
Training and Professional Development
Central to SPOP’s mission is a commitment to expanding the knowledge and skills base among direct service providers, volunteers, and other stakeholders at the intersection of aging and mental health. We offer on-site group training in the New York City region and live webinar trainings without regard to geographic location. We are an accredited continuing education provider for New York State-licensed social workers.
Training topics include:
- Identifying Mental Illness in Older Adults
- Aspirational Aging
- Engaging with Challenging Behaviors
- Recognizing and Working with Suicidality in Older Adults
- Loss and Bereavement
- Hiding in Plain Sight: Substance Misuse in Older Adults
- Hands-On Self-Care for Addressing Trauma
We also develop customized trainings to address emerging issues in the field; some customized trainings we have delivered recently include:
- Grief and Loss During the Pandemic
- Addressing Caregiver Distress
- Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills with Older Adults
- Working Affirmatively with LGBT Older Adults
- Gathering Once Again: The Challenges of Re-Entry
Our trainers are all clinicians with client-based experience at the intersection of aging and mental health. Our approach is informed by a deep understanding of real-world situations and the complex interplay between aging and overall well-being.