2025 Conference Sessions
*** Denotes Ethics Session ***
Friday Workshops
9:45am - 5:30pm
Friday CEs Available - 6

Saturday Breakouts
10:00am - 4:30pm
Saturday CEs Available - 5

Friday
Workshop Rotation 1
9:45am - 11:45 am

1) What Does a 504 Plan Really Mean in Schools? Bridging Clinical Recommendations and School-Based Realities 

Presenter: Stacy Eslick, MSSW, MSE

Therapists often recommend 504 Plans, but what do they actually look like in schools? This session explores how accommodations are developed, implemented, and sustained, and how to ensure recommendations are realistic within the context of packed classrooms and limited staff. We’ll dive into the growing challenge of scale: When 30% of students in some schools have 504 Plans, who gets the front row seat? Participants will learn how to make recommendations that align with school systems, support student needs, and recognize that sometimes there simply aren’t enough front row seats. 

Friday
Workshop Rotation 2
1:15pm - 3:15pm

1) ***Polyamory and Ethically Non-Monogamous Relationships: How to Navigate and Assist Differing Relationship Dynamics***

Presenter: Amanda Swisher, LPC

This presentation provides an in-depth exploration of polyamory and ethically non-monogamous (ENM) relationships, focusing on their unique dynamics and challenges. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various structures within ENM relationships, including polyamory, open relationships, and swinging. The session will cover common misconceptions, necessary skills for effective navigation of polyamorous and ENM relationships and the ethical implications of working with this community. Emphasis will be placed on effective communication, boundary-setting, and strategies for supporting clients in non-monogamous relationships. Clinicians will leave with practical tools and insights to enhance their work with individuals and couples navigating polyamory and ENM dynamics.

2) Healing Trauma through Storytelling: Creating & Utilizing Narrative with Toddlers and Preschoolers

Presenters: Courtney Clark, LPC & Tamara Limbach, LPC

This presentation will focus on one element of trauma treatment in the most widely used evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment models: narrative. The utilization of narrative occurs in therapy work with children, adolescents, and adults.
Narrative is an exposure tool used to process and integrate the trauma through a retelling of the person’s experience, often in a story format. Creating and implementing narrative in treatment with very young children poses unique challenges for the child and caregiver, and requires adjustments. In addition to the retelling of their story, narratives should include skills that are not able to be taught using talk-therapy techniques due to age, such as labelling feelings, challenging faulty beliefs, reinforcing coping skills, and preparing for future triggers. Therapists using narrative will need to balance keeping the child engaged while also providing them control over pace of the narrative. Narrative with this age group requires both the child and caregiver to be emotionally prepared for this tool so the caregiver can support the child in their process of treatment; therefore, caregiver engagement is a key element in the successful implementation. Presenters will discuss the narrative strategies utilized in Early Pathways, an evidence-based model used with over 300 children each year, designed specifically for work with very young children and their caregivers. The purpose, creation, and implementation of narrative will be discussed in depth. Presenters will utilize clinical case studies, sample narrative materials from their therapy practice, and work with attendees to practice creating their own narratives based on case examples provided. 

Friday
Workshop Rotation 3
3:30pm - 5:30pm

1) ***Counseling Supervision: Ethical and Legal Considerations***

Presenter: Lindsay Woodbridge, PhD, LPC, NCC

Counseling supervisors have ethical responsibilities to their supervisees, their supervisees’ clients, and the counseling profession. They also have legal responsibilities. This session provides an overview of the ethical and legal considerations of being an effective supervisor. The first part of the workshop will address ethical considerations of supervision. Participants will engage in a structured exploration of the content on supervision in the ACA Code of Ethics. The presenter will review topics including the need to center client welfare, obtain informed consent, approach dual/multiple relationships carefully, and model ethical behavior. Participants will review and discuss a case study related to dual/multiple relationships. The second part of the workshop will address legal considerations of supervision. The presenter will share and define relevant legal terms including standard of care, negligent liability, and vicarious liability. Participants will review and discuss a real-world example of vicarious liability. The presenter will share concrete strategies for mitigating legal risk such as limiting supervision to concerns that are within the supervisor’s scope of competence, monitoring the supervisee’s activities, and having back-up coverage. Special attention will be given to the strategy of documenting the supervision experience through a supervision contract and supervision notes. Because this is a workshop, attendees will be invited to participate actively. Activities will include guided discovery, small- and large-group discussion, case studies, and lecture. 

2) Origami and Hope: Developing Resilience Through Poems and Cranes

Presenter: Ashleigh Bruns, PhD, LPC, NCC

In this session, participants will learn about original research, create an origami (expressive art), and reflect on applications to their clinical, educational, or supervisory populations. Theoretical underpinnings of narrative therapy as a lens for externalizing challenges and processing to resolve stress, anxiety, and depression to improve resilience will be explored.

Saturday
Breakout Session 1
10:00am - 11:00 am

1) Behavioral Health Integration: Benefits, Strategies, and Models for Effective Integration

Presenters: Saima Chauhan LCSW, CSAC, ICS & Langeston Hughes

Despite a $11.4B cut to federal behavioral health grants, integrated care is more critical than ever. This session offers evidence-based models and real-world strategies to help clinicians navigate challenges, lead innovation, and strengthen mental health services—ensuring continuity of care even in underfunded, policy-constrained systems. If not us, who?

2) ***Mind Your Business Part 2 - Starting Strong in Private Practice***

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

Thinking about starting your own private practice? This session is a focused exploration of what it really takes to step into business ownership as a counselor. Geared toward those ready to move from agency work or graduate training into solo or group practice, Part 2 examines the tangible risks, real-world challenges, and long-term rewards of going out on your own.
We’ll dig into the startup process—including legal structure, initial costs, insurance panels vs. private pay, marketing, and how to build a steady referral stream. We’ll also confront the common hurdles: isolation, inconsistent income, business burnout, and ethical considerations like dual roles and documentation compliance.
At the same time, we’ll highlight the upside: greater autonomy, flexible schedules, income potential, and the opportunity to build a business that reflects your values and clinical vision. Ethical decision-making will be woven throughout, using guidance from the ACA Code of Ethics to ensure you’re creating a practice that’s both successful and sustainable.
If you're serious about launching your own private practice and want a realistic, grounded view of what it takes—this session is for you.

3) Understanding Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: The Intersection with the Therapy Process

Presenter: Don Mitckess, LCPC, CRADC

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a recent addition to the arsenal of tools that combat depression, OCD, and many other clinical disorders. Understanding the mechanism of action of this modality and how it fits with therapy will be explored and discussed.

Saturday
Breakout Session 2
11:15am - 12:15pm

1) Understanding Psychopathy: The Community Counselor’s Guide to Working with Psychopathic Personalities

Presenters: Stephanie Wachter, LPC, SAC & Chelsea Goldblatt, LPC, SAC-IT 

Psychopathy is a hot social media topic. From influencers diagnosing their ex-partners, to commentary on work culture, everyone has become a pop psychologist. But what happens when you encounter psychopathy in the therapeutic setting?
We are counselors practicing behind the electric fence in a forensic program; in our work, we  address psychopathy (and its many manifestations) and develop treatment strategies to attend to the unique challenges posed by psychopathic traits. In our efforts towards continuity of care, we recently observed well-intended community clinicians getting blind-sided when faced with the manipulative, callous, and dominating characteristics so common among this population. For this reason, we hope to offer insights into the history of psychopathy assessment, educate our counseling colleagues on the various facets of psychopathic personalities, and offer effective strategies for addressing these concerns in the community counseling setting.

2) ***Why is self care so important? Understanding neurobiology behind self-care.***

Presenter: Amy L. Barth, PhD, LPC 

The counselor is the main instrument in the counseling process. It is imperative that counselors take care of themselves to remain attentive, attuned, and responsive in their counseling work. The purpose of this presentation is to provide information on the neurobiology behind self-care. The presenter will share brain-based strategies for self-care.

3) How We Speak Matters: Undoing Stigmatizing Language

Presenter: Andrew J. Schreier, MA, LPC, CSAC, ICS, ICGC-II 

Language shapes how we treat others. Using outdated or stigmatizing terms in mental health, substance use, or gambling care can harm trust, discourage engagement, and reinforce shame. Shifting to person-centered language is essential to create safe, respectful environments that support healing, recovery, and meaningful connection.

Saturday
Breakout Session 3
2:15pm - 3:15pm

1) Telling to Heal: Narrative Therapy, Existential Meaning, and the Power of Short Stories in Counseling Practice

Presenter: Dr. Roberto Gershon Swazo 

2) Working With Divorce Ambivalent Clients

Presenter: Ginny Wright, PhD Licensed Clinical Psychologist Discernment Counseling Master Practitioner

Therapy sessions are often dominated by clients’ divorce ambivalence:
should they stay in their marriage or end it? In this workshop, therapists learn actionable skills for working with clients in marital crisis, and we discuss discernment counseling as the optimal intervention for many couples on the brink of divorce.

3) Beyond the Symptoms: Supporting Relational Health in Children and Adolescents with Anxiety

Presenter: Urbi Nag, LCPC

This interactive session explores how anxiety impacts relationships in children and adolescents, emphasizing connection as a key to healing. Participants will learn to identify how anxiety manifests within relationships and apply practical, relationship- focused strategies to support recovery and resilience in youth across clinical, school, and community counseling settings.

Saturday
Breakout Session 4
3:30pm - 4:30pm

1) Identity Reclamation: Commodification of the Womxn's Body

Presenter: Crystal Murdock, PhD, LCPC

Researchers have concluded the importance of creating and maintaining an incorporated personal and professional identity towards developing a multiculturally competent counselor professional (Thacker et al., 2020; Crumb et al., 2023). Towards that end, individuals, clinical supervisors, and institutions of higher learning need to be equipped with the necessary skills to help the oft-negated and marginalized womxn of whom researchers have concluded extra effort should be put forth to ensure their professional success (Crumb et al., 2023, Thacker & Minton, 2020). 

2) From Popcorn to Molasses, Mushrooms to Orchids: Why Child-Centered Play Therapy Works

Presenters: Brittany Massengale Houin, PhD, LPC, RPT & Kimberly Hagmann, BS 

Discover why Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) works through its developmental foundations, relational depth, and evidence-based effectiveness. This engaging session uses metaphor, theory, and practical skills to illustrate how play fosters healing, emotional regulation, and growth while honoring each child's unique rhythm from popcorn to molasses, mushrooms to orchids.

3) "What Do You Mean?” The Power of Defining Our Words in Clinical Practice

Presenters: Patty Dempsey MSE, NCC, LPC-IT , Jennifer Vickers LPC-IT,  & Maria G Vercimak LPC

Discover how language impacts healing. Explore how the brain processes definitions and why conflicting meanings hinder progress. This interactive workshop introduces the research-informed Flowcess® model that will equip clinicians with practical strategies to help clients clarify meaning, foster emotional insight, and build trust— because clear words create stronger relationships.