I’ve heard talk lately that people don’t think Social Workers are qualified to do therapy. I wanted to set the record straight on that.
In Ontario “psychotherapy” is a controlled Act and only certain professionals are allowed to perform it. They include:
- Registered Social Workers (RSW)
- Registered Social Service Workers (RSSW)
- Registered Psychotherapists (RP)
- Occupational Therapist (OT)
- Registered Nurses (RN)
All of these professionals have different educational and training backgrounds as indicated below:
- RSW - Bachelor or Masters of Social Work
- RRSW - DIploma in Social Service Work
- RP - Masters in Counselling Psychology or similar
- OT - Masters in Occupational Therapy
- RN - Bachelor or Masters of Nursing
Just because all of these professionals are able to practice psychotherapy does not mean that they are all created equal. The differences in their education and experience will mean that they vary quite a bit in how they approach therapy and what techniques they use to help their clients. They will also vary in the training they have done since completing school about specific modalities of therapy such CBT, DBT, EMDR, trauma-informed therapy, etc.
When choosing a therapist the most important thing is whether or not they have the knowledge and training to work on the things that are important to you. If you want to work on eating related issues choosing a therapist whose background is in CBT is likely not going to be helpful regardless of their professional designation.
You need to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with. Do a consult with them prior to starting therapy to see if they’re a good fit. Ask them about how they would approach the issues you want to tackle. Also make sure that your insurance covers their designation because let’s face it, insurance companies can be a pain in the ass.
At the end of the day social workers are just as qualified to do psychotherapy as any of the other professionals. They will do a great job for you if the person you choose feels right!
