Our Office of Professional & Continuing Education seeks to offer a variety of highly engaging education courses that reflect the spectrum of evidence-based micro to macro level practice. Our learning opportunities support increased knowledge and skill development in areas that align with social work values, ethics, research and the professions commitment to promoting social change.
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The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Office of Professional and Continuing Education programs offered by the School of Social Work are approved through the Association of Social Work Board's Approved Continuing Education (ASWB ACE) program, which is accepted in these jurisdictions in the United States and Canada. For more information about our CE approval, please visit the CE policies page. ACE approval demonstrates that a provider or course has been rigorously reviewed and found to offer quality continuing education according to best practices (ASWB ACE Handbook,2023).
(New Course!) Mental Fitness
Delivery Format: Asynchronous, Recorded Distance Learning
Course Instructor Bio: Steve Wize, LCSW
Registration: Register through the Pitt Professional Social Work Catalog
Amount of CE credit offered: 24 CE
- Mental Fitness
Course Publication Date: 3/24/26
Total Time: 24 hours
Delivery Format: Asynchronous, Recorded Distance Learning
Course Instructor Bio: Steve Wize, LCSW
Registration: Register through the Pitt Professional Social Work Catalog
Fees: $600.00 for the entire training series. We currently accept, Visa, MasterCard and American Express. We DO NOT accept Discover.
Amount of CE credit offered: 24 CE
Course Outline:
Content Level: Beginner
Target Audience: Social Workers, Behavioral Health Providers, Healthcare Providers
Course Description: During this training course, participants will gain an understanding of how to develop their mental fitness to reach their goals. Through videos, discussions, case examples, and reflective exercises, participants will learn about the meaning of mental fitness, how to identify and replace the phrases that are toxic to our mental health, practice strategies for relabeling and mastering our emotions, learn techniques to mentally reframe stress as a positive challenge, examine forms of misjudgment lead to misperceptions and lifetime limitations, review the five steps to assertive communication and the most important predictors of healthy or unhealthy relationships and strategies for healthy living. Participants will be challenged to create their own mental mantra’s, to identify their top values and value discrepancies, to create personal goals, and to apply leadership strategies in their work and personal lives.
Learner Outcomes
Course Objectives:
Module 1: What is Mental Fitness?
- Learn the number of thoughts per day, what percentage are reoccurring, and what percentage are negative
- Practice noticing one's thoughts as conditioning rather than as a reflection of self
Module 2: The Seven Deadly Phrases
- Provide a specific example of negative thinking and articulate how negative thinking relates to unhealthy eating habits.
- Reframe negative thinking with strategies from the training
Module 3: Mastering Emotions
- Learn and practice all seven steps of mastering emotions
- Identify ways in which trying to resist, reduce, or eliminate our emotional state exacerbates that feeling rather than diminishing it or using it to one’s advantage
Module 4: Using Stress to your Advantage
- Understand how trying to reduce, manage, or eliminate stress fails at its core because of its incorrect labeling of stress itself
- Learn three specific strategies to counter negative automatically conditioned stressful thoughts with better questions and outlooks
Module 5: Removing Judgement
- Identify the levels of removing judgment
- Identify strategies at each level to combat judgment and increase understanding and compassion
Module 6: Bringing Out the Best in Others
- Identify the 4 types of responses and how to respond to each
- Identify the 4 tendencies of personality and articulate why they matter when bringing out the best in others
Module 7: Improving Relationships
- Apply the 7 principles for making marriage work and 5 love languages in relationships outside of intimate relationships
- Apply the 7 tips for succession relationships to one’s own relationships
Module 8: Mental Mantras
- Recognize the importance of mental mantras for one’s self talk and inner motivation
- Identify why and how mental mantras can be used in therapeutic or coaching situations with clients
Module 9: Finding Meaning and Purpose
- Complete a value exercise examining why a particular value was chosen, what it means to the participant, and how you act out that value in your life
- Identify any value discrepancies or conflicts
Module 10: The Ten Principles of Goal Setting
- Apply the 10 principles to a personal goal
- Create 10 goals for living out the values based on the top 10 values identified in module 9
Module 11: Healthy Living
- Complete a wellness wheel assessment for a snap-shot of one’s current life balance
- Create a concrete goal for better sleep, diet, and exercise
Module 12: Leadership
- Identify “everyday heroes” in one’s life that inspire you
- List ways in which you can use your own personal example (living a life consistent with their values) to inspire others
Agenda with specific times and breaks:
Start Here: (Complete at your own pace)
- How to Complete this Course
- Technical Support
- Mental Fitness Resources
- Crisis Prevention
- Introduce Yourself
Module 1: What is Mental Fitness? (Complete at your own pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Key Terms
Video Lectures: Mastering of Self: The Fundamentals of Mental Fitness (29mins)
- Video 1: What is Mental Fitness? (1:17s)
- Video 2: About Steve (4:44s)
- Video 3: How Mental Fitness Came to Be (1:46s)
- Video 4: Mental Fitness 101-6200 thoughts per day (3:42s)
- Video 5: Negative Thoughts are Toxic (3:14s)
- Video 6: An Incomplete Continuum of mental health (3:11s)
- Video 7: Achieving Your Full Potential (6:37s)
- Video 8: The Mental Fitness Promise (2:24s)
- Video 9: How to Use This Course (1:04s)
- Video 10: The Three Parts of This Course (2:08s)
Supporting Video: What is Mental Fitness by Steve Wize (53s)
- Discussion
- Assignment
- Mental Fitness Pre-Assessment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 2: The Seven Deadly Phrases: Detoxify Your Mind (Compete at Your Own Pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Key Terms
Video Lectures (59:19s)
- Video 1: Deadly Phrases-Mastering the Basics (2:18s)
- Video 2: What is Negative Thinking? (2:11s)
- Video 3: Deadly Phrase 1: I’ Cant-The Law of Carrots (4:57s)
- Video 4: Craig Dietz (3:37s)
- Video 5: Deadly Phase 2: I Need (3:48s)
- Video 6: Finding Peace From Within (2:32s)
- Video 7: Richard Simmons and Rosalie Bradford (4:23s)
- Video 8: Deadly Phrase 3: Makes me with Taffer (4:04s)
- Video 9: Deadly Phrase 4: Should-Shouldn’t (2:59s)
- Video 10: Practicing Acceptance (4:03s)
- Video 11: Deadly Phrase 5: I Always-I Never (2:15s)
- Video 12: Dan Smyers (4:25s)
- Video 13: Andrew McCutchen (5:57s)
- Video 14: Deadly Phrase 6: Have To (5:07s)
- Video 15: Deadly Phrase 7: Happens to Me (1:26s)
- Video 16: Serena Williams (6:48s)
- Video 17: You Are the Gatekeeper of Your Thoughts (1:49s)
Supporting Video: Nike-Dream Crazier #JustDoIt (1m 30s)
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 3: Mastering Your Emotions (Complete at Your Own Pace)
- Introduction
- Key Terms
Video Lectures: Step 1 (12:51s)
- Video 1: Why Does Emotional Intelligence Matter to Me? (2:26s)
- Video 2: The 7 Steps+Retreat (1:49s)
- Video 3: 7 Steps-The Science of Emotions (1:55s)
- Video 4: 7 Steps-What Makes Up an Effective Retreat (2:02s)
- Video 5: 7 Steps-To Act or Retreat that is the Question (1:24s)
- Video 6: 7-Steps-How Long is an Effective Retreat (2:38s)
- Video 7: 7 Steps-We All Use Retreats (1:57s)
Video Lectures: Steps 2 and 3 (14:39s)
- Video 8: 7 Steps-Step 2 Allow (1:50s)
- Video 9: 7 Steps-Step 2: There’s No Right or Wrong Way to Feel (2:30s)
- Video 10: 7 Steps- Step 2: Your Feelings Don’t Define You. Only You… (1:24s)
- Video 11: 7 Steps-Step 2: A Quick Pro Tip (1:28s)
- Video 12: 7 Steps-Step 2: You Are the Expert of Your Own Emotions (1:58s)
- Video 12: 7 Steps-Step 3: Acceptance (4:27s)
- Video 13: 7 Steps-Step 3: It’s Not Persons, Places or Things Either (2:22s)
Video Lectures: Steps 4-7 (27.24s)
- Video 14: 7 Steps-Step 4: Reframing (2:35s)
- Video 15: 7 Steps-Step 4: Medication Nation (2:19s)
- Video 16: 7 Steps-Step 4: We Do Not Need a Pill for Every Ill (2:52s)
- Video 17: 7 Steps: Step 5: Exploring (4:15s)
- Video 18: 7 Steps: Step 6: Guidance (2:14s)
- Video 19: 7 Steps: step 6: Emotions as Our GPS (3:59s)
- Video 20: Steps: Step 6: Disturbances as Opportunities (3:09s)
- Video 21: 7 Steps: Step 7: Action (2:01s)
- Video 22: 7 Steps: Step 7-Howard’s Story (2:59s)
- Video 23: 7 Steps: Step 7: Master Your Emotions, or They Master You (2:21s)
Supporting Video: Steve Wize’s Seven Steps to Master Your Emotions by Solevo Wellness (2m 18s)
- Discussion
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 4: Using Stress to Your Advantage (Complete at Your Own Pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Key Terms
Video Lectures: (51:58s)
- Video 1: Module 4: Using Stress to Your Advantage (2:31s)
- Video 2: Stress: The Rainy Day That Won’t Go Away (2:07s)
- Video 3: You May Have a Problem with Stress if (Part 1) (0:48s)
- Video 4: You May Have a Problem with Stress if (Part 2) (0:29s)
- Video 5: Stress Negative: Threat or Positive Challenge (2:27s)
- Video 6: Stress is Energy Its Label is Up to You (2:05s)
- Video 7: Kelly McGonigal (1:53s)
- Video 8: Keeping Stress in Check (1:38s)
- Video 9: Rethink Strategy #1 (4:33s)
- Video 10: Perspective is a Two-Way Street (3:30s)
- Video 11: Rethink Strategy 2: Practice Empathy (2:45s)
- Video 12: Like Me (3:13s)
- Video 13: Rethink Strategy 3: Focus on the Positive (4:46s)
- Video 14: Asking Better Questions (2:48s)
- Video 15: Better Question 2: What Good Can I Find in Others? (3:32s)
- Video 16: Achieving the Goldilocks Amount of Stress (1:45s)
Supporting Video: How to Make Stress Your Friend by Kelly McGonigal (14 m, 28s)
- Discussion
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 5: Removing Judgement (Complete at Your Own Pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Key Terms
Video Lectures: (Total Time) (29:04s)
- Video 1: Empathy Communications and Relationships (2:52s)
- Video 2: Strategy 1: Removing Judgement of Those We Barely… (1:26s)
- Video 3: Junkies (3:19s)
- Video 4: Bills Story (1:53s)
- Video 5: Putting the Person First (1:53s)
- Video 6: The Fundamental Attribution Error (2:24s)
- Video 7: Overcoming the Fundamental Attribution Error (2:16s)
- Video 8: Strategy 2: Removing Judgement of Those Closest to…(1:22s)
- Video 9: Mom (4:12s)
- Video 10: Strategy 3: Removing Judgement of Self (1:49s)
- Video 11: How Does One Achieve Self-Acceptance (2:13s)
- Video 12: The Best Script to Forgive Oneself (4:43s)
- Video 13: Final Thoughts (1:22s)
Supporting Video: Spectrum of Blame to Reflection to Excuses by Steve Wize (1m 8s)
- Discussion
Module 6: Effective Communication (Complete at Your Own Pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Key Terms
Video Lectures : Part 1 (22:28s)
- Video 1: Effective Communication (2:13s)
- Video 2: The Components of Communication (1:00s)
- Video 3: What Bad Communication Looks Like (2:53s)
- Video 4: The Spectrum of Communication (3:06s)
- Video 5: Passive Communication Behaviors and Thoughts (2:05s)
- Video 6: Aggressiveness Win-Lose Communication (2:36s)
- Video 7: Regrouping and Redirecting Efforts (0:47s)
- Video 8: Assertiveness Win-Win Communication (2:55s)
- Video 9: Achieving Win-Win Communication (1:33s)
- Video 10: Polite-Assertiveness vs Fear Based Responses (2:00s)
- Video 11: When and How to Engage and Respond (1:03s)
- Video 12: The Four Types of Communication Responses (1:37s)
Video Lectures : Part 2 (59:57s)
- Video 13 : When to Respond and When to Ignore (2:14s)
- Video 14: How to Respond to Criticism (3:08s)
- Video 15: How to Show Someone They are Being Heard Building Trust..(2:39s)
- Video 16: How to Show Someone They are Respected, Valued and..(3:00s)
- Video 17: Bringing Out the Best in Others: 5 Steps to Effective…(5:02s)
- Video 18: Active Listening (2:14s)
- Video 19: Reflective Understanding (2:43s)
- Video 20: Normalizing and Validating (1:20s)
- Video 21: Step 4: Express Your Perspective (2:04s)
- Video 22: Avoiding the Righting Reflex (1:17s)
- Video 23: Developing Discrepancies (2:26s)
- Video 24: A Quick Pro Tip (1:38s)
- Video 25: Step 5: Seeking Resolution (2:23s)
- Video 26: Tying it All Together (1:37s)
Supporting Video: 10 Minutes That Will Change the Next 100 Years of Your Life by Zig Ziglar (10m 21s)
- Discussion
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 7: Meaningful Relationships/Finding Inspiration (Complete at your own pace)
- Introduction
- Key Terms
Video Lectures : Part 1 (22:32s)
- Video 1: Meaningful Relationships It’s All About We (2:49s)
- Video 2: Module Overview (2:12s)
- Video 3: Part 3: Creating Value Agreements (3:17s)
- Video 4: Compromise or Sacrifice (1:18s)
- Video 5: Small Scale Value Agreements Lawns vs. Laundry (2:39s)
- Video 6: Large Scale Value Agreements Location Vocation… (2:00s)
- Video 7: Part 2: Respect Each Other’s Feelings (1:16 s)
- Video 8: Strategy 1: Offering Grace (1:31s)
- Video 9: Having Greate Repair Skills (1:08s)
- Video 10: Repair Skills Mantra #1: When You Are Upset the World Stop… (1:27s)
- Video 11: Repair Skill Mantra #2: Never Reject a Repair Attempt (2:42s)
- Video 12: Strategy 3: Choose the Relationship Over Being Right (1:33s)
Video Lectures: Part 2 (36.31s)
- Video 13: Strategy 4: At All Times Act As If (3:34s)
- Video 14: Part 3: Rules of Communication (3:00s)
- Video 15: Keep Your Conflict In House (2:38s)
- Video 16: Always Maintain a For-Us Team Mentality (2:23s)
- Video 17: Attack the Problem, Not Each Other (2:26s)
- Video 18: Aim to Outdo One Another in Honor and Kindness Just Don’t. (2:00)
- Video 19: Part 4: Relationship Maintenance (1:12s)
- Video 20: Building Lasting Loving Meaningful Relationships (1:26s)
- Video 21: Make the Relationship First, Never Stop Courting (3:34s)
- Video 22: Have Fun Together Creating Shared Memories (3:13s)
- Video 23: Life is All About Relationships (1:52s)
- Video 24: In Conclusion the Work is Worth it (3:31s)
Supporting Video: Relationships by Steve Wize (7m,42s)
Module 10: The 10 Principles of Goal Setting (Complete at your own pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Key Terms
Video Lectures : Part 1. (16 :59s)
- Video 1: The Ten Principles of Goal Setting (1:25s)
- Video 2: A Game of Percentages (1:26s)
- Video 3: The Best Way to Prove Something Works is to Do it... (2:26s)
- Video 4: Rethinking Failure: The Sara Blakely Story (2:40s)
- Video 5: A Short List of Personal Failures (1:38s)
- Video 6: The 10 Principles of Goal Setting: An Overview (1:16s)
- Video 7: Principle 1: Find a Cause (2:01s)
- Video 8: Principle 2: Commit, Then Figure it Out (1:55s)
- Video 9: Principle 3: Skin in the Game (3:32s)
- Video 10 : Principle 4 : Positive Self-Sabotage (2 :49s)
- Video 11 : Activation Energy (2:19s)
- Video 12: Principle 5: Seek Support (2:32s)
Video Lectures : Part 2. (39:05s)
- Video 13: The Synergy of a Support Tean (1:43s)
- Video 14: Principle 6: Make it Measurable (2:45s)
- Video 15: Principle 7: Accountability (3:17s)
- Video 16 : Principle 8 : Routine, Routine, Routine (3 :47s)
- Video 17: Principle 9: Time Bound (2 :07s)
- Video 18: What to Do When You Are Feeling Stuck: Overcoming a.. (2:54s)
- Video 19: A Smart Approach to SMART Goals (1:33s)
- Video 20: A Challenge Mentality (3:32s)
- Video 21: Principle 10: Stay Determined (4:33s)
- Video 22: Getting Back on the Horse (2:47s)
- Video 23: Revisiting My Why (1:44s)
- Video 24: A Tribute to My Friend Oliver (2:24s)
Supporting Video: 10 Principles of Goal Setting (9m,24s)
- Discussion
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 11: Healthy Living-Sustaining Peak Performance (Complete at your own pace)
- Introduction
- Key Terms
Video Lectures : Part 1. (19:13s)
- Video 1: Healthy Living and Sustaining Peak Performance (2:36s)
- Video 2: Wellness Wheel (3:03s)
- Video 3: Compassion Fatigue: The Collateral Damage of Work (2:39s)
- Video 4: Compassion Fatigue: A Tale of Two Extremes (2:06s)
- Video 5: Burnout: An Insidious Toxin (2:35s)
- Video 6: Burnout or Moral Injury (2:08s)
- Video 7: Compassion Satisfaction: A Counterbalance to Compassion Fatigue and Burnout (1:30s)
- Video 8: Finding Clean Fuel and Learning How to Use it (1:22s)
- Video 9: Putting in Clean Fuel: Healthy Boundaries to Avoid Contaminants (1:06s)
- Video 10: The Caregivers Bill of Rights (1:28s)
Video Lectures: Part 2. (19:34s)
- Video 11 : Running Efficiently (1:49s)
- Video 12: Better Workplaces the Top Three Predictions of Work Satisfaction (1:54s)
- Video 13: Changing the Way We Think About Helping: Switching from Empathy to Compassionate Consulting (3:00)
- Video 14: Keeping Work at Work and Home at Home: The Three Buckets of Work, Family and Personal (3:05s)
- Video 15: Avoiding the Cost Switch Effect (1:22s)
- Video 16: Four Steps to Getting Stuff Done (2:07s)
- Video 17: Life is Never Perfectly Balanced (1:36s)
- Video 18: Seven Tips for Increased Compassion, Satisfaction and Self-Care (4:59s)
- Video 19: Conclusion (1:02s)
Supporting Video: It’s Not Burnout, It’s Moral Injury by Dr. Zubin Damania on Physician “Burnout” (6m,19s)
- Discussion
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Reading
Module 12: The Mindset of Leadership: Be the Change (Complete at your own pace)
- Introduction and Objectives
- Ket Terms
Video Lectures: Part 1. (25:28s)
- Video 1: The Mindset of Leadership: Be the Change (1:31s)
- Video 2: Modules Overview (0:45s)
- Video 3: Part 1: The Four Types of Thought (1:39s)
- Video 4: Dreamers (3:01s)
- Video 5 : Doers (1 :39s)
- Video 6: The Doer Trap (4:45s)
- Video 7: The Characteristics of Doers (1:01s)
- Video 8: Doubters (5:47s)
- Video 9: Characteristics of Doubters (0:41s)
- Video 10: Haters (3:57a)
- Video 11: How to Remove Doubt and Hate and Increase Dreaming and Doing (2:42s)
Video Lectures: Part 2. (25.07s)
- Video 12: Part 2: Living Leadership (1:18s)
- Video 13: Steve’s Top Tips for Success-Tip 1 Be a Great Follower (2:35s)
- Video 14: A Great Follower Turned Great Leader (2:02s)
- Video 15: Tip 2: Hustle Muscle (1:59s)
- Video 16: Tip 3: Dream Big (2:37s)
- Video 17: Tip 4: Get Help (1:33s)
- Video 18: Tip 5: Find a Way Not an Excuse (2:54s)
- Video 19: Tip 6: Respect the Process (2:45s)
- Video 20: Tip 7: Embrace Failure-The Sara Blakely Story (2:07s)
- Video 21: Tip 8: Invest in Yourself (2:16s)
- Video 22: Tip 9: Priorities and Sacrifices (2:24s)
- Video 23: Tip 10: Take Calculated Risks (1:34s)
- Video 24: Top 10 Tips Summary (1:03s)
Video Lectures : Part 3. (17 :03s)
- Video 25: Part 3: Big Dreams: Be the Change: Light the Candle (2:16s)
- Video 26: Big Dreams (2:06s)
- Video 27: Mental Fitness in Action (1:40s)
- Video 28: The Mission of Mental Fitness (1:00)
- Video 29: Acknowledgements (1:08s)
Supporting Video: Success Tips by Steve Wize (9m,33s)
- Assignment
- Quiz
- Mental Fitness Post Assessment
- Reading
- Wrap-Up
- Concluding Insights
- Earning Your Completion Certificate
CE credit type:
University of Pittsburgh Office of Professional & Continuing Education, [1948], 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: [5/6/2-25-5/6/2026]. Social workers completing this course receive 24 general continuing education credits.
Refund and Cancellation policy: Please see the Office of Professional and Continuing Education policy for additional information.
Requesting accessibility accommodations: Please indicate in your registration form if you require accessibility accommodations to participate in the training. The Office of Professional & Continuing Education will work with the course presenter to provide the necessary support.
Post test Requirements for CE Credit: If a program/course has a post-test or quiz, participants are required to achieve a passing score to receive their certificates. For self-paced, asynchronous trainings in the Canvas Catalog, course evaluations are included after the ‘Assignments’ section. Learners can view their evaluation score.
Obtaining a CE certificate: Any asynchronous recorded content in a certificate program must be viewed/completed in its entirety. We use course analytics to verify completion of all required parts of a program before issuing a certificate of completion. Learners can download their CE certificate through the Accredible tab, in their Pitt Professional account.
Please see the Office of Professional and Continuing Education Policy for additional information.
Contact information for questions or concerns: For questions or concerns, please contact the Director of Career Services and Continuing Education, Michele Gordon (mlg161@pitt.edu).
New training courses are in development and will be advertised soon!
Micro Credentials and Digital Badges
The Professional Education Team has been working diligently to create a series of social work CE intensives which are in-depth professional education courses. These are self-paced programs housed on a digital platform and they range between 15-30 CE credit hours. The knowledge you will gain in these programs will allow you to use your required hours of Continuing Education to take a deep dive into specific subject matter and become competent in a new area of practice. Read about the opportunities available now!
Continuing Education Presenter Information
The Office of Continuing Education is seeking experienced professional education instructors in the social work, professional counseling, and marriage and family therapy fields. We strive to be the best educational resource for helping professionals in Pennsylvania and New York states. This includes working with a diverse group of CE instructors. Read more to learn how you can become one of our presenters.
