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.

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