58th Annual PCA Conference

Name: Am I a Therapist or a Counselor? Defining Professional Identity for Advocacy and Action in Clinical and Public Settings.
Start: 2026-11-07T14:00:00-0500
End: 2026-11-07T14:30:00-0500

Am I a Therapist or a Counselor? Defining Professional Identity for Advocacy and Action in Clinical and Public Settings.

Saturday November 7, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST

The counseling field has long struggled with inconsistent professional language and identity which has led to a misunderstanding of who counselors are and how we are the same and different from other helping professions. This session will focus on two studies spanning eight years reporting the differences in counselor language that is used throughout the field. The studies show an inconsistency throughout the field that questions counseling unity and the confusion that we are showing the world. Counseling unity affects all parts of the field including how we see ourselves, how our clients and the public interact us and our field, how third-party payers use vague language to lower reimbursement rates, and the future of teaching and supervising in our field. We will discuss best practices for educators and supervisors to use to help create a stronger and more unified identity for the counseling profession.

Speakers

Ryan Bowers, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, CAADC, CSOTP

Assistant Professor and Program Director (IU) / Clinical Director (HFP), Immaculata University / Hearthfire Psychology, PLLC

Ryan Bowers is an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program at Immaculata University, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania, a National Board-Certified Counselor, a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug... Read More →

Nicole Yoder

Ph.D. Student (IU) / Clinical Counselor (MC), Immaculata University / Magnolia Counseling

Nicole Yoder is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a second-year student in Immaculata Univeristy’s Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program. Nicole graduated from Kutztown University’s CACREP-Accredited Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling program. Nicole... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST

Poster Session

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58th Annual PCA Conference

Ryan Bowers, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, CAADC, CSOTP

Nicole Yoder

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58th Annual PCA Conference

Ryan Bowers, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, CAADC, CSOTP

Nicole Yoder

Attendees (1)

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