Leslie S. Tsukroff, MSW, LCSW
Leslie S. Tsukroff, Inc.
Psychotherapist • Consultant • Supervisor • Educator
License # NJ Social Work 44SC04781400
License # PA Social Work CW021709
Leslie has a passion for teaching and mentoring other professionals by drawing on her clinical and ethics–related experience and expertise. She conducts engaging, interactive workshops for mental health professionals that focus on:
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Private Practice Development and Expansion
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Risk Management Techniques
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Documentation and Record-Keeping
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Billing, Coding and Diagnosing
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Ethical, Legal and Clinical Matters Impacting Private Practitioners
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Technology Related Concerns
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Financial Stability and Growth
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Traditional Business Practices
All workshops are approved by the ASWB/ACE Individual Course/Conference Approval program for social workers licensed in New Jersey and other states that recognize approvals by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Individual Course/Conference Approval program.
Workshops / Events
This workshop is designed for the intermediate clinician in private practice who wishes to gain a better understanding of how to create an audit-proof mental health progress note.
Course Objectives:
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Outline key components of a mental health progress note in private practice
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Identify general documentation and record-keeping guidelines and apply them when writing mental health progress notes in private practice
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Identify the differences between progress notes and psychotherapy notes
Raves from past participants
“This workshop was transformative. I feel more confident writing my notes now and not as afraid of them.” -Jess
“…This was one of the best trainings I have attended and so helpful! I am so happy I was able to attend this training!” - E.
“Leslie is a wealth of knowledge!...I feel as though I am able to write more comprehensive notes after this training. Thank you for a great training! I also feel more comfortable about potential insurance audits, should they occur.”- JD
“It was succinct, informative and very helpful. I learned a great deal of important information about a topic I'm not exceptionally comfortable with. {Leslie} was very knowledgeable.”- Ellen B.
“…all the training objectives were met, the presentation was well organized, and the questions were addressed in the chat in a way that extended the instruction for everyone. I LOVED how Leslie managed the vast geography of the audience AND encouraged us to do a deep dive into what our states require. Overall the workshop was well worth the time and money, and I would certainly attend other workshops and recommend them to my colleagues.”- Ann Onymous
“This should be a required course in graduate school and/or licensure for anyone pursuing a clinical path. I've never understood why something as important as documentation is completely glossed over. I realize there are differences according to each state, but it too important to go unaddressed in a more formal manner. Thank you!”- Ashley B.
“Leslie has the unique ability to take complex subjects and present them in a clear and concise manner. You always leave her workshops with so much information. Leslie is very knowledgeable about what practitioners need to know to be successful and in compliance. I highly recommend Leslie's workshops and consultations.”- CHATMAN-FINLEY
“Leslie has the gift of explaining difficult content/subject matter in a manner that all can understand…essential information.”- Colleen
“Leslie is both knowledgeable and thorough and is able to effectively communicate the material in a user friendly way. I always look forward to learning from Leslie!”- Julie
“…I learned all I needed to know about documentation and in addition I now have an example that I was able to print out and use to update my own note keeping.” - Darcie L
“This course is a thoughtful and thorough orientation to and instruction for clinician progress notes that many clinicians have left to chance with whomever happened to supervise them when they obtained their LCSW accreditation hours. I'm sure some of us were well-trained, and I'm afraid that many were not. This course will supplement and more than fulfill the clinician's need to understand the nature and purpose of notes, and, more importantly, just HOW to do it right.” - Paul D. Kreisinger, LCSW
“The information is crucial for practicing. This training was extremely helpful in how to complete documentation and very clear unlike most insurance companies!”- Elizabeth B
“Although an experienced clinician that does not contract with insurance companies, it is good to be reminded of best practice and be prompted to return to the rules of our own states.”- Anonymous
“I would highly recommend this workshop. Leslie has a way of taking a complex subject and breaking it down to help you have practical ways to implement into your practice.”- DW
“{Leslie} was very thorough and answered all questions. Very informed workshop that will assist me in writing better progress notes that I can feel more confident about.”- Anonymous
“…It covers all info a clinician needs to know in documenting progress notes. {Leslie is} truly a wealth of knowledge in documentation! It was a super-informative 2 hours…Many thanks!”- LB
“Very good guidelines on progress notes. Info was presented clearly and questions were answered very clearly. Thank you for the great info.” - Anonymous
This course is designed for mental health practitioners who serve as clinicians, managers, case workers, supervisors/supervisees, students, mentors and educators.
Course Objectives:
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Identify and successfully manage challenging ethical dilemmas involving boundaries in social work practice
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Implement practical strategies to strengthen boundaries in the social worker/client supervisor/supervisee, and employer/employee relationships
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Develop ethically based, technology-related, policies and procedures for social workers in a variety of practice settings
Raves from past participants
“It was very educational and enlightening. I enjoyed the breakout groups allowing for discussion and
communication with other professionals working through case scenarios” - Anonymous
"Very good review of ethical issues which pertain to real-life scenarios. I liked the case
scenarios which led to thinking about these kinds of dilemmas" - Susan S.
“Leslie is very knowledgeable and using case examples really helped show how various situations
that seem clear at first can be very tricky to navigate” - K. Hayes
“Leslie made it interesting with humor, case studies and her personality” – Alexia
“Leslie was wonderful. Very passionate and kept my attention on what is usually a dry topic” – Marcia
"Leslie knows her subject. Hours were good, important topic, easy to access, satisfying experience" - J.Z.
"I have ADD and often lose concentration when attempting Zoom conferences, but this held my
interest throughout" - Gail R.
"It was very informative and the examples provided were excellent as they really made you think
about the client-practitioner relationship and ethics. The break-out rooms were also good as people
raised perspectives that I hadn't thought about"- G.P.
“Very informative, engaging, well-done. I liked the open discussion and case scenarios where the hypothetical situations were discussed and Leslie provided us with examples of real-life
consequences and potential outcomes” - G.F.
“A reminder of the ethical implications one may/will face eventually in practice. Helpful to identify future pitfalls and how to prevent stepping into them” – Elizabeth M.
"Leslie is very knowledgeable on the topics of ethics and risk management! Leslie's guidance
has been invaluable for years. I highly recommend her as a supervisor/consultant! I liked the
case presentations. They all had multiple complexities not easy to navigate" - Anonymous
This workshop is designed for the intermediate level private practitioner who wishes to gain a better understanding of how to fulfill their ethical and legal obligations to create, maintain and protect their clients' clinical/medical records.
Course Objectives:
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Identify and apply general documentation and record-keeping guidelines
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Outline key elements of the clinical medical record
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Recite the essential features of a compliant progress note
4. Discuss ethical standards and legal mandates around privacy and confidentiality relating to clients and others access to the medical record and the social worker's obligations to release/protect the client record
Raves from past participants
"I was surprised how engaged I was in the material as it can be dry. Leslie was knowledgeable, kept the information moving, provided examples, and made it very digestible...THANK YOU!!! I’ll be back for future workshops :)" - Anonymous
"SOOOOO much useful information."- Anonymous
"I love that Leslie is very direct and honest. She is a wealth of knowledge and experience and this information is invaluable! I have recommended Leslie and her workshops to colleagues and will continue to attend workshops that meet my educational needs." -Ashley B.
"As a clinician who has been practicing for a very long time, I always leave Leslie's workshop learning something that I wasn't aware of or learning some of the nuances of things I was aware of. Leslie is very knowledgeable and can present the information so that it's easy to follow and understand. She answers participants questions in such a supportive manner, that you never feel foolish for asking questions. I highly recommend any workshop Leslie is facilitating. She's the best!" -Debra C
"OMG I loved it. I am changing how I document to give more substance. Enhanced my consent forms! Very very informative!" Michelle T.
"Leslie's direct, clear, comprehensive presentation...So many changes impossible to keep up with unless someone (Leslie, in this case) reviews, compiles, and presents it." -Anonymous
"Very clear and concise. Leslie is an excellent presenter." -Deborah E.
"I would highly recommend this course to others. It was outstanding! The material was current, well organized and clearly explained. Leslie clearly understands the ethics material well." - Anonymous
"Very thorough, clearly organized, and backed by Leslie’s wealth of documented knowledge on the topic." - Debra H.
"I am impressed by {Leslie's} education, fluency and apparent diligence in learning and keeping up to date with this material."- Anonymous
"I appreciated your expertise and general knowledge regarding subjects presented. You provided helpful answers to questions. I would recommend this workshop to all social workers." Anonymous
This workshop is designed for the intermediate level private practitioner who wants to avoid perpetrating fraud and to gain a better understanding of the most accurate and ethical ways to diagnose, code,
document and bill.
Course Objectives:
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Identify fraudulent practices around billing, coding, diagnosing and documentation
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Outline key steps to ensure accurate and compliant billing, coding, diagnosing and documentation practices
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Develop and implement practice policies that ethically and legally support and facilitate clients’ access to mental health services
Raves from past participants
"Every time I attend one of Leslie's seminars I walk away with new information that is applicable to my
practice. She stretches me to consider situations that I may not have encountered and always provides a
friendly environment to allow for discussions and questions. I highly recommend Leslie's seminars
and feel we are lucky to have someone of this caliber in NJ to consult and learn from." -DW
"This was one of the more helpful ethics workshops I have taken. Very clear and practical information." -KG
"This workshop was "thorough, relevant to practice, comprehensive, and presenter was very
knowledgeable and informed about the topics"- Anonymous
"All clinicians in private practice need this training in order to operate an ethical and legal practice" -Laura T.
This course is designed for intermediate social workers and mental health professionals
in private practice.
Course Objectives:
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Identify, approach, manage and avoid complicated ethical issues
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Recognize the most frequent ethical issues encountered by private practitioners
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Develop a framework to approach ethical decision-making
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Apply 6 key steps to reduce ethical malpractice risk
Raves from past participants
“…very engaging presenter. To be honest, I often dread ethics trainings but found this training
surprisingly enjoyable!” - Lynne
“This workshop was excellent” - Anonymous
“After years of practicing, we can become a little less diligent so this course was extremely helpful in
displaying and understanding ethical pitfalls.” - Robin Guterman
“Very relevant to the work we do! Leslie really breaks down ethics in an understanding, non-threatening
and nonjudgmental way!!”- Lena Suarez-Angelino, MSW, LCSW
“It was informative, interactive, and interesting!” - Giovanna Coppola
This course is designed for all mental health professionals who use or plan to use any form of digital technology (ex. e-mail, text, social media, video-conferencing, PMS/EHR) in their work.
Course Objectives:
1. Cite the various laws, ethical guidelines and regulatory standards that impact the use of digital technology in mental health practice.
2. Apply the information received to guide in the development and implementation of technology-related policies and procedures.
3. Apply, analyze and integrate ethical and legal principals into the use of digital technology in mental health practice.
Raves from past participants
“Leslie leads excellent workshops. She is mindful of time, involves participation, is patient, explains the complications of legal issues. She’s simply an excellent teacher and trainer. Important information presented in a clear and articulate manner for technology now used in social work practice.”- Judith Zucker LCSW
“I thought the pace of the workshop was easy to follow and allowed time to process the information accurately…well organized and structured which I appreciated.” Christina C.
“I learned so much about the current regs but really appreciated the resources given.” - MaryLou D.
“Lots of great information in the ever-changing world of telehealth and social work” - Denise
This course is designed for New Jersey social workers and mental health professionals who work with
minors and their families.
Course Objectives:
1. Apply the relevant New Jersey state laws, federal laws and ethical standards to determine New Jersey minors’ rights regarding consent to treatment and privacy and confidentiality.
2. Weigh the various clinical, ethical, practical and legal issues when working with minors whose parents are divorced, divorcing or separated
3. Describe under what circumstances a minor in NJ can consent to their own care and maintain control over who may gain access to their health care information.
Raves from past participants
“I believe all of the mental health professionals who work closely with minors should take this workshop to understand the legal and ethical issues around the treatment of minors. I can't think of any place/person who covered the topic comprehensively as Leslie did at the workshop. I thought I knew them fairly well, but I learned new information today and realized that I needed to change my practice, such as modifying the consent form and assessment of the minor's custody arrangements. Leslie had another excellent workshop that we cannot usually get anywhere else. I believe her talent is the ability to translate laws and regulations for us to understand the meanings and learn how to apply in our practice. I particularly liked the fact that she compared different disciplines (SW, LPC, Psychologists) for each topic. She made it as clear as possible for us to understand the complexity of the topic. I was also able to understand how laws and the code of ethics around minor's treatment are not user friendly and outdated today, which was helpful for me to understand. In addition, her pacing was great. It was a lot, but I didn't feel she was rushing through the materials.” -YI
“…to anyone who works with minors it is crucial information. I think it was handled well and I enjoyed the time put into answering everyone’s questions.” Abigail
“…I think this is a workshop for everyone, whether or not you work with children. I always love Leslie's workshops because she takes a complicated subject and makes it so much clearer. Her workshops are always so informative without being overwhelming. She provides great clinical examples that further clarify her points. I really liked that she leaves room for Q&A after each segment.”- DCF
“…Understanding ethics and state/federal regulations and laws is crucial to providing clinical services to our clients. I appreciated {Leslie’s} ability to clarify and explain the laws/regulations in a manner that was understandable and clear.”- Anonymous
“…I think there is so many "it depends" moments that we do not realize working with minors and it is important to be aware. I felt like a left knowing a lot more than before. Also, helpful information to use with divorced parents of minors which will be very helpful in my practice.”- Ashley P.
“…Clears up many misconceptions about parent’s and minor's rights. Material was presented well and thoroughly. No adjustments needed!”- John P.
“…it is very important to understand the various and often conflicting laws regarding care for minors. I really liked that Leslie pointed out the vague terms, conflicting law, how to utilize best practice and decision-making when working with minors.. It can be confusing navigating the legal and ethical quagmire required when working with this population”- Susan
“…it was informative and a helpful reminder to our work. As an intern, this workshop was helpful for me as I continue to better understand the ethics and legality in this field when working with children. As I continue to gain more experience working with children, this information will definitely be useful to best prepare myself as a licensed therapist.”- Anonymous
“…very good information to have. Providing actual laws and comparisons were extremely helpful”- Anonymous
“…Great presentation. It clarified all the information needed to effectively and competently work with minors. Leslie proves again to be an amazing educator and clinician who is current in all laws, policies and procedures. I have been able to learn so much from her. I feel so confident in my practice thanks to her knowledge, feedback and support. Highly recommend her as a consultant and as an educator.”- Anonymous
“…very informative and helpful because it was specific to NJ laws but also included comparison to boards, HIPPA, and codes of ethics. I liked that it was concise and succinct..{Leslie} shared some examples of how she approaches ethical situations with families. I liked that it was organized with the answering of questions after each section.” - Elisabeth C.
“…it was a thorough examination of the current statutes and also an honest exploration of the contradictions involved in the various regulating bodies when it comes to treatment.” Anonymous
“…it was informative and I have not seen a workshop specifically addressing minors in NJ before. It is much needed! I liked the topic a lot. I think it remains confusing at times to fully understand due to the conflicts between laws and ethics but I don't think that it is an issue that can be improved by the presenter as she did a great job trying to help us navigate that.” - Anonymous
“…{Leslie} was knowledgeable. Thorough information was provided. I appreciated having the slides that provide quotes for each of the laws so that we may have the exact wording to understand. It was also very helpful to see the inconsistencies in all of the laws and how to determine what is the best course of action.” - Siobhan B.
“Essential information. I appreciate learning from Leslie. Very informative presentation.” - Anonymous
Testimonials
"I always appreciate your conferences on ethics/legalities/PP related topics. It’s like PP aerobics." - Maureen W.
"Very informative and thought provoking. Very clear and concise communication style." - Peter M.
"Great workshop - tons of immediate use information." - Michelle P.
"So informative, helpful and relevant..." - Madeline
"I learned more relevant and actionable information today than I’ve ever learned at a workshop before-I could listen for another 5 hours without feeling full!! Leslie is the consummate presenter-she’s incredibly knowledgeable, relatable and easy to listen to/understand. We are lucky to have her!" - Barbara F.
"...excellent. Leslie was wonderful. Very passionate and kept my attention on what is usually a dry topic." -Marcia
"Dynamic presentation. Although many who attended were LCSWs, this course was beneficial & is good for anyone in the field (i.e. BSW, MSW, CSW)." - Anonymous
"It was a reminder of the ethical implications one may/will face eventually in practice. Helpful to identify future pitfalls and how to prevent stepping into them." - Elizabeth M.
"Ethical & legal issues regarding tech usage are extremely important for all mental health practitioners. Leslie is very knowledgeable & answered all questions presented!" - KB
“Leslie knows ethics, makes it user friendly and gives practical applications to make you think." - Denise