A Private Practice Field Education Site: Illuminating a Unique Social Work Practicum Placement through Auto Ethnography

Many social workers go into private practice, providing crucial mental health services; however, there is a dearth in the scholarship outlining the social work student training for these career options. It may be argued that social work students receive little or no clinical training on how to run a private practice providing psychotherapy services. To mend this pedagogical shortcoming, field education placements provide a practical approach pushing the boundaries by proactively seeking private practice settings as practicum sites, thus expanding the curriculum of field education. A private practice meets “the purpose of the social work profession is to promote human and community well-being” and “the enhancement of the quality of life for all persons….” (CSWE, 2015, 5). A private practice field education placement is a legitimate teaching opportunity to prepare social work students to meet the mental health needs of individuals, families and the public. Five social workers explore their unique experiences of a private practice field education placement. To provide a framework for our discussions, we drew from borderlands theory described by Gloria Anzaldua, (1999) as a contested space that focuses on “both-and” thinking resonated with our sense of navigating a border between private practice and social work. Our experience noted a space between our practicum -private practice social work and that of the academy – faculty, practicum office, and our peers filled with cultural tension and shifting alliances.  Qualitative analysis of autoethnography narratives resulted in six themes: (1) Benefits to private practice site (2) Preparation for Social Work, (3) Private Practice is Social Work, (4) Support and Barriers, (5) Balanced Picture, and (6) Learning Opportunities. Recommendations for social work education and research are presented.