Katrinna Matthews believes that education is power— a philosophy that guides her as Continued’s strategic content developer for behavioral health.
“The more a behavioral health professional knows, the more they can do and the more a client benefits, which then has the potential to impact an entire system,” said Matthews, DSW, MEd, LAPSW.
Matthews joined Continued’s content strategy team in 2019 and oversees strategic content development for social work, counseling, and psychology courses. A social worker herself, she also fosters relationships with the industry’s top experts. Prior to joining the Continued team, Matthews spent 15 years in the field of social work. She has worked with diverse patient populations in various settings, ranging from child welfare to in-center dialysis.
In addition, she has served in numerous consulting and educator roles, including professor and field director in the Master of Social Work program at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.
“The more a behavioral health professional knows, the more they can do and the more a client benefits, which then has the potential to impact an entire system.”
Her road to the social work profession started in her junior year of college. As a biology and chemistry major, she planned to go to medical school, but she wanted to take a few courses in social work because she thought it would ultimately improve her bedside manner as a physician. After one social work course, she says she “fell in love” with the profession and never looked back.
“In the field of social work, we look at a person’s issue as interconnected rather than isolated, which means a social worker’s reach has the ability to go much further than just one person at a time—we have the potential to impact an entire system,” Matthews said. “The impact is like when you throw a rock in a body of water and see the ripples—oftentimes social workers make a difference on so many levels that extend beyond what is seen in the center.”
Matthews says her goal is to deliver relevant, practical content that behavioral health professionals can implement in their practices immediately.
“The impact is like when you throw a rock in a body of water and see the ripples—oftentimes social workers make a difference on so many levels that extend beyond what is seen in the center.”
Matthews earned a Doctor of Social Work from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee, and a Master of Education in Counselor Education from the University of Mississippi. She is a Licensed Advanced Practitioner Social Worker (LAPSW) in the state of Tennessee.
She lives near her family in Memphis, Tennessee, is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, and enjoys serving her community through various service projects.