This presentation explores Dr. Caterina Brown's (2020) conceptualization of critical clinical social work as it applies to the unique regulatory, educational, and practice context of Alberta. While clinical social work often emphasizes individual treatment, critical clinical approaches situate therapeutic work within broader social, political, and structural realities that shape clients’ lives.
Participants will examine how critical perspectives—including anti-oppressive, feminist, and decolonial approaches—can inform clinical social work practice. The session will also consider the tensions clinical social workers in Alberta may experience between regulatory expectations, dominant therapeutic models, and commitments to socially just practice.
Through discussion, reflection, and practice-based examples, the presentation invites participants to consider how critical clinical social work can be learned, embodied, and sustained in everyday practice.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Describe key principles of critical clinical social work and how they differ from dominant clinical approaches.
Identify ways structural and sociopolitical contexts shape clinical practice and client experiences in Alberta.
Reflect on tensions between regulatory frameworks, clinical practice expectations, and commitments to socially just practice.
Explore practical strategies for integrating critical, anti-oppressive perspectives into clinical work.
Date: April 8. 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Location: Virtual (Link to be sent upon registration)
Fees: SWAA members - $5 nominal fee to confirm your spot) | Non-Members - $50