Summer 2023 Online Electives

This undergraduate course will provide a foundational understanding of human biology with emphasis on the biological bases of behaviors and issues of concern to social workers. This course is designed to meet the human biology prerequisites for Master of Social Work students, and will cover the basics of human biology, including anatomical systems and structures, development from conception through aging and death, genetics, evolution, and biological and environmental interactions. The focus of the course is not only on biology but also on the critical analysis of the interplay between human biology and social issues. Discussions will cover the biological bases of phenomena, including addictions, mental illness, sexuality and aggression. Emphasis throughout the course also will be placed on biological processes related to trauma and stress.

Course Introduction - In this video, Elaine Hammond provides a summary of what the course covers.

This course is organized primarily as a seminar that will highlight motivational interviewing approaches to help clients build commitment and reach a decision to change behavior. This course provides a forum for case presentation and discussion with an emphasis on discussing cases from students' field placements or practice settings. Theories of behavioral change will be discussed, and the transtheoretical model of intentional behavior change will be highlighted as an integrative framework for understanding the process of behavior change.

Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based practice for addictive behaviors, but applications have been extended to behavioral change in general, including social work, mental health, health promotion, general medical care, corrections, and community and organizational settings. In addition, the course will discuss motivational interviewing's application to practice with “mandated” clients.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course is aimed at developing the knowledge and skills necessary for working with individuals who have a diagnosis of serious mental illness using recovery-oriented, evidence-based practices. Students will learn to examine research literature to determine the various levels of support for specific interventions and essential principles for translating research into practice. In addition, they will identify the appropriate treatment outcomes that reflect effective, quality, mental health practice. Each evidence-based practice presented will also be examined for its utility with diverse groups.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course will provide an introduction of theoretical frameworks of trauma throughout the life span. An overview of types of trauma and the impacts of trauma on the individual, family and community will be examined. Information on treatment methods, clinical applications and evidence-based practices used to address and treat trauma will be provided.

This course is approved for CEUs.

Solution-focused practice has been widely used in the counseling, medical, education and business fields. This hybrid course will present the origin, principles, theory, research and application of solution-focused work through both online course material and classroom instruction. Students will develop the knowledge base to use this intervention approach in multiple settings. The differential application of solution-focused techniques based on assessment, treatment plans and ethical practice guidelines will be explored. A major emphasis will be placed on skill development and implementation. Participants will be expected to engage (both in class and online) in case discussions, experiential exercises, role plays and simulations that integrate theory with practice.

This course provides a general introduction to the fields of abnormal psychology and clinical psychiatry.  Specifically, this course will acquaint students with the epidemiology, classification and etiology of the major forms of mental illness. It is the primary aim of this course to develop the student’s diagnostic skills in clinical settings. To that end, didactic emphasis will be placed not only on the study of psychopathological symptoms and behaviors, per se, but also on their manifestations in everyday life. Specific attention is paid to the ethical and social work value-related problems associated with diagnosing and labeling clients with a psychiatric disorder, and issues of race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities or illness, age and national origin as they influence the manifestations of behaviors that may be diagnosed as mental illness or affect the presentation of mental illness. Case studies and videos will be used to ensure that students have an effective working knowledge of: the biological and psychosocial bases of the major mental disorders; the behavioral symptomatology that characterizes them; and their classification according to the American Psychiatric Association system of classification of mental illness and the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases. This course also addresses the role of social workers as advocates for people with mental disorders and as environmental change agents.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course will provide a dual focus on alcohol and other drug problems and the family, examining: the impact of alcohol and other drug problems on families, and assessment and intervention strategies appropriate for these family systems and their individual family members, including children and adults.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course provides a general introduction to the assessment and treatment of behavior problems of childhood and adolescence. The course will review classification and etiology of major mental health disorders within the contexts of normal and abnormal mental and emotional development of children and adolescents, and family, peer group, school and community. The ethical considerations related to the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with behavior disorders will be examined. The impact of trauma, family factors, culture and oppression on the development, naming and treatment of behavior disorders will be highlighted. Strategies employed to treat children, adolescents and their families will also be addressed.

This course is an introduction to the principles, strategies, and the spirit of the Motivational Interviewing (MI) approach to help clients build commitment and reach a decision to change problematic behaviors. The theoretical basis of MI lies in the construct of “ambivalence” and the conflict between indulgence and restraint that is so prevalent when clients consider behavior change. The difficulty in changing problematic behaviors is an occurrence that extends well beyond “addictive behaviors.” The immobilizing effects of ambivalence can be seen in many practice spheres. In addition, the course will discuss MI’s application to practice with “mandated” and “resistant” clients.

This course will provide a general introduction to cognitive-behavioral therapy. The student will be introduced to the behavioral, cognitive and emotional systems. They will learn how to develop conceptualizations that connect client problems with potential interventions to address these problems. Interventions will include stimulus control, behavioral activation, contingency management, skills training, distress tolerance and exposure therapy. Cognitive-behavioral interventions for several disorders will be addressed, including insomnia, depression, and alcohol use disorder. Strategies for engaging clients in treatment will be highlighted throughout.

This program will provide in-depth training in evidence based treatments for youth experiencing depression, suicidal ideation/urges, anxiety and trauma. Whether your young client is struggling with depression, suicidal urges, anxiety or the effects of trauma, these youth friendly tools will help your client learn essential skills to manage and build a healthy life. 

Through the use of structured therapeutic activities, client handouts and worksheets attendees will learn how to implement a variety of interventions with youth such as: CBT case conceptualization; mindfulness practices; non-judgmental self-awareness & mood monitoring; behavioral activation; cognitive processing & restructuring; imagino & and in-vivo exposure therapy; distress tolerance; social skills training; prolonged exposure; trauma narrative; suicide risk assessment and safety planning; behavioral chain analysis, how to quell Autonomic Nervous System arousal; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as well as Positive Psychology interventions such as “what went well today”, gratitude & self-compassion and many more.

This training will provide a valuable set of clinical tools to complement traditional CBT interventions and enhance your clinical competency with youth. 

This course will focus on using Dialectical Behavior Therapy theory and interventions to assess and intervene with problematic behavior patterns including behaviors associated with suicidality and self-harm, substance use, and impaired functioning. Marsha Linehan’s theory, psychoeducational material, and phases of treatment will be reviewed and practiced with didactic and experiential methods.

This intermediate level course is designed for students and practitioners who have some training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and have applied basic skills with a client population.  Building upon the Spirit of MI and understanding of ambivalence and stages of change, the course will explore ways of responding to challenging conversations and focusing conversations. Using advanced moves with the basic strategies of Open Questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries, we will practice tipping the scales of sustain talk to the direction of change talk. Training activities will focus on understanding the role of trauma and trauma-informed care during assessment and planning phases, giving advice in an MI-adherent style, and supporting clients for action steps toward their goals. Participants will also learn about the role of trauma in conflict and responding to upset and angry clients. We will approach MI content from a trauma-informed perspective, combining trauma informed approaches with MI for working with marginalized populations.

Prerequisite:

This is an intermediate level course. Previous coursework or continuing education in Motivational Interviewing that prepared the learner with the foundational theories in the Spirit of MI, Stages of Change, and an introduction to the OARS, and either client or peer practice with the techniques, is required. We will build on this foundational practice.