Can Social Workers Be Therapists?

If you want to become a therapist, you may be exploring different educational paths to get there. One question many aspiring therapists ask is: Can social workers become therapists? The answer is yes.

Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) are mental health professionals who provide therapy, assessment, and counseling services to individuals, families, and groups.

What Is a Clinical Social Worker?

Clinical social workers are licensed mental health professionals who provide psychotherapy to individuals, families, or in group settings, assessing mental health needs and creating treatment plans for their clients. This process helps people navigate and overcome various emotional, psychological, or behavioral challenges. 

Unlike some mental health professions that focus primarily on diagnosis and treatment, social workers are trained to consider the client's holistic situation. This means they work to understand the broader social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors affecting a person's life throughout the treatment process.

Can a Social Worker Become a Therapist?

Yes. Many therapists are Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). After earning an MSW, social workers can complete supervised clinical experience and obtain advanced licensure, allowing them to practice therapy independently.

Here's exactly how they do it.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree 

To apply for an MSW program, you must first complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. In most scenarios, this will take four years. 

Students who earn a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited institution may qualify for advanced standing admission, allowing them to complete their MSW degree in as little as 9 months full-time. 

Learn more about Fordham’s Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program here.

Note: You do not need to earn a BSW to apply for an MSW program. 

Step 2: Earn Your Master of Social Work (MSW) 

An MSW degree is a graduate degree that prepares students to serve populations as professional social workers and also pursue state licensure and become therapists. The Council on Social Work Education is the organization that determines the accreditation status of M.S.W. programs nationwide. 

Throughout Fordham’s MSW program, students will take clinical-focused courses such as:

• Advanced Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
• Evidence-Based Mental Health Practice
• Social Work Practice with Substance Use Disorders

Practicum Education: Learning Through Real Client Experience

Just as important as coursework, students develop their clinical skills through practicum education, working alongside experienced social workers in real practice settings. Practicum allows students to apply the theoretical knowledge and skills gained in coursework to direct work with clients in real-life situations under the supervision of an experienced social worker. 

MSW students complete two practicum internships throughout the program (unless they are advanced standing, in which case they completed a field internship as an undergraduate, and will only need to complete one more field internship as an MSW). 

Step 3: Take and Pass your Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) Exam

The LMSW is the first license MSW graduates can receive without completing post-graduate field hours. To become an LMSW, you must complete and earn a passing grade on the LMSW exam, offered by the Association of Social Work Boards. 

Note: LMSWs cannot diagnose mental illnesses or see clients independently. Those interested in working one-on-one with clients will need to obtain their LCSW. 

Step 4: Complete Three Years of Supervised Professional Social Work

In New York State, after becoming an LMSW, graduates must complete at least three years of post-MSW supervised experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy, and assessment-based treatment planning to be eligible to sit for their LCSW examination. Note: Licensure information will vary by state.

This may seem daunting, but much like how doctors must undergo residency training before they can practice, post-MSW hours prepare social workers for difficult scenarios and help them provide quality care. This time is essential to your confidence and effectiveness as a clinician.

Step 5: Take and Pass the LCSW Exam

Your final step to becoming a licensed clinical social worker is passing the LCSW exam. 

Are Therapists Still in Demand?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers will grow 11% from 2021 to 2031. This is much faster growth than other professions. 

The profession’s career outlook has become increasingly important in recent years due to the mental health crisis following the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence are changing many professions. While technology can support aspects of mental health care, effective therapy still depends on empathy, trust, and human relationships—skills that remain at the heart of clinical social work.

There’s no better time to start your journey into clinical social work than today. If you are interested in this career path, we’d love to hear from you. Speak to an admissions counselor about beginning your social work career today, or apply now to Fordham's MSW program and take the leap. 

Should I Choose an MSW or a PhD in Psychology?

Both degrees will give you a fantastic education and skill set to become a clinician. While everyone's educational journey depends on various personal goals, there are a few important factors to keep in mind:

Versatility

In addition to clinical therapy and running their own private practices, social workers are embedded in every aspect of society. Social workers have roles in schools, hospitals, nonprofit agencies, government, law enforcement, and more. The MSW is a way to unlock a path to private clinical work, while keeping your options open for the future.

Accelerate Your Clinical Career

Most doctoral programs that train clinical therapists are 5+ years in length and heavily focused on research. While this is great for academic settings and specialization, an MSW can get you into the field in just two years. So, while most doctoral programs are fully-funded and MSWs are not, you will be working and earning income three years sooner with an MSW — this opportunity cost cannot be understated. 

A Holistic Healing Profession

Clinical Social Workers are trained through evidence-based practice and cutting-edge theory to focus on more than an individual’s internal mental health challenges. Social work’s holistic treatment model teaches students to consider a client’s environment and how those outside factors influence their state of mind. 

The MSW degree is also holistic structurally, pairing classroom theory with 900 hours of supervised field internships — where students are challenged in real-world situations.