The following pre-recorded, online trainings were developed by Aspire Training & Consulting for social workers and professional counselors in the State of Wisconsin. These trainings can be taken at any time.

The cost per training or bundle is $40, as listed below. This price includes CEUs. Bundle all 8 trainings and save $50!

UW Oshkosh Continuing Education will award one credit hour (0.1 CEU) for every 60 minutes of training completed. Some of the trainings have been packaged to equal approximately 60 minutes of training time. Upon completion, a CEU certificate will be automatically generated when you successfully complete the course, listing which training was completed and the number of CEUs awarded.

For questions, please email conted@uwosh.edu or call (920) 424-1129.

1. Therapeutic Communication & Approaches to Difficult Situations Package ($25 per training, $40 for the bundle)

Therapeutic Communication
40 minutes

This workshop enhances the direct care worker’s ability to communicate with clients. At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to:
(1) Identify the basic elements of therapeutic communication,
(2) Identify the obstacles to effective communication,
(3) Increase knowledge about the fundamental skills for therapeutic communication and
(4) Learn new communication techniques to utilize immediately.

Approaches to Difficult Situations
30 minutes

Direct care workers deal with many challenging situations including client struggles with mental health and substance abuse. This workshop teaches the learner how to deal effectively with difficult situations. At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to:
(1) Identify the facts about escalation,
(2) Manage the verbal escalation continuum and
(3) Identify therapeutic strategies in dealing with difficult situations.

2. Harm Reduction & Service Planning Package ($25 per training, $40 for the bundle)

Harm Reduction
30 minutes

Learn how to apply harm reduction approaches to client-centered care. At the end of the workshop learners will be able to:
(1) Apply harm reduction theory,
(2) Identify key tenets of harm reduction and
(3) Recognize harm reduction approaches to client-centered care.

Service Planning
40 minutes

Learn how to effectively and efficiently utilize service plans and monitor client progress. Critical to funding and service delivery, this training examines best practices in utilizing paperwork to improve client outcomes. At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to:
(1) Identify the service planning cycle,
(2) Name the reasons for service planning,
(3) Write measurable objectives and
(4) Write a service plan for re-engagement in care.

3. Helper as a Person ($40)
60 minutes

Sometimes it is difficult being human in human services. This workshop takes a look at boundaries and gives the learner basic self-care skills in direct care work. At the end of the workshop learners will be able to:
(1) Define appropriate professional boundaries,
(2) Identify transference and counter transference,
(3) Identify the dynamics of burn-out,
(4) Understand the serious health dangers of burn-out,
(5) Define vicarious trauma, secondary trauma and compassion fatigue and
(6) Understand how to maximize wellness in the helping field.

4. Multiculturalism ($40)
60 minutes

Working with people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS means working with a very diverse group of clients. At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to:
(1) Define key terms, such as culture, ethnicity, race and cultural competence,
(2) Understand what it means to be a culturally competent helper,
(3) Describe the impact of culture on personal development and
(4) Utilize new approaches to cultural competence in work with clients.

5. Reducing Stress Through Self Care ($40)
60 minutes

Maintaining a healthy mind and body is important to all of us and is essential to those who protect, serve and care for others. This workshop provides a foundation about stress, trauma, secondary trauma, burn-out and compassion fatigue with strategies to manage all. It’s how you manage it all that counts. There are specific versions for corrections, direct service providers, educators, law enforcement/EMS and soldiers/veterans. At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to:
(1) Identify indicators of stress, trauma, secondary trauma, burn-out and/or compassion fatigue,
(2) Understand the difference between “normal,” “healthy” and “unhealthy” stress and
(3) Identify two healthy coping strategies for stress, trauma, secondary trauma, burn-out and/or compassion fatigue.

6. Stages of Change ($40)
60 minutes

Learn about the stages of change and how to utilize them with clients. At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to:
(1) Identify key attributes of clients in each stage of change and
(2) Describe the Helper’s tasks in working with clients in each stage of change.

Trainer Biography

Melinda Marasch was born and raised in Wisconsin, receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Marasch has dedicated almost 25 years to her passion in helping others. She recently moved back to Wisconsin from Colorado, where she has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and continues her career as a social work/mental health trainer and consultant. Marasch specializes in clinical training, supervision and development of programs for social workers and other direct care providers. She often helps non-therapist direct care staff to be efficient, effective and therapeutic in the work they do. She has worked in residential, school and outpatient care; within healthcare (e.g. HIV/AIDS medical case managers, patient navigators), public (e.g. department of human services case workers, child support enforcement workers) and community-based organizations. Marasch is a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and has presented numerous trainings across the U.S. on therapeutic approaches such as motivational interviewing, trauma informed care, self-care, mental health issues, de-escalation and more.