Licensed Clinical Social Worker

A licensed clinical social worker will work with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and who suffer from a myriad of problems. These problems may be of the physical, mental or emotional nature. Social workers may be assigned to individuals in troubled relationships, for instance those marked by abuse. They may also be asked to work with people with serious illnesses, the disabled and those with substance abuse problems.

Social workers will meet with the clients in an effort to identify their needs. They will then identify resources, both in the community and under their control, to help meet those particular needs. For instance, a social worker assigned to a homeless teenager, would need to find him or her, a place to live. Individuals who make this a career must be resourceful, compassionate and willing to reach out to those in the community.

Social workers may work with students in schools, with the mentally ill or those that suffer from substance abuse and other addictions. Clinical social workers may also work with families and in governments or social agencies where they develop public policy.

Licensed clinical social workers will have been trained in psychotherapy. They will generally have a master’s degree in social work and will have passed their state’s licensing exams. The median salary range for a licensed social worker starts at $47,471 and typically tops out at about $58,829.

A licensed clinical social worker may work in a number of settings, including residential facilities, hospitals or in homes. In most states, licensed clinical social workers must have obtained their Master’s degree in social work. All will have passed the licensing exams and have accumulated the required hours of clinical work for their state. The number of hours will vary based on the state in which a person lives or works.

This type of career can be very rewarding It can also be quite challenging and emotionally taxing because social workers work with people who are not doing well and consequently need lots of help, support and assistance. Emotionally, this can become tough. Without proper work life balance and a way to deal with stressors that come along with this career, social workers will struggle and may even experience burn out.

The future job market for social workers looks good. It is expected to rise well into 2018, up to 16%. This makes it a great option for someone looking to enter a field with potential growth. In this day in age, when seemingly entire industries are on the decline or disappearing altogether, it is very important to choose professions that are doing just the opposite. Because people will always have problems that they need help solving, it appears that there will always be work for a licensed clinical social worker.