Continuing Education Course Catalog

This course will provide a basic understanding of trauma and the impact that trauma has on the body and how it presents in a psychotherapy setting. Trauma can come in many forms, ranging from societal and intergenerational trauma to singular events to chronic and complex life experiences. This course will examine how these traumatic events impact individuals, as well as note common reactions in clinicians and secondary exposure to trauma.

In addition to this, we will review three different types of trauma treatment, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, and Internal Family Systems Therapy, as types of avenues for treatment and how they work. This part of the training is not a certification and will serve as a starting point in different trauma treatments, as well as explore commonalities between the different treatment styles.

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

This course provides an exploration of somatic therapy, delving into its foundational principles and distinguishing it from mindfulness practices. Participants will learn to identify clinical populations and settings where somatic therapy can be particularly effective, including trauma survivors, individuals with anxiety or depression, and those experiencing chronic pain. Drawing from personal experience, the instructor will share practical examples of integrating somatic therapy into clinical practice, offering insights into techniques and approaches that have yielded positive outcomes. Participants will gain practical strategies for incorporating somatic interventions into their own clinical work, with emphasis on cultivating cultural humility and addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations. Additionally, the course will provide information on training options for further specialization in somatic therapy, empowering participants to deepen their understanding and skills in this transformative modality.

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.

This is a 2-hour self-paced online webinar discussing the use of DBT skills during CBT for Chronic Pain. The CBT-CP in this webinar is based on the Veterans Affairs Hospital developed CBT-CP. The manual can be found free online at: https://www.va.gov/PAINMANAGEMENT/docs/CBT-CP_Therapist_Manual.pdf#

CBT-CP has been found to be effective for decreasing catastrophizing, pain interference, pain intensity, and depression scores. Although CBT-CP is an evidence-based treatment, there are times in which a clinician and client may feel stuck. Thus, this presentation discussed Dialectical Behavior Therapy strategies that may be usefully employed during the course of CBT-CP.

Course created 2/4/2022

The Online Certificate in Disability Inclusion and Accessible Design (DIAD) is designed for social workers and other professionals who are interested in developing skills and sharpening their lens related to disability inclusion, and who strive to make their practice more accessible to and relevant for people with disabilities. The program faculty includes scholars, activists, and others working on the frontlines of disability inclusion and accessibility. Participants will learn about pertinent policy issues affecting people with disabilities, anti-ableist language and practices, accessible interpersonal clinical practice skills, disability inclusive community organizing skills, how to create inclusive management structures and organizational policies, among other topics. Participants will also receive training on American Disability Act (ADA) guidelines, understand the limitations of ADA standards, and gain the knowledge and skills to evaluate and assess built environments and institutional policies for ADA compliance and beyond.

Course created 9/9/2021