This workshop equips participants with the skills to integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) using the innovative U-Model framework. It is designed to enhance therapeutic outcomes for a wide range of clients, including those who have experienced significant trauma, such as children in foster care. Participants will gain a deep understanding of IFS concepts like "Self" and "parts" (managers, exiles, firefighters) and learn techniques to foster a compassionate relationship with these internal parts. The workshop also covers the six core principles of ACT (acceptance, defusion, present moment, self-as-context, values, committed action) to help clients build psychological flexibility.

Rivka Edery, Psy.D., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., M-RAS IFS Practitioner Level I

This session explores the essential role of postvention-the support provided after a suicide attempt or death-in clinical social work practice. Attendees will learn evidence-based strategies to assist clients coping with suicidality or suicide loss, while also addressing the emotional and ethical challenges clinicians may face in the aftermath. The presentation will highlight trauma-informed care, cultural responsiveness, and ethical considerations, with attention to grief, burnout, and professional resilience. Through case examples and guided reflection, social workers will strengthen their capacity to respond with compassion and competence during and after suicidal crises, promoting healing for both clients and themselves.

Karen Andrea Flynn, MSW, LCSW

When Systems Collide: The Intersectionality of Criminal Justice and Mental Health aims to educate and inspire attendees interested in merging their work across both fields. This session will equip attendees with clinical skills to treat mental illness while reducing clients' further exposure to trauma within the criminal justice system. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive understanding of how mental health presents within institutional settings, how to accurately differentiate behavioral concerns from mental illness, and how to honor clients' lived experiences while effectively addressing their immediate symptoms. Additionally, attendees will learn strategies for maintaining self-care while working in two high-stress professional fields.

Kwanza Winn, LCSW, LISW-CP

Black men face unique challenges at the intersection of systemic racism, cultural stigma, and societal expectations of masculinity, all of which profoundly impact mental health. Despite increased awareness, they remain underrepresented in treatment and often cope in silence. This interactive workshop examines the historical, cultural, and clinical factors contributing to these disparities and offers practical, culturally responsive strategies for engagement. Drawing on research, case examples, and the presenter's professional and personal experience, participants will learn how to build trust, center strengths, and create safe spaces that affirm vulnerability. Attendees will leave with tools to better support and empower Black men's mental health.

Tyrek Corry, MSW, M.Div., LCSW

This session offers a critical examination of outcome and summative evaluations as tools for assessing program effectiveness within social work and human services. Emphasizing the importance of cultural humility and bias mitigation, the presentation explores how these evaluation types can be designed and implemented to promote equity and inclusivity in measurement and interpretation. Attendees will engage with frameworks for evaluating short- and long-term program impacts while considering the sociocultural contexts that shape participant experiences and outcomes.

Imani Hutchinson, MSW

Child welfare agencies are increasingly drawn into custody disputes where allegations stem not from abuse or neglect, but from unresolved conflict between parents or caregivers. Shared Roots is a trauma-informed, two-track co-parenting curriculum designed to fill this critical service gap. One track supports high-risk, DSS-involved families; the other targets families in ongoing custody battles engaged in the DSS and/or Court system, but without formal findings of abuse or neglect. This session introduces participants to the curriculum's structure, its grounding in attachment and systems theory, with deliverable, measured outcomes. Attendees will learn how Shared Roots reduces system strain, improves parental functioning, and keeps the child at the center of care-even when the adults can't agree.

Kelly Campbell, MSW, LCSW

This session examines coordinated refugee services for those who are already resettled, highlighting the importance of linguistic access, culturally responsive support, and interagency collaboration. Attendees will explore how service gaps impact refugee self-sufficiency and learn practical strategies social workers can implement to improve communication, enhance integration efforts, and advocate effectively for refugee populations.

Avril Knox, DSW, CSW

Gracie Brownell, PhD, LMSW

This session offers an engaging, inclusive introduction to polyamory and ethical non-monogamy (ENM). Participants will learn key terms, historical context, and foundational ethical principles such as consent, honesty, and mutual respect. The session explores communication strategies, emotional challenges like jealousy, and common relationship structures. Legal issues and societal stigma are addressed, alongside practical tools for supporting clients in ENM relationships. Emphasis is placed on inclusivity, intersectionality, and self-reflection, helping professionals identify and challenge their own biases. Attendees will leave with greater confidence, cultural competence, and practical skills to ethically support individuals and families practicing non-monogamy.

Ami Lynch, LCSW, MSW, PhD

This workshop introduces Theraplay®, a playful, relationship-based approach to building healthy attachment and emotional regulation in children and families. Rooted in attachment theory and brain development research, Theraplay uses structured, nurturing, and engaging interactions to strengthen connection, safety, and trust. Attendees will explore the four dimensions of Theraplay, observe real-life applications through case examples and video, and learn practical strategies that can be used in clinical, educational, or caregiving settings. This session is ideal for professionals working with children impacted by trauma, anxiety, or regulatory challenges.

Karen Doyle Buckwalter, LCSW, RPT-S

Emotional exhaustion, detachment, and ethical distress are all too common in social work, but what's causing them isn't always clear. Is it burnout from chronic overload? Secondary trauma from trauma exposure? Or moral injury from being asked to act against your values? Though these struggles can look alike, their roots and remedies are very different. This interactive session will help social workers recognize the signs of each, understand what drives them, and explore targeted strategies for prevention and healing. Participants will also reflect on their own risk factors and leave with a personalized plan to support resilience, restore meaning in their work, and protect their capacity to care without burning out.

Gabriela Zapata-Alma, LCSW, CADC,