“I don’t need a social worker. I need therapy.”
This is what I often hear from people who are confused about the role social workers play in the mental health field.
Did you know that social workers provide the majority of counselling and psychotherapy services in Ontario?
Social workers are often associated with child welfare and community development. But this is not all we do! Social workers actually provide a range of services, depending on their specialization, including counselling, psychotherapy, crisis intervention, advocacy, coordination of resources and case management.
People who consult social workers are usually going through a difficult period in their personal, family and/or work life. Common issues include anxiety, depression, addictions, stress management, grief, loss, relationship problems, abuse, adjusting to life changes, caregiver burden, bullying and suicide prevention.
Brief History of Social Workers in Mental Health Field
Social work became a profession in the early 20th century. Prior to that, efforts for social betterment were taken on by volunteers. The original goal of social work was to address poverty, and then grew to focus on problems of families and children. Social workers quickly became involved in service delivery in the field of mental health care in Canada.
The Terms Psychotherapy and Psychotherapist
The act of psychotherapy and the title “psychotherapist” are regulated by the Regulated Health Professionals Act (RHPA) 1991.
The controlled act of psychotherapy is defined in the RHPA as follows:
“Treating, by means of psychotherapy technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously impair the individual’s judgement, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning.”
Social Workers are legally authorized to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy and to use the title “psychotherapist,” provided that they do so in compliance with the Social Work and Social Service Work Act (SWSSWA) 1998, the regulations and the bylaws. We are accountable to our provincial college of social workers to ensure that we are providing quality, ethically-responsible services. We are required to pursue continuing education, training and supervision.
The Social Work Approach
Social work considers both the medical model’s focus on individual diagnosis and also recognizes the complexity of the social context, including the individual’s family, workplace and community. Social workers look at people’s problems within their social context and often work to identify and address social inequities and structural issues.
Social workers can help you with the following strategies: Identifying and understanding the source of your stress or difficulty, recognizing and using your own strengths so that you can confidently manage real-life issues, strengthening your coping skills and finding effective solutions to your problems, helping you get the most out of your relationships, work and community life, and finding needed resources.
Social workers practice in a wide range of settings, including family agencies, hospitals, mental health settings, correctional facilities, schools, senior’s agencies, community clinics and organizations, government offices, addiction treatment facilities and Children’s Aid Societies. Depending on their expertise, social workers may work with individuals, couples, families, groups, workplaces and/or organizations.
Many social workers offer services through private practice and are covered by many group benefits plans.
So the next time you are looking for quality, regulated psychotherapy services, consider a social worker!
Sources:
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (2018), Proclamation of the Controlled Act of Psychotherapy. Retrieved from: http://www.ocswssw.org/professional-practice/regulation-of-psychotherapy/
Ontario Association of Social Workers (2018), About Social Workers. Retrieved from: https://www.oasw.org/Public/About_Social_Workers/About_Social_Workers.aspx
Canadian Association of Social Workers (2018), What Social Workers Do. Retrieved from: https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/what-social-work/what-social-workers-do
