Purpose Takes Shape With Shanelle Bender, LCSW

Purpose Takes Shape: This series highlights people whose purpose shapes the work they do every day.

Exploring Professional Growth in Social Work with Shanelle Bender, LCSW

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Starting With a Story: Kindergarten Memories

One of my favorite moments Shanelle shared came straight from childhood. In kindergarten, she and some classmates got in trouble for coloring something the wrong color. She noticed one of her classmates begin to cry, and without hesitation, Shanelle went over and hugged them.

She laughed as she shared the story. It felt like such a silly memory, but it shows who she has always been, compassionate, empathetic, and willing to act. That story felt like the perfect introduction to the woman I know now, someone whose heart has always been big, and whose career reflects that compassion.

Agency & Team Culture

Shanelle works at the Connection Center, a place where clients can find support and get connected to the resources they need. The Connection Center is known for filling gaps in care. It houses Support Navigators, Justice Navigators, Peer Support Specialists, a Mobile Response Team, and the county’s System of Care Coordinator. Staff also provide therapy, run workshops and therapy groups, and lead trainings like QPR and ACEs, all designed to help clients and other professionals feel supported, informed, and empowered.

Within the agency, Shanelle collaborates closely with our team through weekly staffings, shared clinical decision-making, and regular supervision. This structure not only supports professional growth and social work leadership but also gives her the space to lead intentionally. It’s a team environment that values thoughtful input, continuous improvement, and client-centered care at every level.

Shanelle was excited to share her recent Strengths Assessment results from the 2025 Women in Business Conference, reviewed by Laura Hayes of Ground Rules Coaching Learn More Here . She learned her top strength is Maximizer, a drive to make things the best they can be. Shanelle had never thought of this as a strength before, but it made perfect sense to her. She sees this strength not only in herself but in her team. Everyone genuinely wants the very best for their clients and constantly looks for ways to improve.

Hearing her describe the Maximizer strength reframed how I see myself, too. In the past, people often saw my tendency to “be extra” or suggest improvements as a negative. Shanelle helped me see that wanting to make something better isn’t a flaw, it’s a gift. It’s the same drive that shapes how our team approaches client care: asking, “How can we make this the best experience possible?” That mindset is the foundation of client-centered care at the Connection Center.

“Wanting to make something better isn’t a flaw, it’s a gift.”

Her Role & Responsibilities

Hearing her talk through these strengths made me think about how they show up in her day-to-day work. Shanelle primarily serves as a Justice Navigator, supporting justice-involved individuals, providing clinical assessments, connecting clients to resources, and helping them navigate complex situations. This work reflects the heart of purpose-driven social work and the realities of supporting justice-involved clients.
But her role doesn’t stop there. She also:

Provides therapy

Runs therapy youth groups

Supervises MSW students

Attends community events

Facilitates workshops

Collaborates with Community Corrections and probation

Picture of Shanelle Bender LCSW next to tulips

Working with her, I see how she thrives in this multi-faceted role. She’s thoughtful, creative, and grounded in purpose. She’s also been blessed with several strong mentors along her career journey. Shanelle mentioned, Christina Dewitt, her current supervisor, has pushed her toward her reaching her goals and honoring her values. Shanelle shared that if she ever moves into leadership, she hopes to lead with the same passion and drive that Christina models.

Creativity, Energy & Challenges

Creativity energizes Shanelle. She brings art, nature, and new ideas into her work and at our agency, those contributions are supported as long as they make clinical sense and fill a gap. While she’s found purpose in other roles, this position allows her to fully exercise her creative side, which she loves.

Shanelle doesn’t deny that social work comes with challenges, too. Not every client wants to be engaged. Some conversations are difficult. Balancing the desire to help with the reality of resistance is part of client-centered care. Shanelle reflects on these moments honestly, showing that the daily tension in social work is real and requires self-awareness and mindfulness.

Those who Thrive & Navigating the Hard Stuff

When I asked who thrives in this work, she said it comes down to leadership qualities. At first, I thought of leadership as being “in charge” or managing a team but she framed it differently. In social work, leadership shows up in the everyday stuff: having hard conversations, making ethical choices, advocating for clients, and holding boundaries. It’s about presence, awareness, and quiet leadership, the way you show up for clients and support your team.

She also talked about the importance knowing your own capacity. Everyone’s limits are different, and part of staying effective in this work is understanding what you can handle without burning out. For her, that looks like a daily “chill-out hour” with her partner, a small but consistent way to recharge. Leadership, in this sense, isn’t just about guiding others; it’s about taking care of yourself so you can actually keep showing up.

By the end of our conversation, it clicked for me: in social work, we all lead. It doesn’t matter what your title says. We advocate, make tough decisions, and navigate difficult situations every day.

“In social work, we all lead. It doesn’t matter what your title says.”

LCSW Shanelle Bender's tattoo of childhood address

Inspiration, Meaning & Professional Growth in Social Work

Shanelle’s path into social work is deeply connected to her own experiences growing up. She showed me her tattoo, her childhood address, 1115, written in cursive on her forearm and talked about how she’ll always remember her roots. She shared that in middle school, she witnessed her parent’s job loss, the life changes that followed, conflict in the home, and the impact of addiction. Those early experiences taught her how powerful the right support at the right moment can be. That story anchors her work and serves as a daily reminder of why she does what she does. Many social workers have similar stories that ground them; those lived experiences often become the root of their career choice and their sense of purpose in the field.

Accomplishments don’t feel as fulfilling as they used to. Now, she measures success by presence, joy, stability, and the impact she’s making right in the moment. It’s less about checking off achievements and more about asking, “Does this feel meaningful? Does this bring peace?” That’s the kind of success she’s chasing now and honestly, it makes a lot of sense.

“Eleven fifteen, her childhood address, anchors her to her purpose.”

Respect & Recognition for Social Work

When I asked if she would change anything about her career path, Shanelle said she wouldn’t. She knows the statistics, she knows where she could have ended up, and she’s deeply grateful to be where she is. That gratitude has shaped her mindset and fuels her sense of purpose.

I told her that if someone asked me that same question, I could probably list off everything I wish I had done differently. But listening to her made me pause. I share some of those same statistics, and I’m also not where the world predicted I’d end up. Hearing her perspective helped me realize that shifting toward gratitude instead of regret can be such a beautiful change in thinking.

Shanelle is passionate about this field, and she talked openly about how social workers are often undervalued. Even as an LCSW with advanced training, she still sees situations where other disciplines get more respect in multidisciplinary settings. She hopes that over time, the value of social work, the expertise, the advocacy, the emotional labor, and the effort, will be recognized for what it truly is.

“Shifting toward gratitude instead of regret can be a beautiful change in thinking.”

Life Outside the Office

Outside of work, Shanelle finds peace in the life she’s building at home with her fiancé and their four baby cats, who each have their own big personality. That’s her grounding space, the place she unwinds, resets, and gets back to herself.
On top of that, she runs a small creative business, Irene & Co., a flower and crafting brand inspired by her great-grandmother Irene. Carrying her great-grandmother’s traditions forward keeps her creativity alive and connects her back to the things she loves most: creating, gardening, crafting, and honoring her family roots.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, Shanelle hopes to expand her impact by bringing more workshops and community programming into the spaces she serves. She would love to see supervision for students and new graduates shift to intentionality that builds identity, starting with a “dream planning session” to explore goals, strengths, gaps, and career aspirations.

She doesn’t know exactly what comes next, and she’s excited about that uncertainty. It’s a chance to innovate, grow, and continue shaping her purpose-driven career in social work.

Advice for New Social Workers

Shanelle encourages new social workers to:

Seek mentorship and guidance in the field.

Understand that mistakes are part of learning.

Embrace their strengths and growth areas.

Set boundaries while practicing empathy.

Reach out to social workers who inspire them and learn from their passion.

Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.

Books, Trainings & Tools She Recommends

Shanelle shared several resources she finds valuable:

The Body Keeps the Score Book

A powerful book that explores trauma and healing. Shanelle found it really insightful for anyone interested in understanding the mind-body connection.

Click Here to purchase on Amazon
(Affiliate Link)

Brené Brown’s famous TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability,”

Brené Brown is a researcher and storyteller who explores courage, vulnerability, and the power of human connection.

Click Here to watch on YouTube

PESI

Shanelle recommends PESI for quality trainings and reminds people to always verify that a course fits their needs. She’s personally excited to start a new training through PESI to deepen her clinical skills in women’s mental health.

Click Here to Find Trainings on Pesi (Affiliate Link)

PESI Sale!

Since PESI came up in our conversation, I also want to share that I recently partnered with them. If you’re needing ethics CE hours, they currently have a 50% off promo (code: BFETHICS). Here’s my affiliate link if you want to check it out: Click Here

Please make sure to double-check that any course you take meets your specific state licensing or CE requirements, everyone’s needs are a little different, and I want you to choose what’s right for you.

Closing Reflection

Ending the interview, I kept thinking about the kindergarten story, her Maximizer strength, and her tattoo. Shanelle’s career story reminds me that purpose isn’t just about what you do, it’s about how you carry your heart, boundaries, leadership, and lived experience into every interaction.

Starting this series with someone I see every day reinforced why Purpose Takes Shape exists: to honor the people who make social work meaningful, lead quietly, and bring humanity into every part of their work.

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Let’s connect, whether you’re on a similar path, have a story to share, or just want to swap ideas. June’s Nest is all about curiosity, creativity, and conversation.

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