Welcome to the SMCA 15th Annual One-Day Conference. Last year at the conference when I announced the theme of Making Space, I never could have imagined that we would have faced all the things we did in 2020. Our society has become more aware of the systemic injustices which reinforces our social justice theme. Advocating for those who have been marginalized is a core value of counseling as highlighted by ACA’s code of ethics. I am excited to have Dr. Marlon Johnson sharing how we can expand our knowledge to the next level and to offer  so many breakout sessions on working with a variety of populations. While I am disappointed to not be able to be in a large lecture hall with each of you greeting you as you come in, I am excited that the virtual conference means that we are able to do something very important: give back. This year SMCA leadership has agreed to donate all of the income from the conference after our expenses, which should be about 90% of our proceeds, to organizations that support the continued work of counselors in Tennessee and organizations that work with individuals who are marginalized. Thank you for your interest in this conference, for your desire to be part of SMCA, and for your support of these great organizations.

Chris LaFever, SMCA President 

SMCA One-Day: Saturday, February 27th, 2021

5 CEs available

Keynote Speaker: Marlon Johnson, Ph.D., LPC (TX), LPC-MHSP (TN), NCC

Keynote Title: Expansion Pack: Four Strategies to Dismantle Bias in Counseling Practice

Dr. Marlon Johnson (He/Him/His) serves as a licensed professional counselor and an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. He grounds his work as a therapist and counselor educator through both a Narrative and a Critical Pedagogical framework respectively. Dr. Johnson’s clinical background includes community mental health counseling for families within the foster care system, Child-Centered play therapy, group interventions for adolescents experiencing resistance and trauma, and college and career readiness counseling within rural communities. Dr. Johnson is a recipient of the 2018 Doctoral Fellowship for the National Board of Certified Counselor’s Minority Fellowship program, allowing him to further the literature of recruitment for African American males into counseling programs. As an educator, Dr. Johnson trains students and scholars to think critically about difficult dialogue, cultural inclusion, and methods and standards of practice within professional and personal interactions. Dr. Johnson remains passionate about mental health access and equity, Black and Queer counselor identity development, inclusive career development strategies, and the intersections of faith, race, and sexuality within the counseling space.   

Website:https://ssw.edu/about-southwest/faculty/marlon-johnson/

Register Here

Registration Closes on 2/25/21

Conference Pricing

Cancelation Policy:

Full refund up until 2/16/21. Refunds after will only refund 50%. Refunds requested after the event will not be honored.

Conference Schedule