58th Annual PCA Conference

58th Annual PCA Conference

12:00pm EST

Registration Desk Open

1:00pm EST

PCA Emerging Leaders Program Opening Workshop (Closed Session for EL Program Only, 3 CE)

4:30pm EST

PCA Board Meeting

8:00am EST

Registration Desk Open

9:00am EST

Pre-Conference Institutes (Separate Registration)

1:00pm EST

1PM Education Sessions and Roundtables At the Edges of Our Field: What Interdisciplinary Collaboration Teaches Us About Training Counselors and Art Therapists (1 CE) Beyond Culture: Reframing Substance Use Treatment through Structural Competency (1 CE) From Self-Care to Systemic Advocacy: A 4-Step Framework for Counselor Sustainability (1 CE) Lessons from the Field: Graduates’ Perspectives on Effective Supervision for School Counselors (1 CE) Medicalized Mental Health Stigma: How to Navigate Persisting Stigma in the World of Insurance-Driven Care (1 CE) Navigating Burnout in Times of Transition: A Polyvagal-Informed Approach (1 CE) Racialized Traumatization: A Generational, Complex Trauma (1 CE) Sociocultural Dissonance and Its Impact on the Counseling Relationship (1 CE) Stories That Heal: Using Bibliotherapy to Support Emotional Regulation in Children and Adolescents (1 CE) The Neuroscience of Trauma: Broadening our Knowledge to Better Serve Clients (1 CE) Beyond the Field: Integrating Peer Support and Social Community for Holistic Student-Athlete Development (1 CE) From Agency to Autonomy: Navigating the Clinical Shift to Outpatient Practice (1 CE) Laughter as Leadership: Guiding Clients Through Change with Playful Resilience (1 CE) Research does not have to be scary: Embracing quantitative single subject research for counselors (1 CE) The Disappearing Client: Restoring Voice and Agency in Older Adulthood (1 CE) Trauma in Transition: Displacement and Healing Among Refugees (1 CE)

2:15pm EST

2:15PM Education Sessions and Roundtables Creativity Doesn't Log Off: Designing a Creative Approaches to Counseling Course for the Virtual Classroom (1 CE) Establishing and Growing a Qualitative Research Team for Counselor Educators Using the Conceptual Mapping Task (CMT) (1 CE) From Checking to Choosing: ACT for Health Anxiety and OCD (1 CE) Music and Narrative Therapy in Counseling: How to Create Songs Worth Singing Using an Artificial Intelligence Music Generator (1 CE) Neurodiversity-Affirming Care: Practical Strategies for Regulation, Autonomy, and Clinical Impact (1 CE) Redefining Leadership: Transforming Burnout into Organizational Change (1 CE) Smarter Practice Growth with AI: Clarity, Compliance & Clinical Impact (1 CE) The Importance of Wellness Strategies for Counselors-in-Training as they Transition into Residency and their Careers (1 CE) What can we expect from the 2026 ACA Code of Ethics? An overview of changes and implications for the counseling profession (1 CE) What We Carry Forward: Family and Historical Narratives in Counseling Practice (1 CE) Embracing the Ghosts in the Counseling Room: Self-Reflection for Counselors and Supervisor to Lead Change from Understanding the Past Evaluating the Impact of a Multimodal Mindfulness Program on Stress Anxiety and Resilience in Undergraduate Students Exploring Professional Identity Language in CACREP Standards and Its Impact on the Counseling Profession (1 CE) Invisible Chains: Mental Health Obstacles to Successful Reentry (1 CE) Navigating the Complex Journey of Gatekeeping: A Systemic Approach to Supporting Counselor Educators and Clinical Supervisors (1 CE) Using movement to make therapy less awkward for young men and boys of color

3:30pm EST

3:30PM Roundtables Holding Space or Causing Harm? Microaggressions in Counselor Training Programs and Sites (1 CE) Rural recovery: Considerations for the Prevalence of Process and Behavioral Addictions in Isolated Communities (1 CE) Scaffolding Theoretical Identity: A Roundtable on Supervision, Development, and Orientation Alignment (1 CE) Self-Care in Counselor Education: A Foundation for Professional Identity and Wellness (1 CE) The Threshold: Navigating the "In-Between" of Burnout and Becoming (1 CE) Working Slow with Meaningful Purpose and Mindful Fulfillment for Ultimate Depth and Joy in the Journey of Becoming a Counselor Educator (1 CE) 3:30PM 90-Minute Education Sessions Embracing the bot: Demystifying AI tools in counselor supervision (1.5 CE) Emerging Leaders Program Workshop (Closed Session for EL Program Only, 1.5 CE) Ethical Integration of Faith in Clinical Practice (1.5 CE) From IEPs to Accommodations: Serving Clients with Learning Disabilities Across the Lifespan (1 CE) Government Relations Committee Featured Session (1.5 CE) Leading with Love: Applying the AEDP Therapeutic Stance in Culturally Attuned, Trauma-Informed Counseling with BIPOC Clients (1.5 CE) PACES Panel - From Learner to Leader: The Developmental Journey of Counselors, Supervisors, and Educators (1.5 CE) Sexual Wellness & Sex Therapy: Navigating Intimacy, Trauma, and the Self (1.5 CE) Yes, We (All) Have to Talk About Menopause: What Mental Health Professionals Keep Missing, Avoiding and Getting Wrong (1.5 CE)

5:30pm EST

5:30PM Poster Sessions “You’re Doing Better… Now What?”: Identity and Belonging After Mental Health Remission Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Neurodiverse Adults Adapting Narrative Therapy for Men Experiencing Infertility-Related Identity Disruption Alleviating Anxiety in Children through Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Dementia Family Caregivers Communication, Connection, and Collaboration: Uniting ABA and Counseling Practices for Children with Autism Culturally Adapted Logotherapy for Emerging Adult Christians Struggling with Generalized Anxiety Effects of Mindfulness on Memory Recall in College Students Effects of Transracial Adoption on Racial and Ethnic Identity Development: A Review of the Existing Literature and Implications for Counseling Interventions Embracing the Journey: Leading Clients Through Change and Healing via Pilgrimage-Based Adventure Therapy on the Camino de Santiago Equal Representation for Licensed Professional Counselors: A Professional Advocacy Campaign Targeting the Pennsylvania State Board Website Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration in Counselor Education (CE) Programs: Counselor Educators' Perceptions & Experiences Family-Based Approach for Children with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Play Therapy with Children Diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder Prolonged Exposure Therapy as Treatment for PTSD in Male First Responders Promoting Secure Relational Patterns: Emotionally Focused Therapy for Insecure Attachment Roots of ASD Treatment and Addressing the Spirit of Caregivers with Energy Psychology techniques Therapeutic Applications of BDSM: Exploring Healing Pathways for Survivors of Sexual Violence Working With Your Body, Not Against It: A Gestalt Approach to Depression You’re Not a Monster: A Therapeutic Approach for Pedophilic Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

6:00pm EST

Friday Networking Reception

8:30pm EST

Friday Evening Yoga

7:00am EST

Registration Desk Open

7:30am EST

Breakfast is Served!

8:00am EST

Keynote Presentation

9:15am EST

9:15AM Education Sessions and Roundtables From the Counseling Chair to the Executive Seat: Ethical and Practical Challenges in Leadership Transition (1 CE) Revamping PCA Member Services: Strengthening Member Engagement (1 CE) Sexuality and Cancer: Addressing the Young Adult’s Experience With and Around Cancer (1 CE) The 4th Wave of Healing with Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques for Emotional Regulation. Taking Cognitive Behavior Therapy to the Next Level (1 CE) The Shame We Carry Alone: How to Reclaim Fulfillment for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in America (1 CE) The Unexpected Journey: When Pregnancy and Birth Becomes Trauma (1 CE) Title - The World of Human-AI Counseling: The Impact of AI on Counselors (1 CE) Utilizing Creative Supervision Techniques to Reduce Anxiety and Increase Self-Efficacy in Emerging Counselors (1 CE) Welcome to the Journal of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (1 CE) Administration of EMDR in Group IOP to OP Continuums of Care (1 CE) Between Neutrality and Attunement: Navigating Political Conversations in Therapy (1 CE) Beyond the Binary: Supporting Transgender Clients through the Gender Constellation (1 CE) Culturally Responsive Supervision: Theory and Application in a Changing World Embracing Inquiry: Transforming Counselor Development Through Socratic Dialogue (1 CE) Outside the Box: Using Board Games in the Counseling Space (and the ones I tried so you don't have to!) (1 CE) When Leaders Are Cut Down: Exploring Tall Poppy Syndrome in the Counseling Profession (1 CE)

10:30am EST

10:30AM Roundtables Enhancing Self-Efficacy Among Substance Use Disorder Counselors in Times of Change (1 CE) From Trainee to Clinician to Educator: A Shared Reflection on Navigating War, Grief, and Growth in Times of Crisis (1 CE) Reframing Resilience: An Ecological Approach to Treatment Planning with Military Spouses (1 CE) Unmasking the Catfish: Key Considerations and Practices when Working with Online Deception in Counseling (1 CE) What We Needed, What We Know: A Conversation on Supporting Graduate Student-Parents in Counselor Education (1 CE) 10:30AM 90-Minute Education Sessions Beyond Talk Therapy: Bringing the Body Into the Healing Process (1.5 CE) Defining Professional Counselor Identity: Voices from the Field (1.5 CE) Food for Thought: Where Mental Health and Nutrition Care Connect (1.5 CE) From Awareness to Action: Counseling at the Intersection of Immigration Enforcement Policy and Practice (1.5 CE) Honoring Voice and Choice: Ethical Counseling with Neurodivergent Clients (1.5 CE) Navigating the Complexities of Counselor Education in the 21st Century: Shaping Tomorrow’s Counselors Through Innovation and Insight (1.5 CE) Promoting Healing and Resilience among Boys and Men Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted (1.5 CE) Safety, Connection, and Growth: Cultivating Supervisory Alliance and Trust through Trauma-Informed Supervision (1.5 CE) The ACA Code of Ethics 2026: What Has Changed? (1.5 CE) When Lived Experience Enters the Counseling Classroom: Integrating Structural Trauma and Experiential Knowledge into Counselor Education (1.5 CE)

12:15pm EST

PCA Awards Lunch

2:00pm EST

2PM Poster Sessions A Framework for Counseling Emerging Adults: Results and Implications from a Grounded Theory Study ADHD Into Adulthood: Past The Typical Years Am I a Therapist or a Counselor? Defining Professional Identity for Advocacy and Action in Clinical and Public Settings. Cultivating Cultural Competence: A Master’s Level Intervention Finding the Words: Mental Health Clinicians’ Experiences with Disclosing Cancer Diagnoses From Canvas to Counseling: Cultivating Competent Counselors Through Creative and Experiential Methods. From Self‑Efficacy to Employment: Practical Social Cognitive Career Theory Strategies for Disability-Inclusive Counseling Generative Conversational Artificial Intelligence (GC-AI) and Attachment I’m so Bored with the PCA! How Boredom Can Help Us Be Better Counselors? Integrating Mindfulness into Student Support: Practical Strategies for Higher Education Professionals It Takes a Campus: Building a Collaborative Model to Support Students with Disabilities Leading Through Change and Transition: Creating Psychological Safety for LGBTQ+ Counseling Students Master-Level Students’ Journeys Through Change and Transitions Memory Distortions and Cognitive Bias in Couple Conflict: A CBT Approach Migration as Meaning: An Existential Approach to Counseling Latin American Immigrants Reentry, Equity, and Healing: Supporting Justice-Involved Youth Through Counseling Practice Reframing Religious/Spiritual Abuse: A Structural Family Therapy Approach The Resilient Mind: Holistic Strategies for Socialization and Healing in Later Life Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as an Outcome of Child Sexual Abuse Unraveling Mysteries of Adolescent Substance Use: Reviewing the ABCD Study Findings

2:30pm EST

2:30PM Education Sessions and Roundtables “Who Is My Safe Haven?" Attachment Needs in the Era of AI and Influencer Culture (1 CE) Adapting Mental Health Therapy Approaches for Autistic Clients (1 CE) Affirmation Without Harm: Gender Euphoria, Disordered Eating, and Ethical Treatment with Trans and Gender-Diverse Clients (1 CE) Brief Therapy for Emotional Dysregulation (1 CE) Embracing Innovation: Using AI Simulation to Lead Counselor Training Through Change and Transition (1 CE) Polyvagal PLAY™: Regulating the Room Before the Work Begins (1 CE) Sex Positive Clinical Intake for Beginners (1 CE) Supervision Reimagined: Leading Through Change in the Age of AI (1 CE) We Don't Talk About Trauma Training: What Counselor Educators and Supervisors Need to Know About Preparing Counselors to Treat Trauma (1 CE) “Just wait until they find out I have no idea what I am doing”: An open discussion about imposter phenomenon among counselors and emerging leaders Beyond Performing Wellness: Counselor Impairment, Professional Identity, and Sustainable Practice in Times of Change (1 CE) Embracing the Journey of Counselor Supervision: Leading Ethical Practitioners Through Change and Transition (1 CE) Multicultural Competence for Clinical Counselors (1 CE) Neurodivergence, Disability, and Sexuality: Using Intimacy and Kink As Emotional and Physical Regulation Skills Understanding CPTSD in a Gender-Informed Lens: Understanding Divergent Trauma Responses for Clinical Practice (1 CE) We Don't Shame, We Question: Practical Applications for Treatment of Queer, Kink, and ENM Populations (1 CE)

3:45pm EST

3:45PM Education Sessions and Roundtables “Why Clinicians Feel Unprepared: Moving Beyond Training Gaps to a Model of Preparedness, Confidence, and Persistence” (1 CE) Counseling Immigrants during Turbulent Transitions: Best Practices for Fostering Support, Safety, and Healing (1 CE) Embracing the Journey Within: Epigenetics, Trauma, and Leading Clients Through Change and Transition (1 CE) LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Counseling: Identity Development and Ethical Practice (1 CE) Resilient Care: Burnout in Clinical Practice (1 CE) Resourcing Through Connection: Integrating Relational Cultural Theory and EMDR for Socially Just Trauma Treatment (1 CE) Sonic Voice: Music, Identity, and Meaning-Making in Counselor Education During Times of Change (1 CE) The Pelvic Floor Keeps the Score: Mental Health Considerations of Pelvic Floor/Sexual Dysfunction (1 CE) Career Development Across the Lifespan: Helping Students Find Joy in the Journey Challenging Masculinity Norms: A Feminist Counseling Approach to Engaging Men in Therapy (1 CE) Culturally Competent Counseling with Asian American Clients (1 CE) Evolving Trauma Treatment: Integrating EMDR into Modern Counseling Practice (1 CE) Limiting and Liberatory Language: Our Word Choice Matters (1 CE) Navigating Current Challenges in Clinical Supervision: Ethics, Technology, and Evolving Practice (1 CE) We Didn't Learn This in Collage: Promoting Self-Care (1 CE)

5:00pm EST

Division and Committee Meetings

6:00pm EST

CARIA Reception

7:30pm EST

Grad Student Social

7:00am EST

Registration Desk Open

8:00am EST

Continental Breakfast is Served

8:30am EST

Ethics Session (Licensure Requirement)

11:30am EST

Suicide Prevention & Awareness Session (Licensure Requirement)

58th Annual PCA Conference

From $15.00