Imposter syndrome in social work affects most early career clinicians, yet it’s rarely discussed openly in training programs. Learn why it’s so common in the profession, how it shows up in daily practice, and what actually helps beyond “just be more confident.”
The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook: 26 Self-Care Tips
The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals: Book Review Looking for practical self-care tips for social workers? Are you a social worker or other helping professional who struggles with incorporating self-care into your daily life? If yes, you are likely to find Erlene Grise-Owens, Justin “Jay” Miller, and Mindy Eaves book […]
Workplace Violence Prevention for Social Workers
Workplace violence prevention is a topic of great interest to social workers and mental health clinicians. This is because health care workers are more likely than workers overall to be assaulted at work, as per the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO, 2016). The most common types of assaults are hitting, kicking and beating and the […]
HIPAA Compliance: Private Practice Security Tips
HIPAA compliance private practice guide: Roy Huggins explains HIPAA security for therapists including secure email/texting (Hushmail, Signal), payment processing (Square, Stripe), online therapy best practices, electronic record-keeping with encryption (FileVault 2, BitLocker), website requirements, and secure intake forms. Includes training recommendations and free resources.
Therapy Notes: How to Document Gray Areas
Not every therapy client is high-risk or worry-free—most fall somewhere in between. These “medium risk” situations include ongoing depression, self-harm behaviors without suicidal intent, impulsivity, and substance use. They require consistent assessment but don’t typically warrant hospitalization. The challenge? Knowing what to document and how often. This guide provides five practical tips from clinical documentation expert Maelisa Hall for managing therapy notes with medium risk clients. You’ll learn how to identify what’s truly relevant to document (without writing excessive notes), see a real DAP note example for a client with moderate depression, and discover why reviewing your documentation monthly can transform your practice. Whether you’re a new clinician or experienced therapist, these strategies help you create meaningful, legally sound therapy notes without burning out on paperwork
