The Social Worker's Dilemma: Making Money Without Betraying Your Values with April Griffin
- Jan 31
- 7 min read
“I wanted to open a private practice so I could potentially see people for free.”
Let that sink in for a moment.
That’s what April Griffin told me when we sat down to talk about being social workers in private practice. And if you’re a social worker reading this, you probably just felt that statement in your bones—because you’ve thought some version of it too.
The elephant in the social work room
Here’s what nobody talks about in MSW programs: private practice exists. And here’s what really nobody talks about: social workers in private practice make money—and feel conflicted about it. Constantly.
April Griffin, MSW, RSW, runs a group practice in BC with three associates. She started her solo practice five years ago during COVID and grew into a group practice three years ago. But before any of that growth happened, she had to navigate something most social workers struggle with—the massive values conflict between our anti-capitalist training and the reality of needing income to survive.
Why social work makes the private practice transition harder
“There’s zero resources for social workers in private practice in BC,” April told me. “I was the first of all my peers and friends to start their private practice. I was the very first one in my group of graduates—and we were seasoned social workers, really experienced.”
Think about that. Twelve years into her MSW career, April was the first person in her entire peer group to go private. Not because others didn’t want to—but because social work doesn’t prepare us for it. Doesn’t acknowledge it. Barely admits it exists.
“There was no mention of private practice,” April explained. “I had thought about it for a long time, but I had been hesitant to jump in. I didn’t have any models. I only knew of Cecilia—I heard her at a conference when I was just a new social worker. But there were hardly anyone that was in private practice that I could even talk to.”
When your profession doesn’t talk about something, it sends a message: this isn’t what good social workers do.
The values that help—and the ones that hurt
April and I are both social workers. We share the same training, the same values foundation, the same lens for understanding systemic oppression and social justice.
Those values help us be better clinicians. They give us critical awareness of how poverty, trauma, and oppression show up in our clients’ lives. They make us better at holding complexity.
But here’s where it gets complicated.
“How do you reconcile this with money?” April asked. “It can be really hard to feel okay about making money off of people’s pain and misery and helping them with the healing.”
Social work is rooted in anti-capitalist principles. We’re trained to understand that poverty isn’t an accident—it’s a consequence of capitalism. We see it every single day in our work. We live it. We know it’s true. So then to move to the private sector? It can feel like a betrayal.
The cousin nobody wants to talk about
I’ve watched the social work awards nominations for years. There isn’t even a category for private practice. Everything is nonprofit-focused or healthcare-focused.
“I don’t see many private practice owners getting these social worker of the year awards,” April said. “It’s fine when you’re in healthcare—you’re a saint in healthcare and you’re doing it. But when you’re in private, there’s something very self-serving about it.”
Even though the salary might be equivalent. Even though the work is equally valuable. The value judgment is completely different.
Private practice is like the cousin nobody wants to talk about. Nobody wants to acknowledge Bruno.
Necessity forces the mindset shift
For a long time, April held onto the “I want to see people for free” mentality. She describes herself as being “in slow recovery” from it.
“I’m the one that told you I wanted to open a private practice so I could potentially see people for free, right?” April laughed. “Of course I’m struggling with this.”
But then her circumstances shifted.
Her partner went to school for two years—not working, and they were paying for his education. April became the sole income earner, with three children depending on her. Her private practice wasn’t a side project anymore.
It was survival.
“This is my only income now,” April explained. “I think sometimes people are juggling multiple jobs, maybe they’re still in healthcare. And so they say, well, this is kind of a way to help people. But it is how I have to survive.”
Necessity has a way of forcing clarity. When your practice income is what feeds your kids, the guilt about charging appropriately starts to feel less important than the reality of making rent.
The scarcity mentality that keeps social workers stuck
Beyond the guilt, there’s another pattern April noticed: social workers are hesitant to invest in their practice growth.
“There’s a little hesitancy to risk and invest in your growth,” she said. “People don’t necessarily see the excitement of building a practice, so they’re investing less in it—less marketing time, even the necessary funds.”
She gave an example: doing an email campaign to a professional association. It costs money. A good chunk of money. And many social workers would say no—they don’t see the return; it’s too big an investment.
“People are pretty hesitant to really deal with money very directly,” April explained. “They want it to be this thing that they don’t really have to do too much with.”
But here’s the reality: you can’t grow a practice without investing in it. You can’t get visible without marketing. You can’t scale without spending money strategically.
The scarcity mentality—rooted in our anti-capitalist values training—keeps social workers playing small. Charging too little. Taking too many sliding-scale clients. Avoiding the business side because it feels gross.
Building community when none exists
When April realized there were no resources for social workers in private practice, she didn’t wait for someone else to create them.
She co-created the BC Social Workers in Private Practice Facebook group with her friend Dorcas. And she didn’t just post about it and hope people would find it—she worked for it.
“I basically added as many social workers on LinkedIn in private practice as I could,” April told me. “& I privately messaged each of them and said, please join this Facebook group. I posted everywhere. It wasn’t just organic growth—I worked really hard at building it.”
Today, that group has 400 members.
Think about that. April was isolated, had no models, felt completely alone—and instead of staying stuck, she built the community she needed. From zero to 400 members.
Pro Tip: If the support you need doesn’t exist, create it. The therapists who succeed aren’t the ones waiting for permission or resources to appear—they’re the ones building what they need.
The integration challenge
One more thing April mentioned that hit hard: social workers who get their RCC designation often want to divorce themselves from social work.
They see their social work self and their counselling self as two separate identities—not integrated.
“Once they get the RCC designation, it’s almost like they want to divorce themselves from social work a little bit,” I observed. “They see their social work self and their counselling self as two separate selves and not integrated.”
April agreed. And it makes sense. If the social work world doesn’t acknowledge private practice, and the counselling world offers more mentorship and business support, why wouldn’t you lean into the identity that actually serves your growth?
But something’s lost when we fragment ourselves that way.
Social work training gives us systems thinking, anti-oppressive awareness, and trauma-informed approaches. That’s valuable. That’s part of what makes us excellent therapists. The goal isn’t to abandon social work—it’s to integrate it with business thinking that actually works.
What needs to shift
If you’re a social worker struggling with the private practice transition, here’s what I want you to hear: You’re not betraying your values by charging appropriately.
Sustainable work requires sustainable income. You can’t serve long-term if you’re burned out & broke. Your guilt about money isn’t a character flaw.
It’s the predictable result of training that prepared you for nonprofit work—not entrepreneurship. Investing in your practice isn’t selfish.
Marketing, business coaching, and strategic spending aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities.
You don’t have to choose between social work values and business success.
April is doing both. I’m doing both. It’s possible.
Building community is part of the work.
If you’re isolated, reach out. Find your people—or create the community you need, like April did.
About the Author
Cecilia Mannella, MSW, RSW, RCC, is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Registered Social Worker specializing in helping therapists and practice owners build sustainable, profitable practices without burnout.
Ready to build a therapy practice that thrives without the hustle?
Explore how the Sustainable Practice Framework™ can help you scale strategically while maintaining the clinical excellence and values that matter to you.
About April Griffin
April Griffin, MSW, RSW, is a seasoned social worker, trauma therapist, and group practice owner of Emotion Wise Counselling, a BC-based practice supporting individuals with complex trauma and emotion regulation. With over a decade of experience, April brings a deeply relational, trauma-informed, and values-driven approach to her work. She has lived and worked on both coasts of Canada and internationally and is passionate about building community for social workers in private practice. Outside of work, she is an avid soccer player and a proud mom to three daughters.
Website: https://emotionwise.ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emotionwise
Community: BC Social Workers in Private Practice (Facebook Group)
FAQ
Q: How do I reconcile social work’s anti-capitalist values with running a for-profit business?
Start by recognizing that sustainable service requires sustainable income. You can’t fight systemic oppression if you’re too broke and burned out to function. Charging appropriately for your expertise isn’t betraying social work—it’s honoring your capacity.
Q: Should I hide the fact that I’m a social worker in private practice?
No. Your social work training is an asset—systems thinking, trauma-informed care, anti-oppressive practice. That makes you a better therapist. Own it. Integrate it with your business identity.
Q: What if I feel guilty every time I raise my rates?
That guilt is normal given your training, but it isn’t serving you. Reframe it: appropriate pricing allows you to work sustainably, serve clients well, and model healthy boundaries. That is social work.
Q: How much should I invest in marketing as a social worker in private practice?
Enough to get visible. If you’re not visible, you can’t serve anyone. Marketing isn’t optional—it’s how people find you. Start small if needed, but start.
Q: Where can I find other social workers in private practice?
Join the BC Social Workers in Private Practice Facebook group if you’re in BC. If you’re elsewhere, search LinkedIn for social workers in private practice and start connecting. Build your own community if you need to.
Ready to bridge the gap between social work values and sustainable business?
April’s journey from “I want to see people for free” to running a group practice shows it’s possible. The Profit Pillar of the Sustainable Practice Framework™ helps social workers build wealth without guilt.
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