Registered Social Work Services- What Does This Mean?

A Registered Social Worker supports individuals, youth, and families by helping them navigate emotional challenges, social stressors, and complex systems such as mental health services, addictions treatment, housing supports, FSCD, and Children’s Services involvement.

Social workers provide counselling within their professional scope of practice, offering emotional support, practical problem-solving, skill development, and guidance during times of uncertainty or crisis. They also advocate alongside clients, help coordinate services, and connect families with meaningful community resources.

At the heart of social work is a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach that focuses on safety, stability, resilience, and sustainable change — not just symptom reduction.

All services at Rivet Support Services are provided by a Registered Social Worker (BSW, RSW) and follow the professional standards of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), ensuring ethical, accountable, and client-centered care.

 Both Registered Social Workers and Psychologists can provide counselling. The main difference is often in how support is approached.

Social workers tend to work from a holistic and systems-focused lens. In addition to counselling, they frequently help clients navigate real-life challenges such as service access, school concerns, safety planning, family stress, financial pressures, or involvement with formal systems. This approach recognizes that mental health is deeply connected to relationships, environment, and available supports.

Psychologists typically focus more specifically on assessment, diagnosis, and therapeutic treatment of mental health conditions using structured psychological interventions.

Many individuals and families benefit from social work services when they are looking for both emotional support and practical guidance — especially during complex life situations or transitions.