Philadelphia Therapist Suggests Cultivating Relationships In Your Profession
Dr. Aileen McCabe-Maucher has been working in the field of psychology and as a social worker for nearly 20 years. She does both individual and group counseling. Dr. McCabe-Maucher is the author of the book "The Inner Peace Diet," published by Penguin in 2008. Aileen is an adjunct professor at Simmons College and a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania.
What continuing education is required for your role?
"I am a licensed clinical social worker. A master's degree in social work and three years post-graduate supervised work experience is required in order to attain this professional designation and licensure status. Every two years, I must renew my clinical license and demonstrate that I have attained at least 45 hours of continuing education. I love learning new things and studying the latest evidence based research so I can help the clients and students that I serve."
Can you describe your duties as a Psychotherapist?
"As a psychotherapist, my primary goal is to help clients connect to their own inner wisdom and overcome life's obstacles. I help individuals, groups and families enhance their resources and improve their communication. Clinically, I teach people how to manage mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and bereavement by implementing evidence based techniques and strategies. Additionally, I show people how to identify their unique strengths and gifts, get clear about the outcomes they want in life and accept the things they can't change."
How has education prepared you for a career in your field?
"I have been fortunate in my career as I have been able to invest heavily in my own education and training. In addition to formal education, I have nearly 20 years of practice experience. Most of these years were spent in nonprofit, community-based settings where I had the good fortune of receiving excellent supervision and mentoring. In addition to earning a doctorate in clinical social work from the University of Pennsylvania. I also hold a master's degree in social work and have bachelor's degrees in both nursing and social work. While working, I attended a 3-year post-graduate Gestalt therapy program at the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia, where I deepened and honed my clinical skills. My education and time spent with master teachers was critical to my career success."
What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career in your field?
"Being a therapist is a privilege and honor. It's one of the most personally rewarding occupations, but there is vast potential for job-related burnout, compassion fatigue and near poverty wages at entry-level. This work also involves a great deal of personal commitment in regard to time, energy and money. If you are considering becoming a psychotherapist, I encourage you to follow your passion and your dreams. Talk to therapists from various backgrounds and theoretical orientations and query them about your job-related interests. Cultivate relationships with people in the helping professions and find a mentor. Read the latest journal articles about evidence based practices and attend live, in person professional workshops and training."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/
