JOANNA ELLEN SCHAEFER portrait
  • Special Assistant to the Dean, College Of Social Work-Dean
  • Adjunct Instructor, Psychiatry
  • Faculty Affiliate, Global Change and Sustainability Center
  • Professor, College Of Social Work

Current Courses

Fall 2024

  • SW 6040-002
    DSM

Spring 2024

Professional Organizations

  • Association of Experiential Education. 10/2021 - present. Position : Member.
  • Psychoanalytic Psychodynamic Research Society. 06/2011 - present. Position : Member.
  • American Psychoanalytic Association. 06/2004 - 06/2016. Position : Member.
  • National Association of Social Workers. 04/1999 - present. Position : Member.

Practice History

  • Volunteer clinical social work for Give An Hour (https://GiveAnHour.org/), providing free teletherapy for military veterans and their families, as well as front-line healthcare workers. 11/2020 - present .
    https://giveanhour.org/
  • Volunteer Clinical Social Worker, Utah Health and Human Rights Project. Salt Lake City, UT. 2011-2012. 03/2011 - present .
  • Open Sky Wilderness Therapy, Research Director, Clinical Supervisor. From 2006-2013. 06/2006 - present .
  • Private psychotherapy practice with adolescents and adults. 08/01/2005 - present .

Courses I Teach

  • 6030 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
    Lifespan development through adolescence. Bio-psycho-social-ecological, and cultural theories and factors are examined along with micro, mezzo, and macro influences. Ethics, knowledge, values, and skills.
  • 6040 - DSM in Social Work Practice
    Covers DSM diagnoses and assessment
  • SW 6401 - Mental Health Practice I: Children and Adolescents
    Children and adolescents often experience mental health and behavioral health challenges that can be effectively addressed through social work interventions. Students who take this class develop their skills in engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation of mental health practice with children and adolescents. Students will learn evidence-based models to address common mental health issues in children and adolescents such as depression, anxiety, trauma, self-harming behaviors, and suicidality. These evidence-based approaches include: routine outcome monitoring; the Attachment, Regulation, and Competency model; and Dialetical Behavior Therapy. Students will also learn the Cultural Formulation Interview and the stance of cultural humility which improves engagement and intervention with clients. Students will refine their skills in building effective helping relationships with clients. This course is the first of a sequence of two required advanced practice courses taken by all students in the Mental Health Area of Focus during the specialist year of the MSW program.
  • SW 6402 - Mental Health Practice II: Adults and Aging
    Adults along the age continuum often experience mental health and behavioral health challenges that can be effectively addressed through social work interventions. Students who take this class refine their skills in engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation of mental health practice with a range of adult populations. Students will learn evidence-based models to address common mental health issues in adults such as depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Substance Use Disorders. These evidence-based models include: routine outcome monitoring, the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach, Mindfulness Oriented Recovery Enhancement, and Cognitive Processing Therapy. Students will also learn the stance of cultural humility as an approach to improve engagement and intervention with clients, and will refine their skills in building effective helping relationships with clients. This course is the second of a sequence of two required advanced practice courses taken by all students in the Mental Health Area of Focus during the specialist year of the MSW program.

Small Group Teaching

  • Independent Study for MSW students: Focus on Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.  01/07/2019  -  04/30/2019