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Special Topics

Advancing
Social Change

Enhance your care and career.

Human service professionals work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities to promote social justice and social change. We provide training on relevant Special Topics, developed to promote awareness and sensitivity of cultural and ethnic diversity to ensure we collectively live and practice core values.

Caregiver with client outside
female counselor focused on patient

Introduction to Emotionally Focused Therapy

April 11 & 12, 2024 (In-Person)
Tundra Lodge, Lombardi Avenue, Green Bay
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Fee: $249

Healthy relationships are central to human health and happiness. Research consistently shows that secure attachment and emotionally satisfying bonds are essential elements of mental and physical well-being. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is uniquely capable of establishing and restoring supportive bonds among individuals, couples and families. In this Introduction to EFT, you will be introduced to the methods and skills to help you deepen your clients' emotions and experiences, creating lasting change in themselves and their relationships. Continuing Education: 1.2 CEUs/12 CEHs.

  • Introduction to attachment theory and the process of EFT
  • Learn and practice the basic EFT interventions for assembling and deepening emotion
  • Outline attachment science as a guide to psychotherapy

Register 

instructor Jennifer Olkowski
Jennifer Olkowski
Jennifer is a mental health therapist with over 20 years of experience helping clients move through their crises, challenges and life adjustments.
instructor Jessica Schroeder
Jessica Schroeder
Jessica is the owner and clinical director of JS Therapy Group, LLC which has three locations located in the Kansas City metro.
woman comforting another woman

Crisis De-escalation & Interventions for Mental Health Therapists

May 10, 2024 (In-Person)
Tundra Lodge, Lombardi Avenue, Green Bay
8:30-12:30 p.m.
Fee: $109

This presentation is designed to equip mental health professionals with essential skills and strategies to effectively manage and de-escalate crisis situations in any setting. This presentation focuses on fostering a safe and supportive environment while addressing the needs of individuals in distress. Participants will learn to recognize signs of escalating crises, employ evidence-based techniques to defuse tension, and prioritize the emotional well-being and safety of clients and provider alike. Continuing Education: 0.4 CEUs/4 CEHs.

  • Identify common triggers that escalate crisis situations
  • Explore de-escalation principles, including active listening, empathy, and validation
  • Understand the importance of personal safety and boundaries while managing crisis situations

Register 

Instructor Ignacio Enriquez
Ignacio Enriquez

Ignacio Enriquez was a fifteen-year police officer in the State of Wisconsin and has four years of experience as a juvenile corrections officer in the State of California. Ignacio served as a patrol officer, school resource officer and as a behavioral health officer.

As a behavioral health officer, Ignacio was responsible for conducting crisis interventions, safety planning, and connecting citizens to mental health services. Ignacio is a trained hostage crisis negotiator and served as the department’s main resource of mental health and substance abuse information and training and was a founding member of the Officer Wellness Committee; furthermore, he was a peer support officer for the department. Ignacio earned a master’s degree in professional counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

man social worker sitting on couch talking with child

Youth Mental Health

August 1 & 8 (In-Person)
UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Fee: $109

This course is intended to create insight while building relationships and communicating with youth. Topics will include current youth issues such as social media, bullying, body image and school-related violence. A foundation regarding the building blocks of thought and personality is included to help understand the origin of thoughts and feelings. Continuing Education: 0.4 CEUs/4 CEHs.

  • Understand the reality of the person living with brain change
  • Explore how our communication can support or conflict with our intentions in caring for people living with brain change
  • Practice skills to change how we respond to people living with brain change

Register 

instructor Elizabeth Cramer
Elizabeth Cramer

Elizabeth’s clinical work began in 2008 and has included residential, AODA, partial hospitalization and outpatient treatment. Elizabeth has worked with a variety of populations including Native American tribes, adolescents, couples and families. 

In addition to clinical sessions, she works with businesses and organizations to implement change management to reduce burn out and workplace stress and is passionate about sharing mental health through her workshops and keynote speeches. Elizabeth holds a master's degree in multicultural counseling) and certifications in hypnotherapy, trauma counseling and Neurolinguistics (NLP). 

senior woman sitting on bed with pills in hand

Elders & Substance Abuse: The Invisible Crisis

August 23, 2024 (Virtual)
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Fee: $79

This workshop will address one of the fastest growing health issues for elders in the United States: substance use. The reasons for this growth and current invisibility of the issue will be examined, as well as factors that place elders at higher risk. In addition, age-related changes that make prescribing challenging will be explored and attention given to screening and treatment. Continuing Education: 0.3 CEUs/3 CEHs.

  • Identify risk factors for substance use in elders
  • Understanding the growth and invisibility of substance use in older adults
  • Addressing treatment approaches for older adults with substance use disorders 

Register 

instructor Tracy Schroepfer
Tracy Scroepfer

Tracy Schroepfer, Ph.D., is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work and a recipient of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar Award.

Her teaching and research are informed by her former practice as a hospice social worker and prior and current national service. Her research focuses on determining the best strategies for meeting the psychosocial, cultural and spiritual needs of elders, as well as strategies for reducing health disparities faced by medically underserved communities in Wisconsin. 

woman caregiver helping an elderly man walk at assisted living facility

The Fish Approach to Dementia Care

October 10, 2024 (Virtual)
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Fee: $49

This workshop focuses on communication strategies that build trust, understanding, and improves relationships between care partners and people living with brain changes. We will explore the communication snags that get us stuck in the weeds and how to adjust our responses by "getting in the water." Continuing Education: 0.2 CEUs/2 CEHs.

  • Understand the reality of the person living with brain change
  •  Explore how our communication can support or conflict with our intentions in caring for people living with brain change
  • Practice skills to change how we respond to people living with brain change

Register 

instructor Sheri Fairman
Sheri Fairman

Sheri Fairman has a Master's degree in Social work with over 10 years of experience working with the elderly and their care partners. She is a Certified Independent Trainer and Consultant with Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care and works as a mentor on her team.

 She has worked as a Dementia Care Specialist with the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Brown County and received extensive training in a variety of topics related to dementia. Sheri Fairman is owner of Dementia Care Solutions and provides consulting, coaching, training, and presentations specific to quality dementia care.

two white women in therapy session

Challenging Our Inner Becky: Interventions in White Women-ness in Social Work

October 25, 2024 (virtual)
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Fee: $109

Race and gender work together in specific and patterned ways and can manifest in problematic behaviors from white women who are in the helping professions and doing equity work. Many white women engage with clients and colleagues (and society writ large) using ways of being that are shaped by white supremacy, despite stated commitments against it. These “Becky behaviors” are patterned and act as significant barriers to advancing equity and antiracism in our professional lives. In this session, we will examine five of the most common socialized tendencies that white women exhibit in the workplace, with some specific attention to how denial and control are at their roots. We will then explore some of the promising practices engaged by white women who seek to interrupt their racially-gendered conditioning. We will conclude by developing alternatives to denial and defensiveness and uncover some of the significant opportunities that arise when white women co-power and show up differently to advance the work of racial equity in our institutions. Continuing Education: 0.4 CEUs/4 CEHs.

  • Develop/deepen a frame for understanding behaviors as racialized and gendered; (white woman-ness)
  • Recognize when and how white women-ness is being deployed in ways that damage clients, colleagues and the larger profession
  • Explore the promising practices, self reflection tools, and avenues for feedback that open up space for a more effective and antiracist practice of social work

Register 

Instructor Emily Drew
Emily Drew, Ph.D.

Emily Drew is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology at Willamette University, where she teaches courses about racism.


person with phone and locking symbol

AI Chatbots Writing Like Humans? Implications for Social Work Education & Practice

December 6, 2024 (virtual)
12-2 p.m.
Fee: $59

ChatGPT, Bard, Claude and other chatbots have been in the headlines for their ability to write everything from jokes to policy briefs and treatment plans -- in seconds and for free. Educators have seen that AI can write realistic student papers, including citations and personal anecdotes. Professionals have seen that AI can generate realistic work-related writing such as marketing materials and user instructions. What are the implications for social workers? In this interactive online event, we invite social workers to learn about chatbots in mental health and human services and discuss our experiences, concerns and points of excitement. Participants will have the opportunity to share perspectives and will leave with new ideas from peers, together with a reading list to learn more about the potential impacts on social work education and the social work profession. Prior to attending the online event, participants are asked to create a ChatGPT or Bard account for the interactive portion. Continuing Education: 0.2 CEUs/2 CEHs.

  • Understand the background on chatbot technologies for mental health
  • Develop new ideas for effectively integrating chat technologies into social work practice
  • Understand the ethical and bias considerations of using chatbots in practice

Register 

instructor Lauri Goldkind
Lauri Goldkind
Lauri Goldkind, PhD, LMSW, is an associate professor at Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service and the editor in chief of the Journal of Technology.
instructor Alexis Spec Glennon
Alexis Speck Glennon
Alexis Speck Glennon, DSW, LCSW-R, is an assistant professor at Colby-Sawyer College and has a clinical practice specializing in treating trauma.
side view of senior woman welcoming guestmale social worker taking care of senior womansmiling bipoc senior woman talking at dining tablewooden dominoes on grey table

Be the
Change

Self-paced Special Topics courses offered in collaboration with Aspire Training.

We have collaborated with Aspire Training to offer a UW-Green Bay discount on self-paced courses that fulfill Special Topics requirements. Your choice of bundles or individual courses in wide-ranging topics, including therapeutic communication, harm reduction, service plans, multiculturalism and more. 

Learn More

Ethics and Boundaries

Our courses in Ethics and Boundaries are rooted in the core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence.

Stay Rooted in Your Core Values  

Kayle Petitjean

Need Guidance?

If you need additional guidance, please contact Kayle Petitjean, Office of Professional Continuing Education, at professionaled@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2642.

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