Brenda Morris

Associate Professor, Teaching Stream

• MSW (Carleton University), BSW (Laurentian University)
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An experienced practitioner, clinical supervisor, and social work educator, I believe that social work education can be transformative for teachers and students alike. My goal is to facilitate learning by bringing energy, respect, diverse voices and creativity to the classroom. Teaching is my passion and provides a constant context within which to explore social work’s complicated history and ongoing relationship with social justice, equity and inclusion. Much of my research uses co-operative inquiry methodology that embraces diverse knowledges and experience in the creation of knowledge, and I’m a proud member of the International Network of Co-operative Inquirers. My teaching focuses on critical reflective social work practice with individuals and families and on mental health social work, spanning both the BSW and MSW programs. I am an experienced field education coordinator committed to facilitating quality theory-to-practice learning on social work placements through student, field supervisor and organizational support. I am equally committed to supporting practicing social workers who contribute to our programs as social work instructors and guest lecturers. 

Courses Taught:

• SOWK 5001 Interpersonal Practice in Social Work: Ethics, Knowledge, and Skills
• SOWK 5302 Social Work & Mental Health Intervention
• SOWK 4001 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
• SOWK 2202 Introduction to Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
• Faculty Field Liaison

Research and Professional Interests:

• AI in social work education and practice
• Mental Health Social Work
• Student and Community-Based Mental Health
• Critical Clinical Social Work Practice and Pedagogy
• Innovative Field Education
• Field Education Advocacy and Leadership
• Community and Professional Engagement in Social Work Education

Publications:

• Morris, B., Whitaker, L., Gersbach, K., Russ, E. & Rush, E. (June 23, 2026) Chapter 5: How to Conduct a Co-operative Inquiry in Short et al. (eds.) Co-operative Inquiry: Making research inclusive and accessible.  Bristol University Press. 
• Erica Russ, E., Morley, L., Rose, J., Morris, B., Gersbach, K., Lambert, C., Berger, L. (June 23, 2026) Chapter 9: How co-operative inquiry can inform inclusive curriculum design processes in Short et al. (eds.) Co-operative Inquiry: Making research inclusive and accessible. Bristol University Press. 
• Whitaker, L. & Morris, B. (2026). Co-creating mental health social work curricula in Fouché, C. & Beddoe, L. (eds.) Elgar Encyclopedia of Social Work. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-0353-1022-7. 
• Sewell, K. M., Gheorghe, R. M., Dare, B., Patel, S. B., Morris, B., O’Hara, G., Deacon, E., Stewart, S., & Todd, S. (2026). Preparing for, and organizationally supporting, social work advocacy practice: A mixed methods study of mental health hospital social workers in Ontario, Canada. The British Journal of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaf307
• Morris, B., Petrakis, M., Lue, J., Velander, F., Rocca, A., Clark, C., Deacon, E., Smith, F., & Whitaker, L. (2025). Transformative Mental Health Social Work Practice: What, When, and with Whom Do We Learn? Research on Social Work Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251394279
• Tarshis, S., Occhiuto, K., Sewell, K., Morris, B., & Todd, S. L. (2025). Training actors: a primer for social work educators working with standardized clients (SCs) in classroom simulations. Studies in Clinical Social Work: Transforming Practice, Education and Research, 95(3–4), 266–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/28376811.2025.2549842
• Sewell, K. M., Gheorghe, R. M., Dare, B., Patel, S. B., Morris, B., O’Hara, G., Deacon, E., Stewart, S., & Todd, S. (2025). Social work advocacy in mental health clinical practice: a mixed methods study of professional practices and competencies. Social Work in Mental Health, 23(6), 551–571. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2025.2479467
• Morris, B., Smith, F.; Petrakis, M.; Lue, J., & Whitaker, L. (2024) Preparing social work graduates for transformative engagement with mental health systems. In Przeperski, J. & Baikady, R. (eds.) The Routledge International Handbook of Social Work Teaching. New York, London, New Delhi:  Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
• Whitaker, L., Smith, F., Velander, F., Petrakis, M., Deacon, E., Simboli, T., Clark, C., Lue, J., Rocca, A., & Morris, B. (2024). Mental Health Social Work Practice: Navigating Tensions. The British Journal of Social Work, 54(6), 2565–2582. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcae051
• Sewell, K., M., Gheorghe, R., Dare, B., Patel, S.B., Morris, B., O’Hara, G., Deacon, E., Stewart, S., & Todd, S. L.  (2024). Barriers to advocacy for recovery and wellbeing: A mixed methods study of challenges faced by mental health hospital social workers in Ontario, Canada. Social Work in Mental Health. Advanced online publication:  https://doi.10.1080/15332985.2024.2417694
• Pascoe, E., Short, M., Whitaker, L., Morris, B., Petrakis, M., Russ, E., Gersbach, K., Evans, S., Rose, J., Fitzroy, R., Reimer, L., Halton, C., Walters, C., & Berger, L. (2023). International Network of Co-operative Inquirers: Vision Document. International Network of Co-operative Inquirers. https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/375768326/INCinq_vision_document_3_.pdf
• Morris, B. & Everett, A. The Practicum Learning Portal:  Building resilience in field education during and post-COVID-19, Journal of Social Work Education (In press).
• Morris, B., Whitaker, L., Petrakis, M., Smith, F. & Lue, J. (In press) Preparing social work graduates for transformative engagement with mental health systems. In Baikady, R. et al. (eds.) The Routledge International Handbook of Social Work Teaching. New York, London, New Delhi:  Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
• Short, M., Halton, C., Morris, B., Rose, J., Whitaker, L., Russ, E., Fitzroy, R., Appleton, C., Adamson, C., Woolven, M., Rush, E., Ivory, N., Berger, L., Morton, N., Duncombe, R., & Boyd. B. (2022). Enablers, markers, and aspects of quality innovative placements across distance: insights from a co-operative inquiry, Social Work Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2022.2060959
• Morris, B., Todd, S. & Kalmanovitch, A. (2022) When the Going Gets Tough: Case studies of challenge and innovation in Canadian field education. In Baikady, R. et al. (eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Field Work Education in Social Work. New York, London, New Delhi: Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
• Morris, B., Short, M., Bridges, D., Crichton, M., Velander, F., Rush, E., Iffland, B. & Duncombe, R. (2021). Responding to student mental health challenges during and post-COVID-19, Social Work Education, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2021.1962271
• Sarah Todd, Kenta Asakura, Brenda Morris, Brooke Eagle & Gareth Park (2019): Responding to student mental health concerns in social work education: reflective questions for social work educators, Social Work Education, DOI: 10.1080/02615479.2018.1563591
• Kenta Asakura, Sarah Todd, Brooke Eagle & Brenda Morris (2018) Strengthening the Signature Pedagogy of Social Work: Conceptualizing Field Coordination as a Negotiated Social Work Pedagogy, Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 38:2, 151-165, DOI: 10.1080/08841233.2018.1436635

Affiliations:

• International Network of Co-operative Inquirers (INCInq)
• Co-founder (2017), Alliance of Ontario Social Work Field Education Directors (AOSWFED)
• Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE)
• Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)
• Former Board President, Canadian Mental Health Association – Ottawa