Anti-Racist Group Practice and Social Work Ethics

This workshop explores the intersection of social work ethics, with a particular emphasis on social justice, and the theory and practice of psychotherapy. The social justice lens of the workshop will draw heavily from anti-racist thinking and practice, which is also relevant to treatment of individuals and groups where a patient has lived experienced in other targeted, marginalized, or oppressed groups, such as LGBTQ+ people. In a format that may include didactic presentation, participant discussion, and/or case studies, participants will learn about the application of the social work Code of Ethics to therapy practice from an anti-racist approach and lens. Participants will also explore their own internal and external barriers to using an anti-racist, social justice aligned frame in their therapy practice.

Please note: Anyone is welcome to attend this workshop, but its target audience is white social workers.

Measurable Learning Objectives:

After completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Identify three principles within the NASW Code of Ethics relevant to the practice of therapy in a multi-cultural society that is still largely grounded in White Supremacist culture.
2. Identify three personal or cultural assumptions, feelings or beliefs guiding their attitudes and practices related to group therapy that may reflect the values and culture of white supremacy, heteronormativity, ethnocentrism, etc.
3. Apply three principles of anti-racism to the practice of therapy.
4. Identify three ways that not addressing white supremacy culture effectively in therapy or not using anti-racist practice can re-traumatize or inflict harm on people who have experienced marginalization or oppression, particularly in the U.S

Agenda - Workshop Outline:
10:00am -10:15am: Introductions (including race + pronouns) and reason for attending this workshop
10:15am -10:30am: Icebreaker/Reflective Exercise & Discussion
10:30am -11:30am: Overview of NASW Code of Ethics as it relates to topic and applicable research and findings
11:30am-12:30pm: Case Studies or Fishbowl Demo Process Group
12:30pm-1:00pm: Final reflections, Q&A and Evaluations

Lisa Kays, LICSW, LCSW-C, LCSW, is an independently licensed clinical social worker in Washington, D.C, Maryland and Virginia. She obtained her MSW from Catholic University in 2011 and has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including as an addiction’s therapist within a state women’s prison, in an outpatient clinic primarily focused on individuals re-entering from prison and on federal probation, and at Kolmac Clinic.
Since 2013, she has been in private practice, providing individual, couples and group therapy to adults. She has an interest in social work ethics and has published on and leads ethics trainings on the intersection of technology, social media and social work ethics. Recently, her ethics interests have expanded to developing and leading trainings on issues of anti-racism and diversity. Lisa’s anti-racist social work practice also includes having served as an Adjunct Professor at Catholic University’s National School of Social Service from 2017-2018, teaching the Diversity in a Multi-cultural Society course.

Additionally, Lisa proposed and drafted the Anti-Racism Statement which was adopted by the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Psychotherapists, and served as a founding member of its Anti-Racism Task Force. She is devoted to growing and developing her anti-racist practice as a person and as a social worker, as well as maintaining a committed stance to enhancing diversity and inclusion for marginalized and vulnerable populations.

In addition to her traditional psychotherapy work, Lisa was a performing improviser from 2007-2019 and was on the faculty of Washington Improv Theater from 2008-2016. She developed Washington Improv Theater’s first Improv for Therapist’s class and has offered Improv for Therapist courses, workshops and trainings to individual clinicians, pastors, life coaches, and psychiatrists, as well as clinical agencies. Since its inception, Lisa has trained more than 500 people in the application of improvisation to foster personal growth and stronger and more cohesive groups. Lisa has been invited to lead trainings in improv-informed therapy at the American Academy of Psychotherapists, the Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Association, and at The Psychotherapy Networker, among others. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post and on NBC4.

Ceu's offered
 3 Ethics Ceu's

Fee
Pay What You Can
 $0 - $50

Open to members and non-members