How do you start and build a speciality?

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For those LCSWs (or LMFTs or LPCs) in private practice who have specialties, how do you start and build that specialty?

What I mean is this--if you specialize in treating OCD or Bipolar (for example), did you take disease-specific classes in grad school? Did you try to find practicums working with those single disorders?

The reason I ask is that I ran across a lady who operates her own Eating Disorders clinic along with a nurse practitioner, and she said she had no special training in grad school. She graduated, earned her LCSW, then opened up her own clinic and advertised in the yellow pages as specializing in treating eating disorders. Surely this isn't typical? Or is it?

When I hear that somebody in private practice has a specialty in treating some specific disorder or group of disorders, I immediately think they have had training and experience in that particular field, such as a medical doctor with a specialty. Is this not the case, in your experience?

I've found that a lot of the time, therapists specialize in fields in which they have personal experience. I've seen plenty of gender identity therapists who are transgender. Most substance abuse counselors have either had substance abuse issues themselves or grew up with substance abusing parents. My field advisor is caring for for her elderly mother and recently became a geriatric specialist. It's not universal, but it happens.

I'm also currently navigating the specialty thing. I'm finishing up the first year of my M.S.W. this summer and would like to specialize in severe and persistent mental illness and sexuality. For now, it's just clinical fieldwork with the mentally ill population and coursework in diagnosis, treatment, and sexuality. I will probably decide to take continuing education courses once I graduate.

Many specializations offer certifications. AASECT offers certification for sex therapists, but "sex therapist" isn't a restricted term, so it's not required. It's the same with most specializations. The burden of doing the research into the therapist's background and education is typically on the client.

Originally Posted by BlackSkirtTetra

For those LCSWs (or LMFTs or LPCs) in private practice who have specialties, how do you start and build that specialty?

What I mean is this--if you specialize in treating OCD or Bipolar (for example), did you take disease-specific classes in grad school? Did you try to find practicums working with those single disorders?

The reason I ask is that I ran across a lady who operates her own Eating Disorders clinic along with a nurse practitioner, and she said she had no special training in grad school. She graduated, earned her LCSW, then opened up her own clinic and advertised in the yellow pages as specializing in treating eating disorders. Surely this isn't typical? Or is it?

When I hear that somebody in private practice has a specialty in treating some specific disorder or group of disorders, I immediately think they have had training and experience in that particular field, such as a medical doctor with a specialty. Is this not the case, in your experience?

Research experience in a niche area has helped me get a good solid base and knowlege. After that I would say practicum or internship experiences under good supervision (i.e. taped or direct observation) with someone with specialty in the field is where is happens. If you are already practicing I would suggest seeking out someone in your area with specialization in that area and getting some supervised practice that way. Continue ed sessions can also help although I am weary of someone who goes to a weekend session on the treatment of X and calls themselves a specialist in that area.

What kind of research experience? Is it a part of your MSW/LCSW-track, or did you pursue additional experience?

Originally Posted by voyeurofthemind

Research experience in a niche area has helped me get a good solid base and knowlege. After that I would say practicum or internship experiences under good supervision (i.e. taped or direct observation) with someone with specialty in the field is where is happens. If you are already practicing I would suggest seeking out someone in your area with specialization in that area and getting some supervised practice that way. Continue ed sessions can also help although I am weary of someone who goes to a weekend session on the treatment of X and calls themselves a specialist in that area.

That's a great recommendation, and is one I'd also suggest (it was actually explicitly mentioned in my ethics class as one potential route to partially gaining competence in an area of practice). As voyeur mentioned, supplement this with more than just a weekend of continuing ed, and you'd be on your way to ensuring ethical specialty practice.

Originally Posted by BlackSkirtTetra

What kind of research experience? Is it a part of your MSW/LCSW-track, or did you pursue additional experience?

Sorry, I should clarify. I am in a clinical psych program. I am fairly unfamiliar with MSW curriculum so I am not sure what kind of opportunities for research there is. For myself, I did find a research component to be helpful in getting a grasp of the the literature. When you have to write up an intro for a paper and drudge through articles for the initial literature review everything you read eventually starts sticking. I'm sure you could at least start reading on the specialty of interest in the journals appropriate to your field or even expand out and review some interdisciplinary materials.