Social Work Workshops

Workshop A: Introduction to Sports Social Work
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs – Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Racism)
Instructor: Emmett Gill, PhD, MSW, LCSW

This workshop will provide foundational level understanding for participants interested in social work practice in sporting environments. The workshop will begin to prepare social workers to enter into employment opportunities designed to assist with athlete mental health at all levels of sport. The primary context for this workshop will be college and professional sports. The session will begin with an overview of mental health policies and provisions in college and professional sports. Next, a qualitative and quantitative overview of mental health disorders among college and professional sports will be provided. Lastly, groups will engage in a brief ecological systems case study.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will apply the multidimensional contextual perspective to examining athlete mental health.
2. Participants will begin to think about: a) athletes' functioning and problems, needs, and concerns of varying duration and onset, b) congruence with the athletes’ culture, c) fit with values and ethics of the profession in the context of athletic spaces, and d) applicability to athletic teams and systems.
3. Participants will begin to think about how to engage in self-evaluation when thinking about and/or practicing with athletes.
4. Participants will consider the factors related to ethical decision-making strategies and complex ethical legal dilemmas encountered in practice with athletes.

Workshop B: Breathwork for Mental Health & Nervous System Regulation
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs)
Instructors: Terese Weinstein Katz, PhD; Adrienne Rivera

This workshop introduces breathwork and mindfulness as practical tools for emotional well-being and nervous system regulation. Participants will explore how breath patterns directly influence mental health, emotional resilience, and physiological states of safety or stress. We will teach foundational nervous system concepts and offer simple, evidence-informed breath techniques that can be used in clinical practice or as personal self-regulation tools. The workshop also emphasizes the role of mindfulness in professional self-care and provides a trauma-informed lens for integrating these tools. Whether new to breathwork or looking to deepen an existing practice, participants will leave with accessible techniques to support clients and sustain their own emotional well-being.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will explain the connection between breathwork, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation, and their role in supporting mental health.
2. Participants will apply mindfulness and breath awareness techniques through a trauma-informed lens.
3. Participants will use breathwork and mindfulness as professional self-care tools to manage stress and reduce the risk of burnout.
4. Participants will demonstrate at least two breath techniques that can be used in clinical or professional settings to promote emotional regulation.

Workshop C: From Resistance to Resilience: Managing Treatment-Interfering Behaviors (TIBs) in Anxious and Obsessive Clients
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs – Anti-Discrimination; Anti-Racism)
Instructor: Jayme M. Valdez, LMHC

Clients struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies often exhibit treatment-interfering behaviors (TIBs) such as avoidance, over-control, task paralysis, reassurance-seeking, and resistance to change. These behaviors can stall progress, frustrate clinicians, and reinforce the very patterns clients hope to overcome. This workshop offers practical, compassionate strategies to address TIBs in the therapy room. Participants will learn to apply principles from Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Radically Open DBT, and Harm Reduction to increase engagement, reduce rigidity, and build resilience. The workshop will also examine how systemic oppression – including racism, ageism, and other forms of marginalization – can function as a treatment-interfering force itself, shaping both client behavior and clinician countertransference. Attendees will leave with tools to foster collaboration, enhance flexibility, and turn resistance into readiness for change.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify and manage treatment-interfering behaviors (TIBs), such as task paralysis and reassurance-seeking, in anxious and obsessive clients.
2. Participants will apply evidence-based interventions (MI, ACT, RO-DBT, and Harm Reduction) to elicit client cooperation in treatment and manage risk.
3. Participants will understand and recognize how systemic oppression affects therapeutic dynamics and client engagement in treatment.

Workshop D: Mediation 101: It's Not Just for Lawyers!
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs)
Instructor: Ben Stich, LICSW, MEd

After years of curiosity, Ben Stich took a mediation training and immediately saw how its values aligned with social work—empowerment, collaboration, and client-centered practice. Now a full-time family and divorce mediator, Ben helps clients communicate, problem-solve, and create durable, win/win outcomes.

This interactive session introduces the field of mediation to social workers.

Topics include:
• Conflict styles
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Core principles and stages of mediation
• Interest-based negotiation
• Foundational mediation skills
• Mediation models
• Applications in family, community, and workplace settings

Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how mediation works and how social workers can integrate it into their practices. The session includes activity, video, discussion, and lecture.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify the 5 principles of facilitative mediation.
2. Participants will identify the three styles of mediation.
3. Participants will learn the difference between positions, interests, and options.

Workshop E: Ethical & Legal Considerations for Clinical Practice
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs)
Instructor: Karen Dexter, JD, LICSW

This workshop will examine the intersection of ethics, legal obligations, and cultural humility in professional practice. Participants will explore the NASW Code of Ethics, diverse legal directives, and their applications in addressing real-world challenges and clinical decision making. Emphasizing cultural humility as a core principle, the course focuses on ethical compliance, decision-making, and navigating tensions in practice settings. Topics include telebehavioral health and multi-state practice, highlighting the evolving professional landscape. Participants will develop practical skills to analyze ethical dilemmas, consult legal and ethical standards, and manage practice environments with integrity.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify cultural humility as a core principle in fostering ethical and effective professional relationships.
2. Participants will become familiar with the NASW Code of Ethics and its practical applications.
3. Participants will understand the various sources of legal obligations and directives that impact practice.
4. Participants will identify the relationship between ethical principles and legal requirements.

Workshop F: The Effect of Media Influence on Mental Health Amid Societal Transformation
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs – Anti-Discrimination)
Instructors: Erika Reitz, MSW, LICSW; Shara Katsos, MSW, LICSW

This workshop aims to empower social workers to better support themselves and their clients as they navigate the intricate relationship between media and mental health in our rapidly changing society. The workshop will present current research, discuss the implications of media influence, how it impacts mental health, and provide strategies for change. This workshop will be both lecture-based and an interactive presentation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will develop strategies to assist in decreasing negative impacts of media among ourselves and those we serve.
2. Participants will learn how to educate clients about navigating media during times of social change.
3. Participants will explain the psychological mechanisms behind how media can influence mental health perceptions.

Workshop G: Nature Informed Therapy: How to Include Nature as a Co-Therapist
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs)
Instructor: Leigh Beck, DSW, LCSW-C, CNIT

This workshop introduces participants to Nature Informed Therapy, a therapeutic modality that integrates nature as a co-therapist with other mental health interventions. Participants will learn about the benefits of nature connection for populations served by the social work profession. They will be given the opportunity to try nature informed interventions and explore creative ways to integrate nature more into their daily practice.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will define nature informed therapy and how it is similar and different to other nature based interventions.
2. Participants will understand the mental and physical health benefits of increased nature connection for social workers and their clients.
3. Participants will apply nature informed interventions to improve depression and anxiety symptoms, address grief and loss, and reduce substance use related harm.

Workshop H: Supporting Children Through Grief and Loss
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs)
Instructor: Rebecca Brigham, LICSW

When a child experiences a loss, often parents and providers can be unsure how best to support them. Some kids may show behavioral or emotional changes after loss, while other kids may struggle to talk about the person they are grieving. This workshop will provide an overview of the ways that children may react to grief and loss, including important developmental considerations of how children understand and react to death and loss. We will then discuss how to help caregivers support their grieving child, while also acknowledging that many caregivers may themselves be grieving as well. Concrete interventions will also be discussed that may be helpful for grief work with children. Throughout the workshop, we will incorporate principles of trauma-informed care and talk about the similarities and differences between grief work and trauma-focused therapies for children.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will gain understanding of developmental considerations in how children process loss.
2. Participants will gain skills in helping parents to support their grieving child.
3. Participants will gain skills in providing direct grief support to children.

Workshop I: Strategic Counseling & Trauma-Informed Practice for Student Wellness
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs – Anti-Discrimination; Anti-Racism)
Instructors: Sherann Alkins, LICSW, CAGS; Yesenia Aguilar, LCSW

School-linked and school-based counselors are uniquely positioned at the intersection of care, equity, and leadership—but often undervalued in systems that prioritize compliance over connection. This session introduces the e⁴ Framework™, a dynamic, justice-anchored model for evolving school counseling practice. Participants will explore how to lead restorative, identity-affirming, and data-informed initiatives within their schools—without burning out or working in silos. Rooted in social-emotional development, applied systems theory, and cultural responsiveness, this workshop balances practical tools with bold imagination. Move beyond best practices and toward sustainable impact.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will analyze how school counseling insights can be strategically integrated into schoolwide systems to support student wellness and achievement.
2. Participants will apply a human-centered, equity-driven framework to elevate counseling practices that address trauma, identity, and access across diverse school communities.
3. Participants will utilize at least one implementation-ready tool to strengthen their leadership voice, collaborative influence, and daily counseling practice.

Workshop J: Navigating Section 12: Process, Practice, and Patient Impact
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs – Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Racism)
Instructors: Tobin Rodriguez, LICSW; Lily Walker Money, MSW

This interactive workshop explores the involuntary hospitalization process from both healthcare and client perspectives. Participants will examine the historical and legal foundations of civil commitment in Massachusetts, along with the cultural and systemic factors that influence its use. We will discuss how to navigate complex scenarios involving substance use and conditional suicidality, and explore alternatives to involuntary hospitalization. The workshop will also review what happens when an individual is committed through section 12 in the community, including timelines, evaluation, and treatment. Through case discussion and critical reflection, participants will consider how to promote trauma-informed, least restrictive care and examine opportunities for systemic change to improve outcomes for clients experiencing mental health crises.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will collaborate effectively with clients and interdisciplinary support teams to provide care that aligns with the least restrictive and most person-centered options.
2. Participants will critically examine their own beliefs, biases, and clinical workflows when responding to mental health crises, with an emphasis on ethical and trauma-informed decision-making.
3. Participants will analyze the concept of a mental health crisis through societal, systemic, and cultural lenses, deepening their understanding of how these factors shape assessment and intervention.

Workshop K: The NASW Code of Ethics: Navigating Difficult Clinical Cases
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs)
Instructors: Claire Davies, LICSW; Steve O'Neill, LICSW, BCD, JD

In this workshop led by a current member and an emeritus member of the NASW MA Ethics Committee, we will review the principles and core values that underlie the NASW Code of Ethics (COE) and revisions to the COE, present an ethical frame for decision-making and shared decision-making model, and review case examples using “Social Work Jeopardy”. Participants will come away with practical knowledge of how to utilize the COE to navigate challenging situations in the field as we bring the COE to life!

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will review the principles and core values that drive the NASW Code of Ethics.
2. Participants will discuss the shared decision-making model.
3. Participants will engage in live discussion around complex case examples of ethical dilemmas that can occur in social work practice.

Workshop L: Vicarious Trauma in Clinical Care
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs)
Instructors: Chandni Shroff, LICSW, MSW; Liz Belton, LICSW, MSW

This advanced workshop explores the complex impact of vicarious trauma on clinicians who provide care to individuals and communities affected by chronic adversity, abuse, and systemic injustice. Designed specifically for clinical mental health professionals, the session offers a deep dive into the psychological, emotional, and somatic toll of trauma exposure in clinical work. Participants will learn to recognize early warning signs of vicarious trauma, identify personal and organizational risk factors, and apply evidence-based tools to support resilience and professional sustainability. Emphasizing reflective practice and trauma-informed supervision, this training creates a space for clinicians to reconnect with their purpose, restore balance, and strengthen their capacity to do meaningful work without sacrificing personal well-being.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout in clinical settings, and distinguish these from typical occupational stress.
2. Participants will evaluate personal and organizational risk factors that contribute to vicarious trauma among clinicians working with trauma-exposed populations.
3. Participants will learn to apply evidence-based strategies and self-reflective practices to mitigate the impact of vicarious trauma and promote clinician resilience and well-being.
4. Participants will learn strategies to integrate trauma-informed supervision and peer support models into clinical practice to foster a culture of psychological safety and sustainability within care teams.

Workshop M: Understanding Sleep—A Foundation for Well-Being
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs)
Instructors: Maureen Slotnick, MBA, MSW; Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, MD

Hour One: Understanding Sleep—A Foundation for Well-Being
In Hour One, we’ll explore core sleep science—stages of sleep, circadian rhythms, and age-based needs—along with how poor sleep impacts mental health, learning, and chronic illness. We’ll also address how social determinants like trauma, poverty, and shift work shape sleep.

Hour Two: Tools for Supporting Better Sleep
Hour Two focuses on practical tools for better sleep: sleep hygiene, behavioral strategies, referral tips, and advocacy efforts like later school start times. We’ll discuss sleep’s role in job and athletic performance, how sleep changes with age, and how social workers can integrate sleep health into their practice.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will understand key sleep concepts and their relevance to health.
2. Participants will gain tools to help clients improve sleep habits in any social work setting.
3. Participants will explore how to incorporate sleep health education into everyday social work conversations, from schools to clinical care.

Workshop N: The Psychology of the Scam: Clinical Responses to Online Victimization
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (2 hours; 2 CEUs)
Instructors: Jennifer Lawrence, DSW, LICSW; Laura Michelson, MSW, LICSW

Cyber scams are a hidden but growing source of complex trauma for clients, often involving betrayal, isolation, and deep emotional harm. This workshop offers clinical social workers a concise overview of scam typologies and the psychological tactics used by perpetrators. Grounded in trauma theory and relational frameworks, participants will explore the emotional and behavioral responses of victims, including shame, dissociation, and secrecy. Through clinical case examples and discussion, attendees will learn how to identify online victimization and respond with empathy and skill. Participants will leave with tools and interventions they can use immediately in therapy.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify common cyber scams—including romance scams—and describe their emotional and psychological impact through a clinical, trauma-informed lens.
2. Participants will recognize behavioral indicators of online victimization during assessment and clinical sessions.
3. Participants will integrate evidence-informed strategies into practice to support clients recovering from financial betrayal, shame, and relational trauma resulting from cyber scams.

Workshop O: Therapeutic Benefits of Trauma Informed Improv and Play (TIIP)
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs)
Instructors: Sarah Carter, LMHC, RDT; Valerie Krpata, LICSW

This workshop will introduce and define the Trauma Informed Improv and Play (TIIP) principles and ReScripted group model as trauma-informed therapeutic improv interventions. Participants will learn the specific criteria that makes ReScripted a trauma-informed group therapy model, the theoretical underpinnings of Rescripted, and the program’s treatment trajectory. A summary of the most recent empirical data is also provided.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify four components of trauma informed care.
2. Participants will be able to explain interoception.
3. Participants will be able to summarize the core tenets and three treatment phases of TIIP.