Exam Prep Blog: December 2011

ANXIETY. That is what I hear in the voices of most of the people who contact me for coaching on the LCSW and MFT Clinical Vignette Exam. Fear and anxiety. Especially if they have taken the exam before and failed. The test is like a wild animal, it can smell fear the moment you walk in that PSI testing center and it will eat you alive. Ok, let's hold on a minute, take a deep breath and remember that you PASSED the first exam. Again, let that really sink in: YOU passed the first exam. That means you have the foundation of knowledge. You don't have to go and relearn everything in a 4-day workshop

Preparing to take the clinical exam is a daunting process. Many people spend a few weeks paralyzed by the prospect of just getting started. They have logged and logged their hours, only to be faced with the reality that they have to start studying. Getting organized is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. I like to think of the California Standard Written Exam and the National LCSW Exam as a Mental Marathon because it is a 4 hour exam! That is a long time to be thinking! When someone is training for a marathon, they don't just go outside and start running. They have a very