Description

Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Participants will be able to define the contextual relevance of the key terms “rural women” and “alcohol use disorders.”
2. Participants will be able to describe how intersecting structural, economic, and cultural barriers influence access to and engagement in treatment for rural women with alcohol use disorders compared with other populations.
3. Participants will be able to articulate the importance of targeted gender and contextually responsive treatments for rural women with alcohol use disorders.

Presenter Bio

Nicole Gerace, DSW (c), LCSW, CASAC-MG-G, SAP is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Master Counselor and DOT-certified Substance Abuse Professional with advanced clinical training in the treatment of gambling disorders and sex addiction. She earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and social work (BSW) and then her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of South Carolina. Nicole is currently a doctoral candidate in clinical social work at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, where her capstone project focuses on integrating empirical research with clinical practice to advance implementable gender and contextually responsive care for rural women with alcohol use disorders.

Nicole has over 25 years of clinical experience working in rural upstate New York, where she has been the owner and clinical director of Serenity Counseling and Consulting, a group psychotherapy practice, since 2004, specializing in the treatment of co-occurring mental health and addictive disorders. She has advanced clinical training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Nicole has dedicated her career to supporting women in underserved communities. In 2014, Nicole was honored with the Amethyst Award, recognizing her sustained dedication to individuals with addiction and her commitment to fostering hope and empowerment in her community.

Delivery Method: Live Interactive Training via Zoom Video Conferencing

Credit Hours: 1.0 (ACE)

Target Audience: This conference is intended for social workers and students.

Accreditation: University of Kentucky College of Social Work, Provider # 1377, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/29/25-9/29/28. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 15 general continuing education credits.

Claiming CE Credit: Instructions for claiming CE credit will be disseminated at the beginning of each session.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding CE credit or to report a grievance, please contact Christina Krantz at Christina.Krantz@uky.edu. For technical assistance, please contact lmshelp@uky.edu.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the individual presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the University of Kentucky or the College of Social Work. The inclusion of any topics, perspectives, or discussions is intended for academic engagement and does not constitute endorsement by the institution.