PSCSW Clinical Book Discussion presents Building Resiliency while Living With Illness, Physical Disfigurement, and Financial Depletion

THE PSCSW CLINICAL BOOK DISCUSSION PROGRAM

Clinical Title: “ Building Resiliency While Living with Illness, Physical Disfigurement, and Financial Depletion
Book: The Autobiography of a Face, a Memoir by Lucy Grealy
Date: Saturday October 22, 2022
Time 10 am – 1 pm
Location: Zoom
Facilitator: Deborah Shain, MSS LCSW BCD

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Grealy

paints a picture of a child’s life upended by Ewing's sarcoma -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing%27s_sarcoma

The cost of cancer treatments as well as the disfiguring distortions
of her face results in the trauma of a lifetime of self-consciousness
for Lucy and a financial and emotional strain on the family. The right
side of Lucy's jaw is removed in one of many operations, and being the
perceptive 8 year old she is, Lucy takes note of her family's discomfort
due to the way she looks. The prologue informs the reader of Lucy's
life-long struggle with self-image. After finishing her first bout of
chemotherapy, Lucy’s first job is tending to and leasing ponies for
children’s parties. She describes her relationship with the animals and
the stares that she received from children, not sure if they were better
or worse than the furtive looks from adults. Though she often feels like
a social outcast, in one of her many hospital stays, Lucy (a “tom boy”)
meets Derek at the hospital and they become partners in delightful
adventures in the hospital.

After missing much of fifth grade, Lucy returns to school only to have
classmates bully her and ridicule her for her appearance. In high
school, the taunting gets worse, and she seeks help from a counselor.
All he offers is to allow her to isolate and eat lunch in his office.
Lucy describes how she preferred the pain of cancer to the pain of being
humiliated . Once she becomes a student at Sarah Lawrence College -

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Lawrence_College>

,--  an environment that welcomes creative thought and respects
difference — Lucy feels acceptance for the first time because of how
different and unique all the students are. There she develops her gift
of writing, and makes true friends for the first time.
CLINICAL OBJECTIVES:

By reading the book and engaging in the discussion, participants will:

1.  Discuss the impact of illness and physical differences on
self-esteem.
2.  Develop an action plan when providing trauma-sensitive psychological
services for patients subjected to multiple surgeries.
3.  Explore the effects of the comforting presence of other “outliers”
in the formation of friendships.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:

Deborah Shain, MSS, LCSW, BCD, is an educator and clinical supervisor
and is Chair of the Professional Standards, Ethics, and Licensing
Committee. She is a long-time Board member of the Pennsylvania Society
for Clinical Social Work. In her private practice, she specializes in
relationship therapy and individual treatment of adults seeking insight
regarding their feelings, behavior, and interactions in social
situations. At Drexel University Medical School, she teaches psychiatry
residents “Human Sexuality: Interventions and Treatment for Patients
With Sexual Concerns.” Deborah has authored many essays based on
Margaret Mahler’s Developmental point of view, and wrote two medical
education books: _Study Skills and Test-Taking Strategies for Medical
Students: Find and Use Your Personal Learning Style, _published by
Springer-Verlag.

REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDEES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE READ THE BOOK.

THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO PSCSW MEMBERS ONLY, AND PARTICIPANTS WHO ATTEND
THIS PROGRAM MUST BE PRESENT FOR ITS ENTIRETY IN ORDER TO GET CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS.

CANCELLATION POLICY: There is a $5 non-refundable administrative fee for
any cancellation up to 48 hours prior to this program. No refund will be
issued if less than 48 hours’ notice is given for this program.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS:

FOR PENNSYLVANIA SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS: This program is approved for credits for
professional workshops sponsored by the Pennsylvania Society for
Clinical Social Work, a state affiliate of the Clinical Social Work
Association listed in Section 47.36 of Title 49, Chapter 47 of the PA
Code, State Board of Social Work Examiners. This program is also
approved for 3 credits for professional workshops for marriage & family
therapists (Section 48.36) and professional counselors (Section 49.36).

FOR NEW JERSEY SOCIAL WORKERS: This program is approved for 3 clinical
credits. Attendance at programs or courses given at state and national
social work association conferences, where the criteria for membership
is an academic degree in social work, are a valid source of continuing
education clinical credit (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-6.4(c)4).

PSCSW Members - Before you begin any registration, you must log in to
the website to pay the member rate. If you register without logging in,
you will pay at the nonmember rate. If you need assistance logging in,
please contact the PSCSW office at: pscsw@pscsw.org