sediment or cloudiness often a mark of aging or improper filtration.

Revealed by swirling, wine legs do not directly reflect quality, but rather provide critical information about the wine’s alcohol level. The legs are droplets that form on the glass due to evaporation and fluid surface tension (the Gibbs-Marangoni effect). High-alcohol wines tend to have a higher droplet density on the side of the glass, while sweeter wines have higher viscosity, with the tears flowing down the glass’ side more slowly. In short, a glass that has more legs will also have more alcohol, which manifests as a warming or burning sensation at the back of the throat.

Assessing legs is not the only reason for swirling a glass of wine. This practice also reveals aromas and helps soften or mellow the wine as oxygen interacts with the tannins (particularly in red wines).

The wine smelling process is called “nosing” and helps identify aromas associated with various fermented grape compounds, as well as aging in oak and other types of barrels. The nosing process starts with raising the wine glass so the rim is tilted directly under the nose. It’s important to inhale slowly and in a controlled manner, taking time to reflect on commingled scents in categories such as fruity, earthy, herbal, and floral. One method involves associating complex aromatic elements with more familiar scents, from blackberries and leather. The taster repeats the process several times, as aromatic nuances often take time to reveal themselves.

Sweetness is an element that can’t be smelled, only tasted. In fact, wines that smell sweet may be tart or acidic on the palate. The amount of residual sugar in the wine defines the sweetness level, which is sensed on the tongue’s tip and toward the front of the mouth. Wines with higher levels of acid (common among those cultivated in cooler climes) tend to have a slightly tart or sour taste, which may cause a tingling sensation on the tongue.

Tannins are associated with grapes’ seeds and skins, as well as the barrels used to age the wine. They do not impact taste per se, but rather the degree to which the wine makes the tongue feel dry.

Tying all these elements together is body, which is the wine’s overall weight and texture. The body reflects the tannins, sugar, acids, and fermentation method. Some grape varieties also naturally possess more body, and alcohol content plays a role, as well.

After swallowing the wine, the taster pays attention to the finish, or aftertaste. This reflects the lingering flavors of the wine, with higher-quality vintages typically possessing longer and more complex finishes.

[brian-mccann]

Addiction Policy and Social Constructs Fail Many Americans

Nearly 50 million Americans are estimated to live with substance use disorders, with only around five percent receiving the help that they need. A major issue is social barriers that prevent ready access to support, such as behavioral therapies and medications.

As explored in a December 2023 New York Times article, one root cause is that a majority of medical professionals lack familiarity or comfort with addiction medicine topics. This also holds for probation officers, judges, and wardens, who often control the options available to those with use disorders.

Many people who could be helped never receive meaningful essential services as they pass through a barrage of institutions such as courts, hospitals, and prisons. Compounding this, they often cannot see the problem or are ashamed to admit it. Purchasing illicit substances for a short-term high is much easier than accessing quality addiction care through trained providers and committing to a program of personal rehabilitation that can take years to complete.

To solve this persistent and urgent issue, the article suggests that addiction be treated like a chronic medical condition that has periods of remission and relapse. Like any disease, addiction can be fatal, but with proper treatment and support, it is also often manageable. Achieving such a change requires eliminating the stigmas that come with admitting to addiction, including potentially losing a job or custody of children. Only if policymakers and physicians treat addiction as a health condition rather than as a criminal justice system matter can society devise impactful solutions.

[brian-mccann]

Sustainability Remains a Travel Trends in 2024

In 2024, travel experts believe that sustainability will continue driving choices made by travelers. Some will pick their destinations based on accommodations that have implemented sustainability to attract them to their hotels, dining, and tourism hotspots.

A 2024 report from the travel publication Booking stated that 53 percent of travelers searched for accommodations that offered a mix of comfort and sustainability. Sixty-five percent of travelers want to go to places with green space and plants near their accommodations. Moreover, 60 percent of travelers want eco-friendly options. Then, they appreciate receiving rewards from apps that allow travelers to make decisions based on sustainability options. Finally, 47 percent of travelers want to connect with locals living in less well-known areas, and 44 percent prefer to travel to less touristy spots.

The type of trips consumers are choosing include scuba destinations that prioritize sustainability. A December 2023 Conde Nast Traveler reported that 95 percent of divers want to connect with scuba outfits on their trip that have a sustainable platform, even though it has been challenging to find locations that emphasize eco-friendliness.

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NSCS' PACE Helps Youth Find Pathway to College

A Wilmette, Illinois resident, Brian McCann graduated in 2022 from Loyola University with a master’s degree in social work. While a student living in Wilmette, Brian McCann also participated in extra-curricular groups such as the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS), an honors organization that recognizes high-achieving students.

Among its many activities, the NSCS helps high school students attending college through its Planning to Achieve Collegiate Excellence (PACE) program. This program aims to help high school students with ambitious educational/career plans access a college program.

The PACE program empowers students to pursue their academic and professional aspirations by partnering with local schools or organizations to establish a program. This program is three-pronged in that it offers mentoring/tutoring where NSCS members from local chapters are paired with local students. PACE also hosts assemblies that cover topics on college preparedness and a March to College Day, where high school students get to see what the life of a college student is like for a day. For more information on this program, please visit www.nscs.org/about-nscs/.

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Common Fine Dining Menu Styles

Fine dining restaurants offer a formal and high-quality restaurant experience that combines world-class ingredients with an upscale atmosphere. Generally, fine dining restaurants offer pre-set menu options. Since the dishes are crafted by highly-respected chefs, customers may not request substitutions or alternatives. However, there are several variations on how courses and selections are structured. Many fine dining restaurants create a series of courses, known as a prix fixe menu. Diners pay a set price per person or table to receive the courses. Wine and drinks may or may not be excluded from the set price. The most common prix fixe menu contains three courses: an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert. However, prix fixe menus can feature up to a dozen courses. A variant of the prix fixe menu is the table d’hote or host’s table. While the menu still includes a set number of courses, it also includes several options that diners can choose from. A benefit of this menu style is that people with dietary restrictions may find a suitable dish. Tasting menus are a set multi-course menu in which dishes do not follow the pattern of smaller dishes sandwiching the main course. Instead, a tasting menu can consist of several or even dozens of small dishes. Very fine dining establishments may offer a type of tasting menu known as a degustation. While the concept is the same, degustations tend to be more expensive. Additionally, chefs often include wine pairings to enhance the flavor profiles in each dish. The small portions enable diners to finish the course before getting full. This menu style allows chefs to experiment or tell a more creative story about their cooking style or background. The dishes are often complex and flavorful, so they are paced appropriately to allow diners to savor each dish. Tasting menus are often combined with the Chef’s table experience. Many well-known chefs offer exclusive dining packages where seating is restricted to only a few seats, often near the kitchen. During this intimate experience, diners get to interact with the chef and watch them prepare the meal. To add even more exclusivity to this menu type, chefs often create special dishes only for Chef’s table dining. Chef's tables are not the same as chef's menus. The latter is a pre-selected assortment of dishes that customers can choose to order. Chef menus do not come with a special dining experience. A la carte menu offerings are distinct from the others in that they are ordered as standalone dishes. However, fine dining restaurants may list a la carte items alongside their prix fixe or table d’hote menus. Ingredients that can be difficult to incorporate into a set price, such as some expensive fish or beef cuts, may be listed a la carte and priced at market rates. Some fine dining restaurants are moving away from a la carte formats to set menus due to the unpredictability of customer demand. Set menus also streamline the procurement and cooking process. However, restaurants that draw a wider range of diners prefer the flexibility of a la carte.