Past Courses

As our population continues to age, it is important that social workers have a good understanding of what caring for an aging parent looks like, who a family caregiver is, and what are some of the tasks of caring for an aging parent. All of us will, at some point, be in the position of caring for an aging parent, if we have not, already, or will have a client who is in this role. The workshop will also provide an overview of what elder abuse is and who is considered an older adult. In addition, the NASW Code of Ethics and the NASW Standards of Practice for Social Work Practice with Family Caregivers of Older Adults will be woven throughout the workshop.

In the words of psychiatrist Steve Kisely, there is “no mental health without oral health.” Decades of research evidence have shown the ways that behavioral health and wellbeing are impacted by oral health: for example, one’s ability to smile with friends and family, get past a job interview, live without chronic pain, get a good night’s sleep, and maintain a varied diet. People living with psychiatric disabilities and substance use disorders are particularly vulnerable to oral health problems. For example, people with psychiatric disabilities have triple the odds of losing all their teeth. Accessing oral health care and successfully completing dental treatment plans is greatly facilitated when patients are well prepared for their appointments, have learned methods to regulate their dental anxiety, and feel confident that the dental team is on their side. The behavioral health provider can therefore play a key role in the success of a person’s oral health recovery and multifactor pain management trajectory.

In this course, behavioral health providers such as social workers, nurses, physicians, and care managers will learn the basics of the oral health: why it is important, how it is linked to behavioral health and chronic pain, what key facts about oral health to share with clients, and where to find resources. Learners will leave the course with practical information that can be applied to social work and other behavioral health practice.

Full scholarships are available for the first 70 registrants who work in safety net behavioral health settings, such as Community Mental Health (CMH), the VA system, and forensic systems of care. Please reach out to [email protected] for details. Scholarships are provided from a grant from the Delta Dental Foundation to the University of Michigan.

This 3-hour CEU course is designed for LLMSW, LMSW, and mental health professionals who wish to enhance their therapeutic skills with advanced techniques in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and resourcing. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of EMDR therapy, including its history, core principles, and the eight phases of treatment. The course will also delve into the application of resourcing techniques, with a special focus on the Container technique.

This course will focus on the usage of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) with the Queer community in addressing mental health concerns. The Queer community experiences a large amount of discrimination, both on a micro and macro lens that leads to ongoing stressors. These stressors and environmental factors lead to a higher prevalence rate of mental illness within the Queer community. DBT, an evidence-based psychotherapy, has been shown to be beneficial for overall mental health, addressing self-injurious behaviors, emotional challenges, Major Depressive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This course will address how to apply and use DBT with clients from the LGBTQIA2S+ community in an affirming and validating way.

This course will cover Minority Stress Theory, and Biosocial Theory as well as review and introduce skills from the 4 core modules of DBT, mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and effective communication.

Note: This course is available for free to U-M SSW alumni as part of our Alumni Webinar Series, which features invited alumni speakers. Please know that non-alumni participants are welcome to register as well!

Americans have historically been optimists. But that's changed significantly in recent decades. Trust in almost all institutions has fallen significantly, many people don't believe the news they see or read, and these realities create significant problems for agencies and their leaders.

In this webinar, we'll identify the benefits of optimism, discuss why optimism is hard for many today, and offer six practical methods for maintaining/increasing your optimism, and for helping others do the same.

In this online workshop, participants will learn how to support infants, very young children, and older children who are who have differences in sex development (intersex variations) and their parents. This training will address the importance of affirming language and avoiding stigmatizing language.

This session will focus on self-determination and, centering the voice of the child with intersex variations and deferring decisions on medical care when there is no life-threatening condition.

This workshop will focus on the importance of implementing child-centered, gender-affirming care so that all children can live healthy, affirmed lives. It is designed to equip providers to help families and children quickly and effectively during these sensitive moments.

Social work, a profession with roots in advocacy and social justice, is uniquely positioned to adopt a leadership role in providing evidence-based, ethically informed services to persons with intersex variations.

This webinar explores the critical role of forensic social work in addressing the broader social determinants of health and advocating for abolition and reform within the legal and criminal justice systems. Participants will understand how forensic social workers can influence policy, provide essential support to individuals involved in the justice system, and promote systemic changes that foster justice and equity.

Note: This course is available for free to U-M SSW alumni as part of our Alumni Webinar Series, which features invited alumni speakers. Please know that non-alumni participants are welcome to register as well!

This webinar explores the critical role of forensic social work in addressing the broader social determinants of health and advocating for abolition and reform within the legal and criminal justice systems. Participants will understand how forensic social workers can influence policy, provide essential support to individuals involved in the justice system, and promote systemic changes that foster justice and equity.