Charles “Chuck” Gildrie, a Tennessee Licensed Clinical Social Worker, recently shared with me a glimpse into his early life experiences, family life in Tennessee, getting an education, and the joys of working in a fulfilling career helping others.

Gildrie grew up in very uncertain times. Living in Florida, he was just 14-years old when the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred. He went to bed every night not knowing if he would wake up the next morning. One consequence of this experience was that he didn’t have plans for the future in a world that didn’t make sense. Although he didn’t know it at the time, experiencing that trauma may have been the catalyst for him to choose to work with others who experienced childhood trauma.

Gildrie attended Florida State University, beginning as a music major then switching to Social Welfare. He also attended Princeton Seminary, an accredited theological and higher education school. In 1972 he found himself stationed in Michigan guiding grieving families through the required end-of-life paperwork. He found he had a talent for listening to people and tuning in to their feelings; he had found his calling. He has served as the Executive Director of the Mental Health Association at Abilene College, Administrator at Blount County Children’s Home, Clinical Director for Green/Tasker & Associates, and for more than 20 years has provided counseling to nursing home residents, including Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville.

Gildrie finds working with “the greatest generation” very fulfilling, as he enjoys improving the quality of life for so many who made sacrifices for the good of others. Gildrie wants these valued residents to know that we honor them. He seeks input from CNAs who care for the residents to discover what they are experiencing, uncover any staff personality conflicts, and encourage staff members to talk to the residents to learn from their life experiences.

Success for Gildrie is when a client trusts him and talks to him. However, it is not the place of the therapist to take credit for the client’s accomplishments or blame for their failures. The counselor’s job is to help people discover the power they have over their own lives; to lead them to explore who they are and to recognize and keep what they like and improve upon what they don’t. Most people, when asked to make a list of pros and cons about themselves, tend to list many more negatives than positives. So the first task is to help people honestly evaluate themselves. How to define success with a client depends on their own deepest hurts. For example, success with young people in group homes is to see them overcome the family history of children being placed in foster care.

Gildrie’s advice for those seeking to enter social work or counseling is that listening is key to being successful, but you must also have a love for people and a sincere interest in them. He light-heartedly warns that as your skills as a counselor grow, so does your ability to really see and hear the person in front of you. You may find your interactions with random strangers quickly growing into meaningful dialogue so quick errands are suddenly not so quick! Gildrie advises that one also must look at one’s self and evaluate which clients you can help and which you just can’t. It’s not about judgments but understanding what your problem is versus what the client’s problem is. Gildrie shared the example of his not so mild fear of snakes and his son’s absolute love of reptiles. His son came running in one day with a snake on each arm excitedly showing them to his father; they had opposite reactions but the thing is the snakes weren’t doing anything different in their interactions with each person, they were just being wiggly snakes!

When asked about how the residents of Willow Ridge are coping with 2020, Gildrie shared that the political rhetoric can be frightening as these people recall struggles our nation has faced throughout their lifetime. Also, with the COVID-19 restrictions such as removing church, activities, and face-to-face visits with family, they are of course more lonely than ever. But we can help! He says they treasure cards, letters, and personalized gifts. You can make a wreath decorated with images meaningful for them. You can create a poster with pictures of families and friends to place in their room. You can set up a Facebook page so they can keep up with what’s going on in the lives of loved ones, and they especially enjoy jokes. Gildrie strongly recommends FaceTime or Zoom calls so they can see your face to help them stay focused and feel more connected. (Speaking of which, please don’t cut them out of what’s going on in the family. Mom is still mom, even if she lives at the nursing home so don’t try to hide family struggles. In the first place: if they detect something is going on and you don’t tell them what it is, they will assume the worst. In the second place: they still have a role to fill in the family and may offer some very sage advice for trying times! In any case, don’t rob them of the dignity of their place in the family.) The activities department will work with families on scheduling these calls, there are iPads for them to use with the residents, and a couple of computers set up for the more independent residents. Gildrie also loves the idea of creating a “This Is Me” poster for each resident to help the staff understand who they are as a person and a reminder to the resident of their life and value.

Gildrie has served our community in other ways, as a member of the TN Association of Children’s Care and member/cofounder of the Faithful Men of Fairview United Methodist Church of Maryville which is a men's choir. . He holds a Clinical Social Worker License (Lic. 982) issued by the State of Tennessee and serves our residents remotely due to COVID restrictions.

The holidays are coming and this community generally pours out support for Willow Ridge residents and staff. You can still show your love and support by sending cards, etc. to 215 Richardson Way, Maynardville, TN 37807.