To complement a rewarding career path that is rapidly growing, counseling conferences are held annually nationwide to provide counselors with advanced knowledge to further their understanding of the field.
Conferences empower counselors to help individuals or families to accomplish their mental health, wellness, and education/career goals. Counseling conferences are held all around the country for every counseling specialty for professionals seeking to become better at their craft.
5 Top Counseling Conferences: 2014
Whether you're a counseling student or a current mental health professional, the following are five counseling conferences arranged in chronological order that you should consider attending to give your training a boost.
1. American Counseling Association Conference & Expo: Orlando, FL
March 12-15, 2015
Held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando, the American Counseling Association (ACA) Conference & Expo will be the largest and most comprehensive professional development event for counselors in 2015. Both students and professionals are welcome to attend to participate in more than 30 division meetings, education sessions, poster presentations, awards ceremonies, author book signings, and luncheons. This year's keynote speakers are Dr. Richard Balkin, Dr. Jeffrey Kottler, and Academy Award-nominated actress Mariel Hemingway.
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2. American School Counselor Association 2015 Annual Conference: Phoenix, AZ
June 29-July 1, 2015
Featuring three full days of professional development, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) 2015 Annual Conference in Phoenix is expected to attract more than 2,100 new, practicing, and retired school counselors from around the nation. Fredi Lajvardi, Tim Shriver, and Time Federle are this year's keynote speakers who'll be sharing their inspiring stores and visions for the future of school counseling. Pre-conference workshops are also available on June 28th for school counselors of all practice and experience levels.
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3. 2015 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Conference: Austin, TX
September 3-6, 2015
In 2015, the AAMFT Annual Conference will be hosted in Austin to provide marriage and family therapists or counselors with the valuable chance to participate in four days of engaging workshops. A number of different educational sessions and seminars will be available to cover particular topics relevant to the field, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, mental health, sexuality, childrearing, and a range of other marital problems. Keynote presentations will be made by Morris Dees, John Bul Dau, and Dr. Frank Dattilio about important advancements in the marriage and family therapy field.
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4. AACC 2015 "Be Strong" World Conference: Nashville, TN
September 23-26, 2015
Through the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the 2015 "Be Strong" World Conference will be provided in Nashville at Opryland Hotel to provide 23 distinctive workshop tracks for professionals seeking to press deeper in their relationships with Christ. The conference will include a Benefit Golf Tournament, "Rock the Block" Celebration, Poster Symposium, ConnectU Student Mixer, and a talk with Jase Robertson from Duck Dynasty. With nearly 7,000 professionals in attendance, the conference seeks to help Christian counselors offer the love of God and counsel those seeking direction more effectively.
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5. NACAC 71st National Conference: San Diego, CA
October 20-22, 2015
Designed to deliver professional development opportunities for counselors to further their knowledge and skills in guiding students in higher education, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will host the 71st National Conference in San Diego. Throughout this three-day event, attendees will be given the chance to participate in various educational sessions and workshops. Since NACAC is approved by the NBCC, attending the conference can help satisfy the continuing education clock hours needed for re-certification.
Overall, professional development is essential for counselors to stay up-to-date on the latest field advancements and continually fine-tune their skills in helping people work through life's challenges. It's highly recommended that you attend at least one of these five great counseling conferences to become more effective in improving the well-being of others.