The following Course Accreditation Programs, approved by the NASW-Virginia Chapter are accredited for Continuing Education Hours. For more details or to express interest in any of these programs, please contact the sponsoring organization using the information provided.
"Ethical Principles and Decision Making in Clinical Practice with Families and Children"
Heather Zelle, J.D., Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Research in the University of Virginia’s Department of Public Health Sciences and serves as Associate Director of Mental Health Policy Research at the Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy. She holds a Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a forensic concentration from Drexel University.
Dr. Zelle’s work focuses on public mental health systems and policy in Virginia. She actively contributes to state workgroups addressing critical issues such as involuntary civil commitment and behavioral health dockets within Virginia’s court system. From 2012 to 2020, she led the statewide implementation of Virginia’s Advance Directives with Instructions for Mental Health Care initiative and co-developed the Virginia Department of Health–approved facilitator certification training program.
A published scholar, Dr. Zelle has contributed to numerous books and professional resources, including University and Public Behavioral Health Organization Collaboration in Justice Contexts, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Psychology in the Real World: Psychology and Law, Forensic Assessment in Criminal and Civil Law: A Handbook for Lawyers, Advances in Psychology and Law, and the Oxford Handbook of Public Health Ethics.
Dr. Zelle is a sought-after presenter who regularly delivers trainings on ethics, Virginia mental health policy, and advance directives.
🗓Date(s): April 10, 2026
⏱ Time: 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
📍Location Day 1: In Person -- Shineforth, Richmond, VA
CE Hours: 6.0 Category I Contact Hours (which includes 6.0 Ethics Hours)
Sponsor: Shineforth (formally known as UMFS)
Contact/Registration Information: Contact Erica Mann, Director of Learning and Special Projects, at emann@shineforth.org or call 804-921-2714.
"Ethical Considerations in the use of Artificial Intelligence in Psychotherapy"
This comprehensive training offers a practical overview of ethical principles and how they apply to clinical work with children and families. Participants will explore the foundations of ethical practice, including the purpose of ethical standards and key sources such as laws, professional codes, and current literature.
The session introduces clear, actionable frameworks for navigating ethical dilemmas, preparing participants to confidently approach real-world scenarios. Building on this foundation, the training addresses common and complex decisions in clinical practice, including assessing decision-making capacity, fulfilling mandated reporting responsibilities, and managing multiple relationships.
Participants will also learn how to navigate conflicts—whether between legal requirements and ethical obligations or among competing ethical principles—through concrete, practice-based examples such as responding to subpoenas.
In the second half of the training, attendees will be introduced to public health ethics as a broader lens for decision-making, along with an overview of key mental health policy tools, including advance directives and substantial risk orders.
This interactive training combines lecture, case examples, and small group discussion to cover:
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Foundations of ethical practice and sources of guidance
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Ethical decision-making frameworks
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Capacity and consent in work with children and families
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Mandated reporting responsibilities (including Virginia-specific guidance)
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Navigating conflicts between law and ethics
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Managing competing ethical principles
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Professional boundaries and multiple relationships
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Introduction to public health ethics
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Overview of legal tools: advance directives and substantial risk orders
🗓Date(s): May 15, 2026
⏱ Time: 9:00 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.
📍Location Day 1: In Person -- RACSB’s River Club, 10825 Tidewater Trail, Fredericksburg 22408
CE Hours: 3.0 Category I Contact Hours (which includes 3.0 Ethics Hours)
Sponsor: LIGHTHOUSE COUNSELING OF FREDERICKSBURG
Contact/Registration Information: Contact Carmen Greiner, Senior Director, at cgreiner@lhcfxbg.com or call 540-907-0121.
"Pathways to Presence: An Enneagram and Mindfulness Retreat"
Join us for a restorative and transformative retreat designed for therapists seeking to deepen self-awareness and strengthen their therapeutic presence. Through an immersive exploration of the Enneagram and practical mindfulness techniques, participants will gain insight into their core motivations, relational patterns, and clinical tendencies.
Blending teaching, reflection, and experiential practice, this retreat equips mental health professionals with tools to enhance emotional regulation, navigate countertransference, and foster deeper client connections—while reconnecting with themselves and their purpose.
🗓Date(s): August 28-30, 2026
⏱ Time: 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
📍Location: Meadowkirk at Delt Farms - IN PERSON
CE Hours: 12.0 Category I Contact Hours
Sponsor: Cabush, Paul, and Associates
Contact/Registration Information: Contact David Paul at davidp@theracpa.net or call 202-294-4199.
The following Course Accreditation Programs, approved by the NASW-Virginia Chapter are accredited for Continuing Education Hours. For more details or to express interest in any of these programs, please contact the sponsoring organization using the information provided.
