| 2026 Convention Schedule |
 Convention Schedule
Continuing education hours approved for NYS LMHCs, LMSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LCATs, Licensed Psychologists, and OASAS credentialed professionals, and NBCC. FRIDAY, APRIL 10th
Pre-Convention Intensive Workshops
Must be added on to Convention registration to attend
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
(Includes a 1 hour lunch break) The Mirror & Its Messages: An Egostate Focused Look At Countertransference Presented by Renee Seff, LMHC, LPC, ACS 6.0 CE Hours Rejecting Compulsions With a Values-Driven Approach to OCD Treatment Presented by Tammy LaBrake, LCSW 6.0 CE Hours 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Lift Every Mother: Reducing Barriers to Maternal Substance Use Care Presented by Dr. Taiesha Wooten, LCSW, CASAC-2 3.0 CE Hours Kink101: Increasing Culture Competence with Kink-Identified Clients Presented by Dr. Shveta Mittal 3.0 CE Hours Grief: Theoretical Frameworks and Practical Applications Presented by Maria Georgopoulos, LMHC 3.0 CE Hours 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries and Ethical Obligations as Mental Health Practitioners Presented by Dr. Thomas Murphy, LMHC-D, ACS 3.0 CE Hours Neurodiversity Affirming Care Presented by Dr. Maria Rheaume 3.0 CE Hours Empowerment, Compassion and Wellbeing: Using Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Presented by Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis, LMHC 3.0 CE Hours 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
President's Opening Reception
Included in Full Convention Registration - Must Indicate Attendance During Registration
 Join Steven Perdek, MBA, LMHC-D and NYMHCA & The NYMHCA Institute Boards of Directors and Staff to commence the 2026 Convention.
Recipients of NYMHCA's awards will be presented during this event. Enjoy an open bar, hors d'oeuvres, and live music entertainment. SATURDAY, APRIL 11th
7:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Buffet Breakfast
Pre-Registration Required
8:15 AM - 9:30 AM
Opening Remarks & General Session
 Trauma-Informed Care in 2030: Adapting Models for Emerging Global and Social Stressors
Presented by Dr. Tenise Wall, LCSW, CASAC-MC
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) Breaking the Silence: Addressing Male Loneliness Through Socialization Skills in Clinical Practice Paws, Purpose, and Prevention: Integrating Animal-Assisted Interventions in Mental Health Care
The Peacekeeper Program
Shared Wisdom, Shared Strength: A Collaborative Approach to Counselor Wellbeing
Interrupting Unconscious Processes in Groups That Reinforce Racist Societal Norms
Embracing the Goodbye: Loss and Growth during the Termination Phase
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Coffee Break & Exhibitors
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) NYMHCA Legislative Initiatives Updates
Loneliness Epidemic: Social Isolation's Impact on Our Mental Health
Bridging the Gap: Building Peer Support Ecosystems
The Use of Bibliotherapy to Escape, Reflect, and Heal
Perinatal Mental Health 101
Therapy in Turbulence: Clinical Interventions for Practicing in a Polarized Political Climate
12:00 PM - 1:45 PM
Lunch & Keynote Presentation
Somebody Stole My Fairytale
Featuring  Kelly Swanson
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Poster Presentations
Coffee Break & Exhibitors 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) Supporting Counselors in Treating Serious Mental Illness (SMI): Insights from the EnTRy Model Exploring Identity Through Multimedia Expression and Building Silent Conversations
Shattered Mirrors: Navigating Identity in the Wake of Secondary Loss
Future Directions in Infidelity Recovery: Evidence-Based Tools for the Next Generation of Therapists
Supporting Your Birthing Person Client Post Perinatal Loss
Cannabis Clarity Initiative: Counseling Through Cannabis Misinformation and Cultural Shift
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM
Coffee Break & Exhibitors
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) Couples Therapy 101: Charting the course from vulnerability to vitality
Culture Meets Neuroscience: Exploring Pathways for the Future of Counseling Asian Clients
When Productivity Eclipses Care
From OnlyFans to Street Work: Navigating the Complexities of Sex Work in Clinical Practice
The Way In: A Sensory Framework for Self-Regulation in Therapy
Autism and Gambling: Understanding Risks and Interventions
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Counselor Educators Meeting
Student Forum
7:45 PM - 10:00 PM
The Decompression Session
Check your notes at the door. Bring your random facts to the floor. Test your knowledge with a night of trivia with Pete Kelly ( @OnAirPete), afternoon host on 100.9/107.1 FM The Cat and That Trivia Guy NY Includes light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.  SUNDAY, APRIL 12th
7:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Buffet Breakfast
Pre-Registration Required
8:15 AM - 9:30 AM
Closing Remarks & General Session
 LGBTQQIA+ Affirmative Therapy: Educating the Next Generation of Mental Health Clinicians
Presented by Dr. Joseph Franco, LMHC, NCC, ACS
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) Facilitating Counseling Engagement with Orthodox Teenage Girls From Hallway to Healing: Designing a Counselor-in-Residence (CIR) Program that Works
Beyond the Torch: Building a Legacy of Authentic and Inspired Leadership
Sex Matters 101: Learn Essential Sexual Health Concepts and Resources
Understanding How Use of AI Impacts Individual Development
Beyond Exposure: The Role of Emotional Processing in Virtual Reality–Based Psychotherapy
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Coffee Break & Exhibitors
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) Silver Years, Golden Connections: Honoring Sexual Well-Being in Older Adults
Curious, Not Replaced: An Intro to AI Confidence for Clinicians
Supervision Stories, LGBTQ+ Counselors' Perspectives: A Phenomenological Hermeneutic Approach
Growing Together: Building Resilience and Professional Identity through Supervision
Examination of the Relationship Between the Legalization of Cannabis and the Increase in Psychosis
Let's Talk About Sex, Baby: Counselors' Experiences & Barriers Providing Sex Counseling
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Coffee Break & Exhibitors
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Breakout Sessions
(1 CE Hour) From Resistance to Readiness: Utilizing MI and ACT-based strategies in Pediatric OCD Treatment
When ERP Gets Stuck, Navigating Common Roadblocks in OCD Treatment
Beyond Stability: Empowering Recovery Through IMR and Digital Innovation
OCD Treatment: Challenging therapists’ myths and clients’ beliefs about Exposure Response Prevention
AI in Clinical Practice: Personalizing Anxiety and OCD Treatment for Youth
Culturally Responsive Counseling with Chinese International Students in an Era of Global Uncertainty
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chapter of
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Mental Health Counselors Association.
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