2024 Conference Sessions
*** Denotes Ethics Session ***
Friday Workshops
9:30am - 5:00pm
Light Hors D'oeuvres will be served during the afternoon
Friday CEs Available - 6

Saturday Breakouts
9:30am - 4:00pm
Saturday CEs Available - 5

Friday
Workshop Rotation 1
9:30am - 11:30 am

1) Counselors Broaching Difficult Dialogues: The Times We Live In!

Presenter: S. Kent Butler, Ph.D., NCC, NCSC

“Difficult Dialogues” will empower counselors with the tools necessary to create safe and brave spaces and engage clients and students in meaningful and courageous conversations on topics related to equity, inclusion, and diversity, a critical skillset for today’s global environment.
Evidence Based Strategies, Techniques or Methods to be provided:
“Difficult Dialogues” empowers attendees to learn strategies that will help them facilitate courageous conversations, including how to create safe and brave spaces for students engaging in these powerful discussions. Matching counseling pedagogies to the needs and backgrounds of our students and clients and developing sensitivity to institutional barriers and prejudices that impinge upon different cultures. An open and honest guided discussion will provide attendees with an opportunity to share and process through their own personal narratives in relation to ethnicity and culture.

Friday
Workshop Rotation 2
12:45pm - 2:45pm

1) Structuring Supervision: Using Models to Enhance Clinical Supervision

Presenters: Lindsay Woodbridge, PhD, LPC, NCC  and  Julie Bates-Maves, PhD, LPC

Clinical supervisors use models to structure supervision, conceptualize what supervisees need to do to grow, and determine how supervisors can help foster that development. In this workshop, presenters will introduce four established models of supervision. Attendees will leave with new concepts and interventions to enhance their work as supervisors.

2) Kintsugi: The Art of Restoration

Presenter: Ashleigh Bruns, PhD, LPC

Kintsugi is the art of building resilience following brokenness by finding strength in weakness and imperfection. It's the physical act of mending broken pottery with metallic resin; thus highlighting, not hiding, imperfections. This session will combine training in trauma, posttraumatic growth, expressive therapies, and participatory creation of a kintsugi object.

Friday
Workshop Rotation 3
3:00pm - 5:00pm

1) Cancelled---Cultural Responsiveness in Action: Strategies for Equitable Clinical Practice with Clients of Color---Cancelled

Presenter: Vanessa Hintz, PsyD

This presentation will elevate discussion of the relationship between practitioners' racial identities and their clinical approaches. Strategies for engaging in equitable clinical practice, and for fostering inclusion at varying levels will be discussed. In addition, recommendations for promoting affirming environments that invite clients of color to engage authentically will be outlined.

2) Your Guide to Thrive: Strategies for Cultivating Emotional Wellbeing

Presenter: Jennifer K. Londgren, Ed.D., LMFT, NCC, BC-TMH

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, maintaining emotional balance can seem like an elusive goal. 'Your Guide to Thrive: Strategies for Cultivating Emotional Wellbeing' is a presentation that offers practical insights and actionable techniques to empower individuals on their journey to emotional flourishing. This presentation is not just about surviving; it's about thriving. We delve deep into the heart of emotional wellbeing, exploring the essential components that lay the groundwork for a fulfilling life. From self-awareness to resilience, participants will gain a holistic understanding of what it means to nurture their emotional health. Drawing from evidence-based practices, we uncover the power of identifying triggers and implementing effective coping mechanisms. Participants will learn to navigate the ebb and flow of emotions with grace, developing resilience as a shield against life's inevitable challenges. Self-care takes center stage as we explore personalized practices that promote mental and emotional balance. Attendees will leave equipped with a comprehensive toolkit to integrate sustainable habits into their daily routines, fostering long-term mental and emotional vitality.

Saturday
Breakout Session 1
9:30am - 10:30 am

1) Fireside Chat with Dr. S. Kent Butler!

Presenter: S. Kent Butler, Ph.D., NCC, NCSC

Genuine talk! Lessons learned! The conversation will move beyond the typical rhetoric and awareness to how we as BIPOC leaders take up space that advances advocacy, incites action, and provides a transformative impact within counseling infrastructures and beyond. During the chat Dr. Butler will discuss mentorship, leadership, and whatever else is on the minds of the attendees. The overall purpose will be to Impart knowledge on how to proactively change systems with intentionality and purpose, how to purposefully build sustainable leadership pipelines from that same conceptual framework, and how to not just fall into the role of a leader haphazardly and without the foresight to enact a true plan of action that deliberately fights against injustices on a global scale.

2) ***The Development and Use of Standardized Patients in Counselor Education***

Presenters: David Carroll, PhD and Jessica Lahner, PhD

The practice of using standardized patients in medical school education has been common for several decades. Research has shown that this practice increases student confidence and clinical competence particularly when performing sensitive examinations. o Current training models within counselor education. Many counselor education programs rely upon peer role playing scenarios as the primary clinical training experience prior to beginning practicum and internship with actual clients. o Limitations of role playing with peers and how standardized patients can rectify some of the downfalls. Role playing with peers can become predictable, can be easily manipulated, and presents ethical complications. o Pros and cons of utilizing standardized patients and how barriers can be addressed. Because standardized patients typically do not have training in psychology or mental health counseling and their portrayal of clients may be guided by their own bias or misperceptions. Therefore, high-quality supervision of standardized patients by theater faculty or other qualified supervisors is ideal. Furthermore, unless there is an exceptionally robust pool of standardized patients, there may be limited opportunities to portray clients from multiple cultural identities. These and other obstacles will be addressed as well as practices to ensure a continual feedback loop among the faculty, the standardized patients, and the counseling students to mitigate problems and identify best practices.

3) ***Counselor Burnout: Insights from Ecological Systems Theory to Address Multifaceted Needs***

Presenter: Stephanie Thorson-Olsen, PhD

This session presents the results of a qualitative study on counselor burnout, analyzed through the lens of Ecological Systems Theory. Participants will explore how various systems—individual, interpersonal, organizational, and societal—interact to impact counselor well-being. By understanding these interrelated factors, the session will highlight practical strategies to support counselors’ mental health, job satisfaction, and long-term career sustainability. Attendees will gain a holistic perspective on addressing burnout and learn how to implement systemic changes to foster a more supportive and resilient counseling environment.

Saturday
Breakout Session 2
10:45am - 11:45am

1) Archetypes: A Tool Toward Self-Discovery

Presenters: Jeff Nerone, MA, LPC and Victoria Sepulveda, Ph.D, LPC, CSAC, NCC

The use of Jungian archetypes in modern culture serves as a therapeutic example, underscoring their significance and practicality in today's clinical settings. Through storytelling, metaphors, or symbolic representations, Jungian archetypes provide an array of symbols and themes that resonate with human experiences for our clients. Additionally, engaging with archetypal narratives in popular culture aids clients in connecting with their internal landscapes, managing intricate emotions, and transitioning through life's complexities. Using these archetypal models in counseling assists therapists in guiding clients to tap into their innate capacities, surmount obstacles with greater resilience and inventiveness, and ultimately follow a trajectory towards completeness and genuineness. Within this session, we will explore Jungian archetypes within pop culture, as well as provide examples of how to clinically broach these archetypes within group and individual counseling scenarios. We also will provide creative space for attendees to plan for how they would apply the tools we will distribute for facilitating self-exploration, healing, and ultimately growth in clients. 

2) ***Exploring Therapist Use of Self***

Presenters: Anna K. Kraft, MS, LPC, NCC  and  Tyler W. Secor, MS, LPC

Although all counselors know “it’s the relationship that heals,” there are many questions about how to build a meaningful, authentic relationship while maintaining ethical and professional standards. In this session, facilitators will share content and skills focused on radically bringing our authentic selves into the counseling, supervision, and teaching spaces. Facilitators will use immediacy to harness the space by modeling authenticity within existing counseling frameworks (i.e., feminist, constructivist, person-centered).

3) Teaching Trauma: Understanding the Struggle to Survive

Presenter: Karen Fischer, MS Ed., LPC 

This breakout will follow principles of trauma-informed teaching. The 8 trauma-informed principles from SAMHSA (2014) will be included. This is supported by 3 preconditions for student learning: safety, connection, and resources. The session will focus on traumatization, meaning-making, surviving, and safety as they relate to the science and mitigation of trauma. Attendees will connect these ideas to work and supervision settings to improve understanding and application.

Saturday
Breakout Session 3
1:45pm - 2:45pm

1) Splintered Belonging: Psychosocial Resilience for Black Queer Femmes Who Attend Predominantly White Institutions 

Presenter: Corey Martin Fitzgerald, EdD, LMHC

This session will explore ways Black queer femmes find belonging while at PWIs through leveraging a psychosocial approach. Additionally, attendees will be invited to discuss ways adopting an expansive mental wellness framework might benefit clients in settings outside of higher education.

2) Older Adults and Substance Use: Challenges, Considerations, and Counseling Approaches

Presenters: Terri L. Jashinsky, PhD, LP, CRC;  Lakesha L. Jones, MS, LPC, CSAC, ICS, CCTP, NCC;  Christine M. Dawley, MS, LPC;  Amanda E. Long, MS, LPC, NCC

This session provides an overview of substance use/addiction information specific to older adults. As one of the largest and fastest growing age groups, understanding substance use with older adults is essential. Presenters will highlight substance use statistics and trends in older adults, relevant challenges, and practical counseling considerations.

3) Integrative Education: supporting educational learning through an ECHO approach

Presenter: Craig Fehrenbacher, MA, MS, LMFT

Within our health system, the complexities of effectively addressing treatment for varied chronic and mental health needs have become increasingly fragmented with providers opting to specialize, siloing their knowledge into their fields of practice. While knowledge on specific illnesses has grown, the systemic overlay of illness complications throughout patients’ lives are going unaddressed. Integrative care, the collaboration of expert opinions to address a single, yet wholistic condition, is a multifaceted healthcare approach to addressing fragmented care within and across social services (Goodwin et al., 20017; Strange 2009; Zhao et al., 2022). At its core, Integrative Care aims to promote health equality, enhance the quality of care, and increase a patient’s overall satisfaction (Grone & Garcia-Barbero, 2001; Valentine et al, 2013) within the healthcare system. A primary task for integrative care teams is to design, implement, and then evaluate outcomes. While designing, implementing, and evaluating are important waypoints to coagulate integrative care objectives, Zhao et al. (2022) emphasize a critical factor is missed, the opportunity for education. Integrative education is meaningful learning which bridges a professional’s collaborative efforts within an integrative care model. One digital approach to organize integrative education branches from Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO), a pioneering telemedicine and distance-learning program based within an academic medical setting (Arora et al., 2010). Introduced in 2003 at the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine (Arora & Thornton, 2020), Project ECHO is a digital health solution which uses technology enabled learning (TEL) to facilitate and support educational learning (Zhao et al., 2022). A specific ECHO approach will be further explored in this presentation, focusing on how an educational slant could serve to advance those professionals in rural settings which lack access to encompassing health care.

Saturday
Breakout Session 4
3:00pm - 4:00pm

1) ***Mind Your Business: The Essentials of Private Practice***

Presenter: Amanda Falkers, Ed.D, LPC, SAC, ACS 

This session provides an in-depth exploration of private practice for counselors, offering valuable insights for both aspiring and seasoned professionals. Participants will gain a clear understanding of what it means to operate a private practice, including the roles, responsibilities, and ethical considerations involved. The session will highlight the autonomy, flexibility, and income potential that private practice offers, while also addressing the challenges, such as business management, client acquisition, and professional isolation. Additionally, the session will compare private practice with community-based mental health centers, helping attendees determine which path best aligns with their career goals. Join us for a comprehensive overview that will empower you to make informed decisions about your future in the counseling profession.

2) ***The Impact of Practicum on Counselor-in-Training Mental Health: Recommendations for Students, Supervisors, and Educators***

Presenter: Amanda Arnold, PhD, LPC, NCC

This presentation will highlight recent findings regarding the effects of practicum on counselor-in-training mental health. Attendees will become familiar with common challenges associated with this training period and the impact of these challenges on wellbeing. Recommendations will be provided for students, supervisors, and educators to support students in this period.

3) ***There's Nothing Micro about Aggressions (Systemic Racism on African Americans' Health)***

Presenter: Blanche Brown, MS, LPC, LMFT, ATRL

In my experience as a Black woman, I have observed the continued presence of systemic racism and discrimination in both overt and covert practices. White clinicians have an ethical responsibility to do no harm and to play a role in reducing the impact of microaggressions, microvalidations, microinsults, and microassaults on BIPOC and other marginalized communities. They can support healing by actively addressing and deconstructing microaggressions through self-reflection, taking responsibility for any psychological harm caused, and initiating steps to minimize the negative effects of unchecked White supremacy in their lived experiences and practices.