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Great perspective Kelsey. My view of social work if you are going to last is all about keeping professional boundaries with the clients and pushing back towards your employer. I had a co-worker make a comment that I really care about patients when the truth is I just create an illusion that I care focusing on the task at hand; and once you leave for the day mentally switching off. Empowering individuals is my main practice approach as we can't save everyone unfortunately. To be honest the main reason I got into social work was the good steady money for hospital social workers and eventual desire to earn more in private practice therapy. At the coalface on the ground with homeless, mental health and child safety is just brutal.

Thank you for this video!!! I left social work after a year and 3 months and felt riddled with all of these feelings of doubt and exhaustion. I was in CPS in England and ended up literally having a break down and had been hesitating about leaving until one day it all got too much, I haven’t been working for the last 3 months and have taken a break from all work due to the burn out and chronic fatigue. The identity crisis and career crisis is my main issue now - its knowing what to do with myself now job wise and regrets about leaving, all the what if’s! If anyone has any advice? Please share! ❤

and today? how do you feel? do you use what you learnt, good or bad for the right reasons, you sound genuinely interested… careing should be a priority.. prevention of falling apart i hope all worked out well for you

Please don't stop making videos

Congratulations!

I am a socialworker and almost 60! Such wise words! " you push your own desires down"

Social workers are judgmental, and bring complete darkness in your home

Great video. A lot of good information in this video.

Terrible job!!

You are making people who love social work,hate it

After an associates and a bachelor degree in social work that was the hardest thing I ever went through (especially the last semester juggling 6 classes), becoming burnt out, and having no interest in the curriculum, I truly don’t know if the field is for me. My internship robbed me of what I wanted to do which was shadowing therapists in a mental health clinic and now since I’ve graduated I can’t even find a job in what I want to gain experience in. I was a caregiver for two years while studying for my BSW, and it was the best job I ever had even though it didn’t pay much. It made me think of becoming a nurse but I don’t know which path I should take. Either go for my MSW and still have doubts on the field or more regrets, or go for another associates or bachelors but in nursing…I guess my question is, how do you know what you want to do in life?

#4 is the reason I’m considering leaving social work, it’s wreaking havoc on my marriage 😢

I know this video was made a long time ago but I had to look up what others had to say. This was sooo helpful. I currently started my first true social work job about 3 months ago. I'm now starting to realize at 26 that this is NOT for me at all. I can't deal with the stress, demands, feeling lost almost everyday, and dealing with clients that are sometimes hostile or don't follow through with our companies policies. I also have my own mental/physical health to deal with and this job makes it worse. I've started gaining weight more, started to become more depressed, etc. I just have to look out for myself. I've started looking into other jobs and may become a Loan Administrator. I feel I'll be much happier working a less stress job and its a job, not a career which I prefer. Of course my degree was somewhat a waste but it helps with my pay at least.

I’m now a chemist! I don’t have to speak to anyone it’s amazing! My work is judged on my work, not my personality or how I speak to others. I don’t feel self conscious anymore and I feel free to be me

Why is it men don’t make the same claims ?

Wow, I can relate to every single point. I have a psych degree and a master’s in public administration. I was working in DV offender rehabilitation, as a sexual assault response advocate (late night calls to the hospital), and completed my psych practicum in public assistance before accepting a full time position with them. I eventually landed at CPS (we call it OCS in Alaska). I wish I hadn’t. It has been so triggering for me. I made a pretty bad business decision and left the field - pouring all of my savings and resources into a coffee shop. I was desperate to get out of the field. I was not in the headspace to deal with that stress after 10 years in the helping field already. I totally screwed myself financially and was trying to recover - financially, physically and emotionally. A friend from the office, another worker, contacted me to take in a child on her case load for two days while transitioning to a new placement. Extremely high needs child… I am not in a good position to do this. It has been almost two weeks and the child is still here - we’re all struggling. My own brother was arrested for horrific crimes after I left and his step children were removed. I sat through a team meeting as a family member with all my former co-workers (about four months after I left). It was embarrassing, sad, and I feel sick over it. So here I am - I feel like the work I’ve done on myself since leaving just 7 months ago is being undone and my anxiety is at an all time high with this kiddo in my home. I can’t just leave when I need to and I’m still looking for employment outside of the field (I left the coffee shop I invested in 3 months ago and am in debt consolidation watching my credit score tank). The child I have has some serious BH needs and is on heavy meds. I can’t even think straight. Today I left the house and I’m just driving around crying like an aimless fool. I emailed the worker and asked her to hurry up on finding another placement. I can’t do this - I feel like social work after my own traumatic history has destroyed the rest of my life. My family isn’t happy about it and I have my own 16 year old to take care of. She needs help herself and my husband has a degenerative brain disorder… we have no insurance. I think the universe is pushing me out of the field for good. I’m removing OCS from my resume and moving on. I don’t even want a reference from them. We need insurance and we need space to move forward. Because of licensing and my brother, all my historical stuff is out there in front of my previous employer. I have no privacy as an emergency foster parent and feel almost a decade of education and 118K in student loan debt was yet another terrible decision. I don’t know how I’m going to support my family, but I cannot expect my husband to continue doing it as he loses mobility. He fell in the driveway on his face - no insurance, blood everywhere, and the kiddo who is with us temporarily was freaked out. Social work is not for me. My best advice to anyone who got through this long rant is not to help others unless you are in a healthy place because it will bring out the most vulnerable parts of your life and impact your decision making out of desperation. Good luck all and thanks for all you do.

I feel this. After I got my MSW I took a year off social work. Now I don’t think I can go back. After working 5 years in the field plus grad school I’m just burnt out and don’t want to go back to any kind of direct practice. But now I’m trying to figure out what else I could do lol…

Great video ! You are gorgeous ❤

Spot on

I left social work after only 6 months because I was struggling so badly with my mental/physical health. Took an entry level position at the art museum right by my house and, while I'm still reeling from the identity crisis, I am 1000X happier and more at ease than I was there. I was miserable, stressed out, and borderline delirious when I left because I was so burnt out. Now I'm in just a regular job that I can absolutely see myself going further in, but can also easily quit with no sweat. Thank you for sharing because I thought I was alone and crazy!

I left social work 15 years ago and honestly the first job I had after doing so, was like walking on air. I looked forward to going to work, there were no reports to write, no bureocratic b.s, and my work mate and I felt uplifted at work because I was just so happy. (True story). My new job was working with kids. didnt experience any of what was mentioned here, I guess everyone is different. I dont miss the bureocratic b.s, the high and complex case loads, and the inability to be authentically and naturally myself due to counselling training. Its also freed up more time for me. I wanted a simple job. Im a lot happier. Honestly, dont look back! These days I am still working with kids - my own. I am her tutor and absolutely love home schooling and teaching. I love the values of social work though, much respect to the profession. X

All these ppl in the comments with personal trauma going into the field to "help" is a problem. Rather you admit it or not you are carrying a bias and you will cause harm even if its unintentional. Not just harm to families but to yourself

Congratulations ❤

I am a Social work student and my practicum coordinator is the worst. Imagine this person is supposed to be an individually you should be able to talk to and feel comfortable with, instead this practicum coordinator fail me intentionally because I had to complain to the Head of the faculty for them. I had to endure classes where this person would make underlying remarks at me. I am so hurt over failing this course at the university, I am at they don't go against each other and I could end up being victimised again. When I was on my practicum I had to pay for everything out of my own pocket bus fare clothes and lunch. The practicum in my country is 8 months.

Thank you for this video. I've been in social work for almost 2 years, but in a helping professionion for nearly 9. I've been experiencing mental decline and emotional turmoil at an alarming rate. I'm strongly considering leaving and taking up farming, as I truly love cultivating plants and vegetation. I've just been apprehensive because of what others might say. The thought of staying in social work sends shivers down my spine, and I know that I just can't do it for much longer.

Ha ha 😊 I was considering getting finished with my BA in human services n listening to a few reasons why getting out making me think… including my sister. She went into Another field. Thanks so much. Thanks for making a difference for others. 🌟💕

It's Corrie

I'm in the middle of my social work practicum and am having second thoughts about the ENTIRE profession. I've met social workers at the agency and am completely overwhelmed with what their day to day looks like and what they deal with. It's different learning the material in class to actually going out into the field and experiencing it.

How can i meet with you?

The last part made me feel like i was in a movie.

A LCSW RUINED my family. I thought getting a Gaurdian Ad Liedem would be a good thing in my dispute with my ex over our kid but it turned out to be a LCSW, turns out they made things WORSE. They spent very little time with the child and was just throwing all these diagnosis on her. If you ask them ANY questions they give you a canned over educated answer. You can't understand what they are talking about and the results speak for themselves. If you think being a Social Worker does not entail doing more harm than good at times, you are BLIND. Also they charged $250 an hour for a report that relied mostly on one sides story. It was a joke and the LCSW was obviously against Men, cause that is what "Social Work" is about now. She did nothing to try to help the child maintain a relationship with the father. The sad part is these people will never take responsibility for the outcome, they always hide behind their over-educated speak and "doing their job". Please find another career.

What are those who’ve quit doing instead?

I think it’s true for any culture you identify with. Just left fortune 50 company after 25 years; know that “language” so well. Right- so now who am I. 🤷‍♀️ Figuring it out, but yeah. Tough.

May I ask which jobs can one change after worked as a social worker please?

Social workers are literally, objectively, the scum of the earth. Congratulations for not being one anymore.

I consider myself a high resilience type of person. I’ve been in the field for 15 years. But now I am leaving because it’s a very thankless job and I have experienced very very very bad leadership over the last for years. That on top feeling like I’m burnt out finally. Took long but it happens to the best of us.

Sigh 🙃 I’m doing the opposite of everyone in these comments I’m transitioning to this field because I always wanted to go into and I never did due to the negativity I got from Everyone about It I graduated with another degree and now I feel unfulfilled and I have a lot of regret and what ifs

I think she is looking way way too much into such small detail and what others think. She can still help others in her new job and give great advice . I don't think she is really bringing up irrelevant issues. I'm confused is to what she is trying to say.

Caution to any white male heterosexuals who are considering social work. You are not wanted in this profession and will never truly be accepted. You have to throw Molotov cocktails for Antifa on the weekend in order to be accepted in this field.

Oh no. I have Bipolar disorder and I want to be a social worker. I'm wondering if it's worth it, having this mental condition and trying to help others.

I dont agree that they should get a break a lcsw ,,, i have a clinical social worker that has been on the field for 36 years pretty soon she will retire,,but never she got a break or quit cause she found out that she stuied for that field that she loved and never quit....for me if you study for soemthing and then realize your dont like that field once your in and quit ....is like playing a game of children that they dont know what they want even tough your an adult now..

I withdraw my like ... because I thought this was going to be a exciting video

I just quit my job with CPS and changed my degree away from social work. I’m glad I got to see the job before I finished my degree and got my license. Your video really helped me feel understood. Thank you

Maybe some one can give some advice. I am currently in my first quarter of a three year MSW program in Southern California. I thought I was set on this, but I am getting burnt out and really wondering if I see myself completing this whole three year program. It is a lot with the internship hours also. I know the MSW will open a lot of career doors, but it is also super Expensive (like 75-80k). I have been accepted to a MBM program w/ entrepreneurship emphasis (18 Months and 30k). I am thinking about switching to this program, as I also have business dreams. Anybody have any tips ? Great video by the way !

Thank you

Im transitioning to the military. Good times.

Another one bites the dust... Social services is a hard field to work in. Not surprised you bailed. Social services are poorly funded, maligned by conservatives, and defunded by politicians who represent corporate donors. If you want social workers to stay, the political climate has to change so that the government truly helps its citizens.

When I left CPS social work I lost 80 pounds!

I need your help to see my son please.

real social workers don't leave social work....this isn't just what i do...this is who i am