top of page
CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

TOTAL IN-PERSON OR LIVE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE CEUs: 6.0 CEUs including 1.5 CEUs that fulfill IDFPR requirements of a training on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
HYBRID CONFERENCE (In-Person & Live Virtual): 10.5 CEUs including 1.5 CEUs that fulfill IDFPR requirements of a training on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

 

KEY:

 

  • CC = Cultural Competency Training

  • ALZ = Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Training

​SESSION 1: 9:00am–10:30am | 1.5 CEUs

Self-Care for Social Workers: 4 Major Hacks You Need!

This workshop begins with an interactive ice breaker geared to captivate and motivate attendees through laughter and engagement, thereby identifying the hidden stress social workers face daily. Attendees will learn quick ways to rejuvenate themselves, schedule (non-work) downtime, and prevent stressors and social worker overload.
Charisma Pryor MSW, LCSW
Owner/Therapist Inspirations of Courage, PLLC

Advocating for Survivors of Domestic Violence in Times of COVID
This workshop will help participants gain a deeper understanding of the process of obtaining an order of protection, particularly in Cook County, during current COVID times. Learn how to assist clients with information gathering and safety planning, how to prepare for an order of protection hearing, and learn about current resources available for survivors of domestic violence.
Virginia Torres Ryan, JD, LCSW
Owner, Family Horizons, PLLC

Telehealth for Social Workers: New Challenges and Approaches to Working with Clients
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted where we work and how we conduct our social work practice.  "Starting where the client is" takes on new meaning as engaging with clients virtually takes on new challenges. This workshop examines the changes involved with utilizing telehealth and explores new approaches/techniques for engaging with your clients. We will utilize lecture, case scenarios, and group discussion of the pros and cons of using telehealth, how to recognize and counter "Zoom fatigue" in social work practice, and strategies for adapting to this "new normal" format for social work and clinical interactions.
Jason Gerig, LCSW

Therapist, Head/Heart Therapy
 

SESSION 2: 10:45am–12:15pm | 1.5 CEUs

Self-Care: Beyond Mindfulness
This workshop aims to create a sustainable and consistent self-care practice for social workers working in all sectors of the field. Oftentimes social workers feel dejected when hearing the term “self-care” because it does not consider that some social workers are working in less than desirable conditions and that employers are not taking responsibility for overworking their employees at a less than desirable wage. This workshop will provide a multifaceted framework for utilizing self-care habits no matter what area or chapter of our careers we are in. This workshop will look at activities that can be done at home during free time. It will also focus on activities that can help social workers go into difficult situations/conversations and utilize what they have at their disposal to care for themselves when coming out of those situations.

Tara Genovese, LCSW
Psychotherapist, Private Practice

 

COVID, Vaccine Hesitancy, and the Social Worker's Role in Addressing Medical Mistrust in Black Communities (CC)
The medical community has an egregious history of harming individuals who are Black in the name of science; this has caused many Black communities to become hesitant and suspicious of medical institutions. Individuals who are Black are less likely to visit a medical institution, and those who visit are less likely to adhere to treatment plans due to apprehension and medical distrust. It's no surprise that when COVID emerged, Black communities were hesitant to receive the COVID vaccine. Many establishments and communities have invalidated and dismissed the Black community's hesitancy to receive the vaccine. It is a social worker's ethical principle to help people in need and to address social problems. Medical mistrust is the result of a larger social problem that social workers can contribute to in addressing. This workshop explores ways social workers can address medical mistrust in Black communities.

Donzell Lampkins, LCSW
LCSW, Private Practice

 

So You Think You Know Everything About Telehealth? Post-Pandemic Telehealth Law and Policy Considerations
Think you know everything about telehealth? The COVID-19 pandemic radically altered the provision of mental health services. Widely adopted as a matter of necessity, telehealth has been shown to be an effective treatment modality. However, as the emergency response phase of the pandemic gradually recedes, the legal and regulatory framework around telehealth remains a work in progress. Utilizing a game show structure, this workshop will focus on the post-pandemic reality resulting from the widespread adoption of telehealth and what the current legal landscape may look like moving forward. Policy considerations such as licensure and telehealth equity and access to care will also be a focus.

Joseph C. F. Willuweit, JD
Attorney, Monahan Law Group, LLC
Melissa Ludington, JD, MSW, LCSW
Attorney, Monahan Law Group, LLC

EDUCATIONAL LUNCHEON*: 12:30pm–2:30pm | 1.5 CEUs

*There will be a 30-minute break for lunch followed by a 90-minute CEU training.

Social Work with Persons Living with Dementia and their Families: Challenges and Opportunities (ALZ)
This course fulfills the new IDFPR requirement of a training on Alzheimer’s disease and other

dementias for 2021–2023 licensure renewal. More than 6 million Americans are living with some

form of neurocognitive impairment or dementia that can differ dramatically in the types of

symptoms they express. There are over 16 million adult family caregivers of persons with

dementia. Because of its progressive nature, dementia impacts families in a variety of ways.

Through the use of lecture and case presentation, this workshop will cover the diagnosis,

treatment, and care interventions for different dementia disorders and the critical role social

workers play in supporting individuals and families with the challenges they face over the course of the illness.
Darby Morhardt, PhD, LCSW
Professor, Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

 

SESSION 3: 2:45pm–4:15pm | 1.5 CEUs


When the Social Worker Needs a Social Worker
COVID-19 and the parallel social unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd placed social workers in an unusual situation—simultaneously assisting clients while experiencing the same crises affecting their clients. In a profession that highlights the importance of maintaining boundaries, social workers were forced to work in situations that revealed more about themselves than they had ever revealed before. This workshop will take attendees through an examination of their professional identity and ask for an examination of whether this changed after the pandemic. There will be opportunities to explore what positive practices were developed and what negative habits were identified. Finally, a plan for ongoing self-care to best fortify the social worker's soul will be done.
Sandra Bankston, MSW, LCSW
Therapist, Lake County State's Attorney's Office

 

Impact of COVID and Teletherapy on the Complex Trauma Client Treatment: Art Beyond the Science
The treatment of patients with trauma-related symptoms is complex and difficult. This is especially true during COVID and when using teletherapy. A treatment approach that is both flexible yet structured enough to guide clinical decision-making is vital. This workshop offers specific guidelines for organizing therapy, assisting the client to identify relevant goals, introducing work on trauma-related issues, and suggests specific practice points that can assist clients and clinicians in designing and modifying treatment and the effects of COVID/teletherapy.
John L. Levitt, PhD, LCSW, ACSW, FAED
Director, Alternatives Center for Counseling

 

Best Practices in Telehealth: A Panel of Illinois Clinicians
Join our panel of Illinois clinicians for a conversation on best practices found in their transitions to tele-healthcare. Participants will hear first-hand accounts from our clinicians on the challenges and best practices they have found with telehealth. Time for Q & A will follow. Participants will leave this session with an understanding of a diverse panel's experience in this exciting and, oftentimes, challenging shift.
Moderator: Latesha Newson, MSW, LCSW
University Lecturer, Governors State University
Panelists: To be announced

 

e1c37a_2a7217fbec1849f18d2c41957daafc60~mv2.png
bottom of page