An accredited mental health social worker can be trained as a clinical psychotherapist
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) are recognised providers with Medicare Australia and other programs, delivering clinical social work services in mental health settings and utilising a range of evidence-based focused psychological interventions.
AMHSWs work with people across the lifespan (including children, adults and older persons) and provide a unique contribution to the mental health space in their holistic approach to working with a person. The advanced training that is expected of AMHSW prepares and provides them with the skills for working with people with very complex presentations and co-morbidities. AMHSWs are highly trained and educated professionals, meeting some of the highest standards of professional regulation in Australia.
The Federal Government recognises the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as an assessing authority of specialist mental health expertise.
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers have a breadth of experience in assessing and treating people who have mental health disorders, for example people with:
Depression and other mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Personality disorders
Psychosis
Suicidal thoughts
Relationship problems
Life crises
Adjustment issues
Trauma
Family conflicts
Eating disorders
They help individuals to resolve presenting psychological problems, the associated social and other environmental problems, and improve their quality of life. This may involve family as well as individual counselling, and group therapy. Social workers recognise the broader implications of an individual having a mental illness and the impact on friends, family, work and education.
Like other allied health professionals, such as psychologists, Accredited Mental Health Social Workers use a range of interventions in helping people with mental health disorders, including the following focussed evidenced based psychological interventions :
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Behavioural interventions
Cognitive interventions
Relaxation strategies
Skills training
Problem solving
Anger management
Social skills
Stress management
Parenting skills
Interpersonal therapy
Psycho-education (including Motivational Interviewing)
Narrative therapy
The Accredited Mental Health Social Worker Collective Trade Mark is also a gold standard in professional recognition.
Use of this trade mark is exclusively available and restricted to members of the AASW who have been assessed by the AASW, on behalf of the Australian Government, as meeting the standards to become an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
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