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Space for 50 in-person with no limit on online attendance. Those who choose the online option will be sent a Zoom link the morning of the symposium.

The Annual Spring Symposium will be presented on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 This will be an in-person/online event geared for student and interns, in the Tampa Bay Area.  This annual event is FREE!  It has been a life-saver for those taking the licensing exam and a welcomed activity of SMHCA for many years. Despite the local Florida focus of this symposium, the content will benefit Mental Health Graduate Students and Interns from other areas as well in Florida.

Learn what to expect after graduation, the benefits of belonging to professional associations, how to prepare for the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCCME), which is required for licensure in Florida. Stay up to date on legislation, and enjoy the opportunity to network with Qualified Supervisors and Agencies in the community for internship and employment opportunities. Students and Interns will be entered into a raffle to win the fee for a licensure exam or other prizes including a DSM5-TR.(Must be present to win/in-person.) 

Space for 50 in-person with no limit on online attendance. Those who choose the online option will be sent a Zoom link the morning of the symposium.

Symposium Schedule

9:00 AM – 9:10 AM (10 minutes)

Welcome and Preliminary Information about the Symposium
Demetrius Jifunza, LMHC (President)

9:10 AM – 9:20 AM (10 minutes)

Getting Involved with the Profession
A brief discussion about SMHCA, FMHCA, and AMHCA

9:20 AM – 10:00 AM (40 minutes)

Ethics and Boundaries for Early Career Counselors
Dr. Stephen Giunta

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (60 minutes)

Preparing for the NCMHCE Licensure Exam
Dr. Linton Hutchinson, Counseling Exam

11:00 AM – 11:10 AM (10 minutes)

Break

11:10 AM – 11:55 AM (45 minutes)

Florida Legislative Update
Dr. Aaron Norton
(Lunch will be available during this session.)

11:55 AM – 12:45 PM (50 minutes)

Launching Your Counseling Career: Private Practice Foundations
Dr. Ana Aluisy
(Attendees may continue eating during this session.)

12:45 PM – 1:00 PM (15 minutes)

JOIN THE COLLEAGUE COLLABORATION FOR A GREAT VIRTUAL EVENT!

Many of us, whether in agencies or private practice, can feel like we are sometimes “going it alone” and wish we could receive advice from our colleagues, especially on our most difficult cases. This is your opportunity to bring those tough cases and clients to your peers to seek feedback in a safe and confidential environment where all psychotherapists – clinical mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychologists – can share their struggles and receive advice on their problem cases.  No cases that need assistance?  Bring your experience and expertise to share with your colleagues.  Collaboration is a team effort that enlightens us all!

Friday, May 15th, 2026

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: Working with high-impact caseloads can quietly drain even seasoned clinicians. This training translates current evidence on burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue into immediately usable tools for therapy rooms, agencies, and private practices. Attendees will learn how to screen risk with brief measures, introduce micro-interventions that fit inside a 50-minute hour, and build a realistic 3-2-1 resilience plan that protects clinical judgment, empathy, and longevity in the field. Content is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and designed for direct clinical application.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Differentiate burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue, including common risk indicators observable in clinical practice.

Objective 2: Administer and interpret at least one brief screening tool and map results to individualized action steps.

Objective 3: Demonstrate three micro-interventions clinicians can use personally and teach to clients.

Objective 4: Develop a 3-2-1 Action Plan and identify two system-level levers to sustain resilience over time.

Presenter

 

Jessica Straughn, LMHC, LPC, NCC, CCTP-II

Jessica Straughn, LMHC, LPC, NCC, CCTP-II, is the founder of Supportive Counseling, LLC, a virtual, trauma-informed practice serving women across Florida and Colorado. Before private practice, Jessica spent over a decade in high-trauma roles—including Victim Advocate in the State Attorney’s Office (SVU/DV) and Victim Specialist & Violence Prevention Educator with the UCF Police Department—supporting survivors through crisis response, mass-casualty events, and complex legal systems. She speaks regularly for professional associations on trauma, Narrative Exposure Therapy, and clinician resilience, and is committed to translating evidence into warm, practical tools clinicians can use the very next day.

CeBroker Tracking No. 20-1338965 This event is offered by SMHCA - Approved Continuing Education Provider - CE Broker Provider #: 50-13528.  This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW and Registered Interns.

Once payment is completed you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom Meeting ID.  TRAINING FEES (members need to be logged in to be able to register at the member rate) Completed Registrations including Payment Guarantees Participation: $15 Member $30 Nonmember $5 Student (with membership) $10 Student Nonmember (no CEUs)

JOIN THE COLLEAGUE COLLABORATION FOR A GREAT VIRTUAL EVENT!

Many of us, whether in agencies or private practice, can feel like we are sometimes “going it alone” and wish we could receive advice from our colleagues, especially on our most difficult cases. This is your opportunity to bring those tough cases and clients to your peers to seek feedback in a safe and confidential environment where all psychotherapists – clinical mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychologists – can share their struggles and receive advice on their problem cases.  No cases that need assistance?  Bring your experience and expertise to share with your colleagues.  Collaboration is a team effort that enlightens us all!

Friday, June 19th, 2026

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: Gender in 2025 continues to evolve in complex and dynamic ways. As cultural and political divides deepen, so too do the expressions and expectations surrounding gender roles and identities. This workshop explores those extremes—how they manifest in today’s society, and how they emerge in our therapy offices.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Identify emerging gender expressions and roles within cultural and political contexts.

Objective 2: Describe how online subcultures (tradwives, incels, manosphere, femcels) influence identity.

Objective 3: Analyze polarization’s impact on mental health, relationships, and identity formation.

Objective 4: Apply culturally responsive, ethically grounded interventions in therapy.

Presenter

 

Carol L Clark, PhD, LMHC, CAP, CST

International Institute of Clinical Sexology

Dr. Carol Clark is board-certified in sex therapy, transgender care, and addictions and is the president, founder, and senior instructor for the International Institute of Clinical Sexology and the Therapist Certification Association. Sexuality is integral to people’s lives and yet most therapists are not adequately trained in treating sexual disorders and concerns. She created several certification programs and a doctoral degree in Clinical Sexology to fully prepare healthcare providers to work competently and expertly in this field. 

Through her private practice, Dr. Clark’s work has helped individuals from a multitude of backgrounds to find better lives. She employs a variety of interventions to effectively assist those seeking personal growth and an improved sense of well-being in their lives and brings this into her teaching. 

CeBroker Tracking No. 20-1339091 This event is offered by SMHCA - Approved Continuing Education Provider - CE Broker Provider #: 50-13528.  This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW and Registered Interns.

Once payment is completed you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom Meeting ID.  TRAINING FEES (members need to be logged in to be able to register at the member rate) Completed Registrations including Payment Guarantees Participation: $15 Member $30 Nonmember $5 Student (with membership) $10 Student Nonmember (no CEUs)

JOIN THE COLLEAGUE COLLABORATION FOR A GREAT VIRTUAL EVENT!

Many of us, whether in agencies or private practice, can feel like we are sometimes “going it alone” and wish we could receive advice from our colleagues, especially on our most difficult cases. This is your opportunity to bring those tough cases and clients to your peers to seek feedback in a safe and confidential environment where all psychotherapists – clinical mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychologists – can share their struggles and receive advice on their problem cases.  No cases that need assistance?  Bring your experience and expertise to share with your colleagues.  Collaboration is a team effort that enlightens us all!

Friday, July 17th

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: Neurodiverse clients thrive when counseling interventions are tailored to both their unique strengths and developmental needs. This webinar explores practical Adlerian strategies to support neurodiverse individuals from childhood through adulthood. Participants will gain tools for case conceptualization, encouragement-based interventions, and developmentally appropriate adaptations that promote belonging, resilience, and growth. Attendees will leave with actionable approaches to enhance therapeutic effectiveness and foster deeper connection with clients across the lifespan. 

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Differentiate the therapeutic needs of neurodiverse clients across major developmental phases (childhood, adolescence, adulthood).

Objective 2: Describe Adlerian principles and play-based strategies that foster belonging, encouragement, and resilience in neurodiverse clients.

Objective 3: Demonstrate ways to adapt counseling interventions to align with developmental stage and individual learning style.

Objective 4: Evaluate case examples to create developmentally appropriate treatment plans for neurodiverse clients across the lifespan.

Presenter

 

Andrea Mann, MS, NCC, LMHC-S,

RPT-S, CAdPT-A, RST

Pathways Counseling LLC

Andrea Mann is the owner and clinical director of Pathways Counseling LLC in North Port, Florida. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Certified Advanced Adlerian Play Therapist, and a Registered Sand Therapist. Andrea specializes in Adlerian Play Therapy, trauma-focused interventions, and identity exploration across the lifespan. In addition to her clinical work, she provides professional supervision, consultation, and continuing education for counselors and organizations. Known for her engaging teaching style and deep commitment to encouragement and belonging, Andrea brings both expertise and warmth to her presentations, helping professionals feel equipped and inspired in their practice.

Co-Presenter

 

Danielle Bishop, LMHC, QST,

and Registered Play Therapist

Danielle Bishop is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Qualified Supervisor of Florida and a Registered Play Therapist. She holds approximately 10 years of experience working in the mental health field. Before moving to Florida in 2013, Danielle worked in partial care settings and as a crisis counselor in response to Hurricane Sandy. She has furthered her experience with work in a hospital setting with adults, private practice with all ages and the school system with elementary aged children. She specializes in working with children, adolescents, and adults who present with trauma, anxiety, depression, and life changes and participating in play therapy. She completed her education through Walden University where she studied Clinical Mental Health Counseling as well as Applied Psychology. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in pre-movement therapy and forensic psychology from Stockton University.

Danielle utilizes an integrative approach that is tailored to each individual's needs including play therapy, expressive arts, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, dialectical behavioral therapy, Adlerian, Rogerian, and solution-focused therapy. 

Danielle strives to empower all those she gets the privilege to work with by creating a safe and nurturing atmosphere in which individuals can be supported in their efforts to change and grow.

CeBroker Tracking No. 20-1335909 This event is offered by SMHCA - Approved Continuing Education Provider - CE Broker Provider #: 50-13528.  This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW and Registered Interns.

Once payment is completed you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom Meeting ID.  TRAINING FEES (members need to be logged in to be able to register at the member rate) Completed Registrations including Payment Guarantees Participation: $15 Member $30 Nonmember $5 Student (with membership) $10 Student Nonmember (no CEUs)