Presenters & Sessions

2027 MR-CA Annual Conference

When Insight Isn’t Enough: An Integrative
and Holistic Approach to Mental Health

Mediterranean Region Counselors Association (MR-CA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7006. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Mediterranean Region Counselors Association (MR-CA) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

_______________________________________

Al and Counseling (1.0 CE)

The presentation will explore how the rapid advancement of AI which has reshaped nearly every professional field, including counseling. A need to explore knowledge in confidentiality, ethics and how AI impacts and/or plays a role in counselors-in-training (CIT) is crucial. The presentation will go over AI technologies such as chatbots, Google AI, and virtual therapy sessions which are increasingly being used to supplement traditional counseling services, enhance accessibility, and provide data-driven insights into client well-being. These advancements in technology and counseling hold significant promises for improving efficiency, especially when it comes to administrative duties in counseling. However, ethical questions about confidentiality, empathy, ethics, professional boundaries, clinical skills and therapeutic relationships are raised.

Kirill Martynov is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at Marymount University and a LMHC-D, NCC, and CASAC-G. Kirill is dedicated to bridging advanced clinical practice, counselor training, and rigorous research. With over a decade of hands-on experience in the mental health and addiction field, most notably within correctional environments and specialized outpatient facilities, Kirill brings a deep expertise in high-acuity care, trauma-informed approaches, and evidence-based modalities, with a particular passion for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and mindfulness-based interventions. Kirill is currently in his third year of his Ph.D. program in Counselor Education and Supervision at Marymount University and will be embarking in the dissertation phase of the program. Kirill's research areas of interest include but are not limited to, specialized counseling (i.e. addictions), correctional environments, trauma informed care, counselors in training and Artificial Intelligence.

Addressing Trauma in Women with Substance Use Disorder: A Holistic Approach to Integrating 12-Step Recovery and Trauma Informed Interventions (1.0 CE)

The presentation will explore the use of trauma-informed practice when working with women recovering from substance use disorder including an overview of the prevalence of trauma in women with substance use disorder, the effects of trauma on recovery, and how trauma informed approaches to recovery can contribute to achieving and maintaining sobriety in tandem with 12-step recovery approaches.

Ailish Riggs Dermody, LPC, NCC is a 3rd year student in the Counselor Education and Supervision PhD program at Marymount University. She is in private practice and works with adults experiencing grief, trauma, substance use, and relationship issues. She also serves as a Grief Specialist with Experience Camps, facilitating clinical sessions for grieving children and their families. She is a certified equine facilitated psychotherapist and has developed and implemented equine facilitated groups for substance use, grief, and women in recovery. She earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University.

An integrative and holistic approach for processing Ambiguous Grief (1.0 CEU)

The presentation will explore the meaning of ambiguous grief, allowing participants to identify means to emotionally process reactions, and normalize experiences. Participants will utilize holistic techniques; grounding exercises, mindful breathing, and body awareness to help the nervous system process the experience of grief The presentation will allow participants to explore holistic techniques for processing ambiguous grief with clients or students.

Linda Hart has a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor, Certified School Counselor, and Critical Response Counselor. Assistant professor at North American University, private practice, and mediator for the State of Texas.

Behind the Screen: Ambivalent Sexism, Rape Myth Acceptance, and Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence and Abuse (1.0 CE)

Facilitated Sexual Violence and Abuse (TFSVA) is an increasingly urgent form of harm that has significant implications for counseling practice, survivor advocacy, and trauma recovery. TFSVA encompasses a range of digitally mediated behaviors, including image-based sexual abuse, online sexual harassment, coerced sexting, and non-consensual monitoring or sharing of intimate images (Henry & Powell, 2018). As digital communication, social media, and online platforms continue to shape intimate relationships, survivors may experience abuse that is persistent, invasive, and difficult to escape, often intensifying feelings of fear, shame, isolation, and self-blame. TFSVA is an evolving concern with major implications for counseling practice. The presentation explores how ambivalent sexism and rape myth acceptance shape survivor distress, self-blame, and recovery, while introducing trauma-informed, holistic counseling strategies to support clients experiencing both digital and interpersonal harm. Participants will gain practical tools, psychoeducation resources, and a case-based framework for responding to this complex and increasingly common form of abuse. Practical strategies will be discussed with case study examples, worksheets, and other materials participants can use in practice with survivors, supervisees, and teaching.

Dr. Adrienne Graham, LPC(GA), NCC, ACS is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). As a counselor educator, supervisor, and advocate, her research and scholarship focus on sexual, domestic/dating violence survivors' advocacy, resilience, and competencies, and trauma-informed practices, including supervision and teaching. Dr. Graham has devoted her career to serving survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and human trafficking, beginning in community-based advocacy centers and later serving on multidisciplinary task forces to promote compassionate, survivor-focused care. She has extensive experience in crisis response and supporting individuals and communities impacted by trauma across the lifespan. She is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ), the American College Counseling Association (ACCA), Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), and several other ACA divisions. She has presented at the national and local levels on survivor advocacy and trauma-informed practices.

Beyond Awareness: Integrating Trauma-Informed Interventions for Lasting Client Change (2.0 CEs)

The presentation explores how meaningful and lasting therapeutic change often requires more than cognitive understanding alone. While insight is an essential component of the counseling process, many clients continue to struggle despite recognizing the origins of their thoughts, emotions

Emotional wounds are inevitable in our encounters with others, the depth of which can vary greatly. Left unaddressed, the resulting maladaptive coping , and behaviors.mechanisms often result in self-destructive, and/or addictive disorders. Attendees will examine how focusing solely on clients' maladaptive coping mechanisms, or on generating insights while ignoring their core/emotional wounds, can set clients up for significant difficulties in obtaining and sustaining recovery. Attendees will engage in experiential exercises that have been designed to foster forgiveness for self and others that can be used with their current and future clients.

Dr. Matthew R. Shupp is a Professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Shippensburg University (Pennsylvania, United States) where he serves as coordinator of the College Counseling & Student Affairs specializations and the doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision. Dr. Shupp’s research interests focus on inclusive supervision in student affairs, multicultural competence, student leadership development, and holistic college student experiences. He was selected to the Fulbright Specialist Roster (2021-2025) and recently returned from Suez Canal University in Egypt where he assisted with the university's first-ever clinical counseling center

Beyond Insight: Healing Intergenerational Acculturation Stress Through a Holistic Family-Centered Approach for Immigrant Families (1.0 CEU)

While developing insight into emotional struggles is important, insight alone may not address the complex realities of immigration-related stress, cultural identity conflicts, intergenerational tensions, language barriers, social isolation, and systemic inequities. Many immigrant parents and children experience differing rates of acculturation, which can create misunderstandings, family conflict, and emotional distress (Tummala-Narra et al., 2021).
The presentation will be exploring how counselors can move beyond traditional talk therapy to incorporate culturally responsive, family-centered, community-based, and strengths-focused interventions. Participants will learn practical strategies to engage immigrant families, promote resilience, reduce stigma surrounding mental health, and build community awareness through collaboration with schools, faith communities, healthcare providers, and cultural organizations

Shazia Mirza is a multicultural, bilingual Clinical Counselor with more than fourteen years of experience serving diverse communities within a non profit agency setting. Her clinical work specializes in supporting older adults and grandparents raising grandchildren, with a focus on intergenerational trauma, caregiving stress, and attachment disruptions.
She is an Adoption Competent Therapist who provides court referred family therapy for children and caregivers experiencing severe behavioral challenges, attachment disturbances, and ambiguous loss. Her additional training in therapeutic visitation and Child Parent Psychotherapy equips her to work effectively with infants, young children, and complex family systems involved in Baby Court proceedings. She is also trained in CBT based trauma informed care.

Beyond Insight: Integrating Cognitive, Somatic, and Relational Approaches in Trauma Recovery (1.0 CEU)

The presentation explores why understanding alone is rarely enough to create lasting psychological change. This The presentation will provide clinicians with an evidence-informed, integrative framework and practical interventions that help clients move beyond understanding their experiences toward creating sustainable, embodied change. Drawing on current research in trauma, attachment, and nervous system regulation, participants will learn an integrative approach that helps clients move beyond analyzing harmful relationships and toward rebuilding identity, self-trust, emotional regulation, and resilience. Attendees will leave with practical, evidence-informed strategies they can immediately apply in clinical practice. Attendees will leave with immediately applicable strategies to support deeper healing and improved treatment outcomes across a range of trauma presentations.

Dr. Mishel Rych, PhD, LCSW is a psychotherapist, educator, speaker, and author specializing in trauma recovery, narcissistic abuse, and resilience. With over two decades of clinical experience, she combines evidence-based practice with practical, compassionate strategies that help individuals move beyond insight to integrate knowledge into healing and transformation. Dr. Rych teaches graduate social work students, consults internationally, and is passionate about empowering both clinicians and survivors through education, innovation, and hope. Her presentations are engaging, research-informed, and focused on helping professionals translate psychological insight into meaningful, sustainable change.

Beyond Insight: The LENS Framework for Holistic Mental Health Counseling (2.0 CEUs)

The presentation is designed for counselors, mental health counselors, psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, counselor educators, clinical supervisors, and graduate counseling students interested in integrating the LENS Framework into holistic, culturally responsive counseling practice. The content is applicable across a variety of settings, including community mental health, private practice, healthcare, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations, and provides practical strategies for fostering reflection, connection, belonging, and meaning-making with the individuals and communities they serve.

Yolanda Loften Sims, M.Ed., RMHCI, is a doctoral candidate in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at National Louis University, a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern in Florida, and a devoted school counselor serving diverse adolescent populations. Her professional identity is deeply rooted in multicultural counseling, social justice advocacy, and strength-based clinical practice, with a particular commitment to supporting older adults, adolescents, and women of color. Guided by an ethic of intentionality, cultural humility, and human dignity, Yolanda’s work bridges research, teaching, supervision, and clinical practice to expand equitable access to mental health care for marginalized and underrepresented communities. As a military spouse, she brings lived insight into the unique challenges faced by service members, veterans, and their families, enriching her advocacy for women of color navigating military and post-military identities. Yolanda’s scholarship centers on Positive Aging, resilience, culturally responsive practice, and the intersectional experiences of marginalized groups across the lifespan. Her research and clinical commitments emphasize empowering older adults through strength-based counseling, promoting visibility and voice among women of color in military spaces, and fostering emotional wellness and identity development in adolescents. Grounded in Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies–informed and internationally aligned ethical frameworks, her work promotes belonging, purpose, and holistic well-being at every stage of life.

Beyond Insight: The Neuroscience of Embodied Trauma Healing in Counseling (1.0 CE)

While insight and awareness are important components of healing, trauma is often experienced through physiological, emotional, and relational patterns that exist beyond conscious thought.
The presentation introduces a neuroscience-informed, somatic approach to trauma recovery that integrates cognitive, emotional, and embodied processes. Participants will explore how nervous system regulation, body awareness, therapeutic presence, and relational safety can complement traditional counseling approaches to support deeper and more sustainable healing. By expanding the focus beyond insight alone, this presentation reflects an integrative and holistic approach to addressing the complex mental health needs of diverse clients.

Jordan Dunn, PhD, LMHC, is a counselor educator, trauma-informed clinician, and researcher specializing in embodied approaches to mental health. Dr. Dunn’s clinical experience includes inpatient psychiatric care, emergency behavioral health, outpatient counseling, and private practice, providing services to individuals experiencing complex trauma, emotional dysregulation, and significant mental health concerns. Dr. Dunn’s research focuses on counselors’ experiences using somatic therapy with clients impacted by trauma and trauma-related disorders, exploring the role of body-based approaches in supporting emotional awareness, nervous system regulation, and therapeutic transformation. Her work integrates trauma neuroscience, somatic psychology, counselor embodiment, and relational approaches to healing. In addition to clinical and research work, Dr. Dunn serves in professional counseling leadership and advocacy roles, promoting counselor wellness, ethical practice, and the advancement of integrative approaches within the counseling profession. Her presentations emphasize the intersection of neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and holistic mental health practices that move beyond insight alone to support meaningful change.

Beyond Insight: Training Supervisees to Recognize Emotional Connection and Disconnection Through Relational Cultural Supervision (1.0 CE)

The presentation explores Relational-Cultural Supervision as an integrative, humanistic approach that helps supervisees recognize emotional connection, disconnection, and relational
ruptures while developing therapeutic presence, cultural humility, cultural broaching competence, and clinical self-efficacy. Through experiential learning activities, case examples,
and practical supervision strategies, participants will learn how intentional relational experiences promote counselor growth, resilience, and professional identity.

Dr. Tara Jungersen is a Professor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in the Department of Counseling at Nova Southeastern University College of Psychology. She completed her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Tennessee, and her M.Ed. in Community Counseling at the University of Virginia. Prior to joining the faculty at NSU in 2009, she worked extensively in community behavioral health facilities providing crisis intervention, mental health, trauma, substance abuse, and domestic violence services across several levels of care. Since that time, she has trained and supervised clinical mental health counseling students and chaired the department through first-time program accreditations. Her current research focuses on intimate partner violence, trauma, and violence prevention using sociodrama. She is currently co-authoring the fourth edition of the Survivor Therapy Empowerment Program, a trauma-informed treatment program for survivors of gender-based trauma and serves on the Broward Domestic Violence Council. She is currently the Editor in Chief of Trauma Counseling and Resilience, the journal of the International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling (a division of the American Counseling Association). She is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Florida Qualified Supervisor for the Mental Health and Marriage and Family professions, a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, and a National Certified Counselor.

Dr. Paula Lazarim earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Tennessee and her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). She currently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Counseling at NSU College of Psychology and provides counseling services to clients from diverse backgrounds in private practice. Dr. Lazarim is a nationally certified counselor educator with more than 15 years of experience in clinical mental health, career, international, and intercultural counseling. Bilingual in Portuguese and English, she has lived in the United States for nearly 14 years and brings extensive intercultural experience developed through her work and life across Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Her clinical practice integrates evidence-based approaches—including Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—within a relational-cultural framework. Dr. Lazarim is actively engaged in counselor education research, teaching, and professional leadership. Her work is dedicated to advancing culturally responsive counselor education through innovative teaching, clinical supervision, and scholarship. She developed an intercultural supervision model and promoted international collaboration in counseling while integrating broaching, intercultural competence, and critical consciousness into counselor training. Her research focuses on effective teaching practices in counselor education, counseling and supervision, intercultural supervision, culturally responsive research design, and the role of biculturalism in counselor education and clinical practice. She currently co-leads the Research and Writing Subcommittee of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) International Student Services Committee and serves as a peer reviewer for two professional counseling journals.

Beyond Masking: Preventing Burnout and Promoting Mental Wellness in Neurodivergent Youth (1.0 CE)

The presentation is intended for counselors, psychologists, social workers, counselor educators, educators, school-based mental health professionals, supervisors, and clinicians working with children, adolescents, and families. The content is applicable to private practice, community mental health, school settings, and clinical training environments.

Brittani Adache, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida, doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Capella University, and researcher dedicated to advancing neurodiversity-affirming mental health practices. Brittani specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families navigating autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, intellectual and developmental disabilities, anxiety, emotional regulation challenges, executive functioning difficulties, and related mental health concerns.

Beyond Resilience, When Insight Isn't Enough: Integrating Culture, Ethics, and Identity in Counseling Leadership (1.0 CE)

The interactive presentation explores how women of African descent in counseling leadership cultivate to professional identity, enact an ethics of care, and navigate leadership while confronting systemic inequities. Drawing from a proposed constructivist grounded theory study, participants will examine culturally congruent pathways for holistic wellness, ethical leadership, and professional resilience. Through guided reflection, discussion, and practical application, participants will identify strategies for integrating culturally grounded approaches into counseling practice, supervision, leadership development, and counselor education to promote equitable, sustainable, and holistic mental health.

Dr. Avon Hart-Johnson is a distinguished scholar, counselor educator-in-training, community advocate, and author whose work bridges healing, justice, and systemic transformation. She holds a Ph.D. and currently serves as contributing faculty and doctoral mentor at Walden University. With over 15 years of group counseling-centered experience as a board-certified human services practitioner and nonprofit leader, Dr. Hart-Johnson has facilitated psycho-educational and trauma-informed support groups within Washington, D.C.’s Residential Reentry Center for women, providing counseling and reentry support to individuals transitioning from incarceration. She has also led trauma-informed storytelling and bibliotherapy groups that use narrative as a therapeutic tool for healing and resilience. Deeply committed to advancing the counseling profession, Dr. Hart-Johnson is currently pursuing a second Ph.D. in Counseling Education and Supervision at Bowie State University, where her research and practice center on strength-based, culturally responsive counseling interventions for justice-impacted populations. Her long-term goal is to open a therapeutic practice in the Washington, D.C. area that integrates counseling, education, and advocacy for system-involved families. Her advocacy extends locally, nationally, and globally. As chair of Connecting 4 Justice: Advocacy in Action Coalition, she leads a national consortium addressing social justice across the mass incarceration continuum. She also serves as vice president of the International Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents; a global network focused on mitigating trauma and strengthening supports for youth affected by parental incarceration.

Beyond Self-Care: Building Sustainable Emotional Resilience in Mental Health Professionals (1.0 CE)

The presentation emphasizes that awareness of burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue alone is insufficient to sustain the well-being of mental health professionals. While counselors are increasingly knowledgeable about the occupational risks associated with trauma work, many continue to experience emotional exhaustion, impairment, and reduced professional quality of life. Rather than focusing solely on identifying these challenges, the presentation provides an integrative framework for translating insight into action. Participants will explore evidence-informed strategies that address emotional, cognitive, relational, physical, and professional dimensions of wellness, including resilience-building practices, reflective supervision, healthy boundaries, organizational supports, and personalized wellness planning. The session emphasizes a holistic approach to promoting sustainable emotional resilience that benefits both clinicians and the clients they serve. By moving beyond awareness to practical implementation, this presentation equips mental health professionals with concrete tools to foster long-term well-being, strengthen clinical effectiveness, and create sustainable practices that support both personal and professional growth.

Dr. Sarah Flint is an Associate Clinical Professor and Clinical Coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Auburn University. She has over a decade of clinical experience in private practice and at a Child Advocacy Center, where she works with children, adolescents, and families impacted by trauma. Dr. Flint is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Board Certified-TeleMental Health provider (BC-TMH). Her research and clinical interests include crisis intervention, trauma-informed counseling, counselor wellness, vicarious trauma, emotional resilience, and preparing counselors to competently and ethically serve individuals experiencing trauma and crisis. Dr. Flint enjoys educating, supervising, and mentoring future counselors while promoting sustainable wellness and resilience within the counseling profession.

Dr. Margaret Taylor is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health program at Auburn University. Dr. Taylor has twenty years’ experience as a clinical mental health counselor. Prior to opening a private practice and working at Auburn University, Dr. Taylor worked as the Executive Director and forensic interviewer for the Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center for 10 years. After opening a private practice, Dr. Taylor developed a mental wellness program for first responders and has implemented this program in her community as well as nationwide to various first responding agencies. Dr. Taylor enjoys educating counseling practitioners about this mental wellness program and working with first responders.

Dr. Lindsay Portela Ph.D., NCC, LPC is an Assistant Clinical Professor and Co-Director of the Counselor Education Doctoral Program in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling at Auburn University. She teaches master's- and doctoral-level counseling courses and provides clinical supervision to counselors-in-training. Her professional interests include counselor development and supervision, identity development, the intersection of mental health and performance, and supporting individuals navigating life transitions and high-pressure environments. Dr. Portela's clinical and scholarly work emphasizes integrative, evidence-informed approaches that promote resilience, psychological flexibility, and meaningful, value-driven change.

Culturally Relevant Integrative and Holistic Approaches to Counseling Men of Color Utilizing Hip-Hop Music/Lyrics and Spoken Word Therapy (1.0 CE)

The presentation will focus on integrating culturally significant artifacts such as hip hop music, lyrics, and Spoken Word Therapy into clinical work with Black men can open new clinical spaces focused on treating their issues holistically. The language, lyrics, and beat of hip-hop music and Spoken Word Therapy can promote dialogue on mental health concerns and provide immediate ?connections with the familiar. Hip-hop lyrics immortalize the emotional, social, and political realities and raw experiences of Black men, foster meaningful therapeutic conversations, address ?varied contexts and solutions, and honor these men's cultural backgrounds as strengths instead of deficits. The presentation focuses on culturally relevant, integrative, and holistic approaches to counseling Black men through utilizing hip-hop music/lyrics and Spoken Word Therapy.

Eugenie Joan Looby, PHD, LPC, NCC, ACS is a Professor of Counselor Education in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations at Mississippi State University, where she has been a faculty member for over 25 years. Her clinical experiences include working with individuals across the developmental spectrum (children, adolescents, adults) and providing individual, group, and family counseling for personal, social, and developmental issues across in-patient and out-patient settings. She has numerous publications, including a co-authored textbook on multicultural counseling and has delivered presentations, workshops, and training sessions on counseling and clinical topics to a diverse audience. Her research interests span multiculturalism and diversity, treating sexual trauma, spirituality, gender concerns with underserved and rural women, rehabilitation matters, and social justice/advocacy counseling.

Kimberly Gray BA, MA, LPC-S is a Starkville, Mississippi native, a two-time graduate of Mississippi State University, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision. She was a school counselor for thirteen years before her current employment as a Staff Counselor at Student Counseling Services. Kimberly's research interests include autism, student athletes' mental health, and veterinary technician students' academic success.

Jasmine Carter, BA, MA, NCC, LPC, BCTMH is a staff counselor with Student Counseling services at Mississippi State University. She is pursuing a degree in Counselor Education and Supervision at Mississippi State University. Her research interests include intergenerational trauma, marriage and family counseling, and incarceration.

Culturally Responsive Counseling: Why Insight Alone Isn’t Enough (1.0 CE)

Insight is an important part of the therapeutic process, but insight alone does not always lead to meaningful or lasting change. The presentation explores how counselors can move beyond awareness by integrating culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based interventions into clinical practice. Participants will examine the influence of cultural identity, implicit bias, mental health disparities, and systemic factors on client engagement, the therapeutic alliance, and treatment outcomes. Through practical strategies and case-based examples, attendees will learn how to incorporate cultural humility into assessment, treatment planning, and intervention while honoring clients' unique lived experiences. The session is designed to equip clinicians with actionable tools that enhance multicultural competence, strengthen therapeutic relationships, and promote more equitable, effective, and holistic mental health care for diverse populations.

Jade’ Bailey, MA, CCTSI, is a mental health therapist and researcher specializing in culturally responsive counseling, with a clinical and research focus on cultural identity, colorism and self-perception, and mental health disparities among diverse populations. Grounded in trauma-informed care, she works at the intersection of cultural humility and evidence-based practice, helping clinicians move beyond insight alone toward interventions that produce meaningful, lasting change for the clients they serve.

Ethics and Attitudes: A Study of Clinician Perceptions and Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence Usage in Mental Health Care (1.0 CE)

The presentation discusses integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in behavioral healthcare, both on part of the clinician and the client. AI is only going to become more integrated into our daily personal and professional lives, and this workshop discusses how to integrate it in a way that is safe, effective, and ethical.

Stephanie Chalk PhD, LMHC, LPC, NCC is a clinical educator, psychotherapist, and researcher with over 16 years of experience in behavioral health. She is a Visiting Professor at Boston College in the Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology. In addition to her work at Boston College, she is the former Associate Director of the School of Counseling at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia and the current owner and founder of Two Rivers Psychotherapy and Consulting, a private practice serving Massachusetts and Virginia. She has over 17 peer-reviewed publications and 32 presentations in the fields of behavioral health, counselor education, and human factors psychology. She has won multiple awards for her teaching, service, and scholarship both nationally and internationally.

Empowering Counselor Holistic Mental Health Through Wellness, Self-Acceptance, and Individual Strengths (1.0 CE)

The presentation examines the issue from a therapist's perspective, as he/she is the recognized expert. A significant ethical principle is "Do no harm." Therefore, it is imperative that therapists constantly take inventory of their individual mental health and wellness practices and integrate elements that will enhance their delivery of effective clinical solutions to clients needs. The presentation, addresses counselor mental health, with a specific focus on integrative and holistic approaches to facilitate their well-being, particularly during burnout, times of personal stress, detachment from the process, lack of interest in the profession, or when their insights hamper client progress. Counselors addressing their mental health holistically is an ethical imperative. Healthy counselors who practice wellness can serve as role models to their clients, are able to recommend effective techniques and interventions, set clear boundaries with themselves and clients, and are empowered to engage in continual holistic self care that benefits themselves and the clients with whom they work.

Tinmuk Li BA, MA is currently a staff counselor with Student Counseling Services at Mississippi State University. She is pursuing her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, with a focus on clinical mental health issues. He research interests include diversity, spirituality, trauma, and wellness and resilience. She works primarily with international students and emerging adults, providing individual and group therapy and focusing on stress and anxiety management, adjustment related concerns, trauma recovery, values exploration, an identity development.

From Awareness to Action: Holistic Mental Health Care for Emergency First Responders (1.0 CE)

Research has indicated that having support systems, such as a mental wellness program, in place for first responders prior to a traumatic event can create and develop resiliency in first responders before the event occurs. Various organizations are looking for ways to promote mental wellness in their first responders but are unsure how to structure or implement a program. This presentation will focus on a mental wellness program established specifically for the mental health needs of first responders.

Dr. Jill Meyer is a Professor and Director of Counselor Education Programs in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling at Auburn University (AU). She has received several Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) grants, including an Innovative Grant, funding the Vocational Evaluation Forensic Certification program at AU. Her research examines the process of coping, adaptation, and identity, as these constructs relate to the psychosocial experiences of individuals with chronic illness and disability. She is interested in emerging adulthood, disability identity, use of AI in counseling, psychological well-being, adaptation to chronic conditions, in addition to forensic rehabilitation. She currently serves as a vocational expert witness for Social Security. Her publications have appeared in the Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, Journal of Counseling Psychology and Rehabilitation Psychology. Her courses include Research Design, Research Practicum, Research Methods in Rehabilitation, and Medical, Psychosocial, and Vocational Aspects of Disability. Dr. Meyer received her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Illinois, and her PhD in Counseling Education and Supervision from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

From Insight to Healing: An Integrative and Holistic Approach to Mental Health (1.0 CE)

The presentation will examine clinical approaches that extend beyond the development of insight to facilitate meaningful and lasting therapeutic change. While self-awareness is a valuable therapeutic outcome, effective mental health treatment often requires interventions that address the complex interaction of biological, psychological, relational, cultural, and environmental factors that influence well-being.

Designed for counselors and other mental health professionals working with individuals, couples, and families, this session will present evidence-informed, integrative strategies that can be incorporated into clinical practice to improve client outcomes. Participants will explore how combining traditional therapeutic modalities with holistic, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based approaches can enhance engagement, resilience, and recovery across diverse client populations.

Lamya Nur LPC, NCC is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Board Approved Supervisor for LPC and LMFT residents in Virginia. Fluent in English, Arabic, and Tigrinya. Lamya Nur provides culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, evidence-based care for individuals and couples and helps clients navigate trauma, depression, anxiety, anger, and life transitions, using advanced trauma-focused training to offer a compassionate, safe, and empowering space for meaningful healing and growth.
Lamya Nur's work focuses on those navigating grief, trauma, interpersonal violence, life transitions, marital issues, and the lasting impact of experiences such as war, immigration, and incarceration.

Harnessing the Power of Play: Enhancing Learning Through Brain Breaks (1.0 CE)

Brain Health Matters and it Works! When a room is hyper or anxious, individuals don't need a game; they need to lower their cortisol. Conversely, when a room is falling asleep, breathing exercises won't help; they need kinetic stimulation. Let’s think about the need and then deploy the right activity at the exact right moment. Whether your classroom, training, boardroom clinical practice, or office needs to distress, relax, center, or take a break in the day, let's be proactive and design playful brain breaks that are intentional and invest in ourselves, our clients, others, and our staff.

Dr. Lara Vanderhoof social work educator and justice advocate. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work (1992) and Master of Social Work (1997) from Roberts Wesleyan College (now Roberts Wesleyan University) in Rochester, New York, and completed her Doctor of Social Work at Capella University in 2015. She serves as Social Work Program Director and Associate Professor of Social Work at Tabor College. Previously, Dr. Vanderhoof was the Chief Academic Officer at Central Christian College of Kansas. Throughout her career, Dr. Vanderhoof has taught a wide range of courses, including introduction to social work, sociology, social work practice, social welfare policy, human development, group treatment, field seminar, marriage and family, child welfare, general psychology, and counseling courses. In addition, Dr. Vanderhoof is a Kansas Supreme Court Approved Mediator providing pro bono services with youthful offenders and their families. She focused her research in the following areas: anti-human trafficking awareness, education, and prevention; restorative justice services, and the ethical impact of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and social work practice, and trauma-responsive self-care. Dr. Vanderhoof is a leader of the Set Free Movement, an anti-human trafficking non-profit organization (locally and globally positioned).

Healing the Whole Person: Integrating Spirituality, Holistic Care, and Evidence-Based Mental Health Treatment (1.0 CE)

The presentation relates to the theme of the conference by addressing the needs of the whole person, rather than focusing on a single dimension of care. The presentation will examine that while cognitive insights are important, meaningful and sustained change often requires a clinician's attention to the physical, psychological, social/cultural, and spiritual dimensions of a client's life. Participants will have the opportunity to see how various spiritual perspectives, holistic practices, and evidence-based treatments can be integrated rather than treated as separate or competing approaches.

Dr. Sra Hellen Khisa is a professor of practice in the School of Counseling at Marymount University. She has been a counselor educator for three years at Marymount University. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with Spiritual and Pastoral Integration from the Graduate Theological Foundation University in Sarasota, Florida. She also holds an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, an M.A. in Special Education and a B.A. in Special Education from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania; Diploma from National Teachers College, Nangongera in Tororo, Uganda, East Africa; Diploma in African Studies from Tangaza University in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa.

Dr. Lori Vien is Associate Professor and Clinical Coordinator for Wilmington University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision (with specialization in Spiritual and Pastoral Integration) from Neumann University, an MS in Community Counseling from Wilmington University, and a BA in Psychology from UNC Asheville. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor, with advanced training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), perinatal mood disorders, and integrative medicine and nutrition.

"I Know Why I Do It, So Why Do I Keep Doing It?" An Integrative Approach to Moving Clients from Insight to Sustainable Change (1.0 CE)

The presentation explores the gap between knowing and doing. Using an integrative, whole-person framework, the session will examine how counselors can move beyond insight by incorporating emotional awareness, nervous-system regulation, experiential processing, relational work, and behavioral practice. Participants will learn practical ways to help clients translate self-awareness into sustainable change both within and outside the counseling session. Insight is often an important part of counseling, but understanding the origins of a pattern does not always translate into meaningful change. Clients may be able to identify their triggers, attachment patterns, trauma responses, or unhelpful behaviors and still find themselves repeating them.

Maya Khan, MA, NCC, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor and PhD Candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Marymount University’s School of Counseling. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education, along with dual Master of Arts degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Forensic & Legal Psychology from Marymount University. With clinical experience supporting children, adolescents, and adults through trauma, grief, identity development, and life transitions, her work emphasizes cognitive-behavioral approaches, emotional regulation, and resilience-building. Maya’s research and professional interests center on trauma-informed care, group counseling, and culturally responsive clinical practice. She is passionate about counselor development, community mental health advocacy, and expanding access to high-quality, identity-affirming mental health services. Ms. Khan is currently the President of MR-CA,

Integrating Music Therapy into Your Counseling Practice (1.0 CE)

Music, when applied appropriately, is a therapeutic tool that has potential for clients to use for significant healing and lasting change. Music therapy can be used by practitioners to help clients with trauma, depression, anxiety, and other concerns. Music can be used with many theoretical orientations and counselors do not have to be musically skilled to adapt concepts from music therapy to their own skill set. The clinic endeavors to teach clinicians of all types and backgrounds that music therapy has great counseling potential, in addition to defining the types of music therapy that each clinician can adapt and use in appropriate ways for their own practice. Music is used for a number of mental health and wellness applications, including meditation, mindfulness practices, and relaxation. Music therapy has usable tools that can be applied to many counseling theories and strategies. Counselors need not be musicians to tap into music as a therapeutic tool.

Arthur White, DMA, MEd, LPC, NCC is a musician, composer, psychotherapist, and former jazz educator based in Wichita, KS. Dr. White's acknowledgements in jazz education include DOWNBEAT Student Awards, Jazz Education Network student and professional ensemble selections, and excellent student album reviews from Jazz Education Journal, All About Jazz, and Los Angeles Jazz Scene magazine, among others. Dr. White completed a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wichita (KS) State University in December 2025 and is a PhD student in the Education and Behavioral Studies program at WSU, majoring in Counselor Education and Supervision. He is a nationally credentialed and licensed professional counselor (LPC, NCC) and practices for Sunflower Behavioral Health and as a music therapist for St. Croix Hospice, both in Wichita. His advocacy includes wellness for musicians and music educators, underrepresented communities, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated persons, and counselor education.

Is Neuroscience Humanistic? The Integration of Neuroscience into Existential-Humanistic Therapy (1.0 CE)

The presentation examines how existential-humanistic counseling can be strengthened through the thoughtful integration of contemporary neuroscience. Although insight, self-awareness, and meaning-making are central to existential-humanistic practice, therapeutic change often involves processes that extend beyond conscious understanding. Emotional regulation, embodied experience, relational safety, implicit learning, and neuroplasticity all contribute to how individuals experience and sustain change. All of these can be integrated in a holistic approach to mental health. By bringing neuroscience into existential-humanistic theory, this presentation also challenges the assumption that neuroscience-informed psychotherapy is incompatible with humanistic approaches, helping participants become more integrative in their work with clients.

Knowing Isn't Healing: Spirituality and Wholeness for LGBTQ+ Clients (1.0 CE)

A growing number of individuals are disconnected from religious institutions, one reason is related to the treatment of religious institutions’ stance on LGBTQ+ folx. As a result, spirituality can often be cut off as a resource to clients who identify as LGBTQ+. This could lead to disintegration and lack of congruence with clients who desire to access their spirituality as a coping skill. Spiritual words can activate clients who have experienced harm by religious institutions. This harm can not only have long-lasting impacts on their mental health, but also may not be resolved with simple self-awareness or psychotherapeutic techniques. Helping queer individuals reclaim spirituality can allow individuals space for exploration and reconnection to themselves. The presentation will discuss the impacts of this disconnection by helping to expand the definition of spirituality as it relates to psychotherapy and support clinicians in how they are able to best support their LGBTQ+ clients in reclaiming spirituality as a part of their healing process.

Karli N. Iceman, PhD, LPC, NCC is an Assistant Professor at Marymount University. Dr. Iceman obtained her bachelors’ degrees in English, History, and Psychology, her master’s degree in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health from Oakland University, and her doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oakland University. Dr. Iceman has provided counseling services in partial hospitalization and private practice settings throughout the metro Detroit area and practices where she primarily worked with children, adolescents, adults, and couples. Dr. Iceman has taught a variety of clinical and content courses for both master and doctoral-level students. She has also provided supervision to counselors-in-training and provisionally licensed counselors. Dr. Iceman enjoys supporting her students and supervisees in their professional development to be effective and culturally aware counselors and counselor educators.

Bruce Wilson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Board Certified Chaplain, United Church of Christ Minister and Ph.D student at Marymount University. He is also a Visiting Professor at University of Puget Sound. He has experience working with LGBTQ+ population and due to his religious background working with clients who experience Religious Trauma. His role as a chaplain in a hospital setting led him to a desire to work clients who experience mental health challenges, specifically in healing from Religious institutions and systems. Bruce has 15 years in the helping professions and continues to find joy in the profession. In addition to working with LGBTQ+ clients Bruce works with Medical Professionals, People Grieving and Polyamorous clients.

Mandalas use in Wellness Counseling for Counselor Educators and Supervisors (1.0 CE)

With Mandalas, the unconscious material is made conscious. Mandalas allows the exploration and interpretation by the student, client, or supervisee in a safe format.
It is used in providing structured problem-solving and self-reflective activities.
The use of mandalas is effective in helping the student/client to identify a pressing issue, monitor the progress of finding strategies, implementing strategies of both the counselor and the client.
It is flexible, empowering, and dynamic interaction. The Mandala symbol, which originates from the Indian religion and represents the universe, has been widely adopted by Buddhism. From the perspective of Chinese philosophy, the mandala means the “field of an altar (tan-chang, )” and/or a field within which one's personality can be cultivated and guided toward perfect spiritual contentment. The universal form of the circle, such as a mandala becomes a means to explore barriers and possible solutions.The presentation will be structured with the first third as lecture, including the foundations of creativity in the counseling field. The second third will be review of the use of mandalas as a strategy for increased awareness and possible solutions to the identified issue. The last portion of the presentation will be experiential and reflection.

Dr. Kathleen Jones-Trebatoski, PhD, LPC-S, NCC has been in counseling private practice for over 35 years and has been a counselor educator and supervisor for 20 years. Dr. Jones-Trebatoski, holds degrees in the Art and Counseling fields. Counseling contracts included state agencies, county agencies, mental health disaster relief, and community pro bono counseling for underserved populations. Dr. Jones-Trebatoski is a clinical director for several outpatient hospitalizations and specialize in stress management, clinical hypnosis, animal assisted therapy, and in the creative processes in counseling. She is a LPC-Supervisor and has supervised many new professionals towards full licensure and holds numerous certifications. Dr. Jones-Trebatoski is an active member and presenter at professional organizations at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels. She has been involved in several professional counseling committees/boards (local-international levels) that promote the humanistic approaches in mental health and counselor education. She has been recognized by counseling field for the work provided to communities in need, including the European Branch-ACA: Outstanding Counselor Award; the Resolution Award (H.R. No. 1493) by State of Texas for Humanistic Counseling, and the Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC) Humanistic Clinician of the Year Award. The presenter has been an active advocate for 20 years in Human Rights for individuals challenged with intellectual, mental health, and substance use disorders.

Putting the Pieces Together: The Power of an Integrative Intake (1.0 CE)

The purpose of the presentation is to dive deeper into the practice of providing a holistic and integrative mental health evaluation. Rather than viewing an intake as simply a process for identifying symptoms and assigning a diagnosis, this workshop will explore how clinicians can use the evaluation process to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the whole person—including their psychological, physical, social, cultural, developmental, and environmental experiences.

Participants will examine how gathering information across multiple domains can strengthen clinical formulation, improve diagnostic clarity, identify overlooked areas of concern, and inform more individualized treatment planning. Emphasis will be placed on moving beyond a checklist-based approach toward an evaluation that captures the complexity and context of each client's experience.

Dr. Greene currently serves as a licensed marriage and family therapist for military servicemembers in the DMV area. In her current role, Dr. Greene provides individual, couples, and
family therapy. In addition to working with military service members, Dr. Greene also has many years of experience providing mental health services to survivors of domestic violence, at-risk youth, college students, and military veterans. Dr. Greene has organized and facilitated groups to focus on effective co-parenting dynamics, healthy relationships, and self-care. Dr. Greene is an AAMFT-approved supervisor, as well as an adjunct professor for online graduate programs. She completed her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Oklahoma State University and later continued her education by earning a doctorate degree at Kansas State University in 2024. During her time as a doctoral student, Dr. Greene had the esteemed pleasure of being a fellow in the Minority Fellowship Program until the completion of her dissertation which focused on highlighting the experiences of minority graduate students in MFT programs. Dr. Greene works hard to be a positive role model to others, and it is her hope to inspire the next generation of leaders to believe in their abilities, follow their aspirations, and be the change in our society.

Stress Management and Resiliency Training (1.0 CE)

Stress, anxiety, and overwhelm have been on the rise across western societies in recent decades. The presentation will introduce a program of research and training called Stress Management and Resiliency Training, a consortium of labs from The Ohio State University, Stetson University, and Ohio University. Participants will learn how heart rate variability can be used as a method of teaching clients and students practical skills that enable them to better prepare for, recover from, and adapt in the face of stress, trauma, and adversity.

Jesse Fox, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at Stetson University. He earned his doctorate from the University of Central Florida and previously served on the faculty of Loyola University Maryland in the Department of Pastoral Counseling before joining Stetson in 2017. Dr. Fox has extensive clinical experience across college counseling, outpatient addiction treatment, community mental health, and private practice. Dr. Fox’s scholarship focuses on the integration of spirituality, religion, and mental health, with particular attention to clinical training, competency development, and assessment. He has secured approximately $6 million in external funding to support this work from a range of national and community-based funders, including the John Templeton Foundation, United Way, and other philanthropic organizations. Most notably, he is a project leader for the Spiritual and Religious Competencies in Mental Health Care Project, a large-scale, multi-institutional initiative advancing research, training, and implementation of spiritually integrated mental health care. In addition to his academic role, Fox is the Co-Founder and Faculty Director of the Center for Optimal Health Across the Lifespan at Stetson University, an interdisciplinary center dedicated to community-engaged health research, workforce development, and outreach. Since 2020, he has also served as Executive Director of the Episcopal Counseling Center, a nonprofit counseling center serving the DeLand community since 1987.

The Art of Presence: The Therapist’s Nervous System as the Intervention (1.0 CE)

The presentation invites clinicians to return to the most powerful tool they possess. Grounded in nervous system awareness and somatic attunement, this session explores how the therapist’s internal state directly shapes the therapeutic process. Participants will learn how to track and regulate their own nervous system, use co-regulation as a clinical tool, and cultivate a deeper capacity for stillness, intuition, and relational presence. This is an invitation to move beyond doing therapy and into being the work.

Marquita Maxwell is a graduate of Mercer University with a Master of Science in Community Counseling and Master of Divinity with a concentration in pastoral counseling. Marquita received her undergraduate degree from Georgia State University in Psychology & Sociology. She is a licensed professional counselor in Georgia, author of B12: Being the One: The Relationship Vitamin, approved clinical supervisor, nationally certified counselor, board certified tele-mental health counselor, and core professor at Naropa University. Marquita is also a Brainspotting practitioner. Her specialties include women issues, dating, divorce, spirituality, and step-families. She is completing her doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University.

The Black Box in the Room: AI Safety as a Holistic Counseling Competency (1.0 CE)

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is already shaping counseling practice, whether that is from documentation processes and procedures to treatment planning and diagnosing. This is often faster than safety standards can keep pace. The presentation explores AI safety as an integrative clinical competency, examining the risks counselors face when using AI tools, and the parallel risks clients encounter when turning to AI tools for support. Participants will leave the session with practical, ethically-grounded strategies for safer AI integration in practice and training.

The Game of Stress Management (1.0 CE)

The presentation will provide an experiential creative activity along with reflection and feedback. Managing stress is the increased self-awareness of your personal reaction to stress and building your sense of control and mastery over the stressors in your life. Stress is an everyday fact of life. You cannot avoid it. Stress is a change that you must adapt to, ranging from the extreme negative to the most euphoric. It is how you respond to these experiences that determine the impact stress will have on your life.

The Ties That Hold: Love, Loyalty, and Attachment Beyond Insight (1.0 CE)

The presentation will explore how meaningful therapeutic change extends beyond cognitive awareness to the emotional and relational processes that shape human experience. Clients may cognitively recognize relational patterns while remaining emotionally organized by attachment needs, relational loyalties, cultural expectations, and needs for belonging. This gap between knowing and experiencing helps explain why insight alone may not produce meaningful relational change.
Drawing from attachment theory, family systems, and strengths-based and experiential perspectives, this presentation examines love and loyalty as multidimensional relational processes that can influence belonging, resilience, emotional security, identity, and well-being. Loyalty may serve as a source of connection, meaning, and strength while, when rigid, conflicted, or shaped by competing relational expectations, also complicating an individual’s capacity for change.
Consistent with an integrative and holistic approach to mental health, the session will encourages counselors to move beyond what clients understand cognitively and attend to the emotional bonds and relational systems that influence change. Particular attention will be given to how culture, family systems, collective values, and expectations surrounding loyalty shape clients’ experiences of connection, obligation, belonging, and relational change.

Hoda Hassan, LMHC, is a doctoral student in Counselor Education at the University of Central Florida and a licensed mental health counselor. Her scholarly and clinical interests center on attachment, experiential and emotion-focused approaches, culturally responsive counseling, and integrative mental health care. Her advanced clinical training includes Emotionally Focused Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy (EFIT, EFCT, and EFFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Integrative Attachment Therapy (IAT), and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). Her emerging scholarship explores the intersection of attachment, culture, relational processes, and experiential approaches, with particular interest in adapting counseling practices to diverse cultural and spiritual contexts. Hassan is also actively involved in professional counseling organizations through leadership, publication, and service roles.

What the Golden Girls Got Right: A Holistic Guide to Addressing Loneliness in Older Adults (1.0 CE)

Participants will learn about the negative impact of loneliness on the well-being of older adults. Participants will learn about the risk and protective factors for loneliness. Participants will also learn about evidence-based strategies and approaches that holistically reduce loneliness among older adults.

Greta Christ MA, MA, LPC, NCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Certified Dementia Practitioner, Certified Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist, and a PhD candidate in Counseling Education and Supervision at Marymount University. She also holds a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University and a master’s degree in Psychology from Marietta College. Her clinical experience includes providing therapeutic services to individuals facing concerns surrounding anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief and loss, medical illness, aging, caregiving, and interpersonal issues. In addition to working in private practice, Greta is a Visiting Professor at Marymount University and the Clinical Coordinator at Marymount’s Training Clinic, providing supervision to master’s level students working with underserved clients in the community. She currently serves as the secretary for the MR-CA.

When Culture Looks Clinical: Rethinking Diagnosis/Assessment/Planning Through Cultural Humility (1.0 CE)

The session examines how mental health providers can incorporate cultural humility and a holistic perspective into their diagnostic work and treatment planning. Attendees will engage with case studies where culturally significant experiences overlap with diagnostic criteria, while developing new methods for assessing distress and personal meaning within a cultural context.is presentation demonstrates that clinical insight is incomplete without cultural awareness, advocating for an integrative approach to assessment that honors the whole person.

Kristin Lee is an assistant professor of counseling at National Louis University, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults across individual, family, and group therapy settings, as well as in adolescent partial hospitalization and chemical dependency programs. Grounded in a person-centered and multicultural framework, Lee views clients as experts in their own experiences and strives to foster a collaborative, culturally responsive therapeutic environment. Her experience supporting multilingual individuals from diverse backgrounds informs her commitment to honoring identity, culture, and lived experience throughout the counseling process. Additionally, Lee's research interests include bilingual counseling, supporting neurodivergent individuals, and counseling across cultures and borders. She values mentorship and collaborative learning, supporting students in exploring and developing their own clinical identities and professional interests. Lee has presented at local, national, and international conferences.

When Insight Isn't Enough: Moving Clients from Understanding to Embodied Change with Reclamation Theory (1.0 CE)

The presentation will show counselors how to move clients past cognitive understanding into embodied, relational, and cultural change by working through the phases that follow insight: Reckoning, Reimagining, and Becoming. Rather than staying in the head, the approach engages the body, relationships, identity, and cultural context together, which is what makes it holistic and integrative rather than insight-bound. Participants leave able to recognize when a client is stalled at insight and equipped with concrete strategies to help them cross the gap between knowing and changing. In short, the presentation does not just fit the theme, it answers the exact question the theme poses.

Sharde' O'Rourke, LMFT, LPC, LSATP, CCTP, SAP, PAI, CCSP-ADHDL is a licensed clinician, author, and the developer of Reclamation Theory, a five-phase framework for trauma recovery and client wholeness. Ms. O'Rourke is the Founder and Clinical Director of The Mahogany Projek, a behavioral health practice that has grown over roughly a decade from a solo practice into a group model.

The Mediterranean Region Counselors Association (MR-CA) is a unified partnership of diverse counseling professionals promoting the shared purpose of developing the counseling professionals to best serve their clients and the community at large in the Mediterranean region of Europe