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JOAN BERZOFF, M.S.W., Ed.D.

Professor; Co-Director of the Doctoral Program; Director, End of Life Certificate Program

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(413) 585-7954

Lilly Hall
Smith College School for Social Work
Northampton, MA 01063

Education

A.B., Washington University
M.S.W., Smith College School for Social Work
Ed.D., Boston University

Honors and Awards:

Outstanding Social Work Scholar Award, National Academies of Practice (2001)

Professional Interest Areas

Women's psychological development; Post modernism, feminist post modernism women's friendships; writing as a therapeutic tool; women in groups; homeless women's groups intersubjectivity; psychoanalytic theories in their social and historical contexts; dissociative identity disorders; adult development; end of life care; end of life curriculum; psyschological theories of grief and bereavement; loss narratives as tools for empowerment

Areas of Current Research

1. Women’s writing groups: Narrative approaches to building self-esteem among low income women
2. End of life decision-making
3. Bone marrow transplantation: Psychosocial needs
4. Intersubjectivity: Teaching and learning
5. Textbook on end of life care
6. Psychodynamic theory and practice: Race, gender, and postmodernism
7. End of Life Curricula in Social Work
8. Attachment and Developmental Issues in Developing Countries
9. Program evaluation of end of life care program
10. Telephonic teaching
11. International Students

 

Selected Recent Publications

Berzoff, J. and Swankowski, J. (2007) Developing a renal support team: Voices of the patients, staff and family. Journal of Palliative and End of Life Care.

Berzoff, J. (2007) Working relationally at the end of life. Clinical Social Work Journal

Berzoff, J. (Co-Editor) (2007). Special issue on Zelda Foster. Journal of Social
Work End of Life and Palliative Care, 3
(2)

Corless, I. & Berzoff, J. (2007) Zelda's life: Attention must be paid. Journal of Social Work End of Life and Palliative Care, 3(2), 10-17.

Berzoff, J. (2006). Narratives of grief: Lessons from Terri Shiavo. Journal of Supportive and Palliative Care.

Berzoff, J., Bettmann, J., Padykula, N., & Thompson, K. (2006). Innovations in doctoral education: Evaluating a telephonic seminar for doctoral students. The Journal of Teaching in Social Work.

Berzoff, J., Dane, B., & Cait, C.A. (2006). Developing and evaluating curriculum in end-of-life care. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 25(3/4), 63-88.

Berzoff, J., Lucas, G., DeLuca, D., Gerbino, S., Browning, D., Chachkes, E. (2006). Clinical social work education in palliative and EOL care: Relational approaches. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life Care.

Berzoff, J. (2004). Psychodynamic theories in grief and bereavement (chap. 13). In J. Berzoff & P. Silverman (Eds.), Living with dying: A handbook for end of life care practitioners. New York: Columbia University Press.

Berzoff, J. (2004). When a client dies. Journal of Analytic Social Work, 11(1), 15-22.

Berzoff, J., & Silverman, P. (Eds.). (2004). Living with dying: A handbook for end of life care practitioners. New York: Columbia University Press.

Berzoff, J. (1999). The patient failed. Or did she? How a transplantation patient and a donor’s unmet needs became the catalyst for change. Reflections: Journal for the Helping Professions.

Berzoff, J. & Mattei, L.M. (1999). Teaching intersubjectivity: Paradox or possibility? Smith College Studies in Social Work, 69(2).

Berzoff, J., Woods, A., Cohen, L., & Cait, C.A. (1999). Family perspective of end-of-life care and end-stage renal disease: The role of the social worker. Journal of Nephrology Social Work, 19, 9-21.

Berzoff, J., Flanagan, L.M. & Hertz, P. (1996). Inside out and outside in: Psychodynamic clinical theory and practice in contemporary multicultural contexts. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc. [Currently being revised]

Berzoff, J., Cohen, L, & Elin, M. (Eds.). (1995). Dissociative identity disorder: Theoretical and treatment controversies. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc.

Berzoff, J. & Darwin, J. (1995). Treatment of character: Treatment of Trauma? In J. Berzoff, L. Cohen, & M. Elin (Eds.), Dissociative identity disorder: Theoretical and treatment controversies. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Press

 

Presentations

2006. “Narratives of Grief: Making Meaning, Making Change,” NASW 2006 Symposium, Marlborough MA.

2005. “Psychological Theories of Grief and Making the Personal the Professional,” keynote speaker, NASW, Vermont chapter.

2005. “Narratives of Grief and Bereavement: Lessons from Terry Shiavo,” keynote address, Controversies in EOL Care, conference co-sponsored by SCSSW & Baystate Medical Center, Northampton MA.

2005. “Grief’s Legacy,” keynote address, MassCare coalition, Northampton MA.

2005. “Psychologies of Grief and the Personal is the Professional,” Bo’s Place, Houston TX.

2005. “Psychodynamic Theories of Grief,” Social Work Month Distinguished Lecturer, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC.

2005. “From Narrative to Social Action,” North Carolina Psychoanalytic Society, Chapel Hill NC.

2005. “Theories of Grief and Bereavement,” City of Hope, Los Angeles CA.

2005.  “The Use of Bereavement as a Model for Social Change,” Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore.

2005. “The Personal is Professional: Creating Meaning Out of Loss,” NASW pre-training, Boston MA.

2004. “Psychodynamic Theories of Grief and Bereavement,” Cancer Care, New York NY.

2004. “Psychodynamic Theories of Grief and Bereavement,” Nat’l Federation of Hospice, Marlborough MA.

2004. “Psychodynamic Theories of Grief and Bereavement,” social work grand rounds, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC.

2004. “Meaning Making as Empowerment,” Psychoanalytic Social Work Society, Durham NC.

2004. “Freud and His Followers,” keynote speaker, Hospice of Baltimore.

2004. “Narratives and Meaning,” keynote address, NASW, Vermont chapter.

2004. “Self Psychology and Intersubjectivity,” New Bulgarian School of Social Work, Sofia, Bulgaria.

 

Grants and Awards

$500,000 ROI grant (with Dr. L. Cohen) to develop a hospice model for renal patients.

$4000 CRI grant to evaluate SCSSW program for visiting MSW students from Bulgaria

$4000 CRI grant to study ethical issues in bereavement

$4000 CRI grant to support national book-signing tour for EOL-care textbook

$4000 CRI grant to evaluate telephonic clinical seminar for 1st year doctoral students at SCSSW

$4000 CRI grant to evaluate EOL-care certificate programs at SCSSW & NYUSSW

$40,000 K. Schwartz Foundation grant to support innovative supervision for certificate program in EOL care.

$60,000 Open Society Institute grant to develop post-MSW certificate program in EOL care.

$12,000 Massachusetts Cultural Council grant to study women's writing groups as change agents.

$4000 CRI grant (with Dr. K. Basham) to study psychosocial needs of bone marrow transplant recipients

2002, Outstanding Scholar Award, National Academy of Practice

1999, Social Work Leadership Award, Project on Death in America.

 

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