[acb-hsp] Additional training and opportunities post grad school.

[J.Rayl]

Hi Laura,  I have my LPC and have had it for years.  Quite frankly, I'm not 
going to get into this thing with LPC vs. any other license because I don't 
comprehend it nor do I find it even worth the discussion worthy of an email. 
Sorry if that offends some of you but, in this state, the LPC has served me 
well.
I have been in private practice going on 8 years, was in practice in a state 
agency for ten prior.  And the only insurance I cannot use the LPC for in 
Privace is Medicaid.  Well, I doubt I'd accept Medicaid anyway because it 
pays extremely low, and there is still, even though they eliminated a lot, a 
boatload of print paperwork, which I'd pay as much to have completed as I'd 
be paid--so what is the point?
Anyway, having said that, apparently, you have chosen a social work career / 
licensure so I see no point to change.
Here's the thing: to get liability insurance, you need to be licensed, I'm 
almost certain.  I don't think you can get liability without a license, and 
would guess that if you can, it'd cost outrageously!  It does anyway.
And in this day in age, there is no way in blazes I'd practice without it. 
People just like to sue.
I make very sure my Liability insurance covers me as a supervisor (it does), 
and me as a therapist (it does).  And I still hope I never am sued (I 
haven't been, smiles).
But the supervisor is responsible for the supervisees.

As for addictions?  You can receive a lot of training in addictions and all 
manner of other specialties via workshop attendance, online CEU attendance 
and taking additional classwork.  I do substance abuse counseling and I do 
not, never have had, CAC.  That makes some of the CAC counselors pretty 
angry but to that, I ask if they are Certified Disability specialists (and 
of course there is not such a thing.  Then, when they say no, and start 
looking around for it, I suggest that they never work with PWD because they 
have no disability (assuming they do not) and they have no Disability 
Certification.  Now that I really have them fired up, I tell them there 
really is no such animal--and they see just how unrealistic they are. 
<grin>
So sure, you can receive a lot of training in just about every area you 
want; then when you feel competent, go for it!  Some require testing out, 
some don't.
Fact is, get your SW license and go for it because with that, you can do 
whatever you want, pretty much, save prescribe drugs and psych. testing and 
if the social workers have their way, they'll be prescribing antidepressants 
before long soooooo, I don't agree but who am I?  <LOL>!

You know, I've heard, I cannot tell you how many times, that LPCs cannot do 
Custody evals, Disability Evals, yayayaya.
Well, geesh! here's the deal:
LPCs can do any eval. we choose, as long as the referral or requesting 
somebody accepts what we do.  I do them all the time: second opionions for 
disability.  Custody evals for attorneys in corroration with person A B and 
C., and on it goes.
No, I'm not just a little, or big, guy out there all by myself doing this 
eval.  But guess what, neither is the psychologist, or the forensic 
psychologist, or the forensic psychiatrist, or the forensic social worker. 
And neither should, or will you be.
And if they ever put you in a Courtroom and it has just been you, only? 
That's a big problem.  I'd run!

    Jessie Rayl
thedogmom63 at frontier.com
www.facebook.com/Eaglewings10
www.pathtogrowth.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Laura Glowacki" <orangebutterfly87 at gmail.com>
To: "Discussion list for ACB human service professionals" <acb-hsp at acb.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:26 PM
Subject: [acb-hsp] Additional training and opportunities post grad school.


Hello list,

I apologize in advance for the myriad of thoughts and questions.  Any
feedback on anything related is much appreciated, either on or offlist.

I'm a recent graduate of Jane Addams with my MSW with a mental health
concentration.  I currently work as a supervisor of volunteers on an
online suicide hotline.  Incidentally, if anyone is interested in
persuing a volunteer opportunity, you can contact me offlist for more
information at IMAlivesupervisor2 at gmail.com or see the faq section on
imalive.org.  The training course is accredited by the board of Licensed
Professional Counselors (my apologies for getting the name wrong if I
have) for CEU's.  It is rather time demanding though, just a warning.  :)

Anyways, this position is, for the time-being, part-time.  Do to recent
events in my own life, seeking additional employment isn't in my best
interest.  I am receiving supervision towards LCSW hours.  I haven't
gotten my LSW yet, but am strongly considering doing that soon.  In
Illinois, it's not required in order to acrue LCSW hours luckily.

However, I'd like to persue additional training or some kind of
internship.  I've been discouraged from the internship idea mostly
because of liability issues, etc.  Anyone have any additional thoughts
on that?

Additionally, I realize that most training for entry-level clinicians
comes from supervision and experience.  I know that there are ways to
get training in specific therapeutic modalities.  Would you recommend
persuing such opportunities?  Why or why not?  What are those
opportunities and how might I go about finding them?  I'm curious as to
whether such training would be useful or advantageous without more
experience?

I'm interested in seeking additional training in substance abuse or
dual-diagnosis; do most people do that through additional schooling?  I
don't know much about the requirements for substance abuse counseling
etc and also realize that this should be part of my own research.

As I hope to be seeking additional employment sometime in the near
future, do any of you have suggestions on finding part-time clinical
work?  I love my job with IMAlive and have been with the project
basically since the beginning.  I know it's not ideal to use two
different part-time jobs for clinical hours, especially since getting
clinical supervision at a part-time job is unusual.

I am frustrated that many of the entry-level positions I come across
require a driver's license and traveling.  This is obviously a
challenge.  I also wouldn't be comfortable making home visits by myself
for safety reasons, even if I was allowed to via public transit.  Being
in Chicago, I have access to a lot more opportunities than I would
otherwise have in that realm, at least.

While I'd prefer to work in mental health, there are medical social work
positions open for which I could apply.  Does anyone who's worked in
such an environment have any tips on dealing with paperwork?  There are
still many things that are not electronic at many places such as
applications for services, and that is one of my main concerns about
applying for such a job.  However, I have only what I saw the other
interns at my MSW placement cope with to go off of.  It was at Cook
County Hospital.  I loved the environment and would take a job there
gladly, but they've only recently switched over to electronic filing
using citrix etc.  Also, my current clinical supervisor for IMAlive
works there but has been providing supervision for free (bless her
amazing heart) and so could be a conflict of itnerest etc.  Anyways,
sorry for the digression.

Finally, I just want to thank those of you who post articles of interest
and questions to the list.  Though I reply rarely, I feel like I learn
from these exchanges.

Sincerely,
Laura Glowacki


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