“Ready. Set. RESTORE.”
“Redeeming the Broken: Faith-Based Pathways Toward Hope and Wholeness”
March 20 – 21, 2026
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM (EST)
Virtual Forum
**Registration closes at midnight EST- 3/17/26**
A 2-Day Virtual Forum Equipping Faith Communities, Congregations and Care Providers Using Social Work Knowledge, Values and Skills from a Christian Perspective
Select a link below for your preferred registration level
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NACSW Members
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NACSW Non-Members
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Clergy
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Up to 8 Social Work CEs will be provided. |
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Friday 3/20/26 12:15 – 1:15 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “The Ministry of Lament: Faithful Presence in the Already and the Not Yet”
Christian social workers are called to accompany individuals, families, and communities where suffering is present and often does not resolve neatly. Many faith-based frameworks unintentionally rush toward hope, healing, or meaning-making in ways that can silence pain or spiritualize trauma. This session proposes lament as a faithful and theologically grounded practice that aligns deeply with both Christian faith and social work ethics. Drawing from the Psalms, Reformed theology, and lived social work practice, this workshop will explore lament as a form of covenantal speech—an act of faith that names suffering while still remaining oriented toward God’s promised restoration. Rooted in the Reformed understanding of redemption as already begun but not yet complete, lament allows practitioners to resist despair and embrace hope without demanding premature resolution. The workshop will engage insights from Reformed theologians and philosophers like John Calvin and Nicholas Wolterstorff and will also engage more current thinkers on this topic like Dr. Curt Thompson, Kelly Kapic, and J. Todd Billings. Participants will be encouraged to consider how lament functions as faithful presence, moral protest, and hope-filled witnesses in a broken world. Through theological reflection and practical application, this session invites social workers to reclaim lament as a resource for trauma-informed, justice-oriented, and spiritually integrated practice. Learning Objectives:
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 Erin Olson, PhD, MSW, LISW has been a faculty member at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa since 2007 and is currently the Social Work Department Chair and MSW Program Director. Erin holds a PhD in Social Work from Baylor University, an MSW from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and a BSW from Dordt (College) University. Dr. Olson teaches a variety of courses on topics such as behavioral therapies, grief, social justice, and research methods—all centered around a commitment to cultivating knowledge, practical skills, and a Christ-like love for others. As a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in the state of Iowa, Olson was honored with Dordt’s Noteworthy Service and Scholarship award in 2022. She is a frequent contributor to the In All Things blog and has published book reviews in Social Work & Christianity.
Before joining Dordt, Olson worked as a home-based therapist with Southeastern Behavioral Health Care in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she provided counseling for children and families connected with Child Protective Services, Juvenile Justice, and behavioral health programs. From 2004 to 2006, she also served as program supervisor. She later worked as an MSW-level discharge planner at St. Luke’s Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, supporting patients in orthopedic, rehabilitation, and surgical units. Outside the classroom, Olson serves on the advisory board of the Family Visitation and Exchange Center, a program of the Family Crisis Centers. In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her family and engaging in hobbies such as singing, playing piano, reading, and cooking. |
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Friday 3/20/26 1:30 – 2:30 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Using the Biblical Grand Narrative to Meet the Grand Challenges for Social Work “
We love a good story and are moved by stories. This workshop introduces the Grand Design Conceptual Framework as a practical, faith-integrated approach for Christian social workers engaging the Grand Challenges for Social Work as articulated by Bermejo and Hughes (2026). Grounded in the biblical grand narrative—creation, fall, redemption, and new creation—the framework supports practitioners in connecting biblical literacy, contemplative practices, and professional social work values in concrete practice settings. In faithfulness to Jeremiah’s call to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7), this workshop will draw from Walter Brueggemann’s prophetic imagination to frame social work as a vocation of prophetic witness. Using applied examples and guided reflection, the session strengthens critical awareness and critical consciousness by helping participants recognize how power, ideology, and professional assumptions shape social work practice. Emphasis is placed on praxis by the Christian social worker as the ongoing integration of reflection, discernment, and action so we can join God’s grand redemption project at the micro, mezzo, and macro-levels. Learning Objectives:
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 Russ Bermejo, DSW is an assistant professor at California Baptist University (CBU), in Riverside, CA. He has over 25 years of professional social work experience ranging from direct practice to system reform initiatives focused on serving children and families affected by child maltreatment and substance use disorders. Russ also currently serves as a financial grants management consultant for a U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs project supporting victims of crime in the US Territories. He served as an Aftercare Fellow for International Justice Mission (2008-2009) where he designed a job-readiness program for survivors of sex trafficking in Cebu, Philippines. From 2012-2016, Russ served as a lay pastor at a motel church in Anaheim, California. In 2024, he received his doctorate degree in social work at CBU and his research interests are focused on how the church can engage in a more restorative approach towards justice. He is married to Megumi and they have four children, Grace, Honor, Courage, and Hope. |
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Friday 3/20/26 2:45 – 3:45 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Embracing the Power of Self-Forgiveness”
The theme of forgiveness is woven throughout Scripture. Yet one vital dimension that is often overlooked but essential for personal growth, wholeness, and professional effectiveness, is self-forgiveness. This faith-integrated presentation explores self-forgiveness as a pathway from brokenness toward hope and wholeness. Drawing from various research and biblical principles, attendees will learn how self-forgiveness is associated with improved mental health, increased life satisfaction, and overall well-being (Kim et al., 2022; Suzuki & Jenkins, 2022; Skalski Bednarz & Toussaint, 2025; Vismaya et al., 2024), and ways to nurture it within their own lives. Learning objectives:
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 Novia Reid, Ph.D., LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker, transformational speaker, and author of four books, including Regain Your Core Journal: A 30-Day Journey to Reconnecting with Yourself. Her professional background includes work as a psychotherapist, medical social worker, and quality assurance coordinator, serving individuals, couples, and families. She is the founder of Regain Your Core®, offering three distinct journeys designed to help women reconnect with themselves and reclaim their identities after trauma, heartbreak, and setbacks. She currently resides in Southeastern Florida. More information can be found at www.noviareid.com. |
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Friday 3/20/26 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Learning how to Lead with a Shepherd’s Touch”
This presentation will focus on how a leader can go beyond building a positive team culture and explore the concept of Shepherding leadership. We will look at the question of how our faith as believers really can and does impact us at the leadership level. Participants will explore the faith-integrated Shepherding Leadership model, by considering the example of the true Shepherd, who is our ultimate hope in times of trouble. Understanding how we compare to sheep ourselves and how we are all in roles of leadership depending on the environment is important to recognize the gift God has given us in this Earthly role. We will focus on shepherding the culture within your setting in a framework of provision, protection, and presence. This interactive session will allow for cross-participant dialogue and engagement as we practice Proverbs 27:17 “so one person sharpens another.” Learning objectives:
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 Karen M. Reid, MSW, LCSW currently serves as Department Chair at Liberty University Department of Social Work. Karen previously served in the role of BSSW Director of Field Education within the Department from 2021 to 2024. She has a passion for leadership and being able to support students within a professional degree program. Her practice background was primarily dedicated to the medical setting with an emphasis on hospice/palliative care and perinatal work. She is a Licensed Certified Social Worker in the State of Mississippi and holds an MSW from the University of Southern Mississippi and a BSW from Union University. Karen received the Excellence in Teaching Award from Liberty University School of Behavioral Sciences in 2024. She has previously presented at NACSW conferences in recent years on leadership and generational differences when supporting students in the classroom. |
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Saturday 3/21/26 12:15 – 1:15 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Faith in the Fire: A Clinical Social Work Approach to Spiritual Warfare and Redemption”
This workshop explores the intersection of trauma, spiritual warfare, and Christian clinical social work. Individuals with PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder often experience disruptions not only in emotion and identity but in their relationship with God, self, and others (Gubi & Korris, 2020). This presentation introduces a redemptive, trauma-informed framework centered on five pillars: Faith, Trust, Identity, Redemption, and Grace designed to support clients by navigating both psychological pain and spiritual disorientation (Swinton & Warner, 2021). Participants will examine how spiritual warfare can manifest clinically through shame, intrusive thoughts, or fractured theology, particularly in marginalized communities. Emphasis will be placed on ethical integration of prayer, biblical reframing, and collaborative care with spiritual leaders. Rooted in clinical research and Christian theology, this session equips practitioners to hold space for healing that honors the whole person body, mind, and spirit. Attendees will leave with culturally responsive tools to ethically incorporate faith into practice and walk with clients through the fire toward identity, trust, and spiritual restoration. |
Dr. Brown holds a Doctor of Social Work and serves as an adjunct professor, where she trains emerging clinicians in theory-informed and evidence-based practice. Her work centers on trauma, identity, intergenerational healing, faith-integrated care, and expanding access to mental health services for underserved communities. Guided by the belief that healing is both clinical and communal, Dr. Brown is passionate about breaking stigma, building sustainable systems of care, and reminding people that hope can be restored. |
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Saturday 3/21/26 1:30 – 2:30 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Soul Care: A Work-Life Management Strategy”
Grounded in the understanding that God cares about holistic wellness (3 John 1:2), this workshop explores soul care as a spiritually grounded and liberatory approach to work–life management. The session centers the interconnected relationship between body, soul, and spirit, inviting participants to reimagine work–life balance beyond productivity toward intentional care, consciousness, and wholeness. Drawing upon the Eight Dimensions of Wellness – emotional, spiritual, physical, physical, physical, occupational, intellectual, social, environmental, and financial – the workshop introduces practical soul care strategies that support adaptive coping, sustained functioning, and holistic thriving. Integrating faith with principles of transformative learning, participants are guided through critical self-reflection on identity, purpose, and the internalized narratives that shape engagement with work, responsibility, and care. Learning Objectives:
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She earned a BSW from Morgan State University, an MSW from Smith College, and a doctorate in Human and Organizational Learning from The George Washington University. Dr. Allen-Milton serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Morgan State University, where her scholarship focuses on mental wellness and work-life management. She is the founder of Honoring the Whole You, LLC, and author of “Honoring the Whole You: Work-life management strategies for working moms and caregivers.” |
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Saturday 3/21/26 2:45 – 3:45 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Liberation and Discipleship: Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed Through a Christian and Biblical Worldview”
Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed has profoundly influenced critical pedagogy by advocating for social education as a liberating and restorative practice rooted in dialogue, reflection, and the dismantling of oppressive systems. While often associated with secular and Marxist traditions, Freire himself was deeply shaped by Christian theology, and his social philosophy aligns in many ways with biblical themes of justice, liberation, and human dignity. This session will explore how Freire’s pedagogical vision can be interpreted and implemented through a distinctly Christian and biblical worldview—one that sees social education not only as intellectual formation but as a spiritual and moral calling. Context and Rationale: Christian Social Workers can often find themselves navigating between faith commitments and progressive social theories that seem ideologically distant. This presentation offers a bridge, suggesting that Freire’s emphasis on humanization, hope, and transformative dialogue resonates deeply with the biblical narrative—from the Exodus story to the ministry of Jesus, and the discipleship practices of the early church. Rather than reject Freire’s insights or baptize them uncritically, this session offers a thoughtful theological engagement with his work, framed around core biblical convictions:
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 Andrew Flaherty, Ph.D., MSW graduated with his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 2020. At South Carolina he specialized in research on behavioral health clinical skills training within social work education and the use of direct observation as an assessment of student learning outcomes. Dr. Flaherty has been involved in teaching graduate social work since 2016; he is deeply passionate about social work education research and how a data informed approach can improve levels of competence and confidence in the social workforce. Dr. Flaherty is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at Liberty University. Dr. Flaherty’s current research focuses on the intersection between Evangelical Theology and Dialogical Approaches to Social Change.
He resides in Clover S.C. with his wife Elizabeth, his 3-year-old son Hudson and 4 cats. |
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Saturday 3/21/26 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST |
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| Workshop: “Commitment to the Call: Continuing on When Fatigue Sets In”
This training is designed to help equip participants with practical, research-informed tools to recognize and reduce the risk of burnout in professional helping and ministry work. Participants will explore how the scared Calling of helping others, while deeply meaningful, can also lead to emotional exhaustion and depletion over time. We will examine neurological components of stress and caregiving, helping participants understand how chronic activation of their stress response system increases the risk of burnout. This session will also address the impacts of secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue, particularly for those who regularly walk alongside individuals experiencing grief, loss, crisis, and other traumas. Finally, this training will emphasize practical strategies for participants that focus on nourishing the mind, body and spirit to minimize these impacts. The primary goal of this training is to allow participants to be refreshed in readiness and commitment to sustain God’s Call. |
Angela Squire, LCSW, LCAS, CCS, ACS, MSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, with 23 years of social work experience. Angela began her social work career working with at-risk youth and families in 2003. She held several roles in program development and clinical leadership during a 15-year tenure at a large community mental health and child welfare agency in North Carolina. In the current phase of her career, Angela has become most passionate about caring for those who are doing the caring work of social work and other helping professions. She began University teaching in 2018, starting as guest lecturer and then adjunct faculty member of UNC Chapel Hill, before transitioning to a full-time role as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Liberty University in 2025. She also started a clinical supervision practice in 2018, training and equipping new therapists and consulting with agencies regarding staff care and retention. Angela serves alongside her husband in ministry in their church, and in ministry in their home. She is a licensed foster parent and an adoptive parent, currently a mother of 7, who understands the challenges and importance of caring for yourself while caring for others. |
Chelece-Atavia Brown, DSW, LCSW is a clinical social worker, educator, and mental health leader committed to culturally responsive, trauma-informed care. She is the Founder of Restored Hope Counseling Center and the visionary behind the Restored Hope: Caribbean Mental Health Summit, an international convening focused on healing, faith, and community restoration across the Caribbean diaspora.
Sharlene Allen-Milton, Ed.D., LCSW-C