ODL 328: Breaking the Cycle: Helping Clients Cope with Separation or Divorce

Created On: 2/27/25

Attention New Jersey Social Workers: 

This course is approved for all social workers, including New Jersey. The Board Adopted Amendments: N.J.A.C. 13:44G-6.3, 6.4, and 6.7 Content Areas for Continuing Education Credit on April 15, 2024. This updates the Board’s regulation. This amendment states that  attendance at programs or courses offered by providers approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) are now acceptable sources of CE credit. 

At the June 12, 2024 public meeting, the Board voted to allow “any applications submitted, or audits which take place, on or after September 1, 2022” to be able “to submit CE from the sources updated in the new amendment adopted on April 15, 2024.”

For more information please refer to https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/sw/Pages/Additional-Information.aspx#CE

Target Audience:

This course is targeted for social workers, counselors, nurses and case managers.

Overview:

The purpose of this course is to provide an orientation and framework for clinicians who are interested in working with clients, both individuals and families, who are going through all stages of separation and divorce. 

With approximately 50% of the population in the US experiencing divorce, many clinicians find that they are struggling to manage the client’s presentation surrounding the myriad of issues when they emerge in the clinical process. This course will provide clinicians with clinical skills and knowledge to help their clients to cope with stress, conflict and relationship struggles, due to separation and divorce. Participants will learn practical techniques and skills to assist clients with communication skills, co-parenting, reunification, parenting support, interpersonal violence, blended families, impact on children, ethics, parenting plans, and personality disorders to address the many facets that this transition presents with, when working with clients of all ages.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:

• Identify all the aspects of what the divorce process entails and how it impacts clients.
• Examine clinical skills to treat the impacts of separation or divorce.
• Identify & assess how the specific aspects of divorce (such as single parenting, communication with ex-partner) affect the individual as well as the whole family system.
• Describe how personality disorders, infidelity, IPV, poor communication skills, and conflict can be addressed in the clinical setting. 
• Summarize the different stages of separation or divorce.

Presenters:

Stephanie Newberg, LCSW, MEd is a licensed psychotherapist in Florida and Pennsylvania, working with individuals, couples and families. She has been in practice for more than 25 years specializing in family and couples therapy, conflict resolution, grief and loss, parenting support and the implications of divorce on children and families. In addition, Stephanie is a trained family and divorce mediator/co-parent counselor and has received intensive training in sand tray play therapy for adolescents and children. Stephanie has led numerous workshops and presentations for adults and adolescents on relationship and communication skills, dealing with the effects of divorce on families, diversity issues, cyberbullying/effects of technology on development, nutrition and mental health, and conflict resolution skills. In addition, Stephanie has numerous publications and has been on two podcasts. Stephanie is a certified counselor for first responders, trained in neuro-emotional techniques, served as a consultant for the Council for Relationships in Philadelphia, PA, and works at the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social work as an adjunct professor, supervisor, and field work liaison for social work students.

Alyse November, PhD, LCSW obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Adelphi University, NY, and her PhD in Clinical Sexology from IICS. She is credentialed by the Academy of Certified Social Workers. 

Alyse is the founder of Different Like Me, a company with a staff of over 30 professionals providing psychotherapy, psychoeducational testing and cognitive rehabilitation. As a licensed clinical social worker, Alyse provides psychotherapy to individuals across the lifespan. A substantial portion of her practice has focused on addressing challenges faced by children, adults, seniors, and families ranging from trauma, narcissistic and borderline family recovery, aging, chronic illness, divorce, trans-care, relationships, parenting, and special needs, end of life issues, dementia, caregiving, educational challenges, anxiety, and depression. Her PhD dissertation focused on the assessment of sexual challenges and dementia. Alyse also created DLMU which is an educational platform that provides seminars for both professional and personal development.

Alyse is:

• Certified in EMDR, Brainspotting and transgender care
• A published author and a national speaker and presenter
• Awarded 2022 Social Worker of the Year: National Association of Social Workers
• A Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, parenting coordinator and a collaboratively trained divorce facilitator
• Palm Beach Chapter Past President/Chair for the National Association of Social Workers
• A past board member of Florida’s Voice on Developmental Disabilities and National Association of Divorce Professional

5 CREDIT HOURS APPROVED FOR:

Social Workers
ASWB ACE – 5 Clinical CE Credits
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 5 Contact Hours
Counselors
NBCC ACEP – 5 Contact Hours
Nurses
California Board of Registered Nursing – 5 Contact Hours
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 5 Contact Hours
Case Managers
CCMC – 5 Contact Hours

Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credit for an asynchronous course. Some state boards may place restrictions regarding the modality of training required for ethics credits to be awarded. If this training indicates ethics credits are available, please verify that your state allows them to be earned through an on-demand course format.