Suncoast Mental Health Counselors Association upcoming events

November VIRTUAL Book Club (Friday, November 13, 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

From Psychotherapy Networker:

The Antidote to Powerlessness

Here's how to enter hard conversations without abandoning your own ground or shutting out the person across from you.

https://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/article/the-antidote-to-powerlessness/?utm_source=user-email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=networker-article-share-widget

Book Club Contact: swindall.david@gmail.com

November VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, November 20, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 17:30:00 GMT

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!

Understanding Trauma-Related Dissociative Disorders: Facts, Health Outcomes, & Assessment (Friday, November 20, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Friday, November 20, 2026

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: This foundational webinar is designed for mental health professionals seeking to improve their recognition of trauma-related dissociative disorders (DDs). Despite being common and often adaptive responses to overwhelming trauma, dissociation is misunderstood and even stigmatized, leading to poor treatment outcomes and significant, prolonged suffering for clients. This session will separate fact from fiction, providing an updated, evidence-based overview of the dissociative spectrum—ranging from PTSD (dissociative subtype) to Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Participants will explore the underlying causes and the serious public health consequences of untreated dissociation, along with the positive outcomes associated with accurate diagnosis and specialized treatment.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: List and describe eight (8) common dissociative disorders myths

Objective 2: Discuss and contrast dissociation and dissociative disorders

Objective 3: Describe and discuss major challenges in dissociative disorders assessment

Objective 4: Describe and contrast dissociative disorders assessment measures

Presenter

Hector Pereles, LMHC, LPC, NCC

New Living Counseling

Hector has continuously practiced psychotherapy as a licensed professional counselor in Georgia since April 2013 and as licensed mental health counselor in Florida since June 2024; Overall, Hector has practiced psychotherapy on a full-time basis since January 2010 and currently practices therapy at his private practice named New Living Counseling.

Hector began incorporating EMDR therapy into his professional practice June 2015 and since then it has become the main therapeutic approach of his practice. Hector became an EMDRIA Certified Therapist June 2019 and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant in Training March 2025.

Hector’s therapy practice focuses on adults of at least age twenty (20) years and the assessment and treatment of PTSD, Complex PTSD (CPTSD), dissociative disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, behavioral (aka process) addictions, and mood disorders.

Hector’s EMDR therapy practice is informed by and integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), the theory of structural dissociation, Polyvagal Theory, and, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, attachment, and somatic-based interventions within the context of a collaborative, holistic approach to treatment as the human nervous system undoubtedly includes both brain and body which are reciprocal and inseparable.

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1382597

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)

January VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, January 15, 2027)

Fri, 15 Jan 2027 17:30:00 GMT

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!

Florida's Legal Tools for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Crises (Friday, January 15, 2027)

Fri, 15 Jan 2027 18:30:00 GMT

Friday, January 15, 2027

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: Mental health and substance use crises can leave individuals, families, and professionals facing difficult questions about safety, treatment, decision-making capacity, and the appropriate role of the legal system. When voluntary treatment efforts are unsuccessful, families may struggle to understand what options remain available, what legal requirements must be met, and how to navigate systems that can seem complex and difficult to access. A working understanding of the legal frameworks governing behavioral health crises can help professionals recognize potential pathways for intervention while respecting individual rights and autonomy.

This presentation examines the intersection of behavioral health and the law, with an emphasis on practical legal mechanisms that may be available when an individual experiences a serious mental health or substance use crisis. The presentation will explore the Baker Act, which governs involuntary examination and related procedures for individuals experiencing qualifying mental health crises, and the Marchman Act, which provides pathways for involuntary assessment and treatment for qualifying substance use disorders. The presentation will also address guardianship and decision-making capacity, including circumstances in which an individual's ability to make informed decisions becomes a concern. Participants will learn about the purposes and distinctions of these laws, the circumstances in which they may apply, and the legal standards and procedural considerations that influence their use.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Apply practical legal and ethical considerations when helping individuals and families through a behavioral health crisis, balancing autonomy, safety, and individual rights.

Objective 2: Differentiate the legal options available when psychiatric symptoms, substance use, impaired judgment, or inability to self-care raise safety or functioning concerns.

Objective 3: Identify the key frameworks governing involuntary treatment, guardianship, and capacity-related interventions.

Presenter

Mark Astor, Esq.

Astor Simovitch Law

Mark G. Astor, Esq., is a co-founder of Astor Simovitch Law, a Florida law firm exclusively dedicated to mental health and substance use legal services. With more than 30 years of courtroom experience, Mark previously served as an Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County, where he led County Court divisions and later prosecuted felony cases, before transitioning to criminal defense. His current practice focuses on the intersection of mental health, substance use, and the law, including involuntary assessment and treatment, the Florida Baker Act and Marchman Act, guardianship, decision-making capacity, and legal options available to families navigating behavioral health crises. Drawing on his extensive legal experience, Mark works to help individuals and families better understand their rights, available resources, and potential legal pathways when a loved one is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. He also speaks to professional audiences about practical legal considerations and opportunities for collaboration among families, legal professionals, and behavioral health providers.

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1423155

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)

February VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, February 19, 2027)

Fri, 19 Feb 2027 17:30:00 GMT

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!

Intro to Female Psychoendocrinology: Closing the Gender Mental Health Gap (Friday, February 19, 2027)

Fri, 19 Feb 2027 18:30:00 GMT

Friday, February 19, 2027

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of women's mental health based on the most up-to-date research and statistics. It introduces practitioners to The Gender Health Gap and the importance of female biorhythm knowledge as it relates to mental health. The focus of this work is centered around how practitioners care for naturally menstruating women in practice and how practitioners care for themselves, personally, in a female dominated industry. Practitioners will be introduced to Female Psychoendocrinology, a new field of research that aims to close the Gender Health Gap and improve healthcare outcomes for women. Participants will learn how to effectively address the bio-individual concerns of naturally menstruating women, how this care impacts global outcomes, and ways that their own self-care as practicing clinicians contributes to the mental health ripple effect.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: State the current statistics regarding women's mental health outcomes.

Objective 2: Explain the Gender Health Gap and it's consequences.

Objective 3: Assess action steps to implement in practice that will improve women’s health outcomes.

Objective 4: Describe the mental health ripple effect and it's impact on global well-being.

Presenter

Kristen McAdams, LPC, WNPP

Kristen McAdams Therapy

Kristen McAdams LPC, WNPP is an integrative mental health counselor, quantum psychologist, and speaker who is passionate about intersecting mental health, wellness, and medicine. She is a mental health educator and co-instructor at Her Biorhythm alongside Dr. Kayla Osterhoff. Together they have coined a new field of research named Female Psychoendocrinology and are curating a Women’s Mental Health Certification Program aimed at closing the Gender Health Gap by educating practitioners in women’s hormonal health research.

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1389338

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)

March VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, March 19, 2027)

Fri, 19 Mar 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

Surviving & Thriving in High-Trauma Clinical Work: Practical Tools to Prevent Burnout, Secondary Trauma, and Compassion Fatigue (Friday, March 19, 2027)

Fri, 19 Mar 2027 17:30:00 GMT

Friday, March 19, 2027

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)

April VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, April 16, 2027)

Fri, 16 Apr 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

May VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, May 21, 2027)

Fri, 21 May 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

June VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, June 18, 2027)

Fri, 18 Jun 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

July VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, July 16, 2027)

Fri, 16 Jul 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

August VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, August 20, 2027)

Fri, 20 Aug 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

September VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, September 17, 2027)

Fri, 17 Sep 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

October VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, October 15, 2027)

Fri, 15 Oct 2027 16:30:00 GMT

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!

November VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, November 19, 2027)

Fri, 19 Nov 2027 17:30:00 GMT

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!