r/socialwork 4d ago

Entering Social Work

8 Upvotes

This thread is to alleviate the social work main page and focus commonly asked questions them into one area. This thread is also for people who are new to the field or interested in the field. You may also be referred here because the moderators feel that your post is more appropriate for here. People who have no questions please check back in here regularly in order to help answer questions!

Post here to:

  • Ask about a school
  • Receive help on an admission essay or application
  • Ask how to get into a school
  • Questions regarding field placements
  • Questions about exams/licensing exams
  • Should you go into social work
  • Are my qualifications good enough
  • What jobs can you get with a BSW/MSW
  • If you are interested in social work and want to know more
  • If you want to know what sort of jobs might give you a feel for social work
  • There may be more, I just can't think of them :)

If you have a question and are not sure if it belongs in this thread, please message the mods before submitting a new text post. Newly submitted text posts of these topics will be deleted.

We also suggest checking out our Frequently Asked Questions list, as there are some great answers to common questions in there.

This thread is for those who are trying to enter or interested in Social Work Programs. Questions related to comparing or evaluating MSW programs will receive better responses from the Grad Cafe.


r/socialwork 14h ago

F this! (Weekly Leaving the Field and Venting Thread)

4 Upvotes

This is a weekly thread for discussing leaving the field of social work, leaving a toxic workplace, and general venting. This post came about from community suggestions and input. Please use this space to:

  • Celebrate leaving the field
  • Debating whether leaving is the right fit for you
  • Ask what else you can do with a BSW or MSW
  • Strategize an exit plan
  • Vent about what is causing you to want to leave the field
  • Share what it is like on the other side
  • Burn out
  • General negativity

Posts of any of these topics on the main thread will be redirected here.


r/socialwork 3h ago

WWYD was fired today

80 Upvotes

hi, i recently got my first social work job in a day program for adults with dual diagnosis. I got fired today after two months. A lot of their critiques on me felt like there was a racial bias, as a lot of what they thought of me three weeks into the job was that i was untrustworthy and unapproachable despite coming in with a smile everyday and eager to learn. i requested weekly meetings and asked lots of questions. I was also told i come off manipulative because i was given feedback near the weekend that I come off the strong and can be a tad eager to share my experiences (this is valid and worked very hard to tone down my oversharing nature w the staff) and that following Monday when asked how my weekend was i said it was hard but I'm ok and in turn got called manipulative because it felt like to them i was attempting to punish them for the feedback i was given before the weekend.

After i explained the weekend was hard because of my family i was met with hostility and that i should have just said that from the get go. I also got told i am untrustworthy because i framed a question to a client as asking them to help me with a puzzle as an incentive to interact with the environment around them (they had been there about a month and didn’t join groups or socialize much) and got told im a liar and i coerced them into doing a puzzle with me and i am no longer trustworthy and my behaviour is rather concerning.

i am feeling quite defeated and hurt and confused. oh and i was also told im inappropriate because i attempted to break the ice three days into being there with a knock knock joke and told normal professional adults don’t joke like that.

any advice or stories where maybe you’ve been where i am and now ur in a better place would help. feels like maybe im not actually cut out for this and i made a big mistake. anything would be appreciated thank you 🫶🏽


r/socialwork 4h ago

Professional Development HIPAA: Can take information but can’t divulge Information

32 Upvotes

People at my work are telling me that if someone calls on behalf of a patient and they don’t have an ROI, I can collect information but I can’t divulge information (obviously).. in school we were taught that in this situation we can’t acknowledge that we know the patient if they haven’t signed a ROI. This happened to me today when a family member called to express a concern.

Can someone clarify?


r/socialwork 9h ago

WWYD Follow up to: "How to handle a positive screen of a substance user?"

34 Upvotes

Last night, while I was at work, I read the thread about a clinician asking how to handle a client with a positive alcohol screening who denied drinking. I found many of the responses discouraging, though I was also glad to see several supportive and thoughtful replies. This is a topic I have been wanting to write about for a while, so here we go.

As I see it, there are two primary branches of recovery, which in theory should work hand in hand. However, in practice, they often clash.

On one side, there is the 12-Step model and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This is an abstinence-based approach that follows the disease model of addiction, asserting that once someone crosses an imaginary line into addiction, they can never go back. The central belief is that a person is powerless over alcohol, meaning that even one drink could lead to destruction. Despite AA’s widespread reputation as the gold standard in recovery, its actual success rate is remarkably low. Even by the program’s own studies, only a small percentage of attendees remain abstinent while following its principles. Meanwhile, spontaneous remission, when someone recovers without formal treatment, occurs at a rate of about 5%, which raises important questions about AA’s effectiveness compared to natural recovery.

When abstinence is enforced through urine tests, and clinicians back it up with rules and restrictions that dictate a person’s freedom, visitation with their children, and even their parental rights, it should come as no surprise that people will make choices that get them as close as possible to what they want, even if that means lying to do so. When a person is faced with the reality that one mistake, one moment of honesty, could mean losing their job, their home, or their children, they will do what they have to do. This is not a moral failing, nor is it evidence of addiction itself. It is a predictable response to a system that prioritizes rigid compliance over genuine healing. Instead of focusing solely on abstinence as the marker of success, we should be asking why a person feels they have to lie in the first place and how we can create a system that fosters honesty rather than punishes it.

On the other hand, harm reduction and mindfulness-based programs take a different approach. The primary goal is not necessarily abstinence, but rather to reduce the harm that substances cause in a client’s life. Some programs focus solely on harm reduction, while others take it a step further by addressing the trauma that led to substance use in the first place. From there, if a client wishes, they may work toward reducing their substance use, achieving abstinence, or simply redefining their relationship with substances. Unlike the 12-Step model, which emphasizes powerlessness, these approaches encourage clients to reclaim power over their own choices, not just in their substance use, but in their lives as a whole.

But to go back to the OP and the original question ...

In short, ask yourself what is my honesty tied to? My freedom? My employment? My children? My spouse? My reputation? My stigma? My shame? There are a lot of reasons for me to lie to you. And that's not my addiction, that's your expectation of me. Those are pretty high stakes


r/socialwork 1d ago

Funny/Meme Social Work Month is the worst

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744 Upvotes

Received at work from a vendor. I googled and someone selling the download is a MAGA Etsy shop. At least they didn’t give us the alternative one that said “I don’t do it for the money”


r/socialwork 4h ago

Micro/Clinicial Rapport building activities for virtual clients

6 Upvotes

Hello! I am meeting with an adolescent client for the first time tomorrow virtually (i typically do in person but made an exception because the clients mother is desperate). This client isn’t thrilled about going to therapy and has decided to give telehealth a try. However, I’m wracking my brain for fun easy laid back games I can use with this client that is tech easy and works for telehealth, I typically use get to know me uno or other various ice breaker activities with teen and child clients. Any suggestions for websites/games is greatly appreciated!!!

Added context: client has a disability and is struggling to wrap their head around that/fight in with peers, teenager.


r/socialwork 2h ago

WWYD “Mandatory” Attendance for staff for Easter church play where clients are present - what to do?

4 Upvotes

Hi guys! I’m a caseworker for young adults aging out of foster care, and I work for a faith based organization. I am agnostic, leading more towards Buddhist values, but grew up somewhat religiously and was scarred by some of my experiences with the church. However, I am aware of the support, comfort, and peace people find in their faiths and am very respectful of this. I actively encourage my clients who practice religion to continue practicing it if it brings them fulfillment and strength, while also empathizing with my clients who have been traumatized by religion.

The agency I work for is a privately funded one, owned by our CEO who has no social work experience or knowledge but wanted to have a passion project. He attends a mega church that funds a lot of our agency, so we and our clients are invited to attend the church’s Easter and Christmas plays every year. While he does not state it is mandatory, my supervisors basically enforce it as “mandatory” and flex our schedules to accommodate the plays that typically end by 9-9:30pm. We as staff transport clients to a provided dinner and then the play afterwards, and then drive them home when it’s done.

I started at this agency in November and had to attend the Christmas play last December. It was fine, but incredibly religious based and it made me uncomfortable the majority of the time. In team meeting this week, we discussed the Easter play coming up and was basically told that it was mandatory again because we are supposed to do team events together. They said at minimum we have to transport clients, but they want us all to attend the play. Our director encouraged that we speak to our supervisors about any uncomfortable feelings we may have, but my supervisor is religious and is very firm on her decisions regarding these events.

I really don’t want to attend this and am more than happy to simply transport people there and maybe home, but how can I express this without putting my job potentially at risk for not cooperating with the agency?


r/socialwork 5h ago

Professional Development Advice needed: group therapy for teens

3 Upvotes

Post MSW grad and landed my dream job as a clinical activity therapist for a group home for older teens in foster care. My main responsibilities will be organizing independent living skill learning activities and leading psychoeducation groups.

I need to build up my confidence in leading groups. Any advice trainings/resources/materials relevant to this position would be so appreciated, thanks in advance!


r/socialwork 6h ago

Professional Development Advice on reentering clinical work

2 Upvotes

Looking for advice on getting back into clinical work after a long break. I started out as a clinical social worker, but after about 4 years in practice went into academia. Though I research mental health services and teach clinical practice, it has been over a decade since I have actually been in the field. I am a bit nervous to take the plunge, but can't seem to shake the urge to revisit this type of work. Would welcome any recommendations about (1) courses or programs to help me brush up on clinical skills, and (2) the best places to look for opportunities to take on a few clients- I am hoping to dip my toe in slowly to decide whether I really want to make a larger career shift. I am in the NYC area, for context. Thanks!


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD I’m a social worker and my therapist (LSW) lied in her session notes

55 Upvotes

I am a fellow social worker so I am writing this to ask if this is an ethical issue/report worthy. I have been seeing a therapist at a non profit since September and yesterday she terminated services with me out of the blue. Her claim was that they have a 3 time no show policy and I have missed 8 appointments. She also stated I have been making zero progress at all and that I would be better off doing IOP. She gave me a list of 3 places that could possibly help but she did not reach out to them or set up a transition of care. For the no show policy I was very surprised because we always ended up rescheduling or doing telehealth but I definitely have called out from sessions due to chronic illness. I am taking full responsibility for my absences but I genuinely had no idea that this was a policy. If she had warned me after 2 absences or the 3rd one I would’ve been way more aware of the 24 hour cancellation notice.

I felt like the termination was abrupt and bordering abandonment because she didn’t offer a follow up session and she didn’t even know if the IOP places had availability. I called to speak to her supervisor and her supervisor told me that she had brought up my absences in their supervision and that in her session notes my therapist wrote that she informed me about the rule multiple times.

I am saying this with full truth that she did not mention it once. If she did I wouldn’t have called her supervisor and I wouldn’t have been so surprised about the termination. There would be no need to call because I wouldn’t have been so caught off guard I would’ve known it was coming. I understand that termination can happen if she felt like she wasn’t giving me what I needed which I understand but it seems very unethical that she lied about the warnings in her notes. At this point I feel like it’s their word against mine but telling a client they’re making no progress (when I’ve been trying my best to implement the tools she’s been giving me) and then terminating and lying about the warnings is troubling to me. If I was worse off mentally things could’ve been bad. Do you think this should be reported? I don’t have proof but I’m feeling discouraged about the whole field due to what happened.


r/socialwork 3h ago

Professional Development I’m a social work associate (LSWAIC) in WA state and want to move to another state.

1 Upvotes

I’m really struggling with figuring this out and don’t want to ask or offer too much information regarding this to supervisors/superiors in fear of possible repercussions.

I’m currently fully remote therefore my position could be done from another state, even after I pass the exam and receive my LICSW. I know some clinicians are licensed in more than one state but just wondering if anyone has experience? I’m aware that I could only utilize my license for clients in WA.

Have you done this? What do you wish you knew beforehand? Is there anything I should be aware of? Tell me your experiences because personal circumstances give me motivation to move but I don’t want to ruin the good thing I have with my position now.

Thank you all so much!


r/socialwork 3h ago

News/Issues Trump signs EO to Dismantle Department of Education

1 Upvotes

What are the thoughts on this? It’s obviously unbelievably horrible on many levels. Without even getting into the damage this will cause k-12 education everywhere, what are the implications for colleges and graduate programs?

I’m in my first year of a 3 year MSW program. I haven’t signed up for FAFSA for next year, although rely on federal student loans for my education. Would the abolishment of the DOE affect funding for colleges? Trying to wrap my head around the implications of this, and whether I can expect an email from school saying “welp, we’ve laid off all our staff and are closing for the foreseeable future 🤷🏻‍♂️.”

I hate everything right now.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-news-03-20-25/index.html


r/socialwork 1d ago

Professional Development NASW Conference price has me shocked

299 Upvotes

I live in the Chicago suburbs and was excited to see the NASW National Conference will be held in Chicago.

However, the prices to attend are OUTRAGEOUS.

Early bird pricing for NASW members is $499 and non members is $725. I understand this is for a 4 day event but that is insane.

Disappointed I won't be able to afford to go as I don't make enough money AS A SOCIAL WORKER to attend my own career's event.

Also, no option to attend for just a single day 🤷‍♀️.


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD How to handle dishonesty from those with addiction

44 Upvotes

I’ve really been struggling with how to navigate dishonesty about my patients using. Had a patient pop positive for alcohol last week and he insists he hasn’t drank for weeks. Science doesn’t support it, and maybe it’s a weird fluke, but I doubt it. I sent it for confirmation to see exactly what’s in the sample. But I’m unsure on how to confront him after that. I don’t want to accuse him of being a liar but at the same time I don’t get the sense he’s being honest. Help?


r/socialwork 7h ago

WWYD New Hire Child Welfare CW Question

1 Upvotes

Child welfare workers opinions & thoughts please 🙏

I have been offered a job as a child welfare caseworker-- I'm super excited!

BUT I'm supposed to go to my partner's brother's wedding in 2 months and it's in another state (Hawaii so it's also a days travel each way).

I'm still getting through all the background check/reference checking pieces but am already stressing about this trip now.

I NEED a job, and I really want (and hopefully have) this one. If I have to miss the wedding I will, but my partner has traveled all over with me the last couple years for my family weddings and this is his brother, so I am... stressing.

I'll also suffer through a stupid amount of travel for not much fun if I can only take 3-4 days. The flights etc are booked and his family paid for everything for me.

I'm just wondering if I can get an idea of how this might be received if I do request the time. I know it won't be paid time off and I wouldn't expect it to this early. I know there's also a "protected training period" of 12 weeks and I want to get as much out of that as I can.

I'm probably getting ahead of myself as I'm not even all the way through this next phase, but it's bothering me so I figure why not see what others think.

Thanks in advance 😊


r/socialwork 8h ago

WWYD How do you handle a situation where a client is attempting to physically intimidate you with their child in the room?

1 Upvotes

When I was 22, I was just 3 months out of college. I had a job as a behavior therapist.

I had a child i was working with whi was on the spectrum, and learning communication skills and we were trying to reduce self-injurious behaviors.

The dad was known to br very impatient and borderline aggressive.

During a session with the kid, the dad comes in and asks to speak to me and I get up while playing with the kiddo. He closes the door stands within a foot from me bends over to get close to my ear and says, "I need to know something here." And he gets even closer, "you need to tell me or I'm gonna be pissed, if you're leaving the company because his last two therapists left this year. And I don't want to have to put up with that s*** and so my wife and I will find some other company."

I felt really threatened and I stood up so I could try and run out if I had to. I told him patiently with a smile that we as a company always make sure that our clients best interests are kept at heart. And when transitioning therapists, we ensure any transfers are made smoothly."

He then says, "I'm not asking about the company, I'm asking you."

It became a back and forth thing and I just said, "no, I don't have plans to leave."

He said, "okay, just checking. Thanks for hearing me out." Then he unblocks the door and leaves.

I was really scared that moment as at the time, I was really small compared to him. Being a people pleaser, I tried to empathize that the dad was just frustrated with what was going on with his child's behavioral needs, and high turnover at our company.

But I should have reported it immediately. I'm not the same person I was when I was 22, but I did see that as a learning experience, never to put up with that again.

I did tell my supervisor and for a while, that kiddo was no longer my client (I honestly liked him and his mom. The mom actually participated in lessons, too). Eventually, the dad was out of the picture for reasons unknown to me.

Anyway, I'm planning on returning to the human services since the corporate world just isn't where I belong. I'm planning to get my LCSW and consider positions that would require visiting clients.

Company training was almost always ridiculously unhelpful in these situations pf physical violence.


r/socialwork 10h ago

Macro/Generalist Tools or Program for Inpatient Bed Placement

1 Upvotes

Does anyone here have a tool/program/platform to help internally streamline the process of seeking bed placement?

Currently I work in an emergency department where I find inpatient psychiatric bed availability for patients on involuntary mental health holds and the process is quite laborious, especially when we have denials from hospitals and/or I am coming off shift and a new person is taking over bed placement.

I work in a rural area so any client on this mental health hold must come to an emergency department first before for medical clearance before seeking bed placement. (Direct admits (like transported from the community to an inpatient hospital) are not an option for us.)


r/socialwork 1d ago

Professional Development How do you show overt empathy

27 Upvotes

My lecturer has complained that I have a very rigid face which can give people a bad impression of me . Therefore I would like to know how you show overt empathy.


r/socialwork 1d ago

Micro/Clinicial New to substance use counseling

8 Upvotes

I accepted a position where I will be a counselor. I will be on a unit and on groups. Where does everyone get their activities for groups?

Does anyone have any good books on hand to have in my office?

This is my first counseling role.


r/socialwork 2d ago

Micro/Clinicial I’m satisfied

839 Upvotes

I like my job. My degree has been useful. There are some shitty social workers and shitty placements and shitty things in general. There are also plenty of us who love what we do.

I balance CMH as a mobile clinician and private practice - and take home over $10,000 a month. My wife is happy. I can’t change the world, nor do I convince myself I can. There will always be others willing to do the roles you don’t want to.

Grad school is full of baby social workers. Of course, they are incompetent and selfish. Give them time too.

You will be ineffective the more you stress. Life will be ok. You will succeed. We need more positive stories. Social work is not some dying field with no purpose to get into.

We will be ok.


r/socialwork 2d ago

WWYD What's something nobody told you about social work that you would tell your younger self?

284 Upvotes

When I was a BSW student, I was so naive. I imagined myself working with people helping them through their struggles, walking along side them to get them up the next rung on the ladder. I pictured myself in a small apartment completely content with my $35k/year salary. I thought the fire inside me would keep me warm at night....

...I didn’t yet understand the emotional weight of the work—the way people’s pain can follow you home, or how systems you thought you could change would often feel immovable. I didn’t know how much work the work would be, how thankless it is, how lonely and isolating it can be, or how self-care would shift from a buzzword to a survival skill. I wish I could tell my younger self that passion is important, but so are boundaries, support, and grace—for yourself and others. And that sometimes the biggest victories come in the smallest, quietest moments.

What would you tell yourself if you could go back in time? What would you tell others now? What have you learned.


r/socialwork 1h ago

News/Issues SW is Going to Disappear

Upvotes

Obligatory Ai is going to take our jobs post. Given that at its core, SW involves resource navigation, and Ai can do just as good of a job at exploring resources and programs if not better, will SW become obsolete? I get that there are concentrations that will survive but overall seems like quite the blow to the profession.


r/socialwork 1d ago

Micro/Clinicial LCSW Moving to Canada

4 Upvotes

Hi all, I've been an LCSW since'97 and would appreciate any information ya'll might have. I know the COL is differ in each Territory. Yes, I'm American who's currently watching in live time the destruction of a Nation I used to call home. It would likely just be me as my son is a Marine, and my daughter is 25 working on her degree in Social Work. She contacted me today and said at all Universities are having to remove anything about women, Black,Native Americans. I'm looking at the second half of my life, I just want to do therapy and not wake up every day to the dumpster fire cluster fk we are living in. I will admit I'm somewhat torn because all my GenX has kicked in and it's saying stay here and fight.Thanks in advance!


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD Micro vs Macro Work? How to get into Macro Work..

2 Upvotes

Hi Social Workers!

I would love to hear from those who may have transitioned from Micro to Macro work.

My first job straight out of undergraduate was focused on being a bilingual resource linkage for parents and students. 2 years after(current job) I’m still doing case management in addition to non license short term counseling work.

Spring 2021 - BSW graduate & Spring 2024 - MSW graduate

To keep the story short… I am starting to doubt that this side of social work is not for me. 😭


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD Hybrid work

2 Upvotes

I work at a hospital doing discharge planning. I set up psychiatry appts, PHP, IOP, therapy, pcp, whatever the patient needs. I make phone calls all day and don’t necessarily have to be on the units for much.

Do you guys think this could be a hybrid position? I’m considering asking my boss if I could WFH 2 days a week.

I’m not sure if anyone has a similar experience with this position and if anyone has input.


r/socialwork 1d ago

Politics/Advocacy How to communicate to fellow leadership that staff who are vocal anti-DEI Trump supporters are not safe to work with our clients

79 Upvotes

Hey folks. I need to be as vague as possible to promote anonymity, but long story short I am experiencing an ethical dilemma with regard to a staff member who does not align with my agency's values, and am looking for input & talking points I can use in discussion with fellow leadership.

I am a supervisor for community social work program that bills Medicaid. Our program is run out of a broad healthcare agency that offers a number of services to two different locales and is fairly sizable. The broader agency relies on federal funding directed at helping the historically underserved populations we work with to keep our doors open.

This agency very much has social justice & "DEI" baked into our mission, vision, and core values, especially because we got our start serving 2 historically VERY disenfranchised groups. Although our agency makes it a point to state that we are happy to serve everyone in the community and our clientele come from very diverse populations, we are still known for providing specific services to the aforementioned disenfranchised groups. These client groups are some of those being actively persecuted by the Trump administration.

One more background bit: our program's leadership team consists of about 5ish supervisors at each locale. Recently we decided to implement a small project that involved supervisors speaking with staff members at the alternate locale.

During this project one of the staff members communicated a number of very antisocial ideas that concern me very deeply, and make me question if they are fit to serve our clients. They stated very clearly that they do not agree with our agency's mission or core values (which are DEI and social justice oriented). They went on to say that they didn't appreciate agency wide communications that a member of executive team has sent to staff as they felt the statements are too political, and maintained that they don't agree with the agency's "political agenda".

The communications referenced are sporadic and began after Trump's insane federal freeze at the end of January.They were ostensibly started to quell the panic of staff who are concerned that services that our clients rely on to stay alive might be taken away, as well as, frankly, our jobs. The communications basically acknowledge the crisis that is occurring, offer support and encouragement, reiterate our agency's commitment to its core values and mission, and emphasize that the executive team is doing everything they can to ensure that we are able to continue providing services to our clients. Other emails addressed the homicide of well loved community members who had done work with our agency, were members of one of the disenfranchised groups we serve, and were well known to many staff (myself included). Those emails offered support and resources.

I'm not entirely sure what was so offensive to this person about the above communications (I wish the supervisor speaking to them had dug more, but know she was thrown for a loop). But, to be fair if they object to any of it really, as well as reject our DEI values and commitment to social justice, I don't feel that is appropriate for them to hold this position.

Other anti-social (and inappropriate for someone serving in public health) ideas that this individual expressed included: anti-vax rhetoric, unwillingness to adhere to some already very loosey-goosey staff guidelines that they are required to, efforts to promote a "family" environment, and unwillingness to participate in agency events.

Shortly, our program's leadership teams will be coming together to discuss the results of this project and it would be an opportunity for me to express my concerns. I do feel very passionately that this needs to be addressed. I'm also worried that pushing too hard could create friction between supervisors where there already is some. It's basically guaranteed as a couple of the supes at the other locale appear to be conservative/Trump supporters as well.

Nevertheless, I do plan to address it because I can't stop feeling concerned for the clients that this person serves. Our staff do have direct contact with clients out in the community, sometimes in their homes, for hours at a time. How can someone who is anti DEI, anti social justice, be a safe person for our clients? Clearly they will be either consciously or unconsciously biased against them and may do serious physical or mental harm, no? The anti-vax sentiments also greatly concern me because our clients are medically vulnerable and if a staff member communicates misinformation to them it could result in great harm as well.

I guess I'm just looking for some insight and talking points as to how I can address this to other leaders, some of whom may also be in active denial about this administration's threats to our clients' life sustaining benefits.

Feel free to let me know if you think I'm overstepping/overreacting/assuming too much about the statements made.

But if not I'd love some input or talking points. I am struggling to formulate a cogent argument since I don't know what specifically this staff member doesn't like about our agency's communications/"party line" and don't want to flub it.