A licensed clinical social worker exists in the field of Social Work. Licensed clinical social workers have specific training and expertise in providing counseling and psychotherapy to help individuals, couples and families address a variety of mental health issues and challenges of daily life with the goal of improving overall functioning. A licensed clinical social worker can specialize in one of many different areas of expertise including assisting with mental health problems, substance abuse, school social work, public health, medical social work, marriage counseling, or children and family counseling. Their roles can vary from research, administrative, or policymaking. The different career paths that a licensed clinical social worker can take are high in numbers.
Licensed clinical social workers are the unsung heroes in their communities and work in places such as schools, hospitals, and even the criminal justice system to help increase the quality of life for those around them. In today’s world, a stressful and fast-paced society, it is so important to have and know effective ways to deal with the impacts of mental health. Licensed clinical social workers spend a lot of their time offering mental health services to those who need them the most. They often address the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment when working with people in need. One of the main goals as a licensed clinical social worker is to improve the quality of life for those individuals that they help.
Responsibilities of a LCSW
Licensed clinical social workers help clients with mental health issues, substance abuse, and recovery. They are meant to act as an advocate for those who may find it difficult to speak up for themselves. They can also provide information for available resources that can connect them with many organizations or agencies that can be a benefit for them.
On a more somber note, a licensed clinical social worker often helps people cope with serious personal issues and mental illness. A LCSW can also assist with domestic violence, past traumas, substance abuse disorders, and many other difficult situations. While they are not able to prescribe medications, they can work with you and other professionals that are overseeing your care and treatment. For example, if the case is someone with bipolar disorder, a psychiatrist would be the one to prescribe medicine for the person, but a LCSW can assist the person by also linking them up with additional resources, offer counseling to help with coping skills, and offer education about their illness. A licensed clinical social worker’s job is to look at the whole entire situation and environment for the individual so that no area of their problem is being ignored.
The Great Yet Hidden Impact of LCSW’s
A LCSW can impact a community in a powerful and positive way. A few examples include:
- Decrease the crime rate for juveniles
- Increase the rate of student graduation
- Decrease the rate of domestic violence
- Increase the emotional well-being of both students and teachers
- Increase in efficiency of different Social Service agencies they manage
A LCSW can help families through relationship or marriage counseling. They also help families to make child safety plans to keep children in their household. A LCSW at a school can also provide insight so that a child can do better in school and take some pressure and stress off their family. They can also act as a marriage or family counselor by resolving conflict within a relationship or family. These are just a few examples of the impact these hidden heroes can have on a family.
Contact a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed clinical social workers can also have a large impact on the individual they are helping. During treatment, an individual can go through the growth of understanding, resolving, and healing from traumas that they have endured in their lives. They also play the role of an advocate for children who are having severe behavioral problems in their schools. With the help of a licensed clinical social worker, a child can express their needs in a healthy way while getting the attention they truly deserve.
At the Counseling Center for Growth and Recovery, we employ licensed clinical social workers in the role of psychotherapists that specialize in treating anxiety disorders, depression, addictions, trauma, along with marriage counseling. We have over 25 years of experience in allowing men, women, and families to recreate their lives under our careful guidance, care, and support.
