Working with Hard-to-Reach Individuals

Helping professionals are increasingly facing clients who are affected by family violence, substance abuse, physical and mental illness, and other problems that can lead to denial and resistance to services. Hard-to-reach clients are often involuntary or “semi-voluntary”, which can add to the problems in the engagement phase of practice, and lead to direct hostility or the “illusion of work”. Increasing restrictions on the availability of health and social services, as well as other resources, can compound the problem. Dr. Shulman will present a model of successful practice with professional skills illustrated by examples from his own and participants’ experiences. Case studies will include work with individuals, families, groups, and other professionals.

In this workshop you will learn —

Lawrence Shulman, MSW, EdD, is Professor and former Dean of Social Work at the University of Buffalo, University of New York. Dr. Shulman is a widely respected teacher, author, consultant, and workshop leader. His books on supervision, working with people, and group work are used as the texts at many universities and colleges across North America. He has trained thousands of helping professionals through his workshops and taught for more than 20 years at McGill University and the University of British Columbia. This extensive Canadian experience makes him one of our most influential social workers. Dr. Shulman's unsurpassed reputation as a teacher and a group facilitator has spread his fame to helping professionals in many different fields. He has presented at each of Leading Edge Seminars’ series for the last 13 years.