what is the difference between a therapist and a social worker? besides money
2006-10-07 13:31:42 · 5 answers · asked by Holly B 2 in Health ➔ Mental Health
a therapist talks with people one by one or in groups about whatever, whereas a social worker helps a person or a family with day to day needs like food, shelter, clothes, etc.
2006-10-07 13:34:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A social worker is a licensed professional who can also do counseling. A therapist could be many professions with a college degree but with or without a license. These include physical therapist, occupational therapist, recreation therapist, psychologist, psychiatric nurse, speech therapist - pathologist, mental health therapist, etc.
If you are going into a career for the money, then you need a career in private practice. Many of these individuals start their professional career working for someone else, such as a mental health program. People who work in the social services generally do not make a great deal of money but do get a great deal of satisfaction in helping others.
2006-10-07 14:38:48 · answer #2 · answered by banananose_89117 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What would YOU prefer to do? Do you like solving problems for people with difficulties with food stamps, housing problems, issues dealing with their benefits and things of that nature? A social worker can work in shelters, prisons, schools, hospitals, etc. A college degree is now required, and once you start work, you'll find that everyone has a Masters Degree and are pursuing a Doctorate Degree. It's really not a glamorous job; some of the social workers in shelters are more sadistic than the husbands some of the domestic abuse victims are running from; they quickly memorize rules and regulations and are constantly using the hen-pecking to satisfy their sadistic inner-selves. There are problems in dealing with peers and superiors with the hen-pecking order at full force, particularly in civil service jobs (very "competitive" or... treacherous, back-stabbing b i t c h e s and b a s t a r d s.
A therapist is something like a detective but deals with emotional and sometimes psychiatric issues. A college degree is also required but usually for employment purposes, they seek no less than a Masters Degree (and it would secure your position if you published and are also seeking your Doctorate Degree). Their are a multitude of areas where you can specialize in "therapy." For example, Recreation Therapy, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Vocational Therapy, etc.
I suggest that you decide what your stronger points are in life, what you excel at, before you decide. There's nothing worse in life than spending so many years in college and pursuing a career only to discover that you don't enjoy doing it at all!
We tend to like things that we're good at. For example, you might enjoy fighting the system from within the system, and you might also be a sort of maverick in doing the so-called impossible, and you may also find immense joy and satisfaction in helping people with social issues and problems... or, you may have that extra spark in you to see things that are troubling others, and you may be like the person who enjoys solving puzzles, to help people in emotional distress or other problems... WHAT do YOU want to do, WHAT do YOU think is YOUR strongest areas?
2006-10-07 14:10:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Along with what the other person said, a therapist meets clients at their facility whereas social workers meet at the individual's homes.
2006-10-07 13:41:26 · answer #4 · answered by retrodragonfly 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
social workers work with violent crazy's, therapists work with rich, depressed people
2006-10-07 13:41:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋