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Looking for advice to a future therapist applying to graduate school

Hello, I would like to get in touch with current professionals within the clinical / counseling / therapy / social work field. I would like to know the pros and cons, challenges, and what an average day would look like!

#social-work #therapy #counseling #clinical #psychology

psychology social-work therapy counseling clinical
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G. Mark’s Answer

Like many other professions that require personal commitment, you need to contact folks already in that profession. And the way to do that is to bear the risk of being rebuked or ignored and simply keep making earnest attempts to contact them. You may be ignored 99 out of 100 -- or even 999 out of 1000 -- times, but it only takes once, right? One of the nice things about professions that are full of people who are passionately committed to success in those fields is that their commitment transcends their personal concerns. By that I mean that they are more interested in the goal of the profession than their personal goal. If you are a person who evinces a focus that mirrors their own, they'll be compelled to help you out. Does this sound "new-agey" ? Not so much. When you see some kid who really, really wants to do what you are just personally enthralled by, how do you react? You just NEED them to see the beautiful world that drew you in, right? That's what you're looking for. A "kindred spirit". That's what perpetuates the beauty of of our loves -- we just darn-well NEED to get kids to keep on keepin' on, right?
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Steven’s Answer

What’s great about the social work degree is all of the different areas you can go into. I have worked in prisons treating sex offenders, at the VA treating combat veterans, and in private practice doing sex therapy. Your day is going to vary based on the area you go into. Private practice can be lonely as it is just you (for the most part) seeing clients. In between clients you write your notes, return calls, etc. in a hospital setting you would be doing a lot of running around, making phone calls, verifying benefits, planning discharges, and probably running a few group here and there. In a large system like a prison or the VA, you are more likely to have a collegial group of colleagues to support you.
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