02/02/2026
Preferred registration deadline: February 6th
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.
Link to register: https://ce.wustl.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=6453125&parentSite=brown