Day in the life of
Clinical Social Worker – Aisha R. Shabazz
In many states as a clinical social worker, you have an opportunity to become independently licensed to practice as a mental health therapist. In 2020, I created and launched my private mental health therapy practice called In Real Time Wellness, where I serve creative and socially conscious human beings who are seeking to relieve anxiety, release insecurity and build confidence.
On days that I see clients, my day consists of offering 5-6 therapy sessions that last a little less than an hour, corresponding with potential clients through 15-minute therapy consultation calls to determine if therapy with me is a good fit for them, and connecting with colleagues and referral sources about the client populations that they serve.
Also, throughout the week, I serve as a mentor and clinical supervisor to new and aspiring therapists who are interested in acquiring their independent license, as well as supporting independent therapists who are interested in enhancing their advocacy skills to destigmatize mental health and apply a decolonized approach to mental health treatment.
As a private practice creator, I’m also responsible for marketing my practice, which helps people find me and my services, so I manage my website, write blog posts, and manage various social media accounts.
Pros
As a helping professional, it’s vital for us to have the resources to nurture ourselves as we nurture our clients and so one of the many pros of being a clinical social worker in private practice is that you have an opportunity to have more work-life balance.
Having the combination of resources of time, energy, space, and a liveable wage allows me to make the necessary business and clinical decisions to not only offer high-quality client care but I can show up energized and enthusiastic, not drained and overworked.
Cons
One con of being a clinical social worker in private practice is that you have to learn how to make “all the things” work for the business, you as a person, and your clients. Graduate school didn’t teach us how to run a business and so the learning curve of knowing how to work in the business AND on the business without losing your nerve is a challenging feat.
There was a very steep learning curve but I started early, almost 5 years prior to launching my practice, I built a community of mentors inside and outside of the field of social work that encouraged me along the way. And with the emotional support from my community of friends, family, peers, mentors, and colleagues, I was able to not only build a successful practice, I was able to do so during a global pandemic. I’m honored to be able to show up for people and provide them therapeutic support during one of the most difficult times in our societal history.
If you’re thinking about becoming a clinical social worker or contemplating starting a business one day, create a plan, build community, and don’t let fear hold you back. I tell my clients all the time if you wait for things to feel 100% comfortable, that discomfort, fear, and worry could potentially be keeping you away from an existence that is exciting, joyful, and peaceful, and I’m living proof of that.
