Is an MSW right for me? Help, please!

[michber]

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Hey everyone! I'd love any insight you can offer into my situation...

I graduated in May '09 with a BA in Psychology and Child Development. Now, I'd like to start grad school, but I'm not totally sure what I want out of a career. I definitely want to do some type of child and/or family counseling/therapy, and I could also see myself running some type of wellness/health program one day. My main interests are positive psychology and holistic well-being... mental wellness, nutrition, exercise, meditation, social connectedness etc.

Now the big debate is what type of degree to go for. I always thought I'd go with clinical psychology, but I've realized that an MA will not allow me to practice in most states, so if I go the clinical psych route, I'm pretty much committing to a full PhD (that is, if I get in in the first place). Not to mention, I'm not all that interested in research. So now I'm thinking an MSW with a clinical focus could be a great option for me. Two years and I'm able to counsel/offer therapy (what's the correct term if you're a social worker?), eventually could open my own practice, and I'd also have a good versatile degree that would hopefully allow me to work in a wellness setting too.

My main concerns are:
1)Are MSW programs mostly meant for people who want to help out the people who are considered 'underdogs' in society? I'm all for racial equality, fixing economic distress, etc., but it's not my life passion. My passion is for happy, healthy living, and I'd like to work with lots of different groups, including groups that don't necessarily have it too bad. I'm very interested in mental health, and while I would perhaps be interested in working with the mentally ill, I'd also like to work with those who AREN'T mentally ill but who could still be living more happily and healthfully. Am I not cut out for social work programs because of this?

2) if I were to write my statement of purpose for my MSW applications, would they see me as a good fit? Here are a few of my work/volunteer experiences...
* Summer program for children with autism
* Interned in a mental health research clinic for 2 years
* Helped run social psychology experiment in my university's psych lab for 1 year
* Spent 1 year overseas working for an agency as a substitute teacher's assistant in daycares and kindergartens (some of the children had special needs)
* Volunteered in a 1-year buddy program for a 3 yr old girl with emotional disturbances

3) For those of you who have done/are doing MSWs, have your programs given out merit scholarships (and what university did you attend, if so)? What kinds of grades, GRE scores, and experiences might be necessary?
I've got a 3.88 from a good university, a 660 V/700 Q/5.5 AW on the GRE, and I listed some of my experiences above. However, being a white, middle-upper class girl from NY, I won't be eligible for any of the scholarships based on ethnicity or financial need. What are my chances at a merit scholarship?

Thanks so much for reading and for any advice you can offer 🙂 It is truly appreciated.

 

[jdawgg]

If you aren't strongly committed to social justice, you won't get along too well with folks at a social work program because the entire field is oriented around this concept. Some counseling programs are trending strongly in this direction as well, though definitely less so. Your stats are quite good... good enough for a PhD in clinical most likely, but if you're not interested in research you'd be miserable. Have you considered advanced practice nursing (family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner) or perhaps genetic counseling?

 

[deenie]

which is why I didn't apply for an MSW program. As jdawgg mentioned, it wouldn't be a good fit. I worked in crisis intervention decades ago as well as a liaison for a state psychiatric hospital. I found it interesting but I burned out after a year and left the field.

My interests are in the mind/body connection and a true wellness-oriented practice eventually. One of the LPC's I interviewed over the summer for a class worked for a non-profit, highly successful healing arts agency which had acupuncturists, chiropractors, EMDR, sand tray therapy, etc. It was really on the cutting edge and has been around for 20 years. With the increased interest in wellness as of late, I feel like this approach will be more widely accepted in the future.

I'm going for my MS in counseling and want to eventually open a practice after I get my LPC. I'm going back to school at 48 after getting my MA in clinical psych in 1987. That didn't prepare me for counseling at all. Just prep for a PhD.

I have to run now and meet with my advisor but I wish you luck in your decision. I can definitely relate to your confusion...😀

 

[socwrkr]

Your GPA and experiences are sufficient for applying to an MSW program. Most schools require the general GRE. Social workers are expected to look at issues of social justice and to view the world from a person-in-environment (PIE) perspective. However, you can succeed in an MSW program even if your interests are micro-focused. I suggest looking at the older MSW programs on the East coast, which are more psychodynamically-oriented and thus tend to offer more courses on individual interventions. Social workers can make a difference, no matter what level of intervention we choose. Another option for you to consider is community clinical psychology, which applies clinical psychological knowledge to working with people in a community setting. It is very similar to social work because of its focus on social justice issues. This is a newer doctoral level psychological field and you can find out about it here: http://www.scra27.org/resources/educationc/academicpr/doctoralcl

Good luck and I hope that you will submit your MSW applications because it looks like you are interested in making a difference in people's lives, whether they are poor or not.