Friday – November 12^th, 2021

Conference Welcome
Keynote Speaker:  Michele Kerulis

Counselors will learn their individualized ingredients for wellness, learn ways to overcome existing and unanticipated roadblocks and learn existential reflection exercises to help them explore their ideas about making meaning during different stages of life. Counselors will leave this session with their own realistic self-care and reflection plans that can be implemented immediately. Their renewed sense of wellness will have a domino effect, resulting in ripples of wellness among individuals and systems.

Saturday – November 13^th, 2021

Breakout Session 1: "How to Prevent Burnout with Program Planning" 

Presenter: John Burnett, Ed.S.  aka "Counselor John B"

In this session, counselors will learn how to prevent burnout. We will explore time management techniques and ways to create easy Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions. Additionally, participants will learn ways to create low maintenance, easy to implement lessons for students and staff. Participants will walk away with resources they can use for all stakeholders.

Breakout Session 2:  "Covid is Still Happening, So What Now?: The Impact of Covid-19 on Suicide and Mental Health Systems" 

Presenter: Megan Gaylord-Cole, LPC-MHSP

Covid has impacted every Tennessean, from 5 to 55 to 95 years old. For our most vulnerable clients served Covid has either helped or hindered service delivery.  This session will review the intersection of Covid and Suicide risk, ripples in the addictions community (overdose risk), unique needs of the pediatric populations, and the lessons learned in treating mental health needs during Covid.  Participants will leave the session with positive guidelines to managing suicide risk when conducting telehealth, how to make the best use of existing programs, and how to team with mobile crisis providers to address suicide.

Breakout Session 3: "Contemporary Considerations for School Counselors"

Presenters: Eva Gibson, Ed.D, Constance Certion, Ed.D, LaTraci Aldridge, Ph.D.

This presentation will address contemporary issues in school counseling to include virtual delivery, culturally-affirming practices, and ethical considerations. This presentation will provide examples as to how components of the national model may be implemented with a social justice lens in both brick and mortar schools as well as online academies.

Breakout Session 4:  "Perinatal Mental Health: The Importance of Screening and Advocacy"

Presenters: Martha Burke, Ph.D., and Mary Neal, LPC-MHSP

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders affect one in seven Moms and one in ten Dads. Yet, many parents are not screened and do not receive treatment. These Moms and Dads suffer in silence which impacts the whole family. This presentation shines light on the need to properly assess perinatal mental health so that parents can access the treatment they need and feel less alone during their perinatal experiences. We also give an overview of the encompassing field of perinatal mental health and highlight research needs.

Breakout Session 5: "Ethics and Diagnosis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling"

Presenter: Jay Tift, LPC-MHSP, CCMHC

Diagnosis is a central part of the work we do both in assuring the best treatment for our clients as well as in securing financial coverage for that treatment. However, while navigating third-party payments is vital in securing treatment, we must also be sure that we are diagnosing our clients correctly and competently. This session will look through the ethical issues which may arise in the course of DSM diagnosis during intake and treatment planning as well as throughout treatment.