Fall 2007 – Spring 2008

The following are the workshops from the School of Social Work’s Clinical Lecture Series, where area practitioners, students, and faculty learn together from esteemed and innovative clinicians. The CLS offers monthly lectures enhance the clinical curriculum for students and offer continuing education for graduates and practitioners. It also aims to foster and strengthen relationships among clinically-oriented students and the wider clinical community. Selection of topics and speakers come from participant feedback.

All events took place in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt Auditorium of the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill located at 325 Pittsboro Street, and met on Mondays from 12 noon to 2:00 pm.

Schedule of Events

1. Monday, September 17, 2007 
Motivational Interviewing: From “Resistance” to Self Efficacy 
L. Worth Bolton, MSW, LCAS, CCS

What to do when clients resist change — whether coerced into treatment by courts, human service agencies, employers, or family members, or are otherwise ambivalent about therapy? In this presentation, Mr. Bolton provides an overview of “motivational interviewing” that helps clients to explore and resolve their own ambivalence. This directive, client-centered approach incorporates reflective listening and validation with strategies to monitor readiness to change and of selective reinforcement, while affirming clients’ freedom of choice and self-direction.

L. Worth Bolton is a Clinical Instructor and Education Specialist at UNC-CH School of Social Work, has served as chair of the NC Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board, the NC Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Studies, and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) Section of the National Association of Social Workers. Prior to coming to UNC in 1997, Mr. Bolton had more than 25 years of experience in inpatient, outpatient, residential, and institutional settings, providing counseling services for individuals and their families. He provides frequent trainings throughout the Southeastern US for human service agencies, business & industry, and the military.

2. Monday, October 15, 2007
The Role of Spirituality in SA and Other Counseling 
Stan Yancey, MSW, LCSW, MDiv

While spirituality is a common theme in substance abuse counseling, it tends to be otherwise avoided by clinicians for reasons including, “I don’t know enough about it, separation of church and state, and the possible benefit of religion/spirituality does not outweigh the pitfalls.” Yet spirituality is integral to many people’s journeys and exploring spiritual themes and beliefs can uncover deeply held attitudes, desires, and resistance. In this session, Mr. Yancey will offer practical suggestions for “getting with” this part of your client’s world, including those not working with substance abusers.

Stan Yancey has a psychotherapy practice in Raleigh seeing adolescents, adults, couples, and families, and is a part of the Spiritual Care Department for WakeMed Health and Hospital Systems coordinating the Care Network and Urban Clinical Pastoral Education program. Mr. Yancey is a clinical member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, has taught at Campbell University Divinity School, and regularly provides consultation and lectures for human service, religious, and other professional audiences.

3. Monday, November 12, 2007
Psychospiritual Care for Bereaved Children, Youth, and Families
Tonya D. Armstrong, PhD, MTS

This practical, innovative workshop offers participants opportunities for learning and reflection on the psychospiritual dimensions of bereavement among children, adolescents, parental caregivers and families. Dr. Tonya Armstrong describes children’s psychosocial and spiritual needs and responses at varying developmental stages, the challenges involved for families in being supportive for children during their own grief, and creative avenues for family healing. Using didactic material, group discussion and an experiential exercise, participants will enhance their ability to implement effective strategies for psychospiritual bereavement care.

Tonya Armstrong is a Licensed Psychologist and Pastoral Theologian at the Institute on Care at the End of Life at Duke Divinity School, and Minister of Congregational Care and Counseling at Union Baptist Church in Durham. Dr. Armstrong has clinical and consulting experience in various inpatient and outpatient settings, and currently serves youth and their families in the community. Throughout her work, Dr. Armstrong seeks the faithful integration of theology and mental health care, particularly in the development of caring practices for bereaved youth and their families.

4. Monday, January 14, 2008
Ethics and End of Life Care
Laura Hanson, MD, MPH

As clinicians, whether or not we specialize in “aging” or “end of life” issues, it is likely that we will encounter clients diagnosed with terminal illnesses or facing the impending death of a family member. This workshop will shore up our skills in working in such circumstances by elaborating on challenging communication topics and ethical concerns that can arise for clinicians and clients. These include dilemmas around care-giving and responsibility, expression of physical, psychological and spiritual suffering, disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis, decisions about palliative care and advance directives, and the role of professionals in this process.

Laura Hanson is an Associate Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and the Center on Aging and Health. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics Medicine, and Palliative Medicine. She co-directs the UNC Palliative Care Program, a collaborative interdisciplinary program to promote clinical service, education and research in palliative care. She serves as a Clinical Coordinator for the Nursing Home Quality Improvement team at The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence in Cary. Her research and teaching emphasize approaches to decision-making for frail elders and for residents in nursing homes, and strategies to define and promote high quality care. Through her teaching, research, advocacy, and practice, Dr. Hanson’s career is devoted to the care of the elderly and those at the end of their lives.

5. Monday, February 18, 2008
How Do We Treat Perpetrators? The Ethics of Working with Sex Offenders 
Melissa Grady, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Much of our work as clinicians focuses on the survivors of abuse in their healing journey. Perpetrators remain more of the “other,” the ones who have traumatically altered the lives of our clients. Indeed, considering the life and experiences of perpetrators is unsettling. In this candid workshop, Melissa Grady discusses the ethical issues involving the role of clinicians in the treatment of perpetrators.

Melissa Grady is clinical faculty in the UNC-CH School of Social Work and has a private practice in Durham. Dr. Grady has worked with sex offenders at a community mental health center, where she facilitated therapy groups, including groups for female sex offenders and for parents of adolescent offenders. She continues to research and write about the effects of interventions in this population.

6. Monday, March 17, 2008
Using Transference and Counter-transference
David Freeman, MD

This workshop highlights the value of psychodynamic concepts of transference and counter-transference in all therapeutic encounters. Dr. Freeman draws from his rich clinical material to demonstrate that clients’ projections onto the therapist are central in understanding other key relationships in their lives. Moreover, Dr. Freeman describes how by exploring our own emotional responses to clients, we are not only better able to regulate our emotions in the relationship, but also to gain insight into what clients may be trying to elicit in us through unconscious motivations, desires or fears.

David Freeman, Adjunct Professor in the UNC-CH Department of Psychiatry, is a psychoanalyst, and training analyst, with more than 50 years of experience working with adults and children, in a variety of outpatient clinics and in private practice. Dr. Freeman has been a catalyst in the psychoanalytic community, promoting collaboration among practitioners, and advocating for psychoanalytic education for students and the general public. He is a founding member and past president of the NC Psychoanalytic Society, NC Psychoanalytic Foundation, and NC Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is also past Director of the UNC-Duke Psychoanalytic Education Program, has served on the Board of the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood, and has revived and continues to spearhead the Psychoanalytic Consortium.

7. Monday, April 21, 2008
Steps to More Powerful Groups 
Bohdan Hrynewych, MSW, LCSW, LCAS

This workshop addresses practical concerns in starting and running effective support groups—whether for individuals with specific mental health diagnoses, their families, or people facing normal developmental issues, such as adolescents entering adulthood or older adults facing their last years. Drawing from principles of group dynamics, cognitive therapy, and mind-body-spirit approaches, Bohdan Hrynewych provides guidance for new and experienced group leaders on how to enhance participation, contend with conflict and/or domination by group members, and incorporate experiential and mindfulness techniques into group work.

Bohdan Hrynewych works with individuals, families, and groups, in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, in private practice as a member of HRC Behavioral Healthcare and Psychiatric Services PA. Mr. Hrynewych has 20 years of experience, which includes having been the coordinator of adolescent dual diagnosis treatment at Duke Hospital and the clinical director of adult outpatient services at the Duke Addictions Program, where he developed, ran, and supervised a broad variety of groups. His original training in group work was with Dr. David Hawkins, and he has been a trainer for group leaders since 1994.