Empowering Social Workers through Continuing Education Courses - University of Houston
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Empowering Social Workers through Continuing Education Courses

GCSW alumnus Harry Livesay, LCSW-S (94') maintains a strong connection with his alma mater through continuing education courses. 

With the commitment to provide high-quality course instruction on relevant topics for social workers, the GCSW continuing education courses offer a valuable platform for professional development.

“I have learned so much from all my CEU courses with [the] GCSW, but one thing that I really valued from the Racial Justice & Anti-Oppressive Practice [course] is the reminder that Social Work is moving forward with Social Justice and being knowledgeable on the needs of our community,” Livesay said.

Not only do these courses cover relevant and practical topics, they also fulfill the necessary continuing education units required to maintain professional licenses. GCSW CE courses are open to all Clinical and Macro Practice practitioners with the “goal to introduce CE participants to new areas of skill development and to enhance the skill level of experienced practitioners.”

The CE team stays current with industry trends and has built various partnerships, which include school administrators, who coordinate skill enhancement trainings for their clinical staff.

“Over the many years of our partnership, I have worked directly with Ann Liberman [Director of the Center for Career & Professional Development at the GCSW] to discuss district trends and identify evidence-based training that can support our SSCs’ functioning in theoretical and best practices,” Kawana Coulon, Ed.M., LMSW Director of Counseling and Wellness Services at YES Prep Public Schools said.

A course that has impacted Coulon’s team has been the continuing education course, Sexual Abuse Treatment for Adults and Children: Examining Theoretical Approaches and Complicating Factors.

“Our team members most recently participated in a Sex Abuse Training. The facilitators were so knowledgeable and skilled in various treatment modalities that I reached out to Ann Liberman about an extended training option,” Coulon said. “There were several takeaways, including how those in early childhood cannot communicate the abuse but store the body memories, how to effectively guide the survivor communicating to the abuser in the empty chair exercise and supporting survivors in recognizing their identity outside of the abuse.”

GCSW CE courses are offered year-round in various formats: face-to-face, virtual, self-paced, and hybrid. Private continuing education training on specific topics for organizations is also an option.

To learn more about the GCSW’s continuing education courses, visit https://www.uh.edu/socialwork/alumni/ce/