Author: Beth Sharkey, MSW

Supervising in 2025: A Practicum and Continuing Ed Collaboration

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Register Now for CE programs

Who are our Supervisees and How Can We Use a Social Justice, Anti-Racist, Whole-Person Approach to Facilitate their Growth?

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Virtual
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
3 CECs – Provides 3 hours of content on cultural competency
Presenters: Patricia Wilcox, LCSW and Aminah Ali, LMSW

Registration Fee: $75  –  10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni
Free for Current SSW Field Instructors

Multicultural workforces are the norm in social service and educational agencies. Though such diversity is positive in many ways, it can also create challenges for staff. Differences in culture and language may cause tension among employees, discomfort among groups or strained relations between employees, interns, and supervisors. Managers and supervisors must be aware of their own biases and assumptions and develop the skills to conduct difficult conversations with their supervisees. Together the two can create meaningful organizational change. In addition, our clients’ lives may be highly impacted by racism and inter-generational trauma. Supervisors can facilitate more effective programs by supporting supervisees to bring these issues into the discussions they have with clients.

This webinar focuses on trauma-informed supervision through a social justice and anti-racist lens, an approach to supervision that begins with the personal and extends to the professional. Personal histories, identities, characteristics, and psychological experiences of supervisors, as well as structural and environmental conditions of the organization, are aspects of supervision. This perspective promotes the role of the supervisor as a leader in establishing a culture within their team that is responsive to and inclusive of the cultures and unique experiences of clients and colleagues. Supervisors are encouraged to remain vigilant in their commitment to social justice and an anti-racist approach by leading their teams and organizations in achieving truly inclusive diversity.

Participants will be able to:

  • Find how to improve their interactions with supervisees by identifying the positionalities and unique experiences of supervisor and supervisee.
  • Appraise and discuss implicit bias and how it impacts the supervisory relationship and work with clients.
  • Implement 3 strategies for addressing power differentials and improve trust between supervisor and supervisee.
  • Explore dilemmas in supervising the whole person while maintaining agency mandates.
  • Develop a plan to increase their team’s ability to have difficult conversations around social justice.
  • Discuss with supervisees the applications of racism and inter-generational trauma-informed perspectives and prepare a plan to utilize this knowledge within their practice.

Webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

Nobody Listens to Anybody: Developing Group Work Skills

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Developing Group Work Skills for Fostering Connection and Understanding in Groups During Divisive Times

Joan Letendre, LCSW, PhDRegister Now for CE programs
Friday, April 4, 2025
9:30 am – 4 pm
5.5 CECs

Registration Fee: $125
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and current SSW Field Instructors

One of the benefits of membership in a group is that we are exposed to a variety of opinions and multiple ways of viewing the world and solving problems. In today’s increasingly polarized world, however, we often struggle to listen to points of view different from our own. This dynamic poses challenges in groups composed of diverse membership. Group leaders may also be impacted by these divisions as they struggle to keep a safe space for members to be heard and understood. Leaders must be sensitive to how the many kinds of diversity may impact interactions among members, prepare for how to skillfully manage participation so that everyone is heard, be comfortable discussing broader social issues that may impact members, and intervene in conflict when challenging issues arise. Understanding how to be aware of one’s own processes while skillfully and compassionately managing conflict in a group can greatly facilitate this process.

In this seminar, we will focus on the importance of the group leader’s awareness of their own feelings, opinions and responses to conflict, particularly around divisive societal issues. Development of specific skills that will facilitate difficult conversations will be emphasized. We will address the current larger social context (i.e. unequal treatment of persons of color by law enforcement, anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions, religious intolerance, anti-gay/trans policy) and how that may impact the lives of the members and the dynamics of the group. All discussion will be will be framed within a strength-based perspective.

Several teaching methods informed by participant feedback in a previous seminar, including lecture, small and large group discussions, individual and partner reflections, group activities and exercises and case examples will be used throughout the day. Development of a safe space and allowance of time will offer participants the opportunity to share their own group successes and challenges for problem solving and feedback.

In this seminar, you will:

  • develop an awareness of your feelings and become more comfortable in discussion of issues that may generate conflict
  • become aware of specific strategies for discussion of issues of difference that gives affirmation to many points of view
  • learn to include the broader social context when assessing the interactions of group members
  • become more comfortable using exercises and activities that may generate discussion of uncomfortable topic

Unmasking Gang Culture: Understanding and Addressing Gang Behavior

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Welcome 2 Reality
Thursday, March 27, 2025Register Now for CE programs
Live Webinar
6 pm – 8 pm
2 CECs – this program provides at least 1 hour of content on cultural competency

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

In this training we will look at the psychological and social factors that contribute to gangs and their historical roots and evolution in America to gain an understanding of the socio-economic factors that fuel their existence. We will examine the alarming intersection between gangs and Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST), shedding light on the complex dynamics that perpetuate exploitation. We will analyze the pervasive influence of media on gang culture, from its portrayal in movies to the role of music in shaping perceptions and recruitment. Finally, we will explore effective strategies and solutions aimed at addressing gangs, encompassing community-based interventions, law enforcement approaches, and preventative measures to create safer societies.

Participants in this webinar will:

  • understand the historical roots and evolution of gangs and the socio-economic factors that impact their existence
  • explore the psychological and social factors that contribute to the formation of gangs
  • examine the intersection between gangs and Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST)
  • explore a range of strategies aimed at addressing gang-related issues

Racial Justice and Implicit Bias: Fostering Authentic Engagement

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Provides 2 hours of content on cultural competence.

Qur-an Webb, MSW and colleagues from Welcome 2 RealRegister Now for CE programsity

Thursday, April 24, 2025
2:00 – 4:00 pm
2 CECs
Webinar

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

The webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

This webinar will examine implicit bias, the differences between equality and equity, and how to recognize equitable practices. Participants will learn to talk about race constructively within their workplace, with colleague organizations, and with their clients by having conversations about racial justice work to help foster authentic engagement. The training will enable participants to apply what they know about racial justice and equity to build a further understanding and agreement. Participants will learn which facilitation tools to use when faced with hot button issues and how to lead conversations about race with presence, grace, and authority.

Learning Objectives:

  • Discuss how biases and discriminatory practices effects clients and their families
  • Explore strategies to help improve our work with the children and families we serve
  • Explore next steps for applying concepts and strategies to advance racial equity

Children and Grief – 2 Days

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Ruth Pearlman, LCSW, LICSW, MEd
Register Now for CE programs nowWednesdays, March 19 and 26, 2025
10 am – 12 pm
4 CECs – participants must attend both sessions to earn CECs

Registration Fee: $100
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

Webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

In response to feedback from participants in her previous trainings, instructor Ruth Pearlman has expanded this webinar to 2 parts. Even before COVID children were grieving losses that were not largely recognized or understood. COVID has magnified the grief experience of children on multiple levels. A child’s response to loss is dependent on many factors including age, emotional development, relationship, and social supports. Ms. Pearlman will explore children’s concepts of death and non-death losses applying Piaget’s Cognitive Theory to understand how
children conceptualize loss at each stage of development.

Day 1 will focus on lecture with ample opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor and other participants.  Day 2 will focus on the application of the content provided on the first day.

In this webinar, we will:

  • identify a spectrum of non-death losses in childhood
  • review Piaget’s Cognitive Theory and apply it to children’s understanding of loss
  • examine the role of magical thinking in children’s developmental understanding of loss
  • identify modern grief terminology
  • specifically examine the loss and grief trajectory in the lives of children in foster/alternative care

Supervising the Ethical Clinician

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Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-IIRegister Now
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Webinar
9 am – 12 pm
3 CECs

Registration Fee: $75
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

This training marries the essential elements of a successful supervisory practice with the core ethical standards of helping professions. Participants will gain tools to ensure that each clinician can grow an ethical practice that will help protect the profession, the clinician, and every client they serve. This training will give participants tools to both evaluate the ethical practice of each clinician and to strengthen any ethically weak areas, which will allow participants to anticipate and address problems before ethical violations occur.

Supervising the Diagnosing Clinician

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Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-IIRegister Now
Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Webinar
9 am – 12 pm
3 CEC

Registration Fee: $75
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

This training marries the essential elements of a successful supervisory practice with the foundation of the diagnostic process. Participants will gain tools to ensure that each supervised clinician can learn how to diagnose disorders and conditions that will be a treatment focus. This training will give participants tools to both evaluate and improve diagnosing tools, and how to troubleshoot and intervene as may be needed.

Superior Supervision

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Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-IIRegister Now
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Webinar
9 am – 12 pm
3 CEC

Registration Fee: $75
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

We know that good supervision can be hard to find, and one major reason is that supervisors are rarely adequately trained. If you are a supervisor, or interested in becoming one, this training will help you build an ethical, engaging, effectual supervision practice.

In this webinar, participants will:

  • explore the common mistakes supervisors make
  • examine effective theoretical orientations and models of supervision
  • explore the core components of the supervisory relationships and the needed tools

Adolescent Addiction

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Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-II
Tuesday, March 11, 2025Register for CE programs now
Webinar
9 am – 12 pm
3 CECs

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

Webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

Historically mislabeled as a difficult population, this webinar will explore the characteristics of adolescent addiction, the recovery pitfalls, and effective treatment interventions that will engage your young clients.

Adolescent Addiction is a distinct problem, with biopsychosocial elements unique to this age group, which indicates there are unique treatment implications. This training explores the unique elements of adolescent addiction and discusses the best ways to both prevent and treat it. While the majority of the training addresses substance use, other addictions – gambling, sex, internet, fitness – will be included.

Adolescent Addiction is often guided by cultural, political, and social forces. Adolescents my be judged for wanting attention, submitting to peer pressure, or making “stupid” choices, depending on the culture in which the teen is a member. The degree that the addiction is accepted is often based on these influences. This training includes a discussion of these influences, not only in understanding how teen addiction develops, but also how recovery can be sabotaged or supported by these influences.

Participants will:

  • learn the differences between the adult and adolescent brain
  • explore the principles of addiction and how it affects the adolescent brain
  • review updated assessment tools for this population

Control-mastery Theory: All Therapists Want to be Exceptional

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Jo Nol, PhD, MS, LCSWRegister Now for CE programs
Friday, February 28, 2025
9:30 am – 4 pm
5.5 CECs

Registration Fee: $125
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and current SSW Field Instructors

Across all helping professions, research shows that techniques don’t lead to better outcomes. Have you ever wondered why the DSM doesn’t guide treatment more effectively? And, what explains why some therapists are better than others if it isn’t the theory they’re using?

Control-mastery Theory, emerging from decades of elegant research, can help answer these questions and provides ways to understand how therapy works across techniques, practitioners and clients. This perspective may be the best way to learn to be a better therapist.

In this introductory workshop you will learn the basics of this approach which you can begin to apply to your work right away. There is actually no evidence supporting the idea that one technique is superior over another. But there is strong research evidence for the therapist’s increased effectiveness when responding to an individual client’s particular problems and goals. This means to be effective and truly helpful therapists need to understand what the individual client wants and how they will use therapy to achieve those goals.

Control-mastery is more a stance than a list of techniques based on an empirically derived method of case formulation, called the Plan Formulation. The Plan Formulation approach provides a learnable framework for understanding a client’s conscious and unconscious goals, the beliefs and obstacles that prevent the client from pursuing their reasonable goals toward a more satisfying and functional life, traumatic experiences that contributed to the development of those obstacles, and what the most helpful stance is that the therapist can take. This theory helps you understand not only what to do, but how to be a particular client’s therapist.

This workshop will provide participants with the Control-mastery case formulation method and how to use it, an understanding of how trauma shapes beliefs, both conscious and unconscious, how the therapist attitude can help to change those beliefs, and be more flexible, creative, and case specific with clients.

  • Using lecture, discussion, and in-depth case examples demonstrating the application of this stance, participants will:
  • Learn the fundamentals of Control-mastery Theory
  • Understand how this theory advocates for an individual “client-driven” approach
  • Develop an appreciation for how necessary countertransference is and how to utilize it to deepen their understanding of what the client is trying to resolve
  • Understand the Control-mastery perspective on trauma
  • Practice application of the principles of the theory on clinical cases