On the ASWB exams (both LMSW and LCSW), there are many reasoning based scenario questions that offer the answer option ‘consult with colleagues.’ I’ve had a number of social workers email me coaching questions about this, sharing their difficulty in identifying when this is the right answer and when it’s not. Sometimes consultation will be the correct answer and other times it will not, which can make this answer option feel challenging. The good news is, there are some clear guidelines to follow for these questions. Today’s blog covers some of the scenarios when you want to choose this answer

Case management is a concept more commonly associated with social work than marriage and family therapy. In more recent times, however, there has been an increased emphasis on MFTs engaging in case management with their clients. As a result, the BBS expects you to know about this topic and you can definitely see questions related to it appear on your MFT California Clinical exam. This month’s blog will provide a brief overview of case management and test your ability to navigate a FREE practice question on the topic. Whether you have experience with case management and resource coordination or

Many of us preparing for our ASWB social work exams have never encountered a situation in which we are being subpoenaed. This also happens to be a topic that is often overlooked during our schooling. This leaves a lot of social workers feeling unprepared for questions around privilege and subpoenas on the LMSW and LCSW exams. It is almost a guarantee you’ll see this subject show up on your test, so it’s an area you want to go in feeling confident about. The good news is TDC’s LMSW and LCSW programs cover this subject thoroughly AND you have access to a coach you can email with any lingering

The field of Marriage and Family Therapy distinguishes itself from other branches of psychology and counseling by its focus on systems and the interplay of relationships between self and others. MFTs are expected to think systemically. This systemic approach holds true whether you are working with an individual client, a family, a couple, or even a group. It is for this reason that you can expect to see questions related to systems theory appear on your California MFT Clinical Exam or your AMFTRB exam. So, what do you need to know about systems theory for the California MFT Clinical Exam or

As every social worker (new or seasoned) knows, maintaining records is an important part of the job. Because of this, record keeping is a topic that is regularly tested on the ASWB masters and clinical level exams. What do you need to know about record keeping for the LMSW and LCSW Exams? Are you ready for questions on this important topic? What to know about records Maintaining accurate records is both a legal and ethical issue. Each state has different laws about how long records need to be kept. The good news is, this is a national exam, so specific state laws won't be tested. For this

This month, our FREE practice question for the MFT Clinical exam will test your knowledge of Humanistic Existential therapy. Specifically, you will be required to apply your knowledge of this theory to a treatment planning question. Treatment planning questions account for ⅕ of the scored questions on the California MFT Clinical Exam and a similar portion of the overall questions on the National AMFTRB exam. It’s important you familiarize yourself with this theory and its concepts. Regardless of which of these exams you are preparing for, this FREE MFT practice question can help you as you

Have you ever wondered what to do when you unintentionally cross a boundary with a client or if a boundary violation occurs? What steps need to be taken? What must we do to address this? Boundary crossings and violations are topics that could very well show up on your ASWB exam. Do you know how the ASWB expects you to answer these questions? Boundary crossings vs. boundary violations What is the difference between a boundary-crossing and boundary violation? While it is unlikely the test will get this nuanced, we do find it helpful to keep these differences in mind. A boundary violation occurs

2019 CAMFT Code of Ethics At this time, any questions on the exam that are about the 2019 CAMFT Code of Ethics are pretest questions. Questions regarding the 2019 CAMFT Code of Ethics will not be scored until the next cycle for the law and or ethics or clinical (written) exams. The new cycle for law and ethics starts October 1st and the next cycle for the clinical (written) exam starts December 1st. As we’ve noted in parts 1 and 2 of this blog series, the changes to the Code of Ethics, while important, do not substantially alter how you would answer questions on the exam. Following is a review

This month’s blog for the LCSW and LMSW ASWB exams focuses on a topic that is sure to show up on your exam: fees. There are a number of different payment-related scenarios that can show up on the exam: What to do when a new client can’t afford your fee for service? What to do when an existing client has a change in income and can no longer pay for therapy? How to address a client who is refusing to pay? How we will approach each of these scenarios varies from situation to situation. When a new client can’t afford your fee If a new client presents for treatment and cannot afford your fee, the

Last month’s social work blog covered the topic of group formation. We did an overview of the stages of group formation and offered a free application practice question. We wanted to do something unique this month with our practice question. Rather than offering a new topic and question, we are doing something a little strange. We are using the same practice question, but are changing it from an application question to a reasoning based question. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out last month's blog to see how you do on the question as an application question. Then come back here to