Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have Their Own Culture: Cultural Sensitivity in Agency Practice - 2019 Edition (Self-Study)

Self-Study

Self-Study Online Seminar

This seminar is clinically-based for anyone invested in improving their skills.

For only New York State Licensed LMSWs, LCSWs, LMHCs, and CASACs,

2 CEUs are available once the post-test and evaluation are completed.


You may have different thoughts about "culture" because you have been hearing so many different contradicting ideas about it. You wish you could finally demystify this concept and learn exactly what it really entails, how it relates to your clients, and how you can really best work with all clients, regardless of which culture or subculture they may belong to.

With Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have their Own Culture, you will learn the surprising concepts and skills for you to implement right away, whether you work in private practice, in the community or in inpatient population, or school.

Register here, learn and master new skills to enhance your practice, obtain the best possible outcomes, and increase the meaning of your work


At the end of this seminar, you will have:

  1. Learned the framework of the Socratic Motivational Practice to better work with our patients and clients regardless of the culture and subculture they belong to
  2. Learned the Principles, Techniques, Steps, and Do's and Don'ts of the Socratic Motivational Practice to better work with our patients and clients regardless of the culture and subculture they belong to
  3. Increased your tools to better work with our patients and clients regardless of the culture and subculture they belong to, by identifying at least one thing you will start doing differently, at the end of the webinar, as a result of the Socratic Motivational Practice framework.
  4. Everything you want in one place, including an illustration of how to implement the newly learned skills during our role plays.
  5. Received your certificate by email immediately after your post-test and evaluation are completed.


HERE'S WHAT OUR ATTENDEES ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR SWEET SEMINARS:

"It was the first webinar that I have done. Found the entire experience to completely exceed my expectations (ease of use, timely response from Karen and Mardoche, feeling of engagement and personal connection with presenters and participants). Complete responsiveness. Quality of presentation, top notch. You guys have done it. I am hooked. Thanks much. I feel so connected that I hope to meet you one day in person."
- Susan, LCSW



  • In the State of New York, SWEET Institute is approved by the Office of Professions under Dr. Sidor Psychiatric Services as a CEU provider for social workers (#SW-0471) and mental health counselors (#MHC-0127)


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97% of SWEET course attendees feel that the courses give them practical information they can use in their everyday life

Your Facilitator and Co-Facilitator


Mardoche Sidor, MD & Karen Dubin, PhD, LCSW
Mardoche Sidor, MD & Karen Dubin, PhD, LCSW

Mardoche Sidor, MD is a quadruple board certified psychiatrist, with board certifications in Psychiatry and Neurology (General Adult Psychiatry), Child and Adolescent, Addiction, and Forensic, Psychiatry. He has training in public and community psychiatry, psychopharmacology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He also has training in Motivational Interviewing, psychodynamic psychotherapy, play therapy, and family and couples therapy. He has clinical, teaching, and supervision experience; he has mentorship, coaching, and management, skills; and he has experience as a primary care physician, in public speaking and writing. Dr. Sidor also has skills in leadership, research, program development and project management. His overall goal is to help all health professionals, throughout the United States and globally, access the tools they need to feel empowered to provide excellent patient care while also promoting their own self-care and burnout prevention. He is the main facilitator for the SWEET Institute, and he is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University.Dr. Sidor was recently the Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer for CASES (Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services) where he continues to provide psychiatric care. He speaks and writes fluently in four (4) languages—French, English, Spanish, and Creole, with intermediate proficiency in Portuguese and Italian.

Karen Dubin-McKnight, PhD, LCSW, has wide clinical, teaching, supervision and mentorship experience that spans 18 years. She also has a vast experience working in the criminal justice system, in community mental health, in teaching, and in management. Her added passion is in education, coaching, public relations, and mediation. Her goal is to ensure that social workers and other non-medical practitioners feel empowered and have a voice “at the table.” Dr. Dubin-McKnight is the co-facilitator for the SWEET Institute. She was most recently the Court Operations Director at CASES. She is currently Adjunct Faculty at Columbia University School of Social Work and Adelphi University School of Social Work. She is also a trainer at the CUCS Academy, and Howie T. Harp. She has a private practice for people impacted by loss and trauma and also provides clinical supervision.


"This training was great. Hope to do more and learn more to help me do a better job for my clients."

- Cynthia, Legal Aid Society

"SWEET is such a special place where I feel comfortable to take risks and really engage in new learning and growth."

- Lily T, Women's Prison Association

"We had amazing instructors who were very patient and knowledgeable. No improvements needed."

- Jose, Goodwill Industries


We need this agency-wide and the full day of training!! I think this is indicative of anti-oppressive practice. Thank you!

- Laura, Brooklyn Defender Services

SWEET Curriculum


  Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have Their Own Culture: Cultural Sensitivity in Agency Practice - 2019 Edition (Self-Study)
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have Their Own Culture: Cultural Sensitivity in Agency Practice - 2019 Edition
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


I see you have a membership. What do I get with it?
A SWEET Membership entitles you to: two (2) live webinars per month; unlimited access to our library of pre-recorded webinars; and access to 8 new SWEET articles each month. A SWEET membership also entitles you to: 1 clinically-driven, pre-recorded discussion and demonstration webinar each month; discounted rates for in-person seminars (currently only available in New York City), in addition to discounts to annual conferences, networking events, and opportunities to be connected with other like-minded individuals around the world!
What is the SWEET Institute?
SWEET Institute is a community of clinicians and advocates who believe that systemic change is only possible when we all come together, fight for a variety of social justice causes, and do so by investing in a collective learning process that empowers, fosters reflection, critical thinking, and the implementation of skills acquired during our seminars. At SWEET, we emphasize “the Why, the How, the What, and Then What, while using the Socratic and Desire Methods. We are a community united in vision and purpose towards bringing the needed changes. This can be accomplished through solidarity, empowerment, and education. By focusing on and developing the strengths, drives, passions, and skills of clinicians and advocates, we can all make a transformative impact in the lives of our patients and clients and the system as a whole.
Are different are these seminars? Will I be able to interact with the Course Facilitator(s)?
Absolutely. One of the keystone paradigms of the SWEET Institute is the collective learning process. This is accomplished using the Socratic Method and is based on the most up-to-date adult learning theories. Integrating this process into our in-person seminars and live webinars creates a unique and dynamic learning experience for all of us. It is essential to us that a comfortable learning environment is created, so that anyone who attends our webinars or in-person seminars participate and are able to take risks and push themselves to gain deeper knowledge. In our webinars, this will be done through our chat feature. Also, both Mardoche and Karen are available for consultation and clarification following webinars and in-person seminars or by email at [email protected].
How will I get CEUs?
At the end of the webinar, you will be required to complete a post-webinar exam for online learning, and an evaluation of the course. Once complete, you will be able to download your certificate.
Are you available for in-person or online training for agencies, including those outside New York?
We are! We will first need to learn more about the specific needs of your agency/organization. This way we are able to customize our seminars/webinars to ensure that it is the best fit possible for the staff.
I’m an LMHC, do you provide CEU credits?
SWEET is currently approved by the New York State Office of Professions to provide CEU credits to LMSWs, LCSWs, and LMHCs. Please check with your state to determine if the CEUs are transferrable. We are able to provide CEUs for social workers throughout the US.

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