Author: Beth Sharkey, MSW

The Gold Standard: A One Day Refresher on EMDR Therapy

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Donald F. deGraffenried, LCSW, EMDRIA Senior TrainerRegister Now for CE programs
Friday, August 8, 2025
In-person at the UConn Hartford Campus
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
7 CECs
*Also approved for 7 EMDRIA Credits. Please see the note at the bottom of the page

Registration Fee: $175
UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors receive a 10% discount

Classroom location, driving directions and parking details will be included in your email confirmation

This one-day hands on training will provide a comprehensive refresher on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in both theory and practice. Areas covered include predictors for success, demonstration of the mechanics, forms of bi-lateral stimulation, review of the eight phases, cognitions, and supporting optional processing.

Multiple case examples will be presented including working with victims of violence, especially crime victims and survivors of homicide. In addition, participants will watch two client videos and there will be a live demonstration of the EMD Protocol which is helpful in crisis and emergency situations.

Trainer deGraffenried is looking for one volunteer to work with him using the EMD Protocol during the training. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact him before the training at donald@traumatreat.com.

At the conclusion of this one-day refresher, participants will be able to:

  • complete a simple self-evaluation of their skill base
  • briefly summarize the Eight Phases of EMDR
  • effectively describe how to perform the demonstration of the mechanics
  • state the advantage of using eye movements as the form of bi-lateral stimulation
  • state two advantages of using EMD as a protocol
  • define an overactivated and underactive client
  • describe three major components of the Recent Event Protocol
  • plan for and incorporate the use of the Visual Assessment Tool in support of gathering information needed for the Recent Event Protocol with crime victims
  • state two or more of the advanced go to the body techniques
  • list two or more spiritual cognitive interweaves
  • exhibit the ability to analyze which of the EMDR models will best serve the needs of clients who are survivors of gun violence

* EMDRIA Credits have been approved for this training.  Participants who have completed Basic Training in EMDR will receive 7.00 EMDRIA Credits at the end of the training. You must be present for the entire training to receive the credits.

 

The Clinical Interview

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Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-IIRegister Now for CE programs now
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 – New Date!
In-person on the UConn Hartford Campus
9:30 am – 4 pm
5.5 CECs

Registration Fee: $125
UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors receive a 10% discount

Classroom location, directions and parking details will be included in your email confirmation

Trainings on assessment and diagnosis typically focus on client symptoms and psychopathology. This training has the actual clinical interview at its focus, exploring how to gather the information you need from each client. Participants will learn how to prepare, what skills are needed, and where to focus each section of the interview.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify the primary goal(s) of the clinical interview
  • Gather useful listening and verbal skills that support rapport
  • Explore how to direct and redirect clients and the path of the interview
  • Learn strategies to manage common scenarios that challenge the interview

Thich Nhat Hanh Meets Francine Shapiro: One Stone Meditation and EMDR

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Donald deGraffenried, LCSW
In-person at the UConn Hartford CampusRegister Now for CE programs
Friday, July 18, 2025
9 am – 12 pm
3 CECs*

* EMDRIA Approval is pending for this training. Prior EMDR training is not required to attend this training, however EMDRIA credits will only be available to individuals who have completed Part I and Part II EMDR Basic Training

 

Registration Fee: $75
UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors receive a 10% discount

Classroom location, directions and parking details will be included in your email confirmation

This three-hour in person training will explore the teachings of Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Participants will learn about his history with mindfulness, his advocacy for peace and social justice, and his connection to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Trainer Donald deGraffenried, LCSW will explain the origin of the “One Stone Meditation” and demonstrate how to use this powerful, yet simple experience of mindfulness with clients or for yourself.

This is a gentle introduction to the process of mindfulness and enhancing the greater ability to be fully in the moment. It has wide application for use with clients, especially in the management of stress and anxiety. Participants will also have the option via a practicum to enhance/strengthen their experience by using bilateral tapping which comes out of the work of Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Please bring a small stone with you to the training. The stone should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand.

In this interactive and experiential seminar, participants will:

• practice the “One Stone Meditation”
• develop the meditative experience
• have the opportunity to practice and strengthen their experience by using bilateral tapping

New Perspectives on Sustaining Helping Professionals

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Patricia Wilcox, LCSWRegister Now for CE programs
Live Webinar
Wed, June 18, 2025
10 am – 12 pm
2 CECs

Recently social service agencies have been acknowledging the effects of working with, feeling empathy for, and having responsibility for trauma survivors. Whether this effect is referred to as vicarious trauma (VT) or secondary traumatic stress, there is no doubt that the work can influence the treater’s world view, their sense of safety, their own relationships, their sense of hope and their energy and enthusiasm for their work. However, agencies often take the approach that this is mainly an individual problem, to be solved by the treater on their own time and at their own expense with self-care and good boundaries.

This presentation will challenge some of the myths of vicarious trauma, such as that work is entirely depleting and that home life is entirely fulfilling; and that there is such a thing as work-life balance. The book Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress: Skills for Sustaining a Career in the Helping Professions by Brian C. Miller (2022 Routledge) will provide the scaffolding for specific techniques that can help our workers retain and grow their hope and energy in the work, and thus reduce turnover. We will cover areas such as: debunking the myths of VT; developing skills to enhance our work lives; understanding that appreciating intensity rather than avoiding it helps us thrive; bringing joy into our work lives; developing radical compassion; and recovering from crisis. . We will also explore the assumption that trauma encounters are inherently fatiguing. We will investigate the premise that the cure for exhaustion is not rest- it is wholeheartedness. Participants will leave the workshop with action steps to bring to their agencies.

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify three myths about vicarious trauma and their alternative truths
  • List eight skills to sustain treaters in their jobs, and create agency plans to teach and support these skills
  • Develop three strategies to increase the joy in their workplaces
  • Identify three actions to create agency structures to support treaters in recovering from crisis.

Coming Home: Readjustment Reactions following Military Service and Deployment

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Register for CE programs now

Provides 2 hours of content on veterans mental health issues.

Christopher Morse, LICSW, MVF-ASW 

Saturday, June 14, 2025
10 am – 12 pm
2 CEC

Registration fee: $50
10% Discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current UConn SSW Field Instructors

Webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

While not all service members experience mental health issues, many will experience difficulties returning to the civilian world. Participants will learn about common readjustment issues faced by military and veteran populations. We will also examine the effects of trauma on readapting to life after deployment. In response to the many requests of participants who attended his trainings on Understanding Military Culture, Christopher Morse, LICSW developed this program to shed light on another important aspect of working with veterans and active military personnel.

This webinar will:

  • examine common readjustment reactions following military service and deployment to combat theaters
  • explore the effects of trauma on readjustment following combat service
  • introduce the use of common military cultural artifacts and concepts in translating therapeutic concepts into principles common to military service

Pharmacotherapy for Depression/Anxiety Disorders and Alcohol Use/Opioid Use Disorders

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Kristin Waters, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPRegister Now for CE programs
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Live Webinar
10 am – 12 pm
2 CECs

Registration Fee: $50
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

Dr. Kristin Waters, a clinical pharmacist in psychiatry and assistant clinical professor at the UConn School of Pharmacy will join us to examine current pharmacotherapy for Depression and Anxiety Disorders and Alcohol Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder. In the first half of the webinar, Dr. Waters will examine treatment for major depression and anxiety disorders which are among the most common psychiatric conditions affecting adults in the US. She will discuss the medications most commonly used in the management of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder. While pharmacologic management may not be appropriate for all patients, it is important for social workers to have a basic understanding of these common medications.

The second hour of the webinar will focus on Alcohol Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder. Substance use disorders (SUDs) can have a major impact on the individual, their family, and the community. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the most common SUD in the United States, affecting approximately 30 million people. While opioid use disorder (OUD) is less common, the mortality rate is significant due to the risk of overdose and/or unsafe behaviors associated with use that can lead to further medical complications. Most people with SUDs do not seek treatment. However, medications used in the management of AUD and OUD can improve outcomes. These medications will be discussed during this webinar.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify medications that are considered first-line therapy for the management of major depressive disorder and the anxiety disorders discussed
• Describe the basic mechanism of action of antidepressant medications and other medications commonly used to manage anxiety
• Describe the most common side effects associated medications discussed including the black box warning for increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors for patients less than 25 years old
• Identify medications that are considered first-line therapy for the management of alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorders
• Describe logistical considerations surrounding how patients obtain medications used for OUD
• Discuss risks and benefits of pharmacologic strategies and role of medications in harm reduction

Making Sense of the DSM 5 TR

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Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-IIRegister Now for CE programs now
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
In-person on the UConn Hartford Campus
9:30 am – 4 pm
5.5 CECs

Participants are requested to bring a copy of the DSM 5 to practice diagnosis using clinical vignettes during the workshop.

Registration Fee: $125
UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors receive a 10% discount

Classroom location, driving directions and parking details will be included in your email confirmation

The 5th edition of the DSM is a manual rich with information and guidance into the diagnostic process, yet most clinicians only utilize a portion of the manual. Are you prepared to incorporate the manual into your practice to accurately diagnose your clients? The workshop provides practical insights into navigating the DSM’s complex structure, ensuring accurate and consistent application in clinical practice. We will examine the full manual and practice accurate diagnosis together.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the major philosophical and categorical changes in the DSM 5
  • Learn the essential features of each disorder group in the DSM 5
  • Examine the assessment tools published with the DSM 5
  • Practice diagnosis using the DSM 5 through clinical vignettes