GSSW Magazine - University of Denver

scene @ gssw
GSSW ConVeneS WorLD CaFé
The Graduate School of Social Work is pleased to
introduce its new Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) Summer Series. Workshops will be held
during June and July at Craig Hall, 2148 S. High Street,
on the DU campus. The series is geared toward
human service professionals seeking to strengthen
and enhance their professional knowledge and
repertoire of skills. Professional Development Hours
in approved Professional Development Activities
(required for Colorado licensure) are available, as
well as Continuing Education Units.
For more information, including cost and registration,
click here.
As GSSW continues
the process of revisioning its MSW curriculum, faculty members and alumni are using a
unique conversational method to consider some of the project’s key issues and questions. A
World Café, convened on two days early this spring, provided a framework for discussions
about new social work trends, innovative curriculum ideas and ways to enrich GSSW students’
learning experiences.
The World Café concept was developed by The World Café Community Foundation, a U. S.based
non-profit organization whose mission is “to transform the world for the benefit of
all life through convening and supporting collaborative conversation world-wide.” Using
seven design principles and a flexible dialogue method, a World Café seeks collaborative
perspectives on critical questions through conversational leadership, a process that creates
“architectures for engagement” across all levels of a system.
Author Jon Marie Broz (L) read her children’s book
aloud to young fans, while Dr. Aubrey Fine (R) gave
a lecture. They’re joined here by Clinical Professor
Philip Tedeschi, LCSW, Clinical Director of GSSW’s
Institute for Human-Animal Connection.
Walters
Associate Professor Jean East (at left) and Alumni Association President Jae McQueen cofacilitated
the two GSSW World Café discussions, in which 55 faculty and alumni participated. Ssewamala
Register Now for the CPD Summer Series!
Title Date Time
Facilitating Experiential Therapy Groups 6/14/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Assessment and Treatment of Depression in Older Adults 6/15/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Domestic Human Trafficking Information for Youth Service Providers 6/21/2012 8 a.m. – noon
Social Work as Spiritual Practice 6/21/2012 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
A Skill-Based Introduction to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) 6/22/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Effective Practice with High-Risk Youth 6/28/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Practice of Empathy 6/29/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Working with Military Families 7/12/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Neurobiology and Social Work 7/13/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Impact of Memory Impairment in Hospice and Palliative Care 7/19/2012 8 a.m. – noon
Management Basics for Human Services 7/20/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Trauma-Informed Care 7/26/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ethical Decision-Making in Social Work Practice: 7/27/2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
A Moral Citizenship Framework
FaLL eVent FoCuSeD
on animaLS anD KiDS
Events that include animals or children tend to be popular, so it’s little
wonder that a family-friendly GSSW program focused on both dogs and
kids drew a substantial crowd last fall. Held on October 15, the evening
included a lecture by Dr. Aubrey Fine, author of the Handbook on Animal-
Assisted Therapy and a parent/child relations expert who specializes in
treating children with ADHD, learning disabilities and developmental
Scholars Highlight
2012 Dean’s
Lecture Series
The 2012 Dean’s Lecture Series began on March 5 with
a lecture by Karina L. Walters, MSW, PhD, William P.
and Ruth Gerberding Endowed Professor and Associate
Professor at the University of Washington School of
Social Work. Walters’ talk was entitled “Bodies Don’t
Just Tell Stories, They Tell Histories: Embodiment of
Historical Trauma and Microaggression Distress.”
An enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
and a recent recipient of the Fulbright Award, Walters
focuses her research on historical, social and cultural
determinants of physical and mental health among
American Indians and Alaska Natives. She serves as
principal investigator on several groundbreaking studies
funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The second lecture in the series was presented on April
10 by Fred M. Ssewamala, PhD, Global Thought Fellow
and Associate Professor of Social Work and International
Affairs at the Columbia University School of Social Work.
His talk was entitled “Impact of Economic Empowerment
Programs on Health and Educational Outcomes of
Orphaned and Vulnerable Children: Lessons from Sub-
Saharan Africa.”
A Senior Research Fellow with New America Foundation,
Ssewamala served with the Red Cross in Uganda, where
he helped design poverty alleviation and community
development programs. His research on Africa, funded
by a consortium of organizations, examines assetownership
development, financial management and
creating life options through economic empowerment
and innovative financial inclusion models. Ssewamala
also is researching economic empowerment interventions
in urban America’s poor African immigrant
communities.
disorders. Fine’s lecture was entitled “The Therapeutic Role that
Animals Play in the Lives of Children.”
Meanwhile, children had the opportunity to meet trained service
dogs, complete an art project and hear author Jon Marie Broz (MSW
’07), AASW, LCSW read her book, Bosco, the dog who was (once)
afraid of the dark.
The event also included beverages, hors d’oeuvres, dessert and a
book-signing. Proceeds benefitted GSSW’s Institute for Human-
Animal Connection.
scene @ gssw
FrienDLy ViSitorS roCK the
SSWr annuaL ConFerenCe!
A total of 18 GSSW faculty, visiting scholars, Butler Institute for Families
researchers, PhD and MSW students were among the presenters and copresenters
at the 16th Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and
Research (SSWR), held in Washington, DC, in January. This year’s conference
also showcased our faculty’s musical talents, as the Friendly Visitors band
stole the show at the Friday evening President’s Reception.
Pictured L-R are GSSW Professor Jeff Jenson (the group’s organizer),
Amanda Smith, Steve Kapp (University of Kansas), Justin Smith, GSSW
Associate Professor Michele Hanna, Dan Herman (Hunter College) and
Herman’s wife, Beth Falk. Click here to watch a video of the performance.
WorKShop
expLoreS GiS
& SpatiaL anaLySiS
Bridget Freisthler, PhD, associate professor at UCLA School of
Public Affairs, presented a workshop at GSSW on February 8.
The day-long workshop was entitled “Using GIS (Geographical
Information Systems) and Spatial Analysis in Social Sciences Research.”
Freisthler uses GIS and spatial analysis to examine the spatial ecology of
social problems, particularly child maltreatment and the development of
environmental interventions. Her research has been funded by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism, and the National Institute of Mental Health.
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