NASW-NY Continuing Education • Criminal Justice
Live webinar • 4 CEU credits Friday, October 23, 2026 • 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
REGISTER Workshop Description
Engagement through Resistance works to provide groundwork to strengthen engagement with clients who enter services involuntarily or under criminal justice mandates. This course explores the intersection between clinical intervention, trauma, and forensic social work, providing practitioners with practical tools to foster trust, accountability, and change in clients who may initially appear unmotivated, defensive, or oppositional.
The course, grounded in the principles of motivational interviewing, therapeutic alliance, and an understanding of the stages of change, offers an opportunity to become more familiar with recognizing and responding effectively to resistance as a natural part of the helping process. Through a trauma-informed and culturally responsive lens, the course addresses how bias, stigma, and systemic inequities influence professional attitudes towards justice-involved and high-risk populations.
Emphasis is placed on applying core social work practice skills – including empathy, active listening, and self-awareness – to promote ethical, compassionate, and evidence-based engagement. Participants can expect to gain strategies to navigate complexities of mandated work across diverse arenas of mental health, reinforcing their roles as agents of change and upholding the core value of human dignity, even within challenging systems.
Learning Objectives
Following this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify the unique dynamics and challenges when working with mandated, resistant, or justice-involved clients.
- Apply Motivational Interviewing (MI) strategies to enhance engagement and reduce defensiveness.
- Strengthen therapeutic alliances with involuntary or "denying" clients.
- Recognize and respond appropriately to Stages of Change, especially precontemplation and contemplation.
- Reflect on biases, emotional reactions, and discomfort when working with clients who have caused harm (e.g., sexual offenders or domestic violence perpetrators).
Continuing Education
4 CEU credits
This workshop is approved for licensed social workers.
Fees
For Credit
- $60.00NASW-NY Member
- $100.00Other Chapter Members (e.g., NASW-NJ, etc.)
- $120.00Non-Member
No Credit
- $0.00NASW-NY Student and Transitional Member (Non-CE Eligible)
Faculty
Dr. Cayla Guadalupe-Murdoch, LCSW
Dr. Cayla Guadalupe-Murdoch is a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience in forensic social work, specializing in practice with justice-involved individuals across diverse backgrounds and life stages. She holds a Doctorate in Social Work from Simmons University and currently serves as an adjunct instructor for Utica University’s Master Social Work program.
In addition to her academic role, Dr. Guadalupe-Murdoch facilitates a myriad of programs and services within the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. She also provides consultation for program and curriculum development, presently working with several rural probation departments, and clinical support and supervision to peers seeking advanced licensure. Dr. Guadalupe-Murdoch’s professional and research interests focus on enhancing the quality and impact of program delivery for both participants and practitioners, with a strong commitment to advancing equity, ethical practice, and the core values of the social work profession.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CE credits does this course offer?
This course offers 4 CEU credits and runs for 4 hours, from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM Eastern Time on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Who is this course appropriate for?
Social workers and mental health clinicians at the Emerging (Beginner) and Mid-Career (Intermediate) practice levels.
What will I learn in this course?
You will learn strategies to effectively engage mandated and resistant clients, apply Motivational Interviewing (MI), build therapeutic alliances with involuntary individuals, navigate precontemplation and contemplation stages, and address personal and professional biases when working with high-risk populations.
How much does this course cost?
For CE credit: $60.00 for NASW-NY members, $100.00 for members of other NASW chapters (e.g., NASW-NJ), and $120.00 for non-members. NASW-NY Student and Transitional Members may attend for $0.00 without CE credit.
Is this course approved for social work continuing education credit in New York State?
Yes. NASW-NY is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers (Provider ID #0014), and this course's 4 CEU credits count toward your general New York CE requirement.
Does this course satisfy New York's mandatory Professional Boundaries or Child Abuse Identification CE requirements?
No. This course covers forensic social work practice and counts toward your general 36-hour New York CE requirement, but it does not satisfy the state's separate mandatory 3-hour Appropriate Professional Boundaries or one-time 2-hour Child Abuse Identification and Reporting requirements.