LCSW Exam Prep

Minor consent for treatment is a topic I get questions on multiple times per week as an LCSW coach. So what is informed consent? Informed Consent Definition Informed consent is defined as the process for getting formal permission for treatment and services before engaging in treatment with a client(s). What makes minor consent for treatment so challenging is that rules and laws surrounding informed consent for minors vary state to state and this is a national exam. While you are licensed by your individual state, the licensure exam is the same across all 50 states. Because this is a national

This may come as a surprise to some LMSW and LCSW test-takers, but you are likely to see some questions on the ASWB exam asking what action a supervisor should take with their supervisee. The ASWB puts clinical supervision questions on their exams for two reasons.: 1. To assess whether social workers understand the purpose of and activities done in supervision; and 2. Once you pass this exam, supervising other social workers may be in your future! The NASW and ASWB collaborated to create a document on the Best Practice Standards in Social Work Supervision. While this goes into far greater

The DSM-5 was published in 2013. Many social workers went to school learning the DSM-IV-TR and because of this, we still receive coaching questions about the differences between the DSM-IV-TR and the DSM-5. We know regardless of which DSM you went to school with, picking up the DSM-5 can feel daunting. The thought of learning and applying all of the DSM-5 information to LCSW exam questions can be overwhelming. But fear not: TDC's got you covered! How am I supposed to memorize the DSM-5? The good news is, you aren’t! The ASWB does not expect you to have the DSM-5 memorized. One of my favorite

Alright Social Work Exam and MFT Exam-Takers, it’s Tuesday, time for another free LCSW practice exam question to help you study. For this week's Hot Topic we’re taking a brief look at Domestic Violence. Let’s take a closer look at a possible test item.

As you prepare for your ASWB exam, know that issues surrounding aging adults are likely to show up in one form or another on your test. The ASWB is assessing not only that you know how to appropriately respond to scenario questions with aging adults, but also that you know symptoms for common diagnoses such as Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer's. Additionally-and this is an important one-they want to make sure you aren’t answering based on any underlying assumptions or stereotypes you have about aging adults. Self-Determination Like our work with any client population, we want to

[caption id="attachment_2202" align="alignnone" width="900"] community social work[/caption] For many of us pursuing clinical licensure, thinking about the macro social work questions that could show up on the exam sends our otherwise clinically confident selves into a mental tailspin. It makes sense; for most of us taking the ASWB social work exams (whether LMSW or LCSW), our intent is to do clinical work. Because many of us lack work experience at the community level, this topic feels daunting. What is Community Social Work? Community social work looks at the impact larger social systems

Every now and then I’ll receive a question asking what 'LCSW' means or how being an LCSW differs from an MFT. The term LCSW stands for licensed clinical social worker. What exactly is a licensed clinical social worker? An LCSW is someone who has graduated from an accredited social work master's program, completed supervised clinical hours, and passed the ASWB’s clinical licensure exam. This is the highest level of social work licensure a person can obtain. When social workers move from being unlicensed (or provisionally licensed) to fully licensed clinicians, some significant changes occur

Negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement are two concepts from behavioral therapy that are likely to show up on the ASWB’s exams (both LMSW and LCSW). While we previously wrote a blog with a practice question and rationale on this topic, today we want to take a few minutes to hone in specifically on negative reinforcement examples, as this is one of the most misunderstood behavioral principles. Reinforcement In operant conditioning, the word ‘reinforcement’ refers to strengthening (increasing) a desired behavior. So if I want a child to complete his chores, do his homework, etc., I

One of the questions I am frequently asked as a coach (sometimes several times a week!) is this: what is the age of consent is for therapy? Can minor’s consent to their own therapy? Do parents have a right to access their child's record? The most important thing you need to know regarding this topic for your ASWB exam is this: the age of consent varies state to state. In some states, a child as young as 12 can consent to their own therapy. In other states, however, even a 17-year-old minor cannot be seen for therapy without parental consent. Age of Consent What many people are unaware of is