LCSW Exam: Therapist
Development Center Exam 2025
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
A group for women experiencing depression has been meeting for 3 weeks. Several
group members approach the group leader expressing concern that another group
member regularly interrupts and dominates the conversation. What stage of group
formation is the group most likely in?
A. Forming
B. Storming
C. Norming
D. Performing - ✔✔The correct answer is B: Storming. During this stage it is common
for subgroups to emerge, like the one approaching the leader.
A social worker has been meeting with a client for two years who is about to graduate
from college and move back to her home state. The client wishes to continue therapy
with the social worker via teletherapy. The social worker is only licensed in the state the
social worker resides. What is the FIRST thing the social worker should do?
A. Decline to provide teletherapy because it is illegal to do so across state lines.
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,B. Determine whether the social worker's state board allows teletherapy acros - ✔✔The
correct answer is B: to determine whether the social worker's state board allows
teletherapy across state lines. If they do, then we could do C after this (if the social
worker's state board does not allow this, then there would be no need to do C, which is
why we would do B first). A is incorrect because that is not a true statement as some
states do allow this. D is similarly incorrect because it does not acknowledge the fact
that some states do not allow teletherapy across state lines. (Even if there is a
longstanding relationship).
A social worker meets with a 22-year-old woman who reports she is experiencing
increased feelings of anxiety, agitation, and irritability. What should the social worker
do NEXT?A. Consider a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism
B. Refer the client for a psychiatric evaluation
C. Complete a biopsychosocial assessment
D. Refer the client for a medical evaluation - ✔✔The correct answer is D, to refer the
client for a medical evaluation. The client reports increased feelings of anxiety,
agitation, and irritability. Before doing anything else, we want to discuss the need for a
medical evaluation to rule out a possibly underlying medical reason for her condition.
While we aren't expected to know any and every medical condition, we are expected to
know that a medical referral for new symptoms is best practice. A is outside of our
scope of practice; it wouldn't be our job to consider this specific medical diagnosis, but
to refer her to someone who can rule out this and any other underlying biological cause
for her symptoms. B is incorrect, because while at some point we may make a referral to
a psychiatrist for medication, it is not what we would do FIRST. C could occur after we
do D.
All of the following statements describe defense mechanisms EXCEPT:
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,A. Conscious behavior used by the client to protect the client from the influence of the
therapist.
B. Justifying actions or thoughts to make them seem acceptable when unconsciously
they are not.
C. Rejecting or attributing unacceptable aspects of one's personality to another
individual.
D. The process of protecting oneself from anxiety, feelings of guilt, or undesirable
thoughts. - ✔✔The best answer here would be A. If we look at the definition provided
above we notice that B, C, and D all incorporate various aspects of defense mechanisms.
On the other hand, A is discussing conscious behaviors or thoughts, whereas defense
mechanisms are on a more unconscious level. That is why as clinicians we need to help
client's identify the various defense mechanisms they may use and bring them to a
conscious level.
A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six months to
work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social worker observes that on
days that she meets with this client, later in the day she spends a lot of time thinking
about death and her mood is lower. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Use her emotional reaction to explore how the client's suicidal ideation may be
impacting those around her.
B. Seek supervision.
C. Begin meeting with an individ - ✔✔The correct answer is B, to seek supervision. A is
inappropriate because we should not be using countertransference (which is about our
emotional reactions as the therapist) in therapy. Although it is possible that the
therapist may begin their own therapy (C) at some point, this isn't the FIRST thing we
would do. Individual therapy is something that could be discussed in supervision as
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, one way to manage the therapist's countertransference. D is premature, as the therapist
and client have been meeting for 6 months and have an established relationship. At this
point, there is no need to refer out.
A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six months to
work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social worker observes that on
days that she meets with this client, later in the day she spends a lot of time thinking
about death and experiences a lower mood. What is this an example of?
A. Poor Boundaries.
B. Transference.
C. Countertransference.
D. Trauma Response. - ✔✔The correct answer is C, countertransference. The therapist is
having an emotional reaction to what the client is sharing.
A social worker meets with a 14-year-old client who shares with the social worker that
she is pregnant. She does not want her parents to know she is pregnant. The social
worker practices in a jurisdiction where social workers are required to share this
information with the parents of a minor child. What should the social worker do FIRST:
A. Maintain confidentiality per the client's request
B. Maintain confidentiality due to safety issues that may arise if the parents are
informed of her pregnanc - ✔✔The correct answer is C. While we may want to honor
our client's self-determination and her wishes to have confidentiality maintained (A),
the question stem specifies that the social worker practices in a jurisdiction where we
must inform the client's parents of her pregnancy. Despite our own beliefs about this,
we are required to follow the law. (B) is incorrect because nothing in the question stem
states that a safety issue is present regarding telling the parents. While her parents will
need to be informed of her pregnancy (D), telling the client about this (C) should come
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Development Center Exam 2025
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
A group for women experiencing depression has been meeting for 3 weeks. Several
group members approach the group leader expressing concern that another group
member regularly interrupts and dominates the conversation. What stage of group
formation is the group most likely in?
A. Forming
B. Storming
C. Norming
D. Performing - ✔✔The correct answer is B: Storming. During this stage it is common
for subgroups to emerge, like the one approaching the leader.
A social worker has been meeting with a client for two years who is about to graduate
from college and move back to her home state. The client wishes to continue therapy
with the social worker via teletherapy. The social worker is only licensed in the state the
social worker resides. What is the FIRST thing the social worker should do?
A. Decline to provide teletherapy because it is illegal to do so across state lines.
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,B. Determine whether the social worker's state board allows teletherapy acros - ✔✔The
correct answer is B: to determine whether the social worker's state board allows
teletherapy across state lines. If they do, then we could do C after this (if the social
worker's state board does not allow this, then there would be no need to do C, which is
why we would do B first). A is incorrect because that is not a true statement as some
states do allow this. D is similarly incorrect because it does not acknowledge the fact
that some states do not allow teletherapy across state lines. (Even if there is a
longstanding relationship).
A social worker meets with a 22-year-old woman who reports she is experiencing
increased feelings of anxiety, agitation, and irritability. What should the social worker
do NEXT?A. Consider a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism
B. Refer the client for a psychiatric evaluation
C. Complete a biopsychosocial assessment
D. Refer the client for a medical evaluation - ✔✔The correct answer is D, to refer the
client for a medical evaluation. The client reports increased feelings of anxiety,
agitation, and irritability. Before doing anything else, we want to discuss the need for a
medical evaluation to rule out a possibly underlying medical reason for her condition.
While we aren't expected to know any and every medical condition, we are expected to
know that a medical referral for new symptoms is best practice. A is outside of our
scope of practice; it wouldn't be our job to consider this specific medical diagnosis, but
to refer her to someone who can rule out this and any other underlying biological cause
for her symptoms. B is incorrect, because while at some point we may make a referral to
a psychiatrist for medication, it is not what we would do FIRST. C could occur after we
do D.
All of the following statements describe defense mechanisms EXCEPT:
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,A. Conscious behavior used by the client to protect the client from the influence of the
therapist.
B. Justifying actions or thoughts to make them seem acceptable when unconsciously
they are not.
C. Rejecting or attributing unacceptable aspects of one's personality to another
individual.
D. The process of protecting oneself from anxiety, feelings of guilt, or undesirable
thoughts. - ✔✔The best answer here would be A. If we look at the definition provided
above we notice that B, C, and D all incorporate various aspects of defense mechanisms.
On the other hand, A is discussing conscious behaviors or thoughts, whereas defense
mechanisms are on a more unconscious level. That is why as clinicians we need to help
client's identify the various defense mechanisms they may use and bring them to a
conscious level.
A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six months to
work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social worker observes that on
days that she meets with this client, later in the day she spends a lot of time thinking
about death and her mood is lower. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Use her emotional reaction to explore how the client's suicidal ideation may be
impacting those around her.
B. Seek supervision.
C. Begin meeting with an individ - ✔✔The correct answer is B, to seek supervision. A is
inappropriate because we should not be using countertransference (which is about our
emotional reactions as the therapist) in therapy. Although it is possible that the
therapist may begin their own therapy (C) at some point, this isn't the FIRST thing we
would do. Individual therapy is something that could be discussed in supervision as
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, one way to manage the therapist's countertransference. D is premature, as the therapist
and client have been meeting for 6 months and have an established relationship. At this
point, there is no need to refer out.
A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six months to
work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social worker observes that on
days that she meets with this client, later in the day she spends a lot of time thinking
about death and experiences a lower mood. What is this an example of?
A. Poor Boundaries.
B. Transference.
C. Countertransference.
D. Trauma Response. - ✔✔The correct answer is C, countertransference. The therapist is
having an emotional reaction to what the client is sharing.
A social worker meets with a 14-year-old client who shares with the social worker that
she is pregnant. She does not want her parents to know she is pregnant. The social
worker practices in a jurisdiction where social workers are required to share this
information with the parents of a minor child. What should the social worker do FIRST:
A. Maintain confidentiality per the client's request
B. Maintain confidentiality due to safety issues that may arise if the parents are
informed of her pregnanc - ✔✔The correct answer is C. While we may want to honor
our client's self-determination and her wishes to have confidentiality maintained (A),
the question stem specifies that the social worker practices in a jurisdiction where we
must inform the client's parents of her pregnancy. Despite our own beliefs about this,
we are required to follow the law. (B) is incorrect because nothing in the question stem
states that a safety issue is present regarding telling the parents. While her parents will
need to be informed of her pregnancy (D), telling the client about this (C) should come
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
