Transforming the social work and community health landscape
Join us for this year’s Social Work and Community Health Summer Institute (SWSI) from June 26th to 30th, 2023, on Zoom to learn about the latest practical social work and community health skills. Workshops are free to attend, made possible by West Virginia University, An Giang University, and Pacific Links Foundation. Come learn and share your experience with us!
We invite participants who are:
Social workers, community health workers, collaborators, and partners of local and international NGOs
Staff, faculty, and students of social work/ public health at universities
Working in social work/ community health services
Interested in social work/ public health
All workshops will be presented in Vietnamese and English. SEE TENTATIVE WORKSHOP TOPICS.
Please help spread the word and invite others. For questions, email swsi.htctxh@pacificlinks.org.
Tentative 2023 Agenda
Learn & share about...
- June 26, 7AM to 7:30AM Vietnam Time – Opening Ceremony
- June 26 to June 30 – Workshops 1 to 10
- June 30, 1:30PM to 2:00PM Vietnam Time – Closing Ceremony
This workshop will explore contemporary uses of digital photography for social work and social change by practitioners, educators, and researchers. The specific methods of Photovoice, photo mapping, and digital storytelling will be highlighted with applications, resources, and course assignments for each.
Dr. Kristina Hash, Ph.D., MSW, LICSW: Kris is a Professor of Social Work at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. She holds a graduate certificate in gerontology and a graduate certificate in health professions education from West Virginia University. Dr. Hash has published books on rural gerontology and on older lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender individuals and has received teaching and professional awards at the university, state, and national levels. She facilitates a monthly support group for caregivers and provides therapy sessions for older adults and their families.
Hypnosis can be a useful part of mental health counseling. This class offers instruction and techniques a therapist can use and provides a live demonstration of hypnosis. We will discuss hypnosis for psychotherapy, pain management, trauma, and addictions. Participants in this workshop will be required to keep their cameras on and to participate actively.
Mr. James Keim, MSW, LCSW: James is a past Associate of the Mental Research Institute and the Washington Family Therapy Institute; he now has a private practice in San Francisco. He is a Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He is a co-author of the book, The Violence of Men and a contributor to other texts on therapy with children and families. Mr. Keim is a Fulbright Specialist who guest lectured at over 10 universities in Vietnam and has taught numerous workshops internationally.
Coming into his identity as a social worker during the global COVID pandemic, post-pandemic, there were feelings of anxiety, detachment, and social isolation. These same phenomena seemed to be present to some degree or another in his clients, especially younger clients of high school and college age. This presentation will facilitate a discussion on self-consciousness from a phenomenological perspective, how the pandemic changed and continues to affect how we think about, judge, and view ourselves in relation to others. Key insights on helping clients grow by confidently realizing their greatest selves will be presented. Participants will be asked to relate this to their own experiences.
Mr. Matthew Held, MSW, LGSW: Matt is a therapist at the Morgantown Pastoral Counseling Center located in Morgantown, West Virginia. Mr. Held’s focus is men’s and couple’s issues, performance anxiety, self-esteem, and serving the LGBTQIA+ community. Mindfulness-based practice, solutions-focused therapies, and Cognitive Behavioral therapies are among his primary modalities. His practice is person-centered, and he enjoys the opportunity to help his clients realize the greatest version of themselves.
Patients and families are often under great stress as they adjust to the impending loss of a family member. This workshop will address the basic social work skills necessary for successfully working in end-of-life care. The social worker assists the family in navigating care options consistent with the medical plan while clarifying for the family what is not understood. Examples will be given. Additionally, the social worker helps the family with “bad news,” addressing last wishes and salient end-of-life concerns. The Five Wishes or areas of concern for those who are dying will be discussed. Participants will be asked to reflect on their own death as a way of delving into what those who are dying may want and the issues around these desires.
Mr. James Palmer, MSW, LICSW: James is retired and currently residing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He worked as a forensic social worker for several years, performing case administrative duties, individual counseling, and expert witness testimony in commitment cases, as well as facilitating group therapy. Mr. Palmer has also worked as a Bereavement Coordinator for Hospice teams in Massachusetts and West Virginia. As a bereavement specialist, he facilitated bereavement groups and memorial services. This work included regularly monitoring clients in their homes and nursing homes and supporting their families.
This workshop will present approaches for community engagement that can be adapted to a variety of public health and education settings. By examining some history, foundations, and frameworks used in educational programs for community engagement, participants will understand broad definitions and the evolution of this work from a United States perspective. Building collaborative partnerships and understanding differences in community needs can aid health and social workers in more effective service delivery. Explore and discuss the wide-ranging reasons and methods for using mutually beneficial approaches for community partnerships to increase social capital, health equity, and policy, systems, and environmental change.
Dr. Denis M. Scott, Ph.D: Denis is a West Virginia University Extension Associate Professor and a Community Engagement and Global Awareness Specialist. He is also the Assistant Director of Academic Engagement with the WVU Center for Community Engagement. He is a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer and an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator. Dr. Scott has designed and delivered cultural competency training for schools, nonprofits, health care providers, municipalities, and state agencies. His applied workforce training helps people learn about and understand differences among communities while respecting the importance of working with others who might be unlike themselves. Denis has led various international programs as well as intercultural exchanges and experiential learning programs to help participants understand themselves in local, national, and global contexts.
This workshop will focus on gender and gender diversity, the history of how gender is constructed, and how social construction shapes gender roles. Experiential games will be used to illustrate and develop important points in the workshop.
Dr. Quach Chi Thien Hong Phi, BA, the Stage Actor-Ethnic Drama University of Theatre and Cinema HCMC: Hong Phi is a transgender activist and advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community. Born as a boy but identifying herself as a woman at the age of 23, she transitioned to a woman. Dr. Hong Phi has been passionate about advocating and raising awareness about gender equality and improving opportunities for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Through her work, Hong Phi strives to create a world where people of all genders and sexual orientations can live, work, and thrive without fear of discrimination or prejudice in an inclusive and accepting society and workplace culture.
Emotional Intelligence, or Interpersonal Intelligence, is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations, and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. One’s emotional intelligence has been linked to effective coping and successful interpersonal relationships. Educators, counselors, and medical professionals all need a well-developed interpersonal intelligence to enhance their practice. This workshop will be both didactic and experiential as it unpacks the idea of emotional intelligence.
Dr. Susan Newfield, RN, Ph.D., PMHCNS-BC: Susan is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Family/Community Health Department for the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing. Dr. Newfield is a family therapist and teaches courses in individual and family mental health care. She is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and has a regular practice working with adolescents. She is a recipient of the 2018 Inaugural Award by the West Virginia University Office of Global Affairs for Faculty Outstanding Global Contributions and has been recognized for meritorious service by the Vietnam National Ministry of Education and Training.
This is an interactive workshop for educators, parents, and adult services providers committed to empowering children, teens, and adults who have communication challenges with practical, adaptable skills they can use to take charge of their safety and make the most of opportunities that could help them learn, grow, and thrive. During the session, the training team will share skills and strategies around topics such as: Building safe, strong relationships, Bullying prevention, Abuse prevention, and Assault prevention. Workshop participants will learn safety skills which can include Boundary setting, Managing emotional triggers, Safety in public, and Advocacy. Throughout the workshop, safety resources will be used, so participants will have opportunities to get hands-on experiential practices with the use of the safety skills
Ms. Trần Kim Ánh, BA: Anh is a Co-Founder and Member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Links Foundation. She is also an Educational Consultant for Green Leaf Learning Center. Ms. Trần Kim has extensive experience in Early Childhood Education training in the US and has spearheaded the ECCE training program conducted by the Pacific Links Foundation for early childhood educators in Vietnam. Ánh has participated with the VANGO Network to provide HEI PedFACTS Training from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for teachers and students since 2010.
Social Workers and other first responders to emergency situations are exposed to trauma. A network of Mindful-Based Resilience Coaches supporting first responders through mindfulness practice is being developed. The role of a Mindful Coach will be contrasted with that of a therapist. Approaches to Meditation and Mindfulness as a practice will be discussed. Daily Mindfulness using “on-the-go” activities will be presented. Science supporting Mindfulness will be discussed. Mindfulness can provide stability, composure, compassion, and greater clarity while engaging in chaotic and stressful situations. Participants will be invited to participate in brief meditation practices.
Dr. Neal Newfield, Ph.D., LICSW, ACSW: Neal is an Associate Professor Emeritus of Social Work and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at West Virginia University, where he was a team supervisor with the Quin Curtis Center for Psychology Training, Service, and Research at West Virginia University. He has taught courses in individual, marital, and family therapy and conducted groups on mindfulness and meditation. Dr. Newfield is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy with expensive experience in teaching mindfulness and meditation. Currently, he is a practicing therapist with the Morgantown Pastoral Counseling Center. His publications range from research to practice. He is a recipient of the 2018 Inaugural Award by the West Virginia University Office of Global Affairs for Faculty Outstanding Global Contributions and has been recognized for meritorious service by the Vietnam National Ministry of Education and Training.
Breathe a little life into yourself, your patients or clients, and your practice. This session instructs the practitioner in firsthand experiential knowledge of how breath work integrated with mindful movement, delivered through a psychologically informed lens, can effectively enhance the creation of safety for your patient’s nervous system. Come to this workshop expecting to experience your body and move. practicing physical therapist for over a decade. She is knowledgeable in the areas of persistent pain, functional restoration, multidisciplinary care, pediatrics, and neurology.
Dr. Ho-Tran is the Director of the Pain Science Fellowship for Evidence in Motion and also serves as the Lead physical therapist for Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region in Pain Medicine. She currently serves as a clinical faculty member for UCSF/SFSU and Kaiser Permanente’s Orthopedic Residency. She has guest lectured, taught continuing education courses, and spoken at national conferences, including Kaiser Permanente locally and regionally, the American Association of Pain Psychology, the San Diego Pain Summit, PainWEEK, and ALIGN. Her experience also delves deeply into mindfulness, yoga therapy, Tai Chi, somatic movement retraining, and spiritual direction.
Please help spread the word and invite others. For questions, email swsi.htctxh@pacificlinks.org.