Contested Truths: Reframing As Liberatory Practice

Contested Truths: Reframing As Liberatory Practice

David Melnick, LICSW (Vermont), LCSW (New York)

3 Formal CEs in cultural competency/anti-oppressive practice NASW VT Authorization Number 1194

NASW Vermont Chapter is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0683.

One of the greatest design flaws in our neurobiological programming is the presence of bias (just the negative ones that is). Whether they are emotion-based, or cognitive, whether implicit or explicit, we often see and perceive what we are socialized to see and perceive. Certain biases are conditioned into us from birth. Biases can either keep us safe or they can confine us. They can lead to rash and faulty decisions and actions, and they can cause great harm. Spur of the moment decisions can create chasm between us and our students/clients. Yet, the irony of bias is that they can also be responsible for some of our most benevolent actions.We know that the harmful biases are most likely to emerge when we are distressed and dealing with the painful realities of working in the human services field. Fortunately, there are ways to address these biases, steering through and around them, into more productive, caring and successful alternatives. One of the most powerful strategies to shift our reference points and beliefs is reframing, a fundamental principle in social work.Reframing is the capacity to look at something from a different perspective and proximity, whether it is the behavior of someone else or a way to shift your own beliefs. It is an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to work more effectively with students/clients who display worrisome emotions and behaviors. Reframing allows us to maneuver through some of the trickiest landscapes with students/clients, keeping both our integrity, stress and sanity in check. When we can successfully reframe, we are working to shift context, and with it, the potential meaning and impact that other people’s powerful emotions and concerning actions can have on us.While the concept of reframing is relatively easy to understand, applying it when it is most needed takes time and practice. During this interactive webinar series, we will explore and examine the benefits of reframing, and how it is an essential skill to transform trauma and other challenges with our students. We will see how reframing will improve outcomes with the student/client considered “hard to reach” while also helping to provide our workforce with the necessary proximity to see different versions of the truth.Reframing is not simply “technique”; it is a socio-political decision to see our students differently, and in the process build more equitable and just systems.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define the concept of reframing and articulate its value as a core principle in social work and human-centered practice.

1. Practice applying reframing techniques to real-life scenarios involving challenging student/client behavior, with the goal of shifting perspective, reducing reactivity, and improving outcomes.

1. Reflect on the socio-political implications of reframing as a conscious choice to see others more holistically, and its role in advancing equity and justice in human services systems.

1. Develop personalized strategies for incorporating reframing into daily practice to enhance empathy, resilience, and effectiveness in trauma-informed care.

About the Presenter

Dave Melnick, LICSW is the Director of the Transforming Trauma Collaborative at the NFI Family Center. For the past 40 years, Dave has worked in a variety of clinical settings including outpatient, residential treatment, and in public and day treatment schools. Along with his focus on Developmental Trauma, Dave has expertise in family therapy, adolescence, attachment, Reflective Practices, and Trauma-Informed Systems. He has provided trauma-informed services to over 250 schools in Vermont, as well as those in NY and Quebec. In 2015, the ChildTrauma Academy (CTA) acknowledged that Dave had completed NMT Training Certification through the Phase II level, and between 2017-2021 he was a Fellow at the CTA. Dave teaches graduate classes for the Vermont Higher Education Collaboration (https://www.vthec.org/) and is a presenter and consultant in Vermont, New York, California and Canada. Dave received his master’s in social welfare from UC Berkeley in 1988 and is licensed in both the state of Vermont and New York as a clinical social worker.

Workshop Details:

• You can pay by check by emailing Emryn - elessie.naswnh@socialworkers.org
• The zoom link and any handouts will be emailed to you the day before the workshop

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