Professional Development

The 2023 ACA Professional Practice Summit (ACAPPS) featured sessions that addressed the most pressing topics in the counseling field. The speakers shared valuable insights, tips and practical tools to help you stay up to date on the best practices. Here are three key takeaways from the event:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay and has the potential to reshape the profession. The counseling field, like other professions, is already feeling the impact of AI. Regulations for AI are still pending, so it is up to counselors to uphold and adhere to the ACA Code of Ethics. Two ACAPPS sessions — “Balancing Innovation and Ethics: AI Regulation and the Counseling Field” and “Guardians of Ethical Integrity in a New Artificially Intelligent Galaxy” — address the ethical implications of AI.
• A successful counseling practice relies on a strong practice identity, counseling style and marketing strategy. Many factors play a part in building a successful counseling career and practice, but a strong practice identity and counseling style and intentional, data-driven marketing can take you far. Check out these four ACAPPS sessions that discuss how you can develop a strong counseling style and practice: “Doing Counseling: Developing Your Clinical Skills and Style,” “Digital Marketing for Therapists: Three Easy Changes You Can Make Today to Increase Referrals,” “Building a Resilient Private Practice: Diversification and Burnout Prevention for Therapists” and “Build Your Niche. Build Your Impact.”
• Supervision is not one-size-fits-all. Supervision is an important aspect of every counselor’s professional journey, and because we all have unique experiences and perspectives, supervision should reflect that. Learn more with the following ACAPPS sessions that focus on supervision: “Counseling Collage: Crafting Cultural Competence in Supervision,” “Clinical Supervision 4 Kid Counselors” and “The Supervision Relationship: From Internship to Licensure.”

If you were not able to attend the live sessions, don’t worry. You can still access the valuable content on-demand through November 20. Register and watch now at counseling.org/conference/professional-practice-summit.