Preferred registration deadline: February 6th

3 CEs

Dementia profoundly affects individuals, families, and communities, and mental health professionals play a vital role in supporting all three. This workshop offers an engaging, practice-focused exploration of how clinicians can effectively support clients living with dementia and those who care for them by providing a clear, clinically grounded overview of dementia types, cognitive and functional changes, and the therapeutic needs that arise across the course of the illness. Through case examples and discussion, participants will learn to adapt psychotherapeutic approaches to honor each client’s history, identity, cultural background, and strengths. A strong emphasis is placed on person-centered care, behavioral strategies for managing distress and enhancing quality of life, and cultivating meaningful therapeutic engagement even as cognition changes.

Because dementia affects entire family systems, this workshop also highlights strategies for working collaboratively with caregivers, offering psychoeducation, and supporting families through decision-making, communication challenges, and emotional strain. Cultural humility is woven throughout the session to ensure that practitioners can provide sensitive, affirming, and equitable care to clients and families from diverse cultural communities.

This is an interactive synchronous distance learning course via Zoom. This workshop meets the Illinois social work licensure requirement for Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias.

General Admission: $65**
**Eligible discounts can be applied during checkout.

Class size is limited to 45.

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Course Outline

Content Level: Intermediate

Target Audiences: Social Workers, Counselors, Psychologists, and other mental health providers

Agenda:

• Introduction - 5 mins
• Dementia understanding and background on the disease - 55 mins
• Assessment and Communication; Person-centered care; case study examples; small group activity - 60 mins
• Behavior interventions; Family caregiver support; case study examples; some group activity - 60 mins

Learner Outcomes

• Analyze how dementia differs from typical aging, differentiate major dementia types, and interpret current research relevant to psychotherapy.
• Compare assessment approaches using validated tools and apply communication strategies matched to clients’ cognitive and emotional needs.
• Implement person-centered psychotherapeutic approaches, examine ethical issues in dementia care, and evaluate cultural influences on client and family experiences.
• Analyze and apply behavioral interventions that address challenging behaviors and enhance engagement, mood, and quality of life.
• Evaluate and integrate strategies to involve family members and caregivers and deliver effective psychoeducation and support.

Course Completion Requirements:

• The Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, Professional Development, provider #2130, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/24/2025 – 9/24/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.
• The Brown School is also an approved provider of Social Work CEs in Missouri and Illinois.
• To earn ACE credit, attendees must arrive at the scheduled time, attend the entire course, and complete an online course evaluation. ACE credit is not provided for partial attendance.  However, you may still qualify for partial Social Work Missouri and Illinois CEs provided by the Brown School.
• Brown School CE Certificates will be available online within 10 business days of course completion by visiting your learner profile at https://ce.wustl.edu/portal/logon.do?method=load&parentSite=brown.  You will receive an email notification with specific instructions for accessing the online certificate when it is available. ACE CE Certificates, if requested in your evaluation survey, will be emailed within 10 business days of course completion.
• For more information about CEs, accessibility, refund/cancelation policy, our grievance policy, or other inquiries please visit our About Us page or email brownprofdev@wustl.edu.