Clinical supervision training
The VCU School of Social Work offers a variety of continuing education opportunities that are applicable for clinical practitioners and those who want training to provide clinical supervision.
Schedule
This is a partial list – check back as we finalize our schedule!
Fall 2026
- Clinical Supervision Training
9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 18-Saturday, Sept. 19, in-person - Culturally Adapting the CBITS (Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools), an Intervention for Youth Exposed to Trauma
Oct. 1, Zoom
Previously: Spring 2026
- Clinical Supervision Training
9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 6-Saturday, Feb. 7, Zoom
The Creative Brain: How Expressive Arts Rewire Neural Pathways for Emotional Healing
6-8 p.m. ET Tuesday, Feb. 24, Zoom - Clinical Supervision Refresher
9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, March 6, in-person - Clinical Supervision Training
9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, April 17-Saturday, April 18, in-person
🌟 Presenters: Cassie DeSena Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW; Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW
🗓️ Date: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 18-Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
📍 Location: Academic Learning Commons 4100
💰 Cost: $210, lunch included ($175 for field liaisons/instructors and alumni) » Register
📚 CEUs: 14 hours
Clinical supervision training is designed to fulfill the Virginia Board of Social Work and Counseling’s requirement for Licensed Clinical Social Workers to provide clinical supervision to social workers and counselors pursuing their LCSW. This training is designed to offer high-quality, interdisciplinary and interactive supervision training through multiple learning modalities such as case study, didactics, videos, self-assessment and discussion.
Virginia LCSWs interested in providing clinical supervision are eligible to attend. Topics covered in the training include:
- The supervisory relationship
- Methods and techniques for supervision
- Models and theories of supervision
- Roles and functions of a supervisor
- Ethical and legal issues in supervision
- Tele-supervision
- Group supervision
- Assessment, evaluation and gatekeeping
- Critical cultural competence
This training session will be offered over two days (14 total hours) for LCSWs. This includes three hours of asynchronous engagement prior to the first synchronous training day. CEU certificates will be provided through National Association of Social Workers approval, and the total hours will include 2 ethics hours.
About the presenters
Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is an assistant professor in teaching and director of mental health initiatives at the VCU School of Social Work. She is a clinical social worker with over 18 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie’s work has focused on trauma-informed, anti-racist and culturally competent care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice in New York and Virginia.
Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW, is an assistant professor in teaching at the VCU School of Social Work. She teaches clinical courses in the M.S.W. Program and has 15 years of experience working in community mental health, including crisis mental health, serious mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, incarcerated individuals and veterans. She currently serves on the NASW-Virginia Board of Directors and provides clinical supervision toward licensure.
🌟 Presenter: Chanda Bass, D.S.W., LCSW, C-SSWS, CCTP, CATP
🗓️ Date: Oct. 1
💰 Cost: $35 » Register
🛜 Location: Zoom
📚 CEUs: 2 hours
The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) is a widely utilized, evidence-based group treatment that has been adapted for use with students from various cultural backgrounds. Input from school staff members, parents and clinicians in the Richmond, Virginia, area was utilized to update and adapt the CBITS to reflect the cultural identities and experiences of local students. The modified intervention, the RVA CBITS Update, will be discussed, and suggestions for implementing similar adaptations in other localities will be shared.
Learning objectives
- The participant will be able to describe general methods for culturally adapting an evidence-based intervention for youth.
- The participant will be able to describe the general format, purpose and strengths of the CBITS group intervention for youth.
- The participant will learn two tenets of community-based participatory methods aimed at engaging community stakeholders in trauma-informed school based approaches.
About the presenter
Dr. Chanda Bass has worked in public schools for the past 27 years as a school social worker. She is a recent graduate of the Doctor of Social Work program at California Baptist University. She completed her final research project on culturally adapting an evidence-based trauma intervention for use in schools in her region. She earned a Master of Social Work degree in 1998 from Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Bass served as a subject matter expert for the national certification program, Culturally Informed Responses to Grief and Loss. Dr. Bass enjoys educating and supporting social work students.
🌟 Presenters: Cassie DeSena Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW; Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW
🗓️ Date: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 6-Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026
🛜 Location: Zoom
💰 Cost: $210 ($175 for field liaisons/instructors and alumni) » Register (registration closed)
📚 CEUs: 14 hours
Clinical supervision training is designed to fulfill the Virginia Board of Social Work and Counseling’s requirement for Licensed Clinical Social Workers to provide clinical supervision to social workers and counselors pursuing their LCSW. This training is designed to offer high-quality, interdisciplinary and interactive supervision training through multiple learning modalities such as case study, didactics, videos, self-assessment and discussion.
Virginia LCSWs interested in providing clinical supervision are eligible to attend. Topics covered in the training include:
- The supervisory relationship
- Methods and techniques for supervision
- Models and theories of supervision
- Roles and functions of a supervisor
- Ethical and legal issues in supervision
- Tele-supervision
- Group supervision
- Assessment, evaluation and gatekeeping
- Critical cultural competence
This training session will be offered over two days (14 total hours) for LCSWs. This includes three hours of asynchronous engagement prior to the first synchronous training day. CEU certificates will be provided through National Association of Social Workers approval, and the total hours will include 2 ethics hours.
About the presenters
Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is an assistant professor in teaching and director of mental health initiatives at the VCU School of Social Work. She is a clinical social worker with over 18 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie’s work has focused on trauma-informed, anti-racist and culturally competent care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice in New York and Virginia.
Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW, is an assistant professor in teaching at the VCU School of Social Work. She teaches clinical courses in the M.S.W. Program and has 15 years of experience working in community mental health, including crisis mental health, serious mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, incarcerated individuals and veterans. She currently serves on the NASW-Virginia Board of Directors and provides clinical supervision toward licensure.
🌟 Presenter: Danielle Whalen, M.S.W., LCSW
🗓️ Date: 6-8 p.m. ET Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026
💰 Cost: $35 » Register
🛜 Location: Zoom
📚 CEUs: 2 hours
This workshop blends neuroscience and expressive arts interventions, demonstrating how Neurographic Drawing and other creative expressions rewire the brain to enhance emotional processing, trauma healing and cognitive flexibility. By integrating scientific research and hands-on expressive techniques, participants will learn how creativity activates neuroplasticity and supports emotional regulation in diverse client populations.
Learning objectives
- Explore neuroscientific research on creativity and its impact on emotional regulation
- Learn expressive arts intervention such as Neurographic Drawing, which activates neuroplasticity for emotional regulation.
- Apply Neurographic creative exercise to help clients process emotions non-verbally
- Develop personalized, strengths-based creative interventions for different client populations
About the presenter
Danielle Whalen is a licensed clinical social worker, educator and U.S. Coast Guard veteran with over 20 years of experience in mental health, crisis intervention and professional development. Known for her integrative and engaging approach, Danielle combines clinical insight, creativity and evidence-based practices to inspire growth across diverse settings. She has held a wide range of leadership roles, including clinical director, ministry leader and university faculty member. Grounded in faith and dedicated to service, she is passionate about fostering resilience and promoting wellness through meaningful education, connection and development.
🌟 Presenters: Cassie DeSena Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW; Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW
🗓️ Date: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, March 6, 2026
📍 Location: Academic Learning Commons 3100
💰 Cost: $100, lunch included » Register
📚 CEUs: 7 hours
This training is for current LCSW clinical supervisors who need to renew their clinical supervision training. This training is not for new supervisors.
This workshop provides 7 continuing education (CE) hours, including 2 hours in ethics (please verify with individual state licensing boards outside Virginia) for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) to continue to provide clinical supervision to social workers pursuing their LCSW.
Topics covered include :
- Virginia Board of Social Work regulations
- Supervisory relationship
- Impact of harmful supervision
- Social justice supervision
- Transference and countertransference
- Intersectionality
- Ethical supervision
About the presenters
Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is an assistant professor in teaching and director of mental health initiatives at the VCU School of Social Work. She is a clinical social worker with over 18 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie’s work has focused on trauma-informed, anti-racist and culturally competent care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice in New York and Virginia.
Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW, is an assistant professor in teaching at the VCU School of Social Work. She teaches clinical courses in the M.S.W. Program and has 15 years of experience working in community mental health, including crisis mental health, serious mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, incarcerated individuals and veterans. She currently serves on the NASW-Virginia Board of Directors and provides clinical supervision toward licensure.
🌟 Presenters: Cassie DeSena Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW; Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW
🗓️ Date: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET Friday, April 17-Saturday, April 18, 2026
📍 Location: Academic Learning Commons 4100
💰 Cost: $210, lunch included ($175 for field liaisons/instructors and alumni) » (Registration closed-March 13)
📚 CEUs: 14 hours
Clinical supervision training is designed to fulfill the Virginia Board of Social Work and Counseling’s requirement for Licensed Clinical Social Workers to provide clinical supervision to social workers and counselors pursuing their LCSW. This training is designed to offer high-quality, interdisciplinary and interactive supervision training through multiple learning modalities such as case study, didactics, videos, self-assessment and discussion.
Virginia LCSWs interested in providing clinical supervision are eligible to attend. Topics covered in the training include:
- The supervisory relationship
- Methods and techniques for supervision
- Models and theories of supervision
- Roles and functions of a supervisor
- Ethical and legal issues in supervision
- Tele-supervision
- Group supervision
- Assessment, evaluation and gatekeeping
- Critical cultural competence
This training session will be offered over two days (14 total hours) for LCSWs. This includes three hours of asynchronous engagement prior to the first synchronous training day. CEU certificates will be provided through National Association of Social Workers approval, and the total hours will include 2 ethics hours.
About the presenters
Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is an assistant professor in teaching and director of mental health initiatives at the VCU School of Social Work. She is a clinical social worker with over 18 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie’s work has focused on trauma-informed, anti-racist and culturally competent care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice in New York and Virginia.
Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW, is an assistant professor in teaching at the VCU School of Social Work. She teaches clinical courses in the M.S.W. Program and has 15 years of experience working in community mental health, including crisis mental health, serious mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, incarcerated individuals and veterans. She currently serves on the NASW-Virginia Board of Directors and provides clinical supervision toward licensure.