SW150 Presentation: Aaron George LMSW

Introduction and Firsts

The speaker expresses gratitude for the opportunity to present and acknowledges the excitement of young people interested in social work. They mention that this presentation is a series of firsts for them, including giving a presentation with a mask on, being videotaped during a presentation, and having a presentation exclusively about themselves.

• The speaker thanks the audience for the opportunity and expresses excitement about young people's interest in social work.

• They mention that this presentation includes several first-time experiences for them.

• These firsts include giving a presentation with a mask on, being videotaped during a presentation, and having a presentation solely focused on themselves.

Previous Presentations and Telehealth

The speaker discusses their previous presentations on topics like cognitive-behavioral therapy and telehealth. They share an anecdote about receiving feedback regarding blocking PowerPoint slides during one of their talks.

• The speaker mentions giving previous presentations on topics such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and telehealth.

• They recall receiving feedback from one participant who mentioned that they were blocking the PowerPoint slides throughout the entire talk.

• The speaker reflects on piloting virtual therapy at Spectrum Health, which later became highly relevant due to the increased need for virtual visits during the pandemic.

Virtual Therapy Program

The speaker shares their experience piloting the virtual therapy program at Spectrum Health. They discuss how their research into virtual therapy provided them with valuable insights when transitioning to private practice.

• The speaker explains how they were asked to pilot the virtual therapy program at Spectrum Health.

• They highlight that although they agreed to pilot it, they had already been conducting virtual visits with clients for about three years prior to giving their talk.

• The speaker emphasizes the relevance and importance of thorough research, as it can lead to unexpected opportunities and advancements in one's field.

Clinical vs. Policy Focus

The speaker inquires about the audience's focus, whether it is more clinical or policy-oriented. They express their admiration for social workers' advocacy for systemic change and their involvement in legislative and social policy committees.

• The speaker asks the audience about their primary focus within social work, whether it is clinical or policy-oriented.

• They express admiration for social workers' dedication to advocating for systemic change and improving policies and resources for vulnerable populations.

• The speaker mentions their own involvement in the NASW legislative and social policy committee.

Journey into Social Work

The speaker shares their journey into social work as a second career after working in publishing. They discuss how they felt more fulfilled by volunteer work related to social justice themes, which led them to pursue an MSW degree.

• The speaker reveals that they entered the field of social work as a second career after working in publishing for about twelve years.

• They explain how engaging in volunteer work at local shelters, soup kitchens, and food pantries sparked their interest in direct service.

• The speaker decided to pursue an MSW degree at Loyola Chicago due to their growing passion for social justice issues.

Internship Experiences

The speaker describes two vastly different internships they completed during their MSW program. One focused on early intervention work with teens struggling with substance use concerns, while the other involved therapy work with individuals experiencing chronic mental illness.

• The speaker discusses two internships they completed during their MSW program.

• In the first internship, they worked on early intervention with teenagers who had substance use concerns.

• The second internship involved therapy work with individuals experiencing chronic and persistent mental illness, often accompanied by co-occurring substance use disorders.

Timestamps are approximate and may vary slightly depending on the source of the transcript.

Early Intervention and Career Journey

In this section, the speaker discusses early intervention in substance use problems and shares their career journey.

Early Intervention

• Early intervention refers to addressing substance use issues at the first signs of a problem, before it reaches a point of chemical dependence.

• It typically falls under the category of abuse rather than severe addiction.

• The DSM categorizes substance use as mild, moderate, or severe, with early intervention focusing on the mild range.

Career Journey

• The speaker gained valuable experience in group work during their second internship.

• They moved to a different location due to family and financial considerations after graduating from Loyola University in 2009.

• They took a job as an in-home family therapist and case manager at Family Outreach Center because it was the only opportunity available at that time.

• Starting out in one's career may not involve landing the dream job immediately. It is important to be open-minded and utilize all available resources and experiences.

• Networking, learning from each position, and taking away valuable skills can help pave the way for future success.

• The speaker worked at Touchstone in Avare, where they learned about crisis intervention work and case management for adults with severe mental illness.

• Cherry Health merged with Touchstone in Avare, leading the speaker to work at Heart of the City Health Center as a therapist for an integrated health team. This provided insights into chronic health disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.

• Subsequently, they worked at Southside Health Center with medication-assisted treatment for individuals with opioid use disorders. This experience taught them how to have empathy for challenging clients while understanding their underlying struggles.

Empathy and Burnout Prevention

In this section, the speaker discusses empathy towards challenging clients and its role in preventing burnout.

Empathy and Challenging Clients

• Having empathy for challenging clients is important, even when they exhibit anger or difficult behaviors.

• Understanding the reasons behind their emotions can help prevent burnout and improve therapeutic outcomes.

• Chemical withdrawal or significant life consequences due to addiction can contribute to clients' anger or distress.

• Therapists should put themselves in their clients' shoes to better understand their experiences and provide effective support.

Career Continuation

In this section, the speaker continues discussing their career journey.

Career Continuation

• After working at Southside Health Center, the speaker moved on to Leonard Street for a new position.

The Enriching Experiences at Leonard Street Counseling Center

The speaker emphasizes the positive experiences and opportunities they had while working at Leonard Street Counseling Center. They highlight the training they received in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and their work on a DBT consult team.

Training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• The speaker attended a week-long intensive seminar on DBT in Cadillac, which was paid for by Leonard Street Counseling Center.

• The training was led by regional expert Josh Smith and proved to be very helpful.

Work on a DBT Consult Team

• After the training, the speaker worked for Cherry Health on a DBT consult team.

• They met weekly with a team of therapists to practice DBT techniques.

• Their role involved providing therapy, individual skills coaching, group skills coaching, and after-hours phone skills coaching to clients with borderline personality disorder.

• Additionally, they facilitated an early recovery group for substance use.

Recommendation: Take Advantage of Trainings

• The speaker recommends taking advantage of available trainings to enhance professional development.

• They emphasize the value of gaining new skills and knowledge through trainings.

Positive Experiences at Spectrum Health

The speaker discusses their experience working at Spectrum Health and highlights the support, resources, and collaborative opportunities they had there. However, they also mention feeling unrecognized in terms of compensation.

Supportive Environment at Spectrum Health

• The speaker joined Spectrum Health in March 2016 and felt supported within the system.

• They appreciated having access to resources and not having to worry about administrative tasks like scheduling and billing.

• Collaboration with Peers: They were part of a journal club group where they reviewed peer-reviewed journal articles monthly. This allowed for valuable dialogue around clinical issues and case presentations.

• Collaborative Team: They worked with a diverse team including RNs, psychiatrists, physician assistants, LPNs, and psychologists.

Recognition and Compensation

• The speaker acknowledges that they and their social work colleagues felt underrecognized in terms of compensation.

• They raised this concern with their superiors at Spectrum Health.

• To address the issue, they were put on a committee to elevate social workers and others within the organization.

• When considering private practice, Spectrum Health offered them a substantial raise as an incentive.

Transition to Private Practice

The speaker discusses their decision to transition from working at Spectrum Health to starting their own private therapy practice.

Moving On to Private Practice

• Despite enjoying their time at Spectrum Health, the speaker felt ready for a new challenge and decided to start their own private therapy practice.

• They express gratitude for the support and opportunities they had at Spectrum Health but were motivated by personal career goals.

Experience as a Therapist vs. Case Manager

The speaker compares their experience as a therapist with their brief period as a case manager. They explain the differences in focus and responsibilities between these roles.

Case Management vs. Therapy

• As a case manager, the focus is on supports coordination and helping clients access necessary resources for effective living.

• Case managers have a more holistic approach compared to therapists who primarily provide outpatient therapy.

• Responsibilities include assisting with housing resources, job training, medication adherence monitoring, appointment scheduling, etc.

• Case management involves higher levels of care than outpatient therapy.

Clarification on Case Management Role

The speaker clarifies that when referring to case management in this context, it is not about policy-level work but rather a clinical role involving individual client follow-up and support.

Clinical Case Management

• The case management role discussed is focused on individual client follow-up and support, not policy-level work.

• Case managers are assigned a caseload of clients to provide individualized assistance and ensure they receive necessary care and resources.

These notes provide a comprehensive summary of the transcript, highlighting key points at specific timestamps.

Roles in Social Work

This section discusses the different roles in social work, specifically focusing on domestic crisis workers and child and family protective services social workers. Clinical components can be involved, but macro-level social work focuses on systemic change.

Types of Social Work Roles

• Domestic crisis workers or child and family protective services social workers are involved in addressing crises and protecting vulnerable individuals.

• Clinical social work involves providing individual care and support to clients.

• Macro-level social work focuses on systemic change, such as empowering groups of people or advocating for just laws.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Practice

This section explores the advantages and disadvantages of starting a private practice in social work compared to working in an agency.

Advantages of Private Practice

• Total freedom over scheduling allows for flexibility in managing clients' appointments.

• Ability to collaborate with colleagues by choice rather than being obligated to attend meetings.

• Opportunity to take on sliding fee clients, reducing barriers to access for those with limited financial means.

• Potential for higher income compared to working at an agency.

Disadvantages of Private Practice

• Lack of guaranteed income when not seeing clients directly.

• Absence of benefits like health insurance or retirement plans unless personally arranged.

• Less job security compared to working at an agency.

Choosing a Career Path in Social Work

This section discusses the process of choosing a career path within the field of social work, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and exploring various opportunities along the way.

Flexibility in Career Path

• It is common for individuals to explore different areas within social work before settling into their desired career path.

• Being open-minded and adaptable allows for discovering new interests and finding what one excels at and enjoys doing.

Focus on Adult Therapy

This section highlights the speaker's specialization in adult therapy and the reasons behind their preference for working with adults.

Specialization in Adult Therapy

• The speaker exclusively works with adults aged 18 and above.

• While they enjoy working with children, they find themselves more effective and relatable when providing therapy to adults.

Self-Care and Overcoming Challenges

This section touches upon the importance of self-care in social work and how seeking supervision and support can help overcome challenges.

Importance of Self-Care

• Engaging in self-care practices is crucial for maintaining well-being while working in social work.

• Seeking supervision and support from peers can provide guidance and alleviate feelings of being overwhelmed or inexperienced.

The transcript does not provide timestamps beyond this point.

Working with Kids and Specializations

In this section, the speaker discusses their preference for working with adults over children and shares their specializations in therapy.

Working with Kids vs. Adults

• The speaker prefers working with adults because they feel that adults have more insight and are better able to express it clearly.

• They mention that they may not be very effective at drawing out insights from children.

Specializations

• The speaker attended trainings on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) through the Beck Institute and cognitive processing therapy for PTSD with Kathleen Chard.

• They have developed specializations in anxiety disorders, PTSD, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

• These specializations make up a significant portion of their caseload, accounting for about 60 to 70 percent of their clients.

Responsibilities as an Outpatient Therapist

This section focuses on the responsibilities of an outpatient therapist and how treatment plans are developed.

Responsibilities

• An outpatient therapist begins by conducting a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of the client.

• From there, they develop a treatment plan and outline a course of therapy, usually involving weekly sessions.

• The therapist provides an estimate to the client regarding the expected duration of therapy based on their assessment.

Therapeutic Techniques and Approaches

Here, the speaker discusses their therapeutic approach and techniques used in therapy.

Therapeutic Approach

• The speaker identifies as a CBT therapist and has almost 10 years of experience in this approach.

• They believe in the effectiveness of CBT due to extensive research supporting its efficacy.

Specialized Techniques

• For OCD, the evidence-based treatment is exposure and response prevention. The speaker mentions Edna Foa's work in this area.

• For PTSD, they use cognitive processing therapy, which is a more structured and formulaic approach designed to last 12 to 15 sessions.

Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This section provides an explanation of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and its basic principles.

CBT Philosophy

• CBT is a second-wave behavioral therapy that focuses on the connection between thoughts, moods, and behaviors.

• The philosophy behind CBT is that our thoughts can influence our emotions and behaviors.

• By identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and restructuring them in more helpful ways, individuals can experience positive changes in their mood and behavior.

Conclusion

In this transcript, the speaker discusses their preference for working with adults over children and shares their specializations in anxiety disorders, PTSD, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They also explain the responsibilities of an outpatient therapist and how treatment plans are developed. Additionally, they highlight their therapeutic approach as a CBT therapist and discuss specialized techniques for OCD and PTSD. Finally, they provide an overview of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and its basic principles.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the difference between Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). They explain that while CBT focuses on restructuring unhelpful thought patterns, ACT emphasizes diffusion and accepting thoughts without trying to change them.

Difference between ACT and CBT

• With CBT, the goal is to identify and restructure unhelpful thought patterns.

• ACT involves diffusion, where one simply notices thoughts without spending much time trying to change them.

• ACT treats thoughts as separate from oneself, whereas CBT may treat thoughts as facts or part of one's identity.

• Sometimes a combination of both approaches is used when dealing with rigid thinking. If cognitive restructuring leads to endless "yeah but" responses, ACT can be helpful in focusing on actions and meaningful activities despite unwanted thoughts.

New Section

In this section, the speaker clarifies the roles of psychologists and social workers in therapy. They explain that both can be therapists, but there are differences in their disciplines and capabilities.

Difference between Psychologists and Social Workers

• Psychology is a different discipline than social work.

• Both psychologists and social workers can be therapists.

• Psychologists can perform psychological testing for conditions like ADHD or learning disorders, which social workers cannot do.

• Social workers cannot do psychological testing but can diagnose clients. Diagnosing is necessary for insurance reimbursement.

• Psychologists have additional capabilities such as hypnotherapy that social workers do not have.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the various roles of social workers and how they can influence and change organizations and systems. They also address a misconception about social workers' ability to diagnose mental health conditions.

Roles of Social Workers

• Social workers have diverse roles such as case managers, therapists, supports coordinators, forensic social workers, and policy influencers.

• Contrary to a misconception, social workers can diagnose mental health conditions like depression or anxiety.

• Diagnosing is part of the assessment process in social work, and it is necessary for insurance reimbursement.

New Section

In this section, the speaker explains how therapeutic techniques can be adapted for different age groups. They introduce the concept of CBT for kids and discuss a specific intervention called the Three C's Model.

Adapting Therapeutic Techniques for Children

• CBT techniques can be used with children but may require adjustments in language and incorporating play therapy.

• The Three C's Model is a CBT intervention that works well with adults but can also be used with children. It involves catching or identifying thoughts, checking their accuracy and helpfulness, and changing them into more adaptive thoughts.

Timestamps are approximate and may not align perfectly due to differences in transcription length.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses topics related to intrusive thoughts, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mental health treatment in prisons.

Intrusive Thoughts and CBT

• Intrusive thoughts are associated with PTSD and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• In CBT, the term "automatic thoughts" or "negative automatic thoughts" (GNATs) is used to describe distorted thinking patterns.

• The goal of CBT is not positive thinking but rather realistic and accurate thinking.

Mental Health Treatment in Prisons

• There is mental health treatment available in prisons, although the speaker is not an expert on this topic.

• Forensic psychologists assess whether prisoners are competent to stand trial based on their rational thought processes and connection to reality.

New Section

In this section, the speaker talks about self-care strategies for individuals working in high-intensity and stressful jobs.

Self-Care Strategies for Stressful Jobs

• The speaker emphasizes practicing what they preach in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) by taking action even when feeling low or sluggish. Taking action first can improve mood.

• Utilizing evidence-based practices can help with self-care and make therapists better able to relate to their clients' challenges.

• DBT's PLEASE skills include attending to physical illness, getting proper sleep, maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, doing activities that provide a sense of control or mastery, and limiting mood-altering substances.

• Engaging in family activities, spending time with friends, finding a balance between activity and downtime, and ensuring adequate rest are also important aspects of self-care.

New Section

In this section, the speaker acknowledges a question from one of the participants regarding social work with prisoners.

Social Work with Prisoners

• The speaker mentions that they are not an expert in this area but has had some experience visiting clients at the county jail as a case manager.

• They encourage the participant to research further as there are likely many resources available on social work with prisoners.

• The speaker acknowledges the importance of addressing socioeconomic factors and other reasons that contribute to youth being involved in the criminal justice system.