Social Workers
Social workers have a Master of Social Work degree. Many use the desig-
nation LCSW after their names to indicate Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
To be fair, social workers do many of the same things psychologists do just
as well as psychologists do them. I don’t know that there are any reasons
to choose one profession over another for therapy. The choice is more of
one individual therapist over another.
Other Counselors, Therapists, and Coaches
There are many people out there who have a master’s degree in psychology
or counseling and various levels of licensure and ability; counselors, marriage
and family therapists, substance abuse counselors, pastoral counselors, and
life coaches are among them. Some are very good, but most are not qual-
ified to treat the explosive disorders described in this book. The reason for
this is not that doing therapy is so difficult; the hard part is knowing when
you’re not doing it. The best therapists, regardless of training, will always
clearly define their limits of their practice.
How to Find a Good Therapist
If there is an explosive person in your life, getting him or her into treatment
is an important goal. But treatment with whom?
There is at least as much variability in skill and ethics among therapists
as there is among attorneys or auto mechanics. As with other professionals,
there’s no sure way to know in advance who will best meet your needs.
Over the years, I’ve trained and worked with hundreds of therapists, some
brilliant, others less so. I’ve thought long and hard about which personal
and professional characteristics differentiate the really good therapists
from the rest. Knowledge, of course, is essential, and sufficient self-aware-
ness to separate the client’s needs from your own. The best therapists see
themselves as craftspeople rather than friends, parents, crusaders, spiri-
tual gurus, or rescue rangers. Unfortunately, you may not be able to tell
in the first couple of sessions what a therapist knows, much less what he
or she thinks about him- or herself. To pick a good therapist, it helps to
think like one. The following are some quick indicators of a real pro.
278 ❧Explosions into Anger