ASGW National Conference

Thursday, February 6, 2014!

The day you can learn more about group work while warming up in Florida!

Come early to the ASGW National Conference and attend one of two excellent pre-conference choices:

Experiential Learning: Personal Growth and Discussion of Skills as they are Being Utilized with
Drs. Ed Jacobs and Chris Schimmel (4.0 CEU’s)

This unique program will focus on members’ personal growth while also discussing the leadership skills that are being used to get members involved and engaged. Discussion will focus on deeper processing of exercises, skills needed to involve members while working at a deeper level with a member.  Also skills for taking members to deeper level will be demonstrated and discussed.  The use of theories will be demonstrated as members get more involved.  The use of various rounds will be demonstrated. Creative exercises will be conducted and processed.  There will be a balance of focusing on the group process and on teaching skills and techniques.  The presenters have done this in other settings quite successfully.

Legal & Ethical Issues in Group Work with Dr. Burt Bertram (4.0 CEU’s)

**Florida Licensees: Legal & Ethical Issues in Group Work with Burt Bertram qualifies for credit for Ethics and Boundary Issues licensure requirement. Rollins College Graduate Studies in Counseling is an approved provider of continuing education credit through the State of Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (BAP 363). 

Every professional activity provided by mental health professionals is potentially filled with legally and/or ethically challenging situations. The complexities of group work add another layer to these challenges because unique to group work is the requirement to carefully balance the needs of individual group members while at the same time protecting the overall functioning of the group.

Group workers have a responsibility to design and implement groups that address real needs and that are intentionally constructed to deliver desired outcomes. In addition, group workers should not allow groups to become ethical stepchildren. Groups deserve the same level of thoughtful preparation, supervision, consultation, and ethical practice as practitioners reserve for individual psychotherapy. Specifically this includes pre-screening, informed consent, and the creation of group norms that invite respect and safety. In the day-to-day conduct of the group, events will occur that require the group worker to take action. Managing confidentiality, privilege, and privacy in a group can be tricky. Group workers should at all times be mindful of client behaviors that may signal the potential for harm to self or others.

This workshop will include three components, 1) overview of the most challenging/ problematic legal/ethical issues affecting the practice of counseling with an emphasis on group work related issues, 2) two group work based case studies in which participants can apply a legal/ethical decision making model, and 3) facilitated Q & A focused on specific legal/ethical issues affecting workshop participants in their practice or teaching settings.

Check out http://asgw.org/pre-conference-workshops.htm for details