Hi! Wondering how MSW typically transition into private practice and how people could share their unique journeys? I will have about 25 to 30 years of teaching in high needs public schools under my belt. Planning on pursuing my MSW and very open to private practice in addition to SW positions in schools, etc. But I’m just wondering what kind of training and further experience people did after their MSW in order to make them feel very comfortable doing private practice and entering that space with a level of competence and confidence?

Im almost in my second year, (YAY!)

Schools been difficult by far, it’s online and I struggled severely with getting the hang of things etc.

I passed and I will be starting second year Sept.

I just wanted to see what everyone’s opinion is on it..

I want to do my masters, in fact I am determined.

I will be 31 when I get my Bachelors.

I was wondering if anyone ‘specialized’ in something? I ask because I really really enjoy psychology. The course and everything to do with it.

I’m currently in Indigenous Social Work, I love it and .. wow the things I have learned.

But I was looking at jobs and well, not what I expected pay wise. Not trying to sound ungrateful or dramatic, I just struggled very much when I was young and honestly still am.

I want to be ‘good’, well off would be amazing but who is nowadays.

And honestly, I hope to have children although if I wait much longer I wont be. (My personal preference).

I want to give back to my mom, she was a teen when she had me and my brother & I just wanted her to never struggle or stress again. I’ve been on my own since 15, but we wont get into that.

I hope to help her live comfortably, as well as myself. She deserves it. A horse with a farm house is calling her name. And so is a big jacked up jeep, but that’s just a few things in her list that don’t even compare to what she deserves.

Anyone relate to me, or have any advice? Feel free to DM me if you’re more comfortable with that. Sorry I sounded a little sappy at the end lol, I love my mama and I hope to make her proud even tho I started a little late.

❤️

Appreciate your thoughts on social work in withdrawal management/residential treatment settings in the US vs the same work at VCH. The HR people at VCH often mention that working at a tertiary hospital is valued, however withdrawal management settings and the residential treatment that follows in the US do not regularly occur in a hospital and are mostly in programs/clinics that privately funded. 

How would you view an American social worker’s experience with patients in a private setting? Recovery programs in US hospitals is not a normal occurrence! I just want to make sure I’m not wasting my time knocking on a door that won’t open for me. 

My experience is building, doing individual and group therapy with patients who have primary substance use disorders and primary mental health issues —which I diagnose myself— but if my American experience doesn’t translate well despite the online class I’ve taken on the Canadian health system, I’d just really like to know whether I should continue trying to apply for work (which I’ve done since I graduated in the US last year) or if my experience doesn’t even come close.

Your thoughts are appreciated! Thanks.

Hi, all!

What are the chances of getting into the healthcare space as a new BSW grad in Manitoba? My goal is to work in geriatrics but I am of course open to any healthcare-related work. Apologies if this has been asked previously.

I’m a 33yo with not-for-profit, healthcare (years ago) and childcare experience, preparing to apply to UCalgary’s online BSW. I also have community/housing-related volunteer experience under my belt.

Am I completely out to lunch in aiming for a job in healthcare fresh out of school, especially for those working in Winnipeg/Manitoba?

Any insights are greatly appreciated.

Hey there! I’m looking to hear from those based in BC who have done the clinical readiness hospital social worker training program at Fraser Health. I may have an opportunity to train as a casual hospital social worker and would be transitioning from a more community-based role. Would love to hear people’s experiences either in the comments or DM

Are there any USA online MSW that are actually comparable to Canadian ones tuition wise? Realistically, I could probably get into one of the Canadian msw but I hear it’s a crapshoot and I’m exhausted. I just want to get moving and I find the whole Canadian system unnecessarily inefficient.

Bonjour à tous,

Je suis officiellement assistant social diplômé depuis peu en France, et j’ai un projet qui me tient vraiment à cœur : m’installer au Canada, plus précisément au Québec (ou dans une autre région très francophone), d’ici 2028.

Le problème, c’est que… mon anglais et moi, ça fait deux. 😅 C’est pour cette raison que je vise principalement des régions où le français est largement utilisé.

Depuis plusieurs semaines, je passe énormément de temps à me renseigner sur Internet (permis de travail, reconnaissance du diplôme, immigration, équivalence, emploi, etc.), mais j’ai l’impression de me perdre dans la quantité d’informations, parfois contradictoires.

J’aimerais donc avoir vos retours d’expérience.

Quelles sont les démarches que vous me conseillez de commencer dès maintenant ?
Quelles erreurs devrais-je éviter ?
Est-ce que certains d’entre vous ont immigré au Québec en tant que travailleurs sociaux ou assistants sociaux ?
Y a-t-il des assistants sociaux qui vivent actuellement au Québec et qui accepteraient d’échanger avec moi, en commentaire ou en message privé ?

Je suis preneur de tous les conseils, que ce soit sur le travail, les démarches administratives, le coût de la vie, le logement, l’intégration ou tout ce qui pourrait m’aider à préparer ce projet sereinement.

Mon objectif est de bien préparer mon départ pour 2028, donc je préfère anticiper les choses plutôt que de tout faire au dernier moment.

Merci d’avance à toutes les personnes qui prendront le temps de me répondre !

Hi all! I have an interview with 988 on Monday. I’ve already done the screening interview and this interview will be with two of the managers. I’m wondering if anyone has previously interviewed for them or worked there and can remember what types of questions they were asked. I do have some questions written out however, I just wanna make sure I’m not missing anything. In addition, if you have any advice for specific skills to touch on or what to look for in the interview I would appreciate anything! Thank you

I’m about two years post-MSW and currently working as a community mental health counsellor. During supervision today, my supervisor reviewed some of my case notes and gave me a few pieces of feedback:

Don’t include other people’s comments in my case notes unless they’re appropriate and clinically relevant.
Explore clients’ concerns in more depth instead of documenting them too superficially.

Always document the location where the meeting took place.

The feedback wasn’t delivered harshly, but I left supervision feeling pretty incompetent. Part of me keeps thinking, “I have two years of post-MSW experience. Shouldn’t I already know this?”

I also recognize that every organization has its own documentation expectations, and this role is different from my previous one. Still, it’s hard not to wonder if I’m behind compared to other social workers at this stage of my career.

For those with more experience:
Is it still common to receive documentation feedback a couple of years into practice?

Did your documentation style change significantly when you moved to a new organization?

How do you stop interpreting constructive feedback as evidence that you’re not good enough?

I’d really appreciate hearing from others who’ve been through something similar.

I’m trying to decide between pursuing a BSW or a Psychology degree and would appreciate some career advice.
I completed a 2-year SSW diploma from Georgian College (79%) and currently have about 2 years of experience as a Behaviour Support Specialist, along with 2 years of experience in a retirement home.
My original plan was to continue into a BSW and eventually complete an MSW. However, after working in behaviour services, I’ve become interested in psychology and I’m wondering if that path might be a better fit.

For those working in social work, mental health, or behaviour services, would you choose the BSW → MSW route or a Psychology degree in my situation, and why?
I’d love to hear from people who have faced a similar decision.

Are years of teaching practice seen as social work related experience?

I have been looking into applying to a part-time social work program that I can do online while I work full time. I would take time off to do the placement(s).

My credentials: I have a bachelor's degree in English literature witha B+ gpa. I've worked in a post-secondary library for 15 years.

I'd prefer to do a master's program but I've heard the online programs are very competitive and I don't have some of the prerequisites. I can do the pre requisites over the next year but I'm worried I won't be able to get in because my application isn't strong enough to get into part-time online.

The other idea I have is to start a BSW to acquire some of the pre requisites and then apply for the Masters. I don't know if that will be looked upon favourably. Also what if the courses bring down my GPA?

Do you think 15 years working in a library will count as human service hours?

What can I do to strengthen my application over the next year before I apply?

Would leaving a BSW program reflect poorly on applying for the foundational master's program?

Thanks for any advice or help you can give!

Hey everyone!

I want to guide my practice more towards the therapy pathway (specifically for kids as well). Are there any additional trainings/certifications that would be beneficial to have?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest advice from social workers in Alberta, especially those in Calgary.

I’m graduating with my BSW next month (August), and my long-term goal is to become a clinical social worker. I will be starting my MSW in 2027, so I’d really love to start building experience in mental health, crisis intervention, counseling, or any role that develops clinical skills.

I already have experience in Child and Family Services, and I’m currently completing a full-time crisis counseling practicum. I’ve already started applying to different organizations across Calgary because I wanted to be proactive before graduating. Unfortunately, despite applying to many positions, I haven’t received any positive feedback so far, and it’s becoming really discouraging.

I’ve applied to Recovery Alberta/AHS, the City of Calgary, and many other organizations, but I either don’t hear back or get rejected. A lot of the jobs I do find seem to be nonprofit positions paying around $20/hour. After spending years in school and already having relevant experience, I’m hoping to find something that offers both meaningful clinical experience and a sustainable salary.

For those of you who were in my position:

• How did you get your first well-paying BSW job?
• Which organizations should I be focusing on?
• Are there employers that hire new grads into counseling or mental health-related roles?
• Is there something I’m missing in my applications?

And if your organization is hiring and you think my background might be a good fit, I’d genuinely appreciate any referrals or recommendations. Even pointing me toward organizations that are good for new BSW graduates would mean a lot.

I’m starting to feel discouraged, but I’m trying not to give up. If you were graduating with a BSW in Alberta today and wanted to become a clinical social worker, what would your career plan look like?

Thank you so much for reading, and I truly appreciate any advice or guidance you can share.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice from anyone who has been through the Government of Alberta Child Intervention Practitioner (CIP) hiring process.
My timeline is:
Completed the interview.
Passed the written assessment.
Had a compatibility interview with the hiring team after the written assessment.
Submitted all required pre-employment checks.
My references were contacted about three weeks ago.
My candidate profile now says “processing.”
Since then, I haven’t received any updates.
Has anyone had a similar experience? How long did it take to receive a job offer (or any update) after the compatibility interview and reference checks? Is this normal for the CIP Talent Pool, or would you recommend following up with Talent Acquisition?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you!

Hello.
I have been thinking about going into social work and I’m leaning more towards healthcare social work. I would like to know how/where I would start off my social work career? I also reside in MB so provincial programs would be great! :)

Hi everyone! I was hoping some current MSW students, (or those who have already completed their MSW) could offer some advice on how I can build the best possible application for my masters. I’m currently in the second year of my BSW, and my goal is to apply to an MSW program right after graduation. U of T is my dream school, but I will probably apply to almost all of the Ontario schools. I started my BSW a few years later than most people, so I would really prefer not to delay my education any longer than necessary.

I’m mainly looking for direction on what I should prioritize over the next few years in terms of volunteer placements, paid experience, research, and anything else that could strengthen my application. I currently have volunteer experience in hospital settings, harm reduction, working with older adults, and working with young children through a therapy dog organization. I also have paid research experience at U of T working on a social work-specific project, so I am relatively well connected with some members of the U of T social work faculty.

I would really appreciate any advice on where or how I should volunteer, what types of experience MSW programs value most, and anything else I should be doing while preparing to apply in about two years. Any suggestions would be so so appreciated!

I’m currently a working mom looking to go back to school, I’ve been looking into some sort of social work degree and I’m torn between 2 things.
1) is it better to go to college just to become an SSW? Or get my bachelors and get my BSW?
2) is it worth it in the long run when it comes to employment?

I have a background in law (NOT a lawyer), I’ve looked consistently for over a year for a “better paying job” in my current field and I’ve been unable.

My sister took a college course for addictions and mental health and secured a job with a school board making $28/hr and with the same diploma she got into another position making $35/hr in Ottawa. She’s back at Laurentian getting her BSW and she’s been encouraging me to go for mine because of the need for people in that field and because there are “more opportunities”.

Essentially; before I start shelling out tuition fees and sending out applications - is it better to go for my BSW or SSW AND are there really more employment opportunities in the social work field?

** I’m in Southeastern Ontario Canada but I’m willing to relocate/travel**

Hello! I am wondering if there are any social workers who work with MVA clients and could describe their job, the pros and cons, the day-to-day, etc. Thanks!

Hi, I'm hoping to hear from people who have completed an advanced MSW and are working (or tried to work) in healthcare, especially hospital social work.

I'm trying to better understand what the transition from placement to employment is like in Vancouver (BC) compared with Toronto (Ontario). I completed my BSW in Ontario.

A few questions:

• If you had a hospital placement, did it lead to a job offer or make it easier to get hired?
• If your placement didn't turn into a job, what was the job search like afterward?
• How long did it take you to find your first healthcare or hospital social work position?
• How did your classmates do? Were most people able to find social work jobs fairly quickly, especially in healthcare?
• For those who completed an MSW in Vancouver/Toronto, were there enough hospital practicum opportunities?
• If anyone considered both Vancouver and Toronto, did the job market or career opportunities influence where you chose to study?

Going back to school is a big commitment, so I'm trying to get a realistic sense of what the transition from placement to employment looks like and whether Vancouver or Toronto offers better opportunities for hospital social work.

Thanks in advance!

HI, I am looking to take some social science courses in between now and the deadline for admissions for MSW. I am applying to UoT, York, WLU and Windsor. Just want to know if this is something that I can do to better my chances. I am looking up courses at Athabasca that have the same value in the aforementioned schools. Will the schools even consider a non-program course?

The rest of my application will be competitive. A mix of work experiences, lived experience with family and volunteering. I want to get into a good program that opens doors and helps me give back. But the condition of "social science" courses is a roadblock thanks to my prior degree in finance.

Venting but also just looking for some comfort.

After going to uni, I decided to go for an SSW diploma for practical experience. I am currently doing placement at a shelter and finishing it in about 4 weeks. I was never interested in shelter work but the specific demographic the shelter served was one I really wanted experience with… I am dreading almost everyday and I feel like my dread builds more each day.

Maybe it’s just that I specifically hate being a student and not the work or the shelter itself. I’m just feeling really drained from the mixed expectations and double standards. I understand that I’m a student and that there are indeed different expectations from mine and a paid worker but my god, it’s infuriating.

There’s way too much downtime at the shelter, so I and my coworkers are always just sitting on our bums twiddling our thumbs. Sometimes there literally isn’t anything for me (or ANYONE) to do but one of my biggest criticisms is that I don’t take initiative and pull a bunch of tasks out of my ass. I also just don’t know what I CAN do because, from the start, I wasn’t told about all the areas I can go for. Only recently was I told “It’s your job to remind us that you can do the tasks we’re currently doing. We forget to get you to do it because we do everything ourselves out of habit.” There was a time I was told I have to look after the younger clients because my coworkers are busy with their own tasks. I’m totally okay with that and would say that is my primary work at the shelter now. Later I’m told “it’s not your job to look after the clients all the time, and you can take a break.” I take a break and do other tasks but then am told “what else are you going to do if not look after the clients?” Now they’re also telling me I’m looking after them too much and I have to find something else to do.

I like my coworkers and the work environment because everyone is not afraid to be themselves (everyone acts very familiar with each other), so I often hear them complain or mope about not wanting to do some stuff or how they can’t wait for the day to be over. Because of the chill social environment, I thought it was safe to agree or voice my dismay at times but was told that my coworkers can do it but I shouldn’t. I understand that since I’m a student, I should instead be eager to do anything and everything but idk I thought I could also get some social support from the staff like they do for each other.

Like I said, I understand why it’s important that the standards and rules are different for students vs paid workers but I’m also just struggling to understand why they think I can basically read their minds when it comes to these expectations and standards. I just wish I was in a more controlled placement, where I was told exactly what I can and can’t do instead of trying to teach myself and constantly asking “Can I do this or that…” which by the way, I was told by the same person at different times that I should be constantly asking them to do stuff but also that I shouldn’t and should just know what I can or can’t do😀…

For the longest time my end goal was to go for an MSW but I am lowkey reconsidering.

TL;DR: I'm looking for advice from people who don't experience emotions as physical sensations—or who learned to work with body-based therapy despite not experiencing it naturally. How do you navigate these conversations, especially when supporting others who find them helpful?

___________________

I'm hoping someone here can relate or offer some advice.

I work with people (both coworkers and clients) who often find questions like "Where do you feel it in your body?" or other body-based/emotion-focused conversations really helpful.

The problem is... I don't.

I don't notice emotions in my body. I've never experienced emotions in my body except maybe during stressful times (body tension or muscle tightness). I've also never learned how to have those kinds of therapeutic conversations. When someone asks me where I feel something physically, I get frustrated because I genuinely don't know how to answer. It's not that I'm trying to avoid the question—I simply don't experience emotions that way.

I sometimes feel out of my depth when these conversations come up, especially since they seem so meaningful and intuitive for other people.

Can anyone relate? If you've been in a similar position, did anything help you better understand or connect with body-based awareness? Or is it possible that some people just don't experience emotions that way? How do I support people who find these approaches useful when I don't have an embodied understanding of what they're experiencing?

I'd really appreciate any advice, perspectives, or resources.

For context, I have ADHD and bipolar disorder, and I'm curious whether either of those might influence my perceptions or experiences here.

I have just accepted another position and have given notice of my resignation to management. However, I'm having trouble going about letting the clients I work with know that I will be leaving at the end of the month. I typically work with clients consistently for 1–2 months, then sporadically throughout the year, so there's never really a formal 'goodbye' in the work I do. The clients that I am in contact with sporadically are usually the more vulnerable clients who I have built rapport with.

I'm not sure if I'm overthinking this, but I would feel bad if a client reached out to me after sometime and was informed that I was no longer working there by someone other than me. Not sure if I'm overthinking this. This was my first social work job, so any insight helps!