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Webinar

F25-204 Sibling Therapy: A Hidden Resource for Your Individual and Couple Clients

Total Credits: 3 including 3 Category I CEs

Categories:
200 Adults, Couples & Families |  700 Professional Growth & Development |  New
Instructor:
Karen Lewis, MSW, Ed.D
Course Levels:
Intermediate
Duration:
3 Hours 15 Minutes
Target Audience:
Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists
Dates
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Description

The relationship between brothers and sisters, who are within four years of age, has been called a “first marriage.” Siblings are, in fact, each other’s first peer relationship. During this time, they learn (or don’t learn) to start, resolve, and avoid fights; to compete, save face, negotiate, and cooperate; to go back and forth between loving and fighting; and to know when to exert power and when to withdraw or rely on other skills such as humor, manipulation, blackmail, tattling, bartering, and silence.     

Then, in adult relationships, through “sibling transference,” they may recreate their early relationships, especially in love and at work, falling back on what is familiar—that is, what they learned as children. They know what to expect; there are no surprises.    

This workshop presents three core issues from clients’ “first marriage” (frozen images, crystallized roles, and unhealthy loyalty) that get transferred onto their relationships today. Participants will learn how to apply these concepts to their clinical work.

 

This workshop is in accordance with and compliance with the NASW Standards with a focus on service, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, and social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, in practice settings, as professionals, to the social work profession, to the broader society. 

This workshop is in compliance with the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.03.06.A(5) and with the District of Columbia Board of Social Work 17-70-7008.4.    

Instructor

Karen Lewis, MSW, Ed.D Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Karen Gail Lewis, clinical social worker for over 50 years, is author of numerous books and professional articles on marriage, gender communication, single women, group therapy, and adult siblings. Her newest book is Sibling Therapy: The Ghosts from Childhood That Haunt Your Clients’ Love and Work. For years she has presented at national and international conferences. She has been on the board of four professional journals and was the book review editor for Journal of Independent Social Work.   

Agenda & Learning Objectives

AGENDA:

8:50 – 9:00 Log on  

9:00 – 10:30  

  • Introductions and discussing the importance of childhood sibling relationships 

  • Introducing concept of “siblings as first marriage” 

  • Introducing key concepts of frozen images, crystallized roles, unhealthy loyalty, and sibling transference  

10:30 – 10:45 Break  

10:45 – 12:15  

Recognizing sibling transference in clients’ love and work problems 

How to present the idea of involving siblings in your 

Clients’ treatment and prepare them for talking with their siblings 

Wrap up and summary       

12:15 Adjournment                                                 

Format includes large and small group discussions, role play, and application to participants’ clients.  Questions taken throughout the workshop.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize the importance of the childhood sibling relationship on adult clients’ relationships.   

  • Identify the four key concepts for understanding the sibling resource for helping your clients: frozen images, crystallized roles, unhealthy loyalty, and sibling transference. 

  • Assess if there is a sibling connection with your individual and couple clients.  

  • Help your clients recognize when there is a sibling connection.  

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

Chapman, F. (2021) Brothers, sisters, strangers: Sibling estrangement and the road to reconciliation.  Viking Press. 

Greif, G. & Woolley, M. (2015). Adult sibling relationships.  Columbia University Press.  

Lewis, K.G. (2023). Sibling therapy: The ghosts from childhood that haunt your clients’ love and work. Oxford University Press. 

Perkins, N. H., & Shadik, J. A. (2018). A parent’s perceptions of physical and emotional sibling violence. Families in Society, 99(1), 78-86. 

Shadik, J. A., Perkins, N. H., & Kim, R. (2023). Understanding physical and emotional sibling violence: Perspectives from group facilitators of parent intervention groups for child maltreatment. Journal of Family Issues, 44(2), 475–497. 

Tucker, C. J. https://www.unh.edu/ccrc/saara 

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 3 Category I Continuing Education Units. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

 

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

  • Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
  • Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

  • Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Webinar Policies & FAQs

Click The Link to View The Webinar Policies & FAQs

https://umbsswcpe.ce21.com/Page/live-interactive-webinar-procedures-policies-4129

 

 

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

 

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

  • Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
  • Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
  • Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
  • Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

 

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

If you are requesting ADA accommodations, please contact our office via email at least two weeks prior to the workshop date. Requests after that date may not be fulfilled.  

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $70, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On 10/02/25, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.  

 

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