Social Work听Seminars
Boston College Continuing Education, in collaboration with the School of Social Work, offers a series of intensive seminars on critical and leading-edge topics with current experts in the field of social work.
听Target Audience:听Intended for new and experienced social workers looking for comprehensive and up-to-date trainings on key issues in the field of social work.
听
听
Fall 2025
Social Work听Seminars - Online
September 25 - December 4, 2025
(See dates and times below)
- Online participants are required to have a computer with video and audio capability.
- Please note: all registrants are required to log in to Zoom prior to accessing the Zoom link for the program. Instructions on how to create a Zoom account听can be found听.
- All programs offered online via Zoom will be delivered live and will not be recorded unless stated otherwise.
- These programs have a maximum capacity to allow for participant engagement. Register early to avoid disappointment!
Registration deadline: Seminar registration will close at 11:59PM three business days prior to each seminar.
Seminar A: Beyond The Spiral: Diagnosis and Treatment of OCD and Anxiety Disorders
Online via Zoom 鈥� 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch break) (4 hours; 4 CEUs - Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Racism)
Instructor: Jayme M. Valdez, LMHC
This interactive seminar will equip clinicians to confidently differentiate OCD from anxiety disorders (GAD, panic, phobias) and navigate complex diagnostic overlaps, including autism and delusional disorders. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and undertreated, leaving clinicians frustrated and clients stuck in cycles of worry, fear, and compulsive avoidance.
Participants will gain an overview of evidence-based interventions with practical applications, emphasizing Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The seminar will also cover adjunctive treatments such as medication management, OTC supplements, and emerging interventions like psychedelics, dTMS, and deep brain stimulation (DBS). Attendees will leave with solution-focused, brief interventions ready to apply immediately in diverse clinical settings.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will differentiate between OCD, anxiety disorders, autism spectrum presentations, psychotic/delusional disorders, and other psychiatric conditions to improve diagnostic accuracy.
- Participants will describe the core principles of Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders.
- Participants will identify solution-focused, brief interventions that clinicians can apply immediately to support client progress in both short-term and ongoing treatment settings.
4 Hours
Seminar Fee: $100
CEUs: 4
听
Seminar C:听Post-Traumatic Growth: Deepening Skills to Help Clients Heal
Online via Zoom, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch break)
(4 hours; 4 CEUs)
Instructor:听Victoria Grinman,听听PhD, LCSW-R
Post-traumatic growth (PTG) represents positive psychological change occurring in some who suffered trauma. You can be the expert companion on a journey with your clients to find new meaning of their traumatic experience as well as purpose in life.
In this seminar, you will gain an understanding of the brain-mind dyad, the role of mindfulness, the latest research pertaining to PTG, and clinical interventions you can begin incorporating into your work now to promote your clients鈥� journey towards healing and growth. You will learn how to listen for growth in your client鈥檚 language that you might otherwise miss and you will know how to share the possibility of growth at just the right times in the therapeutic journey.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will understand the definition of PTG and how it pertains to clients in clinical and non-clinical settings.
- Participants will understand the findings of research about PTG.
- Participants will utilize 3 strategies for helping to facilitate PTG in clinical work and interactions with clients.
4 Hours
Seminar Fee: $100
CEUs: 4
听
Seminar D: Make Your Private Practice More Sustainable
Online via Zoom 鈥� 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch break) (4 hours; 4 CEUs)
Instructor: Katie Silversmith, MSW, LCSW
With the ongoing mental health crisis in our country, the demand for therapy has never been higher. At the same time, burnout rates among clinicians are soaring, and social workers are leaving the field at alarming rates. Most clinicians in private practice have had little to no guidance or education on how to structure or run their business, particularly in a way that aims to reduce feelings of burnout. In this seminar we will cover the basic principles and practical strategies for making your private practice more sustainable so you can continue your life-changing work for years to come. This seminar is ideal for therapists who currently own their private practice or those who are contemplating opening one in the future.
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the converging crises of soaring demand for mental health services, clinician burnout, and lack of clinician training on running a sustainable business.
2. Participants will gain an understanding of how to filter their private practice business decisions through a lens of sustainability.
3. Participants will learn practical branding, marketing, financial, operations, and growth strategies they can use to make their private practice more sustainable.
4 Hours
Seminar Fee: $100
CEUs: 4
听
Thursday, December 4, 2025听Seminar E: Pursuing Racial Justice
Online via Zoom,听 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs - Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Racism)听
Instructor: Qur-an Webb, LMSW
This seminar will explore implicit bias and the distinctions between equality and equity, with a focus on identifying and implementing equitable practices. Participants will develop skills to engage in constructive discussions about race within their workplace, among colleagues, and with the communities they serve. Additionally, attendees will gain practical strategies and actionable next steps for advancing racial equity in their professional and organizational environments.
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will identify and implement equitable practices within their professional environments.
2. Participants will develop skills to engage in constructive discussions about race in the workplace and with colleagues, organizations, and constituents.
3. Participants will identify actionable next steps to advance racial equity in their professional roles.
3 Hours
Seminar Fee: $75
CEUs: 3
General
Admission
2-hour program: $50
3-hour program: $75
4-hour program: $100
6-hour program: $150
听
听
Discounted
Admission
2-hour program: $25
3-hour program: $40
4-hour program: $50
6-hour program: $75
Current 吃瓜网SSW students and recent
吃瓜网SSW graduates (2021-2025)
听
Free
Admission
吃瓜网SSW faculty and staff who need to maintain a license.
听听
听
听
听
Spring 2026
Social Work听Seminars - Online
February 3 - April 28, 2026
(See dates and times below)
- Online participants are required to have a computer with video and audio capability.
- Please note: all registrants are required to log in to Zoom prior to accessing the Zoom link for the program. Instructions on how to create a Zoom account听can be found听.
- All programs offered online via Zoom will be delivered live and will not be recorded unless stated otherwise.
- These programs have a maximum capacity to allow for participant engagement. Register early to avoid disappointment!
Registration deadline: Seminar registration will close at 11:59PM three business days prior to each seminar.
Seminar A: How to Start a Private Practice
Online via Zoom 鈥� 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch break) (4 hours; 4 CEUs)
Instructor: Katie Silversmith, MSW, LCSW
Thinking of starting your own private counseling practice but feeling unsure or overwhelmed by the process? Whether you are just beginning or already have a private practice and want to ensure you have not missed any critical steps, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to succeed. We will cover the essential aspects of launching and running a solo therapy practice鈥攆rom legal requirements, financial planning, and deciding whether to get paneled with insurance companies, to day-to-day operations and effective branding and marketing strategies. We will do a deep dive into establishing your clinical niche, and nurturing relationships with potential referral partners for whom you can add value. You will leave with clear, actionable steps and insider insights to confidently launch your business.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will gain a better understanding of the legal requirements of opening a private practice.
- Participants will learn the importance of the foundational, financial, operational, branding, and marketing steps necessary to successfully launch a private therapy practice.
- Participants will establish how to determine their clinical niche.
4 Hours
Seminar Fee: $120
CEUs: 4
听
Seminar B: Untangling Complexity: Special Topics in OCD, Anxiety, and High-Risk Comorbidities
Online via Zoom 鈥� 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch break) (4 hours; 4 CEUs)
Instructor: Jayme M. Valdez, LMHC
Prerequisite:
While not required, prior knowledge of OCD and anxiety disorders鈥攐r completion of a previous seminar on this topic鈥攊s strongly recommended, as foundational concepts will not be reviewed.
Obsessive鈥揅ompulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders rarely occur in isolation, and their clinical presentation is often complicated by high-risk factors and overlapping conditions. This advanced seminar examines the nuanced intersections of OCD and anxiety with suicidality, substance use, eating disorders, and neurodevelopmental differences such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorder. Through case-based discussion and a harm-reduction framework rooted in the Unified Protocol, we will explore assessment strategies, evidence-based interventions, and practical approaches to integrated, collaborative care. Emphasis will be placed on equipping clinicians to manage risk and tailor treatment plans to the individualized needs of clients presenting with complex comorbidities while maintaining safety and therapeutic alliance. Participants will leave with concrete tools and a deeper understanding of how to navigate the multifaceted realities faced by individuals living with these challenges.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will recognize and differentiate key risk factors and warning signs for suicidality, substance use, and other high-risk presentations in clients with OCD and anxiety disorders.
- Participants will demonstrate knowledge of the Unified Protocol and harm-reduction strategies to develop individualized, evidence-based treatment plans for clients with complex comorbidities.
- Participants will implement integrated, collaborative care approaches that maintain client safety and strengthen the therapeutic alliance when treating high-risk, multi-diagnostic presentations.
4 Hours
Seminar Fee: $120
CEUs: 4
听
Seminar C: Depressed, Borderline, or Bipolar?
Online via Zoom 鈥� 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch break) (6 hours; 6 CEUs)
Instructor: Brian Quinn, PhD, LCSW
Clinicians will learn a clinical diagnostic method to distinguish patients with borderline personality, a major depressive disorder, from those with bipolar illness. They will learn about why antidepressants are the wrong treatment for those with bipolar depression and about the medications that should form the foundation of treatment. Drawing on research from empirically tested therapies for bipolar disorder, Dr. Quinn will discuss the many ways psychotherapists can help patients and families struggling with bipolar disorder once patients receive proper pharmacologic treatment. Clinicians will learn to recognize bipolar patients at the greatest risk of completing suicide and how to intervene in ways to reduce this risk. Finally, participants will learn about a non-drug treatment for depression, mania, and rapid cycling that they can put to immediate use.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to describe the four lines of clinical evidence that must be assessed to distinguish bipolar depression from major depressive disorder and borderline personality.
- Participants will be able to describe the key elements of empirically tested psychotherapies for bipolar illness.
- Participants will be able to describe the research showing why antidepressants are the wrong treatment for bipolar depression and what medications should form the foundation of treatment.
- Participants will be able to identify and effectively manage patients at the highest risk of suicide.
- Participants will be able to describe why atypical antipsychotics cannot be considered mood stabilizers that can take the place of drugs such as lithium.
6 Hours
Seminar Fee: $180
CEUs: 6
听
Seminar D: A Clinician鈥檚 Guide to Understanding and Treating African Americans鈥� Emotional Trauma
Online via Zoom, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (3 hours; 3 CEUs)听
Instructor: Dwayne Buckingham, PhD, LCSW-C, 吃瓜网D, PCC
This engaging and vital workshop is designed for mental health professionals, social workers, counselors, and any clinicians interested in enhancing their therapeutic approaches with African American clients. The session will delve into the nuances of emotional intelligence (EI) as a cornerstone for fostering a healing environment that acknowledges the unique experiences and emotional landscapes of African American individuals. The presenter will discuss essential resource for healthcare professionals who are seeking to deepen their understanding and application of emotional intelligence in a way that honors and supports the unique emotional experiences of African American clients, ultimately leading to more effective treatment and healing.
听
听
General
Admission
2-hour program: $60
3-hour program: $95
4-hour program: $120
6-hour program: $180
听
听
Discounted
Admission
2-hour program: $30
3-hour program: $45
4-hour program: $60
6-hour program: $90
Current 吃瓜网SSW students and recent
吃瓜网SSW graduates (2021-2025)
听
Free
Admission
吃瓜网SSW faculty and staff who need to maintain a license.
听听
听
Social Work Seminar Instructors
听
听
General Information:
You must be at least 18 years old to participate in the Social Work Seminars. All sales are final; we are not able to offer refunds. Registrations may not be transferred to another person or to another seminar, course, workshop, or program.听听
Online registration is required to participate in a seminar. General or Discounted Admission tuition for each seminar is to be paid by debit or credit card. Registrations will be processed upon receipt of payment. Payment is due in full in order to enroll.
These seminars are approved for CEUs for Social Workers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont. They meet the requirements for Continuing Education Hours established by the State Board of Social Worker Licensure in Maine. If your state is not listed, please check with your local state licensing board to ensure the seminar meets state requirements prior to registering.
The has adopted a policy that requires licensees to complete continuing education (鈥淐E鈥�) in anti-racism and anti-discrimination to meet CE obligations.
听听听听听听听听Licensees must complete the following CE each licensing cycle:
听听听听听听听听1. Two (2) CE hours in anti-racism with a focus on oppression, and
听听听听听听听听2. One (1) CE hour in anti-discrimination, addressing oppression because of ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or 听听听听听听听听expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and/or mental or physical ability.
Boston College Continuing Education is required to ensure attendance to award CEUs. Participants must attend the complete program(s) they register for to receive CEUs; we are not able to award partial CEUs. Those who arrive late, leave early, or do not attend the entire program will be unable to receive CEUs.
听
Getting to Campus
Parking is available at the nearby Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue Garages. Discounted parking passes are available upon registration.
Boston College is also accessible via public transportation (MBTA B Line - Boston College).