“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”
Carl Jung emphasized that psychology is about integrating the split parts of the personality – the conscious and unconscious – rather than just fixing symptoms. He believed that avoiding one’s own soul leads to self-destruction.
Unfortunately, Yung couldn’t have predicted that one day caseworkers would take over his beloved passion, and the field he dedicated his life to – establishing an empirical, comprehensive study of the human psyche that bridged science, philosophy, and spirituality.
glo·ri·fied
/ˈɡlôrəˌfīd/
adjective
adjective: glorified
- (especially of something or someone ordinary or unexceptional) represented in such a way as to appear more elevated or special.
Please stay in your lane, social workers! You have no business posing as psychologists or clinical mental health professionals.
Aren’t there some essential oils you can hawk in your free time instead of hanging shingles that read “wannabes?” Shouldn’t you be making claims about how highly concentrated plant extracts, like lavender, tea tree, and peppermint are “miracle cures.” Or promoting scientifically unsupported, ridiculous assertions, that include curing cancer with frankincense and myrrh or using them to treat HIV/AIDS.
Maybe make your side hustle something like working as a babysitter or dog walker. Mental health specialists should be made of sterner stuff.
There was more value in Lucy, from the Peanuts, and her attempts at understanding Charlie Brown’s ailments. AND SHE ONLY CHARGED 5 CENTS!!!
Becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) is generally considered a faster, less academically rigorous, and more flexible path than becoming a Clinical Psychologist. An LCSW requires a 2-year Master’s, (MSW), plus 2 years of supervised experience, whereas psychologists need a 4-7 year doctoral degree (PhD/PsyD), involving deeper research and specialized assessment training.
Roughly 75% of LCSWs work for other entities – (hospitals, schools, agencies, or government), which may be their full-time, primary job, with therapy being either their main focus, a part-time job, or not their function at all.
Psychologists are generally seen as adhering to a more scientific line of action focused on diagnosing and treating specific mental health conditions. In contrast, LCSWs often employ a holistic, “person-in-environment” approach that considers social factors, which some argue can detract from the focused, data-driven approach needed to treat mental illness.
Some perspectives suggest that the rapid growth of non-medical therapists, specifically those with less extensive training, can lead to misdiagnosis or inadequate treatment, thereby reducing the perceived quality and prestige of the therapy profession.
While both professions can treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, some argue that LCSWs may sometimes work outside their competence when dealing with severe cases, (e.g., personality disorders or schizophrenia), which requires specialized knowledge.
A common argument is that because LCSWs accept more insurance types, (including Medicaid/Medicare), than many psychologists, they dominate the market, making it harder for higher-trained professionals to find clients, which critics argue is a “daily silent disaster” for the profession.
The moral of the story … social workers should act as a combination of a caseworker, advocate, and emergency responder, aiming to help individuals, families, and communities navigate social, economic, and emotional challenges. Their duties should be based on their setting – (schools, hospitals, child welfare, etc.). Their typical day should center on assessing needs, designing care plans, and maintaining detailed documentation.
None of the aforementioned is in ANY WAY, SHAPE, or FORM, meant to demean social workers. It is a profession dedicated to enhancing well-being, empowering vulnerable populations, and solving complex personal and social problems through advocacy, counseling, and resource management. It acts as a specialized branch of human services focused on social justice, clinical intervention, and systemic change.
I fully comprehend their indispensability. This is merely a commentary on the state of mental health professionals in this day and age.
Every kitchen needs line cooks; yet not everyone can be an executive chef.
Did You Know? There are more than 250,000 clinical social workers practicing in the USA, representing the largest group of mental health providers. They frequently fill therapeutic roles, accounting for roughly 60% of all mental health professionals, compared to 23% for psychologists. Social workers provide psychotherapy, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions.