Mental Health, Social Work, and the Second Amendment

Course Description – 1 Cultural Competence Continuing Education Credit Hour

Format: Asynchronous (Recorded) Distance Format

ProSocial Workers executive director Matt Watson invites licensed clinical social worker Paul Stayback to discuss the intersection of social work, gun violence, and mental health. They explore the challenges of engaging with firearms owners in therapy, the importance of viewpoint diversity in social work, and the need for nuanced conversations about gun control and safety. Paul shares his experiences with veterans and the cultural barriers that prevent effective dialogue around firearms. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding and humanizing different perspectives to foster productive discussions and ultimately enhance community safety.

Takeaways

• Social work needs to embrace viewpoint diversity.
• Gun violence is a complex societal issue, not just a gun issue.
• Cultural competency is essential for engaging firearms owners.
• Mental health issues should not lead to blanket judgments about rights.
• Nuanced conversations are necessary for effective dialogue.
• Social workers must meet clients where they are, without judgment.
• Finding common ground on safety can bridge divides.
• Engaging with firearms owners requires understanding their culture.
• The media often oversimplifies complex issues like gun violence.
• Social workers can advocate for responsible gun ownership practices.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Pro Social Workers and Paul Stayback

02:16 Paul’s Journey into Social Work

04:24 Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health

07:39 Gun Violence and Societal Outrage

09:11 The Role of Social Workers in Gun Control Conversations

10:54 Thought Diversity in Social Work

15:05 Engaging Across Differences

19:44 Finding Common Ground on Gun Safety

22:39 Articulating Both Sides of Gun Control

29:27 Regulating Gun Ownership

37:17 The Inevitability of Gun Ownership

39:22 Mental Health and Gun Ownership

49:37 Cultural Competency in Mental Health

58:39 Engaging Firearms Owners in Therapy

01:08:43 Addressing Gun Violence and Societal Issues

Intro and Outro Music: All Night by AudioCoffee | https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

ProSocial Workers is a subsidiary of the Institute for Liberal Values, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting pluralistic, free, and democratic societies. The Institute for Liberal Values is ProSocial Workers’ fiscal sponsor.

This course was recorded on September 6, 2025.

It is intended for a beginning to intermediate social worker audience. Other helping professionals may also find the content relevant to their practice.

Course: Mental Health, Social Work, and the Second Amendment

Credit: 1.0 Cultural Comptence Continuing Education Credits

Format: Asynchronous (Recorded) Distance

How to Access: Click on the video or podcast link in the course materials section below. The video must be played through in entirety on this website in order to substantiate that the course was completed and to earn credit. Playing through on other websites or media will not substantiate course completion.

Post-test Requirements and Retakes: Participants must respond correctly to 80% of post-test questions. Post-test retakes are unlimited. Course participants may retake the test as many times as needed to pass the course.

Course Objectives:

• Model how to facilitate nuanced conversations and dialogue around gun ownership to mitigate violence and and enhance personal and public safety
• Highlight the importance of judgment-free practice and meeting marginalized and misunderstood populations where they are
• Present culturally competent principles to engage veterans, first responders, and firearm owners in clinical practice

Course Presenters:

• Matthew Watson is the executive director of ProSocial Workers, an affiliate of the Institute for Liberal Values, dedicated to promoting viewpoint and political diversity in social work practice and education. He is a seasoned mental health advisor and licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience. He provides competent, compassionate care and strategic leadership where he has excelled in direct service provider, management, and executive roles. Matthew has a documented history of building high-performing teams, improving outcomes, identifying individual strengths, and mentoring others. Matthew’s philosophy is that sustainable results emerge from the development of people, believing that strong, talented individuals are the ultimate outcome of effective leadership. His interests reflect a deep commitment to civic and ethical engagement, including voluntary service organizations, viewpoint diversity, religious liberty, and the integration of differing perspectives.
• Paul Stayback is an experienced clinical social worker with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. He is skilled in emergency management, management, client-oriented, interviewing, and training. He is a strong community and clinical professional in Social Work from University of Washington.

Course Materials:

Watch the Podcast/Video for free on YouTube, or for use the link below for continuing education credit.

Course References/Bibliography:

Santilli, P. (2025). How utilization of gun principles and gun handling can be used in psychotherapy. Para Bellum Provisions. https://parabellumprovisions.org/utilization-of-gun-principles-psychotherapy/

Coleman, S. (2023). The social worker and gun violence. NASW California Social Action Social Justice Council. https://naswcanews.org/the-social-worker-and-gun-violence/

Virginia Commonwealth University. (2022). Social work and mental health: Addressing gun violence trauma. VCU Online MSW Blog. https://onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/blog/social-work-and-mental-health/

Course Completion Requirements (only required for those seeking continuing education credit):

1. Click on “Enroll” (above) to start the course and, if applicable, pay for the course.
2. Create a ProSocial Workers account or log in.
3. Watch the entire required podcast or video using the links below. You must watch or listen for the amount of time being credited for the course.
4. Complete a course evaluation.
5. Complete a post-test or quiz and pass with at least 80% correct responses. Retesting is allowed.
6. Download your certificate (immediately available) upon completion of the post-test/quiz.

Additional Information

1. The course is administered online. Participants will need a computer or mobile device with a stable internet connection, a modern web browser (like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), and the ability to access to ProSocialWorkers.com website.
2. Once the course has been purchased, you will have access to course content required for continuing education credit.
3. There are no refunds once the course is purchased. The course cannot be cancelled.
4. If special accommodations are needed, please email help@prosocialworkers.com.
5. ProSocial Workers, provider #2002, 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: May 6, 2025 – May 6, 2026. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 general continuing education credits.
6. Participants assume full responsibility to ensure local jurisdictional approvals.
7. Contact help@prosocialworkers.com with any questions, concerns, or to address any of the presenters.