Social work school

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 11:53 am

My daughter had an interview with sora Schneirer social work program and I was really horrified— they made comments about not liking to accept young single girls— hello you creat a undergrad program that they finish in one year of course they are young! And they asked her repeatedly why she isn’t in therapy— your typical stable 20 year old girl isn’t in therapy! The interview was an awful experience for her left her feeling like garbage. Is this how the social work profession wants to be represented? I’m rather upset. Anybody else been thru this??

amother

Holly ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:08 pm

As a grad of that very same program, I'm very proud that they're holding up their standards.

No, a young girl who has never been in therapy doesn't belong in social work school. They are right and only accepting girls who either have already done the work or are older and more experienced.

Would you want someone like your daughter to be your child's therapist in 3 years? Or yours?

(I'm sure she's a wonderful, caring person! That's not enough to be a therapist. Let her get some life experience and preferably some personal therapy experience if this is really what she wants to do.)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:09 pm

amother Purple wrote:

Encouraging future social workers to go to therapy is a wonderful thing. If someone isn't willing, why should anyone go to them?
I think they are saying that life experience is a good thing. Would you trust a 20 year old social worker?

There’s much to be said here. Encouraging yes, and at some point along this journey they should. But your typical frum girl at 20 only has been to therapy if she had some real significant struggles. It’s not the norm
If you don’t want 20 year old students why is your undergraduate social work program producing them? Like what are they supposed to do when they graduate college at 19-20? This IS the time to go to grad school. Before you have expenses and obligations of motherhood etc. And yes I would trust a 22 year old social worker with certain things, not with others. But still no excuse for making girls feel awful and shamed. And to ask such personal invasive questions that you wouldn’t even ask a therapy client right away isn’t really right.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:15 pm

amother Holly wrote:

A girl who is married at 20 isn’t more mature than a single 20 year old. That’s not life experience. In fact the girl who married the first guy she dated prob is less so than the girl who’s been dating a while. To say marital status is a factor is beyond hurtful.

amother

↑ Crimson ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes she is finishing there this summer. That’s part of the added frustration.

It is stressed throughout every single semester in the undergrad program that students should be in or be open to therapy , because how can they understand what a client feels like if they (the therapist) has never been on "the other side of the desk"?
They also have encouraged vulnerability and self awareness - it's a constant theme that has been repeated in all classes, open houses etc.... If someone can't be self aware , how are they expected to be a good therapist ? The track is specifically designed so that potential graduate students can get a feel for what the masters is like (BTDT)... was your daughter surprised at how the interview went?

arn ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:32 pm

amother Holly wrote:

Experienced social worker here. I don’t share your viewpoint. I went to grad school straight out of college, I was 21 and single. I went to nyu, a pretty prestigious program. Nearly my whole class was people straight out of college with little life experience. From day one we were encouraged to seek therapy, and I did. I don’t think there’s a reason to seek therapy prior if there isn’t a reason to seek therapy prior. Meaning, if you’re doing it to have the immersive experience of being a patient, you don’t need to do that at 19. At 19 you go for therapy if you’re struggling. It need not be a pre requisite. my first few years of work I wasn’t married affording me the flexibility and the extra cash to really work hard, learn a lot, seek trainings and supervision etc. I think today I’m the professional I am because I started early and invested in myself, not in spite of it. There’s many different ways to look at it. There’s pros and cons to each. I don’t think you are getting a better student body by excluding one or another.

I don’t think interviewing 20 year old girls and telling them you don’t like to accept single young girls and asking them about “the greatest challenge they ever experienced” is what makes for “high standards”. I think if you did that in the first session with a client it would be inappropriate, and it’s no more appropriate in this setting. Asking intrusive questions just because you can doesn’t make it ok.

amother

↑ Crimson

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:37 pm

arn wrote:

I have experience with both NYU and SS/ WSSW's programs. They are very different and SS's program is specifically designed to produce clinical social workers. NYU's program (as most secular programs) is definitely not. I believe that the interview process is not trying to specifically make anyone feel uncomfortable but rather to determine if the applicant and program are a good fit for each other...I know people that did not want to necessarily do clinical social work and were not comfortable with the application process and interview at SS so they ended up going elsewhere . (including excellent schools)

amother

Mimosa ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 12:47 pm

The clinical psychologists I know - whether they are PHD's or did graduate work specifically for counseling all had mandatory therapy as part of the process.

There are all kinds of jobs that social workers do. For example many social workers are with CPS or other benefit programs and they don't need therapy because they don't provide therapy for their clients.

Anyone who wants to be a therapist of some kind absolutely needs to have undergone therapy themselves if only to better understand themselves.

I can't imagine any 20 year old - whether married or single or divorced who has the emotional maturity and life experience to actually provide therapy to an adult.

amother

Lime

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 1:18 pm

Sara Schenirer's MSW administration is known for this. Their interviews are highly intense and downright rude. They grill their applicants to pieces. They have quite a low acceptance rate, and even once you're accepted, you're not guaranteed that they'll keep you in the program. It's nothing about your daughter and her age; this is how SS operates. I know LOTS of people who did their undergrad program and weren't accepted - for no good reason.

I had interviews with a few places. I was surprised to see how normal and professional an interview can be compared to how it was with SS.

There are some other good programs out there that value their students for what they have to offer. The New Seminary has a cohort with Adelphi, and Touro does a frum track in September.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 1:20 pm

amother Holly wrote:

If she thinks going to therapy is a negative, a judgement, something not to do or admit to doing - then she needs to work on the stigma she has towards therapy before going into the field.

Sorry that’s not what I said/meant. She is super open to therapy. She believes it’s a huge asset, and she said that. She just said she hasn’t pursued it yet because there’s been no need for it yet. No stigma. Multiple people in our family have been or go to therapy and she knows the benefit, hence her interest! Simply no circumstance has warranted it at the age of 19!

↑ arn

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 1:25 pm

amother Crimson wrote:

Nyu when I went there was exclusively a clinical program. That is the only thing that was taught. Not sure if that changed. There are other ways to determine if somebody is a good fit. I interview people all the time and use a strengths perspective to always make them feel positive while still getting to the crux of who they are. This is known to be a make you feel like garbage perspective.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jun 06 2024, 1:27 pm

amother Mimosa wrote:

Yes, but that therapy usually starts once you’re in the program. It’s not something they push beforehand as a prerequisite.