Dan Silverman:  

SW) was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. In the same year I graduated with my MSW, I also attained my (LCSW) licensure, needed to practice Social Work in NY and other states. In 1997 I earned my Academy of Certified Social Workers credential (ACSW) In 2000, I earned my R# credential, which permits me to be reimbursed by insurance companies for counseling & therapy in my private practice and is a must for marketability. I recently (12/04) earned my Certified- Advanced Children, Youth and Family Social Worker credential, which assists in my private practice. So, after my name is an alphabet soup - LCSW, C-ACYFSW, ACSW Workplace My first work experience was working for Chicago Market/Great American grocery store while in High School. I became a night manager quickly and although working for a grocery store was hell, it taught me that hard work leads to promotion and better jobs. My first professional job after graduate school was working for Catholic Charities, assessing prospective adoptive parents who were looking to adopt. This was a very frustrating and depressing job, watching children wait years to be adopted because of the beuracratic "red tape". I then went to work for the Neighborhood Center of Utica on The Children's Mobile Assessment Team in 1994. This job honed my social work skills as it involved working crisis with children & youth that were suicidal/homicidal and/or in severe psychiatric distress. I think I gained about 30lbs in my first year from the stress of this job. After 2 years of crisis work, I was promoted to supervisor of a therapeutic day care for children ages 3-8 who had been expelled from day care and school due to their behavior. This was my favorite job as I also provided intense therapy with these children and their dysfunctional parents. Watching the children be able to re-enter school and day care after some work and assisting their parents to change parenting for the better was very rewarding. I enjoyed this job for 2 years, but my success was noticed by administration and I was offered the Associate Directors position of the Neighborhood Center's Mental Health Division. As Associate Director, I learned much, but didn't enjoy the work and missed working directly with children and families. After 2 years, I decided I needed a change and took several state civil service exams. In April 2000, I was lucky enough to be offered state employment with DDSO in Rome as a Social Worker working with adults with mental retardation, living in the community. I enjoyed this job, but I prefer to work in mental health and wanted to get back to working with children/adults with mental illness. In 2001, I was able to transfer to the Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center - Pinefield as a Social Worker II where I work presently. I am the Social Worker for the adolescent boys ward (13-17) and truly enjoy this job. I work with youth who have a myriad of problems such as depression, substance abuse, suicide attempts, past abuse, sexual perpetration and gang involvement. I have been teaching various psychology courses since 1996. I started adjunct teaching at Utica College, teaching Abnormal Psychology, Intro to Psychology and Counseling Techniques. In 1997, I began teaching at MVCC as an adjunct instructor, teaching Psychology and Human Services courses. The pay is lousy, but I really enjoy watching people grow intellectually, helping eradicate stereotypes and empowering students to "be all they can be". At present, I continue to teach at MVCC and look forward to teaching graduate courses at some point. I have had a private practice since 1995 in Rome. My expertise is family therapy and working with children, youth and adults with depression, anxiety and life changes. I also provide marital counseling, but don't enjoy this as much as most couples are emotionally divorced before they get to me :( I love my private work, as I am my own boss, set my own hours and can choose who I work with. Since the birth of my son, I have reduced the number of people I work with until he is older. Lastly, I continue to be the Religious Leader/Lay Rabbi for the Adas Israel Synagogue in Rome. I facilitate the weekly religious services, am Principal of the Sunday School and I teach a Sunday School class that prepares the children for Bar/Bat Mitzvah (similar to confirmation). I grew up in the synagogue and it's great to be able to give back some of what was given to me. So, if you've read all this, you can see that I am quite busy - which ultimately keeps me out of trouble :)