Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work upcoming events

Clinical Strategies for Mindfulness and Stress Reduction (Friday, November 06, 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Two-Day Experiential Workshop

Clinical Strategies for Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Dates, Times & Location

Day 1: Friday, November 6, 2026
Day 2: Friday, November 20, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM on both days
Lunch: A 30-minute lunch break each day
Location: Online via Zoom

Presenter

Allison Kirsch, MSW, MS

Continuing Education

Category 1 | 8 CEU Credits Total

Four hours of instruction each day, excluding the 30-minute lunch break, for a total of eight hours across both sessions.

Description

Mindfulness has become one of the most widely researched and effective approaches for reducing stress, improving emotional regulation, and supporting mental health. However, many clinicians struggle with knowing when, why, and how to integrate mindfulness into psychotherapy beyond simple breathing exercises or meditation.

This two-day experiential workshop provides social workers with practical, evidence-based strategies for incorporating mindfulness into clinical practice with diverse populations. Participants will explore the neuroscience of mindfulness, stress physiology, attention regulation, compassion, and nervous system functioning while learning interventions that can be immediately integrated into therapy sessions.

Taking place on Friday, November 6, and Friday, November 20, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM each day, the workshop includes a 30-minute lunch break each day and offers 8 CEU credits total. Day 2 builds on the concepts, experiences, and practices introduced on Day 1.

During the two weeks between sessions, participants will complete a brief daily mindfulness practice, keep a simple reflection log, and develop one clinical application to bring to Day 2. Participants will return with personal practice experiences, observations, and questions to discuss as they deepen their clinical integration skills.

Drawing from mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), stress reduction research, somatic approaches, and contemporary neuroscience, this workshop emphasizes practical application rather than meditation instruction alone. Participants will leave with a toolbox of adaptable techniques suitable for clients experiencing anxiety, trauma, chronic stress, burnout, chronic pain, and emotional dysregulation.

Two-Day Workshop Outline

Friday, November 6, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Day 1 — Understanding and Experiencing Mindfulness

Theme: From automatic reactivity to mindful awareness

Primary goal: Establish the science and experiential foundations of mindfulness, while introducing a clinical framework for understanding stress and changing one's relationship with internal experience.

Format: 60% conceptual; 40% experiential

Includes a 30-minute lunch break.

Two-Week Practice Assignment

Between Day 1 and Day 2, participants will:

Complete a brief daily mindfulness practice.
Keep a simple reflection log of their experiences and observations.
Develop one clinical application to bring to Day 2.

Participants will return to the second session prepared to discuss their practice experiences, explore questions and challenges, and connect their learning to clinical work.

Friday, November 20, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Day 2 — Clinical Applications and Therapeutic Integration

Theme: From personal practice to intentional clinical intervention

Primary goal: Help participants develop the judgment and facilitation skills to incorporate mindfulness into psychotherapy safely, effectively, and with attention to individual and sociocultural differences.

Building on Day 1 and the two-week practice assignment, participants will discuss their experiences and use those reflections to inform clinical application and therapeutic integration.

Format: 40% conceptual; 60% experiential

Includes a 30-minute lunch break.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the two-day workshop, participants will be able to:

Explain the neurobiological mechanisms through which mindfulness influences stress, attention, emotional regulation, and resilience.
Differentiate among mindfulness interventions and determine when each is clinically appropriate.
Utilize experiential mindfulness practices to improve clients' emotional awareness and self-regulation.
Adapt mindfulness interventions for clients with trauma histories while recognizing common contraindications and challenges.
Integrate mindfulness-based strategies into treatment planning across a range of clinical presentations.
Use reflections from personal mindfulness practice to inform clinical judgment and adapt interventions with attention to individual and sociocultural differences.

Codependency: An Addiction Framework (Sunday, November 08, 2026)

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Due to scheduling conflicts, this event has been canceled, a new announcement will be posted/sent when it is rescheduled.

Early Career Social Work November Meet-up (Sunday, November 08, 2026)

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Early Career Social Work November Meet-up
Colada Shop | 1900 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036
Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 1:00 PM-3:00 PM

You're Invited!
Early Career Clinician Meetup

Join us for a casual social gathering designed to help newer clinicians in the area connect, share experiences, and build community. Whether you're still in school or in your first few years of practice, this is a great opportunity to meet peers, ask questions, and feel supported.

There’s no cost to attend, but you're welcome to grab a drink or bite to eat once you arrive. We'll have a sign so you know where to find us.

We’d love to see you there!

Clinical Strategies for Mindfulness and Stress Reduction (Friday, November 20, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Two-Day Experiential Workshop

Clinical Strategies for Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Dates, Times & Location

Day 1: Friday, November 6, 2026
Day 2: Friday, November 20, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM on both days
Lunch: A 30-minute lunch break each day
Location: Online via Zoom

Presenter

Allison Kirsch, MSW, MS

Continuing Education

Category 1 | 8 CEU Credits Total

Four hours of instruction each day, excluding the 30-minute lunch break, for a total of eight hours across both sessions.

Description

Two-Day Workshop Outline

Friday, November 6, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Day 1 — Understanding and Experiencing Mindfulness

Theme: From automatic reactivity to mindful awareness

Format: 60% conceptual; 40% experiential

Includes a 30-minute lunch break.

Two-Week Practice Assignment

Between Day 1 and Day 2, participants will:

Complete a brief daily mindfulness practice.
Keep a simple reflection log of their experiences and observations.
Develop one clinical application to bring to Day 2.

Participants will return to the second session prepared to discuss their practice experiences, explore questions and challenges, and connect their learning to clinical work.

Friday, November 20, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Day 2 — Clinical Applications and Therapeutic Integration

Theme: From personal practice to intentional clinical intervention

Building on Day 1 and the two-week practice assignment, participants will discuss their experiences and use those reflections to inform clinical application and therapeutic integration.

Format: 40% conceptual; 60% experiential

Includes a 30-minute lunch break.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the two-day workshop, participants will be able to:

Explain the neurobiological mechanisms through which mindfulness influences stress, attention, emotional regulation, and resilience.
Differentiate among mindfulness interventions and determine when each is clinically appropriate.
Utilize experiential mindfulness practices to improve clients' emotional awareness and self-regulation.
Adapt mindfulness interventions for clients with trauma histories while recognizing common contraindications and challenges.
Integrate mindfulness-based strategies into treatment planning across a range of clinical presentations.
Use reflections from personal mindfulness practice to inform clinical judgment and adapt interventions with attention to individual and sociocultural differences.

Working With Couples In Crisis (Friday, December 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 15:00:00 GMT

GWSCSW CLINICAL EDUCATION INSTITUTE

Working With Couples In Crisis

Supporting Couples Through Holiday Stress

Presented by Robert Taibbi, LCSW

Friday, December 11, 2026
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Online LIVE ZOOM
3.0 Category 1 CEUs • DC, VA & MD Social Work
3.0 NBCC Credit Hours

When holiday expectations add to relationship stress
Family gatherings, financial pressures, and competing expectations can bring existing tensions between partners to the surface. As the holidays approach, this workshop offers a timely opportunity to strengthen your skills for working with couples in crisis.

About the Workshop

Of all the challenges of doing therapy, one of the most difficult is working with couples, especially those in crisis. Not only is there the ever-present triangle in the room and the struggle to maintain balance, but the pressure created by the couple’s “last chance-last hope” attitude. There is no time for slow, several-session assessments; you need to hit the ground running.

In this workshop, we’ll look at ways of doing precisely that. We’ll discuss the common presentations, the 3 ways couples get stuck, walk through the goals and tasks of the opening sessions, explore the traps to avoid, and conclude with treatment maps for affairs, addictions, parenting, and sexual issues. You’ll leave with not only hands-on skills but a roadmap for success.

Workshop Objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify the common presentations of couples in crisis.
Describe the 3 common obstacles that couples face.
Define the use of treatment maps for specific problems.
Discuss how to manage time in the opening session.

About the Presenter

Robert Taibbi, LCSW is the author of 13 books and over 300 articles in the areas of clinical supervision, brief therapy, couple and family therapy, and an online columnist for Psychology Today entitled Fixing Families that has received over 20 million views. He has provided trainings nationally and internationally and is currently in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Visit Robert Taibbi’s website

Continuing Education

DC, VA & MD Social Work: Category 1 | 3.0 CEUs

NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider
3.0 Credit Hours

Reserve Your Place

Clinical Education. Professional Community. Stronger Practice.

Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work
PO Box 711 | Garrisonville, VA 22463 | 202-478-7638
www.gwscsw.org | admin@gwscsw.org

Complex Boundary and Dual Relationship Issues in Clinical Social Work with Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D. (Friday, January 15, 2027)

Fri, 15 Jan 2027 14:30:00 GMT

GWSCSW Clinical Education Institute

Complex Boundary and Dual Relationship Issues in Clinical Social Work

with Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D.

Friday, January 15, 2027

9:30 AM–4:30 PM ET

Live Virtual Workshop via Zoom

6 Category 1 CE Hours • Ethics Credit

About the Workshop

Boundary and dual relationship issues remain among the most complex ethical challenges faced by clinical social workers. As technology, social media, telehealth, changing practice environments, and evolving professional expectations continue to reshape clinical practice, practitioners are encountering ethical questions that extend well beyond traditional boundary concerns.

GWSCSW is pleased to welcome back nationally recognized social work ethics expert Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D., for an updated six-hour program examining complex boundary and dual relationship issues in clinical social work.

Dr. Reamer will explore challenging real-world situations involving boundaries, conflicts of interest, dual and multiple relationships, self-disclosure, gifts, social and digital interactions, practitioner-client relationships outside the clinical setting, and other circumstances in which professional roles can become complicated or unclear.

Using contemporary case examples, participants will examine how ethical standards apply in increasingly complex practice environments and develop practical strategies for identifying risk, thinking through difficult decisions, documenting appropriately, and protecting both clients and clinicians.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify common forms of boundary challenges and dual or multiple relationships in clinical social work practice.
Differentiate between boundary crossings, boundary violations, and ethically appropriate professional interactions.
Apply relevant ethical standards and decision-making frameworks to complex boundary and dual relationship situations.
Evaluate ethical risks associated with technology, social media, telehealth, self-disclosure, gifts, and contact outside the clinical setting.
Develop strategies for consultation, documentation, risk management, and ethical decision-making when boundary concerns arise.

Registration

Members	$200
Nonmembers	$300
Students / Graduate Students / Retirees	$135
VASCSW	$200

About the Presenter

Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D.

Dr. Frederic Reamer has dedicated his career to advancing ethics, practice, and education in the social work profession. He is a professor in the graduate program at the Rhode Island College School of Social Work, where he has taught since 1983.

His work has focused extensively on professional ethics, mental health, criminal justice, public welfare, technology, malpractice, and risk management. He has served in numerous academic, government, editorial, and professional leadership roles and is widely recognized for his work on ethical and regulatory issues affecting social workers.

Member pricing: Please make sure you are logged into your GWSCSW account before registering in order to receive member pricing.

Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work
Clinical Education Institute

Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work upcoming events

Clinical Strategies for Mindfulness and Stress Reduction (Friday, November 06, 2026)

Codependency: An Addiction Framework (Sunday, November 08, 2026)

Early Career Social Work November Meet-up (Sunday, November 08, 2026)

Clinical Strategies for Mindfulness and Stress Reduction (Friday, November 20, 2026)

Working With Couples In Crisis (Friday, December 11, 2026)

Working With Couples In Crisis

About the Workshop

Workshop Objectives

Recommended Reading

About the Presenter

Continuing Education

Complex Boundary and Dual Relationship Issues in Clinical Social Work with Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D. (Friday, January 15, 2027)

Complex Boundary and Dual Relationship Issues in Clinical Social Work

Learning Objectives

Registration

Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D.