This study set out to construct a conceptual framework for social work with women in Iran, where women are limited in their access to resources, which negatively affects their decision-making capacity. We used a qualitative secondary analysis of data from two intervention projects among Iranian women (n = 25). Each intervention spanned 7 months and included individual and group sessions as well as learning Rahyab, an empowerment-oriented problem-solving model. Practical lessons from the Iranian projects highlight a process of change with regard to thinking, feeling and acting among women during and after the intervention. It is hoped that the conceptual framework and the empowerment-oriented problem-solving model used in these projects can be used in similar societies.