Willa J. Casstevens. PhD
In-person

Fri, September 29, 2023
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
5 CECs

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

Classroom location will be in your confirmation email.

The population of older adults in the USA is growing rapidly. Moreover, older adults have been and continue to be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, now endemic among us. The global pandemic threatened individual and familial economic security, increased social isolation, and negatively affected individual physical and mental health, as well as social well-being. For many older adults this has led to increased anxiety and depression, and ongoing grief due to the loss of loved ones.

Recommended interventions have included physical activity, human touch, an increase in economic support policies, programs to address mental health concerns, and training on mindfulness and self-help skills, such as meditation. Group work stands out as a treatment modality that can be used effectively in all these contexts.

Social group work is a non-hierarchical and strengths-based practice incorporating purposeful activity and mutual aid. Joanne Sulman, a social group worker of over 50 years working with older adults, notes that social group work provides connection, a space for sharing of experience, and feelings of inclusion in a community of people. Active engagement, very effective when working with older adults, is an important part of this process.

Imagine the possibilities – how can you use social group work in your practice with older individuals?

Group work with older adults can include fitness programs, craft groups, choirs, bridge clubs, etc. In the context of mental health, social group work can offer peer support, help navigating losses, and the opportunity to learn and/or improve coping strategies. This approach also fits well with both occupational and recreational therapy.

This workshop includes both didactic and experiential activities. Space is included for group discussion, as well as group work activities and reflection. We will conduct group activities, reflect on experiences, and consider ways to apply this material and these shared experiences in practice settings.

This workshop will enable you to:

• gain an understanding of major life challenges older adults face and explore how social group work can be utilized to support individuals in coping with aging-related issues
• explore factors that contribute to healthy aging and creatively consider ways social group work can be a valuable resource in supporting and enhancing this process
• learn how to incorporate connectedness, active participation, and independence within group work sessions for older adults, fostering a sense of community and empowerment
• enhance skills needed to develop and implement purposeful group activities tailored to the needs of older individuals in order to improve overall well-being and quality of life.

Liz Davis, LICSW

In-person Seminar
Mon, August 7, 2023
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
5 CECs

$100 – UConn SSW Alumni & Current Field Instructors
$125 – All Others

Room location will be included in your confirmation email.

It can often feel intimidating and even create dread for a group worker to be tasked with a mandated group. You might wonder, “what if no one wants to be here and what am I going to do with that?” This workshop will focus on how we can shift from an experience of anxiety and dread to a confident approach that engages our curiosity and creativity. Often if we can shift our perspective and approach, we can help our clients make that shift too. In this workshop, we will identify and increase our understanding of the experiences and behaviors that may show up for involuntary group members during the various group stages. With this increased understanding, we can better address the challenges both with the group and within ourselves that may arise.

We will also discuss practical tools, activities, and interventions to engage involuntary clients on a variety of different topics. Involuntary clients are often either mandated to attend groups addressing specific issues or they’re mandated to a setting such as a treatment center or correctional setting where they’re also required to participate in groups. As a facilitator it is not easy to strike the perfect balance between teaching the curriculum and keeping the group members engaged with each other, the material, and active in the session. Using knowledge and experiences gained from groups focusing on topics such as intimate partner violence, trauma, grief, and DBT Skills, this workshop will provide examples of how you might strike that balance.

The workshop will be both instructional and experiential. Small and large group discussion, group activities and case examples will be used to demonstrate different approaches and interventions. We will develop a safe space for you to share your own group successes and concerns and apply the seminar material to the groups you are currently facilitating.

This seminar will enable you to:

• gain knowledge and skills for facilitating groups with involuntary clients.
• discuss and practice activities and interventions to support group discussion and engagement on specialized topics.
• increase our understanding of involuntary group members’ experiences and behaviors during the various group stages.
• learn about skills that leaders can use to address group challenges while staying in connection and building group cohesion.

Joan Letendre, PhD, LCSW
Tues, June 27, 2023
9:30 am – 4:oo pm
In-person: SSW Building, 38 Prospect St, Hartford – Room 113
5 CECs – includes one hour of content on cultural competency

$100 – UConn SSW Alumni & Current Field Instructors
$125 – All Others

The field of social group work has always used groups to bring members together to share common concerns, provide support and mutual aid, solve problems, and learn new skills. Practice today requires clinicians to use group work models to work with differing client populations in a variety of settings. The social isolation and loneliness experienced by many during the pandemic has shown us that people need connection and groups are one way to bring people together. Understanding the needs of the members and the group at differing stages of the group. can help facilitators to intervene in a way that fosters communication and promotes positive interactions.

In this first workshop of the group work series, we will focus on understanding a stage model of group development which includes:

• planning with careful attention to factors that will influence the group (Why this group? Who will be in the group? What is the purpose? What type of group? What will we do? When will we meet and for how long?)
• beginning the group with a focus on engagement of members and sharing of goals and development of norms
• the working stage which focuses on developing cohesions with attention to roles, challenging behaviors and conflict
• ending and evaluation with a focus on saying good-bye, evaluating gains and generalizing skills to situations outside of the group

Attention to diversity of membership and types of groups will be included as we discuss the stages of group development. We will focus on the challenges and strategies for working with open ended groups which allow members to enter and exit at different times, the use of evidence and skill-based curricula mandated by many agencies to build skills and the use of virtual groups which were developed to provide services during pandemic. Each of these groups has their benefits but challenge practitioners to adapt differing strategies to engage members, provide a safe space and develop a cohesive group.

This seminar will enable you to:

• learn how to adequately plan for a group
• understand the needs of members and the group during each stage of development
• learn and practice the skills that leaders use at each stage to facilitate engagement and positive interactions
• adapt knowledge and skills to facilitate groups that are open ended, use curricula and are facilitated in the virtual environment.
• develop strategies that help members to problem solve group challenges in ways that contribute to interpersonal skill development
• learn how to evaluate both the content and process experience of the group

Thomas Broffman, PhD, LICSW, CAADAC, CCS, CEAP
Mon, July 10 and 17, 2023 (2 days)
Webinar
9 am – 12 pm
6 CECs

$120 – UConn SSW Alumni & Current Field Instructors
$150 – All Others

While only one behavioral addiction is officially recognized by DSM-5 (disordered gambling), a second is now a “Condition for Further Study” (Internet Gaming Disorder) and many more are likely to follow in subsequent editions of DSM. This 2 session webinar will focus on the recognition of behavioral addiction through a deeper understanding of the theoretical framework of any addictive disorder. It is likely that counselors in all settings will encounter clients with behavioral addictions, and we should be prepared and willing to address these addictions. Rather than assuming this type of clinical work requires a brand-new set of skills, clinicians need only to add to their previously established skill set to address behavioral addictions. There is a lot of shame around addiction in general and behavioral addictions specifically. Many clients may present with other issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, relational conflict, low self-esteem) rather than disclose an addiction to sex, gaming, gambling, food, shopping, exercise or another behavior. The “Four C’s” that can help counselors identify behavioral addictions are:

1. If the behavior is compulsive.
2. If the individual has lost control over their behavior.
3. If the behavior continues despite negative consequences.
4. If the individual experiences cravings or mental preoccupation with the behavior when not engaging

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

• Demonstrate practical knowledge on behavioral addiction and articulate its activity in terms useful in a clinical setting
• Describe the effects behavioral addictions
• Describe the process for diagnosing behavioral addiction and differentiating the symptoms of behavioral addiction from those of other medical or psychiatric disorders
• Describe the screening tools for various behavioral addictions
• Explain the various pharmacologic and psychosocial treatments for behavioral addictive disorders and describe the factors that should be considered in selecting a treatment modality to match the needs of a specific patient
• Describe the precipitants of relapse and current evidence-based practices to prevent and manage relapse

Fri, January 19, 2024
9 am – 12 pm
Instructor: Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-II

This workshop seeks to help social work supervisors to support staff working with children and families in crisis using various supervision models. Supervisors will learn to guide their staff in assessing the diverse needs, strengths, and limitations of their clients. The workshop will also explore techniques to support staff in ethical practice and effective communication with children, family members and family groups.

Learning Objectives (Supervisory Best Practices):

1. Support supervisees in understanding and recognizing signs and symptoms of mental illness in children and adolescents
2. Teach supervisees to comprehensively assess the needs of children and their families in crisis
3. Engage supervisees in collaborating with inter-professional teams to engage appropriate systems in response to clients’ needs
4. Guide supervisees in developing effective communication with children and their families
5. Support supervisees to use culturally informed, ethical, and equitable approaches to working with children and their families
6. Assist supervisees in navigating complex issues of confidentiality and mandated reporting in service to children and families

Qur-an Webb, MSW

Webinar
Wed, May 24, 2023
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
1.5 CECs

Children in foster care often face many obstacles, including the opportunity to participate in sports. Unfortunately, many children in foster care are unable to participate due to systemic constraints and other barriers. Participating in sports can provide numerous benefits for children, including improved physical health, greater socialization skills, and an increased sense of belonging. Qur-an Webb brings his unique experience as both a social worker in the child welfare field and as the co-founder of the Association of Black Sports Officials. Mr. Webb designed this training to help attendees understand the issues that foster children face in sports and how to encourage their participation.

Participants in this webinar will learn:

• the benefits of sports for kids in foster care
• the challenges and obstacles foster kids face in participating in sports
• how to encourage participation and provide necessary support

Donald F. deGraffenried, LCSW, Senior EMDR Trainer
April Minjarez, PhD, LMFT, Senior EMDR Trainer

Fri, March 17, 2023 – In-person
9:00 am – 4:30 pm
6 CECs
This training is approved by the EMDR International Association for 6.00 credits. Approval #08012-19.

$120 – UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors
$150 – All Others

This in-person training is suitable for all levels of EMDR practitioner, however participants must have at a minimum taken Part I EMDR Training, by an EMDRIA Approved training provider. Only those who have fully completed EMDR Part II training, will be able to claim and use EMDRIA credits towards certification or recertification.

Homicide is a stark reality in the United States and claimed over 24,576 victims in 2022. The EMDR Recent Event Protocol is a key tool used in the treatment of victims/survivors and offers a structured and effective way for clients to desensitize and recover from the trauma of the murder of a loved one.

Co-Trainers April Minjarez, Ph.D. and Donald F. deGraffenried, LCSW, will explore the effective use of the Recent Event Protocol as it pertains to homicide victims and victims of other violent crimes. This will include a review of the protocol, engagement of the client, assessment, and effective use of a ten session, time-limited model of treatment. This seminar will also address the use of EMD, Eye Movement Desensitization, for desensitization when use of the full 8-phase protocol may not be possible.

The day will include a case study of successful treatment, including a demonstration via role-play of a simple visual tool to help in the assessment and treatment of the client. In addition, the trainers will explore the impact of historical trauma and how it pertains to race, class, and culture.

This seminar will include lecture and numerous, brief clinical examples of the successful use of EMDR Recent Event Protocol with homicide survivors and other victims of violence. An audiotape of an interview with a homicide survivor who has been treated with EMDR will also be used to bring “the voice of the survivor” into the training.

This seminar will enable you to:

• identify and describe the three crisis issues related to homicide and other violent crimes
• define the Recent Event Protocol/EMD and employ them in the assessment and treatment of trauma related to homicide and other crimes of violence
• demonstrate an understanding of the Visual Assessment Tool (VAT) in the assessment and treatment of homicide trauma/crimes of violence
• apply five or more specific EMDR techniques to work successfully with survivors of violence in community mental health settings
• experience and describe how historical trauma: race, class and culture are important in treatment
• understand the appropriate use of Phase One, Phase Two and Phase Three in the use of the Recent Event Protocol

Please bring a small stone that will easily fit in the palm of your hand. We will demonstrate a powerful, yet simple experience of mindfulness to use with clients or yourselves.

Catherine Ewing, LCSW, MDiv
Friday, March 24, 2023
In-Person
9:30 am – 1:30 pm
4 CECs

$80 – UConn SSW Alumni and Current Field Instructors
$100 – All Others

This workshop is a great follow up for those who have taken Fundamentals of Emotional Freedom Technique: Care for Clients and Practitioners, for those who have taken any Entry Level EFT class or been practicing on their own. Based on feedback from prior participants, a follow up class has proven helpful in deepening understanding and developing confidence in using EFT.

Getting comfortable using EFT comes with practicing on yourself and with clients who are generally well-functioning but may be struggling with anxiety, physical pain, intrusive thoughts, self-limiting beliefs or life changes. The more you use EFT and see the consistent positive results, the less strange it will feel and the more opportunities you will find to use it for your own self-care and for your clients.
This workshop will include a review of the Basic Recipe for tapping, including tapping points, set-up phrase and basic tapping protocol. Additional topics to be introduced and further explored will be the Personal Peace Procedure, Tapping to Install Positive Beliefs, Borrowing Benefits, and how EFT dovetails with the Law of Attraction.

There will be ample time for group tapping, demonstration with class participants, and Q&A.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop more comfort and confidence using EFT for self and with clients
• Understand the Personal Peace Procedure and its appropriate use
• Learn protocol for Tapping in Positive Beliefs
• Learn about the power of Borrowing Benefits in group settings
• Understand the energetic integration of EFT and the LOA