The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread

[bcomet]

Congrats MudPuppy!

[Mira]

I AM DONE WITH GRADUATE CLASSES.

I did my last academic requirement yesterday, and I have no more classes with grades. I still have to complete my internship, so I won't technically get my MSW until September, but I have no more:

3 1/2 hour classes that go until 10 p.m. when I start work at 6 a.m.
3 1/2 hour classes where I try really hard not to contradict the teacher, answer too many questions or get into an argument with other students, and inevitably fail miserably on all three things
Papers where they don't really tell you what they want, so you have to guess
Papers where they do tell you what they want, which is even worse
More papers, papers, papers, papers, and then, for variety, another paper
Hoops to jump through. Then more hoops to jump through to even get to the other hoops. Then, for variety another hoop.

Ahhhh. FREEDOM. FREEDOM. FREEDOM. FREEDOM.

I am very glad I did this, but I'm even more glad it's over. Yay!!!!!!!

[Margo]

Woot, Mira! It is time to catch up on reading (for pleasure), tv, sleep, and socializing. Enjoy it!

So how many intership hours are required for the MSW in your area, and do you end up with the degree or the degree and a license?

(emoticons just for you, because you like them)

[Mira]

Thanks Margo, for the good wishes and the emoticons! I appreciate them both.

(Although, my happy face is HUGE. I may take it down in a bit. It might even be too huge for me, which is saying something).

For my Master's I have to do around 1000 hours. And no, that's not licensure. I'm in California (are you?), and we need 3000 hours plus two big tests. It's quite a haul, but getting licensed is worth it, from what I hear in terms of marketablity. Not to mention the training.

You're in the field, too, right? Are you doing the licensure thing?

Here's an emoticon for YOU:

[HillaryJ]

Congratulations, Mira!!!

[Margo]

For my Master's I have to do around 1000 hours. And no, that's not licensure. I'm in California (are you?), and we need 3000 hours plus two big tests. It's quite a haul, but getting licensed is worth it, from what I hear in terms of marketablity. Not to mention the training.

You're in the field, too, right? Are you doing the licensure thing?

I'm in CA too.

For my MA, I had to do a six month practicum (something like 240 hours), plus 40 hours as a therapy client, plus 2 hours weekly supervision (1 group, 1 individual), in addition to the classroom time. I ended up doing 8 months of practicum. They would have liked me to stay longer, because it was a year program and not all my clients were ready to transition out, but school was ready to slap the sheepskin in my hand and boot me out the door.

For the MFT license I need 3000 hours, though the hours I already have will transfer. I'm not pursuing licensure, though. Too much else on my plate for too long and too much experience invested in my current career. I had intended to change careers, but locally the internship opportunities dried up and opportunities in my current career opened and started looking more promising. Instead I call the MA the most expensive self-help program in history.

I have to admit to myself, deep down, there's only one thing I really want to do, and that's write. No point in career hopping.

Are you going for an LCSW or a LMFT? I assumed LSCW for some reason, and I thought those had fewer hours in their requirement. In retrospect, I'd have gone social work over counseling. Better career options, and you can still do therapy as an LCSW. (Plus the two people I admired most along the journey were both LCSW's including my utterly brilliant practium supervisor at the rehab program.)

Is there a population you're considering specializing in?

[For people wondering WTH we're talking about...
LSCW= licensed clinical social worker
LMFT= licensed marriage and family therapist
This means you can try to pick our brains about psych stuff for your stories.]

[cheekychook]

Congrats Mira!

I got my MSW from Rutgers back in the 90s. Sounds like similar requirements. I had internships both years of the Masters program (20 hours/week for each academic year) and it was 3000 hours before you could sit for the LCSW exam---I never got to do the exam because I was put on bed rest for my first pregnancy when I was at 2950 hours (not kidding) and, after delivering a healthy baby, I decided to stay home to raise him, so I never got those extra hours and they have since expired. I used to work with extremely emotionally disturbed children/adolescents and their families. It was intensely draining, and more than a little dangerous and I've since decided I don't wish to return to the field. I have an incredible amount of respect for anyone who chooses to make this profession a lifelong commitment. Best of luck to you!

[Margo]

I'm beginning to think we have enough MAs and MSWs around here to start a private practice. I have visions of the Peanuts cartoons with Lucy sitting behind the lemonade-style stand with the sign "The Doctor is In/Out" on the front.

Don't worry, fellow Branforumers, we're not psychoanalyzing your every post. Much.

(just kidding)

[Mira]

Hilary - thanks so much!

Cheekychook - thank you! And I get it. Even if you have all the hours, there's still the big tests, and it just wasn't your priority with a young child. In fact, I've always thought that dealing with a young child was....incredibly draining and dangerous work. I have equal respect for anyone who takes on that commitment!!

Margo - yes, I'm going for the LCSW - have to with an MSW.. My speciality is substance abuse. The hours requirements are the same, unfortunately. :p I'd like the licensure for a number of reasons, but one has to do with writing. If I want to write non-fiction, it may give me more credibility.

But I completely understand your decision! It's good to know what is true for you, what your true path is. But you know, Margo, even if you never go back, I would bet that what you learned in your program will contribute oodles to your writing. Nothing like exploring the human psyche, both in ourselves and others, to deepen our work as writers.

[dios4vida]

Congratulations, Mira! That is a huge step and definitely something to celebrate. I'm thinking that one of cheekychook's amazing death-by-chocolate cakes is in order. And of course you'll want to share with your encouraging, supportive fellow Bransforumers, right?

Man, now I'm thinking I'm gonna have to start censoring my posts a little more. Having this many psychologists (I'm assuming that's what an MSW is?) around is just a little scary. I'M NORMAL, I SWEAR!!!

[cheekychook]

I'm extremely happy to announce that I just signed a contract for publication on a romance novella I wrote two months ago!

As many of you know I've been on submission with a novel (to agents and e-publishers) since last fall. While I've been waiting for answers and going through the ups and downs of requests and rejections (still ongoing) I managed to write the first draft of another novel. I decided to let that sit before I edited it, so I thought I'd write something short in the meantime. Within a few weeks I'd completed and edited a romantic novella. On a lark I submitted the novella to several e-publishers and, to my amazement, wound up with offers from four of them. ( :thud)

It's taken a few weeks to make my decision, inform all parties, and negotiate the contract, but now it's official. As soon as I get the okay from my editor (I have an editor!) I'll blog about it, with more details. In the meantime I just wanted to take a minute to squee here. SQUEE!

[dios4vida]

I'm extremely happy to announce that I just signed a contract for publication on a romance novella I wrote two months ago!

Amazing!! Super congrats! <living the dream vicariously through cheekychook>

[Margo]

Yay, Cheekychook! Can you tell us what kind of romance? I'm salivating!

[cheekychook]

Yay, Cheekychook! Can you tell us what kind of romance? I'm salivating!

It's a contemporary romance with high levels of sensuality.

[cheekychook]

I'm extremely happy to announce that I just signed a contract for publication on a romance novella I wrote two months ago!

Amazing!! Super congrats! <living the dream vicariously through cheekychook>

Thanks dios4diva!