Presented by Jack Paul Gesino, DSW, LCSW

Webinar Description:

This webinar presentation will review the neurobiological benefits of play for adults, covering the properties of play, assessing the audience’s own level of playfulness, differences in play for the purpose of therapy or simply for “FUN”. The examination of various play forms will be offered including improvisation, therapeutic humor, play groups, novelty, and surprise. Explanation of how to incorporate these play modalities into clinical practice will be explored through experiential exercises with the audience.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify the components of play.
2. Participants will be able to identify five play types.
3. Participants will be able to identify three therapeutic benefits of play.

1 Continuing Education Hour

REGISTER

Cost:
Members - $25
Student or Retired Members - $20
Non-Members - $35

Description: Join NASW-WI for a town hall providing information on immigration, food insecurity, and housing. This Town Hall will also provide the opportunity for attendees to ask questions and share their experiences and perspectives on the issues covered.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Location: Zoofari Center

9715 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53213

1.5 Continuing Education Credits

FREE for NASW Members, Students, and Milwaukee County Employees

$10.00 Future Members

Pre-registration for this event has closed. You are welcome to attend and register onsite.

Schedule

5:30-5:00pm-Reception with light refreshments

6:00-7:30pm-Panel Conversation

Speakers include Emily Kenney, LCSW, Strategic Initiatives and Transformation Director, Milwaukee County DHHS; Mary Beth Reynoso, Psychotherapist, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers; and Matt Stienstra, Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement, Feeding America Wisconsin.

Presented by Barb Perkins, LCSW

This presentation will discuss Interpersonal Neurobiology in Action, Accessible Ways to Talk About Danger Brain/Safe Brain, Spreading the Word, and Applications for Your Settings.

Objectives:

1. Simply interpersonal neurobiology through naming two brain states: Danger Brain and Safe Brain.

2. Learn how to us the common language of Danger Brain/Safe Brain to internalize the language and explain it to our clients.

3. How we can lean into Safe Brain to balance the inputs of Danger Brain and apply it to our settings or self care.

Barb Perkins, LCSW, owns a sole private practice since 2013 after decades of working in hospital and mental health settings. In Feb 2016, Barb’s work style was written about in “O, The Oprah Magazine” as having “the same calming effect on me as Mr. Rogers’s ritual of putting on his house shoes and cardigan”.  She has created material and spoken at national and local conferences on several topics, including day treatment in physical rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, psychosocial programs, telehealth, and improving well-being.  

1 Continuing Education Hour

REGISTER

Cost:

Member - $25
Student or Retired Member - $20
Non-Member - $35

Presented by Sarah Hessenaur, PhD, LCSW, MSW, MBA

and Kellie A Ruelle, MSW

This presentation will explore how technology impacts children, with a focus on the effects of screen addiction on mental health. Overreliance on screens as a distraction, source of entertainment, or emotional escape has become a hazardous trend among children. Screen addiction can hinder brain development, stifle emotional and social growth, disrupt education, and adversely affect physical health. Additionally, it can jeopardize a child's personal safety, exposing them to cyberbullying and inappropriate content. Practical tips for minimizing screen time will be shared, along with resources to help families seeking support. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will develop a deeper understanding of how technology use affects younger clients.
2. Participants will discuss how to evaluate the impact of technology use on their clients' well-being.
3. Participants will identify two practical strategies to help clients mitigate and reverse the negative effects of technology use.

Sarah L Hessenauer, PhD, LCSW, MSW, MBA is an Assistant Professor of social work and MSW program coordinator at Mount Mary University. She earned her BSW degree in 1990 from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, her MSW in 1991 from UW-Milwaukee, and her PhD in 2011 from Loyola University of Chicago. She has authored and co-authored several social work textbooks with Dr. Zastrow.

Kellie Ruelle, MSW is a graduate of Mount Mary University. She earned her BSW (2021) and MSW (2025) from Mount Mary University. She is passionate about foster care, adoption, and the negative impacts of technology. 

1 Continuing Education Hour

REGISTER

Cost:

Member - $25
Student or Retired Member - $20
Non-Member - $35

Presented by Toscha J. Wilkins, LCSWA

Adults who have experienced traumatic events as children can present with a myriad of complex symptoms and dysfunctional lifestyles later in life. Studies show that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) can have long-term profound effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health. ACE’s can affect how adults respond to anxiety-producing situations, how they communicate with others, and how they experience life overall. This interactive workshop will assist attendees with understanding how trauma from ACE’s “shows up” in adulthood, will inform attendees of the long-term effects of ACE’s, and will identify ways adults can build long-term resiliency.

Toscha Wilkins, LCSWA, has over 20 years of experience working across micro and macro levels of social work, from direct client support to systemic advocacy. She currently serves as a Primary Therapist at The Blanchard Institute and co-owns The Nia Box™, a monthly subscription service offering tools and resources for social workers. Originally from Kansas, Toscha earned her BSW from Wichita State University and her MSW from Indiana University. She is passionate about helping others improve their quality of life and is committed to fostering positive, lasting change in both individuals and the communities they live in.

1 Continuing Education Hour

REGISTER

Cost:

Member - $25
Student or Retired Member - $20
Non-Member - $35