r/LCSW

I (46m) currently work for a state agency (not DHR) and earn about $68,000 annually. I recently accepted a position with a large university-affiliated hospital in a community-based behavioral health program.
The initial offer was around $59,000, which was later increased to around $61,000 after I provided additional information about my experience. I have five years of post-graduate social work experience, including inpatient psychiatric experience, high-volume care coordination, supervisory experience, residential behavioral health experience, and eight years service as a United States Marine with three combat tours.
During a follow-up conversation, I pointed out that I’m scheduled to take my clinical licensing exam before my anticipated start date and asked how a previously discussed salary increase for clinical licensure would be handled.
In response, HR informed me that there is a higher-level social work position within the same team for candidates who are clinically licensed or expected to obtain licensure within six months. They’re now exploring whether I might qualify for that position.
The possibility of a higher-level classification could substantially change the compensation discussion, so I’m trying to be patient while HR evaluates my eligibility
It’s a unique situation and it’s driving me crazy.

I’d love your thoughts and reflections.

Hello everyone!

I have posted in groups before with no real traction but I need to reach out again because I have no clue what to do anymore and the anxiety, stress, and depression is rampant right now… :/

I’m a CA LCSW specialized and niched in child therapy. My whole 10 years of my career has been full time, salary-based, paid PTO work in community mental heath and a virtual start up company (last job) and only working with kids and families. I transitioned to a new job in a part-time W-2 group private practice that pays me $72/session (paid by session only) for the past month.

I am really struggling with this job as I now am doing adult therapy work (no prior experience), hybrid in person/virtual, are paid more inconsistently, still don’t have a have a full expected caseload of 26 clients/week (averaging 16/week right now), no PTO (that I relied on to be involved in my young daughter’s life-school/home). I even cut back on some PTA things and my attendance to school events to accommodate this job and am not enjoying it or feeling it’s not what was presented at the interview.

BUT- I don’t know other jobs and positions I can go for that has comparable pay (salary-based) and part-time (30 hours) status, and decent hours (10 AM-6 PM, no weekends). I’m under my partner’s health insurance plan so I’m not worried about getting those benefits to warrant full-time status. I feel stuck at this job even though I want to leave because I don’t have an alternative lined up for income right now… idk what to do or how to proceed with my career… Am I asking too much from the field to match my desired preferences? Are my expectations of pay and schedule too high? Are there other non-direct therapy work I can look into that is comparable?

I am looking to begin my masters to eventually become an LCSW. I have heard a lot about different online schools, but looking for suggestions for online programs :)

I have my BA in Psychology so won’t be a fast track program!

Also looking for what jobs you did during clinical hours and your experience with getting assistance for placement from the program as well as balancing clinical hours and a job!

I fear I might’ve chosen the wrong major. I want to be a therapist but what I want the most is to offer couples therapy; I’m really passionate about that. And while I know that technically it’s possible to do it (from what I researched) I just worry that it might be easier said than done. I feel like if people had to choose between an LPC and a LCSW for couples therapy they might choose the first. Any thoughts/experiences with this? If you know of any LCSW’s working in that field please do let me know so I can relax a little and not question my decision every night lol.

I’m an ASW in California, and I recently decided to leave the private practice where I’ve been working. I wanted to share what happened because the whole experience made me realize how vulnerable associates can be when so much of our licensure depends on our supervisors.
I had accumulated around 500 clinical hours at this practice, and for most of my time there, none of my weekly logs had been signed. I had been told that they don’t sign hours regularly and that everything gets signed when an associate leaves or finishes their hours.
Things became much more uncomfortable after a group supervision session led by one of the owners, who is also involved in supervision. In front of my coworkers, I was told that I was “too friendly” with clients and that clients might feel like they were talking to a friend instead of a therapist. I was also told that my accent might be contributing to my client retention and that because of it, I needed to work harder and develop more skills.
I became emotional during the supervision and felt humiliated. Later, she apologized to me and said she did not intend to hurt me, which I appreciated, but the experience had already made me question whether I felt safe staying there.
That was when I became extremely worried about my unsigned hours.
I asked my primary supervisor to sign my documentation. Instead of simply addressing the request, the conversation became about why I was asking. He repeatedly told me that signing the logs regularly wasn’t required and asked whether I was planning to quit.
At one point, he essentially told me that if he signed everything and then I quit, it would break his trust.
He also told me that my anxiety about the situation was making him uncomfortable and that I was making a big deal out of it.
That was probably the moment I realized how unhealthy the power dynamic had become.
I wasn’t asking him to do me a favor. I was trying to make sure that hundreds of hours toward my license were properly documented. Yet somehow I felt like I had to prove that I was trustworthy just for asking for my own paperwork.
I eventually contacted the BBS for guidance and continued requesting that the documentation be completed. After a very stressful back-and-forth, my supervisor finally signed my hours.
I now physically have the signed paperwork, which was an enormous relief.
But by that point, I knew I needed to leave.
I submitted my resignation and am now working on transitioning my clients appropriately before my last day.
The hardest part of this experience wasn’t receiving criticism. I’m an associate. I expect feedback, correction, and supervision. I know I still have a lot to learn.
What affected me was the combination of public criticism, the comment about my accent, the refusal/resistance around signing my hours, and being made to feel like my anxiety about protecting my licensure hours was somehow a personal problem or an act of disloyalty.
Associates are in such a strange position. We’re expected to advocate for ourselves professionally, but the person we may need to advocate against is sometimes the same person whose signature we need for hundreds or thousands of hours.
Thankfully, my hours are signed now and I’m moving on.
But this experience completely changed how I think about clinical supervision. A supervisor can have an incredible amount of power over an associate’s career, and I really think supervisors need to understand how intimidating that power can feel from the associate’s side.

Hi everyone,

I was curious if anyone has good book recommendations for psychosis that isn’t bipolar or schizophrenia but more aligned with it as a spectrum of symptoms and experiences?

Has anyone worked for Sterling Medical? Pros, cons, LCSW pay?

I am currently obtaining my MSW in new jersey in may and i am now planning for move to california for personal reasons, so i am currently taking CE courses using ce4less, what exact courses do i need to take and what exams would i need to apply for?

Hi! I got licensed a few months ago. Currently been in community health for two years and absolutely burnt out. Ongoing depression etc. I ended up picking up smoking marijuana recently ( never did it prior before). I have never failed a drug screening before or had any reason to be scared of one until now. I had a friend suggest getting a medical card as a precautionary since I am trying to leave my employer. I am well aware that employers can still deny/etc with the card. I’m more concerned if having a medical card would fuck up my license. Obviously would never use to during work- strictly a weekend thing. I am also in FL. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it.

I was under the impression that I was going to be starting my MSW in the fall but realized the program was too much of an undertaking (moving, 2 hours away from classes ect.) I was planning on starting my MSW in the fall of 2027. I have wanted to be an LCSW for years but honestly, I am truly concerned about the pay. I will have a lot of debt (not 6 figures but still) if I go into this degree.

I'm now looking to perhaps do an accelerated BSN program (15 months), work for a bit as an RN in psych, and then see about pursuing my PMHNP. I am a psych tech inpatient currently, so I feel as though I have a good amount of exposure to all of these fields. I feel as though my interests are more aligned with a career as an LCSW, as I am not as interested in med management (I am very interested in diagnosis, though), but I truly don't know if it's worth going another 30k into debt for something that would make me significantly less money. I interact with PMHNPs and RNs at my current job and enjoy seeing them and what they do, but I fear that I am just not massively excited by the more scientific aspect of a PMHNP as opposed to the social aspect of an LCSW.

The state I am in does not have particularly good pay for LCSWs (avg 50k-70k/yr), whereas a PMHNP is quite literally double that (100k-120k). The whole timeline for my BSN+PMHNP would be around 4 more years of school. Whereas an MSW would only be 2 (plus 2 years of supervision for licensure)

Any advice in one direction or the other would be extremely helpful - or even just more information.

I'm a US-based LCSW, and my client is leaving for grad school in the UK, but not staying permanently. From what I can see, I CAN continue to see her as long as I update my paperwork with her that any disputes or claims must only be brought in US courts...anyone else see an issue with this? My insurance says they only cover US claims. Ofc I'll also be updating the treatment plan/crisis and safety planning... THANKS

I am scheduled to take my LMSW exam on Wednesday, as the title says. I am nervous to say the least. I passed the official ASWB practice test with a 75 and the mock exams on Pocket Prep and Behavioral Health Pocket Prep (purple brain is the logo) with 84 or higher.

For those that have taken it, do the study apps prepare you for the test?

I have studied the official practice test and reviewed what I got wrong and the rationale. I also watch Agents of Change and Raytube. I feel as though I am prepared but there's a part of me that feels like I should study more but I don't know what exactly. Any advice?

Who has taken the LCSW exam after the new updates this month (Aug 2026) How was it?! I have taken the test 3 times and am going to be taking it soon. Was it easier?

I am an LMSW in the Tucson area looking for recommendations on agencies or practices with good reputations for emerging therapists. I have networked and tried to pug in for over a year now, used the SAZ network, FB groups. I've even contracted with a couple private practices/supervisors who were unable to meet my needs as a brand new therapist (too hands off, disorganized, really sloppy onboarding process, zero help with referrals). Agency work really scares me after a pretty rough undergrad internship experience, but I'm accepting that it might be a necessary evil. I also like the idea of taking some time to just do intake or assessments work to master that process before becoming a treating clinician. The mental healthcare landscape in this city seems so weird to me.

Wondering if anyone has any recommendations for agencies or facilities that have reputations as good places to work for associate therapists? I'm a pretty sensitive person, so high acuity is not feasible for me and work culture is pretty paramount. Straight up so paranoid about burnout...

My wife is an LCSW and is in the process of establishing a private practice. She will initially be providing telehealth services and will be the only provider/employee under the LLC she has established. What kind of cyber coverage does she need? We’ve seen recommendations for coverage of $250k while other malpractice policies offer cyber coverage up to $25k. We’ve see annual premiums range from $170 - $350. What are people actually getting for themselves and what is range of your annual premium?

Hi everyone, I am a currently a high school student and im a little unsure of what I should do. As an upcoming senior, I am confident I would be able to graduate in 2.5/3 years from all of the college credit I have gotten throughout the years. Also, Im not sure if the 1 year pathway during your masters degree is worth it. My plan is to do everything without take breaks. If anyone could give me advice, please do!

Does anyone have any experience pursuing certification as SUD counselor post-clinical licensure? While I know the ability to provide substance use counseling is included with our licensure, I still would love to obtain this specialization. The problem is, because I'm not a grad student, I'm having trouble finding a site where I can obtain the 1,000 work hours needed to take the certification test. Does anyone have any advice/ideas on how I can get these experience hours? Thank you!

Hi guys, im currently in school and am a year away from obtaining my msw. I work at a non profit agency working w at risk youth and had no plans on staying here post graduation. my plan was to step into medical social work. I made sure to secure my internship at a trauma hospital and everything, A couple days ago my job sent an email notifying us that the nys child welfare worker incentive scholarship is available to us employees who are in school. theyll pay for undergrad or grad school BUT you must work in that field for an additional 5 consecutive years in Nys.

My program requires my to take a summer semester which the program wont pay for but they will end up paying for abt 24 thousand dollars which is the remaining amt due for my masters. Is it worth it?
Should i stay at my job which doesnt pay well and is very dis functional in order for my loans to be paid off???

To add on, i asked my higher ups if they will provide clinical supervision for free when I go for my lcsw, they said yes. They listed my the roles that I will have to be in in order to gain supervision hours which are: Residential clinician
HBCI
BSFT
CFTSS

Ive never been in any of those roles before but being that supervision takes a few years Im considering staying. Ive been w the company for 3 years now.
my goal with my lcsw is to become a director of a hospital or another agency, or open up a practice serving youth or women who’ve experienced trauma and/or policy work.

Please help, the deadline is in a few weeks and Im really stuck.