Suncoast Mental Health Counselors Association upcoming events

July VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, July 17, 2026)

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 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!

Supporting Neurodiverse Clients Across the Lifespan: An Adlerian Perspective (Friday, July 17, 2026)

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Friday, July 17, 2026

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.

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1382590

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)

August VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, August 21, 2026)

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 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!

Forensic Mental Health Evaluations for Immigration (Friday, August 21, 2026)

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Friday, August 21, 2026

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: This webinar provides a basic understanding of the types and requirements of forensic mental health immigration evaluations and general information about immigration court. Therapists may work with clients who are directly or indirectly affected by immigration policy and current enforcement. Cultural considerations for the therapist will be addressed.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1 - Differentiate between forensic and non-forensic evaluation.

Objective 2 - Describe 3 different types of immigration evaluations.

Objective 3 - Name 3 differences between immigration court and other courts.

Objective 4 - State a cultural consideration for clients involved in immigration proceedings.

Presenter

Dr. Kathy Lanthorn-Cardenas, EdD, CFMHE, LMHC

Lanthorn Counseling & Forensic Evaluation, Inc.

Dr. Lanthorn Cardenas earned her CFMHE credential through NBFE and Dr. Hoffman in 2008. Since then, she has completed over 1400 forensic mental health evaluations, many of them for immigration cases. She also conducts criminal, family court and civil cases performing evaluations in both English and Spanish. She continues to provide counseling services in a private practice setting but most of her time is spent on forensic work.

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1382591

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)

Courses Required for Re-Licensure: Ethics, Medical Errors, and Laws & Rules (Friday, September 18, 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 18, 2026

In-Person

USF EDU Building

4110 USF Apple Dr, Tampa, FL 33620

Room #: 416

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST

Description: Ever get bored with the same old ethics, laws and rules, and medical errors continuing education hours for re-licensure? Dr. Norton sure has, and that's why he tried to create something a little different! First, you'll enjoy 3 hours on "The Counselor’s Survival Guide to Ethical Counseling in a Politicized Era. Second, you'll spend 2 hours learning some practice tools for differential diagnosis when you're working with challenging and complicated symptom presentations during the "Avoiding Medical Errors by Using Tools for Differential DSM-5-TR Diagnosis component. We'll then finish with a 3-hour overview of changes in laws and rules that impact the work we love so much. Our goal is for you to emerge from this training feeling refreshed, engaged, and updated! Earn 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of medical errors and 3 hours of laws and rules required for re-licensure.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Describe the interaction between political beliefs and counseling ethical codes.

Objective 2: Use several tools for DSM-5-TR differential diagnosis in clinical practice.

Objective 3: Identify and describe the stages of "root cause analysis."

Objective 4: Adhere to new laws and rules governing the mental health counseling profession.

Presenter

Aaron Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT,

CFMHE, CFBA, CFP

Dr. Aaron Norton is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with certifications in addictions, alcohol and drug counseling, rehabilitation counseling, clinical mental health counseling, trauma treatment, forensic mental health evaluation, forensic behavioral analysis, and forensic psychometry.

He serves as executive director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators, assistant professor at the University of South Florida's Counselor Education program, International Counseling Task Force chair for the American Mental Health Counselors Association, and chair of the Government Relations Committee for the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association.

He co-authored the Forensic Evaluation section of the "AMHCA Standards for the Practice of Clinical Mental Health Counseling,” authored the proposal for AMHCA’s Clinical Mental Health Specialist in Forensic Evaluation (CMHS-FE) credential, authored the DSM-5 to DSM-5-TR update article published in the American Counseling Association's Counseling Today magazine, and served on the expert panel that created the standards and written exam for the Florida Certification Board’s Certified Telehealth Practitioner (CTP) credential. He has 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, was awarded Mental Health Counselor of the Year by the American Mental Health Counselors Association in 2016, Counselor Educator of the Year by the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association in 2016, Researcher of the Year by the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association in 2019, and he was awarded AMHCA’s Public and Community Service Award in 2020.

DIRECTIONS TO USF EDU BUILDING & ROOM

If you follow the directions to 4110 USF Apple Drive, Tampa, FL 33620-4301, you can park closer to the building. If you can enter the campus from the 4202 E Fowler Ave entrance, stop by the parking services on the right side of the entrance. They will instruct you on where you can park, pay for parking, etc.

It is easier to find the room from the Main Entrance of the CO EDU building in the picture below. Please turn slightly right when you enter the building from this entrance. Take the elevator to the fourth floor, turn left from the elevator, turn left again, and go straight. Room 416 is the last room on the left.

USF Parking Services link below for parking information if you would like to purchase a parking permit ahead of time.

https://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/

Interactive Parking Map:

https://maps.usf.edu/ICM/

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1382595

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:

$95 Member

$140 Non-Member with 1-year Membership

$165 Non-Member

September VIRTUAL Colleague Collab! (Friday, September 18, 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 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 16, 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 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!

Enhancing Connection, Empathy, and Presence in Telehealth Counseling (Friday, October 16, 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Friday, October 16, 2026

Online on ZOOM

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Description: This presentation offers a comprehensive exploration of how mental health professionals can cultivate deep, authentic connections in a virtual therapy setting. Grounded in the latest research and evidence-based approaches, participants will gain practical strategies and insights to address the challenges of building rapport, conveying empathy, and maintaining therapeutic presence through a screen.

Attendees will learn how to adapt core clinical skills for telehealth, including techniques for nonverbal communication, emotional resonance, and co-regulation in digital environments. Special attention will be given to working with diverse populations, managing cultural nuances online, and preventing screen-related burnout. Through engaging discussion, live demonstrations, and experiential exercises, therapists will leave equipped with tools to not only sustain but enhance their effectiveness and humanity in virtual practice.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Identify three evidence-based strategies for enhancing emotional connection and strengthening therapeutic presence in virtual mental health sessions.

Objective 2: Demonstrate an increased understanding of nonverbal communication techniques—including eye contact, vocal tone, and screen framing—that support empathy and rapport in telehealth environments.

Objective 3: Apply culturally responsive approaches to foster therapeutic engagement and safety for clients from diverse backgrounds during remote therapy.

Objective 4: Develop personalized rituals and self-care routines that help establish professional boundaries and mitigate screen fatigue and emotional burnout in a teletherapy context.

Presenter

Amanda Landry, LMHC, CAP, NCC

Caring Therapists

Amanda Landry is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Addictions Professional, National Certified Counselor, and private practice consultant. She is the owner and CEO of Caring Therapists, a Florida-based group practice with several locations specializing in work with children and adults. Caring Therapists provides services for individuals, couples, and families, including individual therapy, psychological testing, and medication management.

In 2024, Caring Therapists was recognized as one of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies. The practice is also a multi-year recipient of “Best of Florida.” Caring Therapists has been named a finalist for the prestigious 14th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Award, and the Davie location is a multi-year winner of “Best of Davie.”

Amanda is the author of Guided Journal for Women with Anxiety and is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couples Counseling, Trauma-Focused CBT, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. She specializes in treating anxiety and depression in teens and adults through a holistic and evidence-based approach.

Amanda is also the founder of My Private Practice Collective, an online Facebook community of over 26,000 members designed to connect therapists in all areas of private practice around the world. As a private practice consultant, she helps solo and group practices build smart, grounded, and efficient practices.

In 2018, Amanda was awarded Counselor of the Year by the Florida Mental Health Counseling Association. She is a board member of the Broward Mental Health Counselors Association and a member of the Florida Mental Health Counseling Association and the Mental Health Counselors Association of Palm Beach. She has assisted numerous Registered Interns with supervision and the development of independent practice and is a Qualified Supervisor in the state of Florida.

Amanda is an alumnae member of Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, where she remains a long-time volunteer at both the local and national level. In 2022, she was awarded “40 Under 40” by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and remains active in philanthropic endeavors associated with the condition.

Personally, Amanda is married to fellow mental health professional Dr. David Landry, forensic psychologist, Senior Clinical Director, and co-owner of Caring Therapists. She is a loving mother to Ashton and Brooklyn. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, yoga, spending time with friends and family, and anything Harry Potter related.

CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1382630

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)

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)