PCA's 56th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

October 25-27, 2024 * Harrisburg, PA

• Awards
• Conference Agenda
• Presentations
• Pre-Conference Institute
• Registration
• Hotel and Area Information
• Exhibit and Sponsor Opportunities
• Continuing Education
• Disclaimer

AWARDS

Nominations for Awards for 2024 are now closed!  Consider nominating a colleague next year.  The Awards include:

Nominations to honor the hard work, commitment, and dedication of Pennsylvania counselors, students, and programs are now being accepted.  Please consider nominating a colleague, program, or graduate student for an award.  The award categories are listed below. Winners will be announced at the annual PCA conference luncheon.  

PCA Outstanding Practitioner Award -- Awarded to an outstanding professional counselor for service to the profession; nominees must be current PCA members.

PCA Lifetime Achievement Award -- Awarded to a PCA member who is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania resident and who has demonstrated outstanding dedication, service, and/or achievement in professional counseling. A PCA member can only receive this award once.

PCA Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award -- Awarded to an outstanding professional counseling program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  At least one member of the counselor education program must be a PCA member.

PCA Outstanding Graduate Student Award -- Awarded to an individual who is currently a graduate student in professional counseling within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and who shows excellent potential and professionalism; preference will be given to a PCA student member who has had some involvement with the association.

PCA Outstanding Research/Publication Award -- Awarded to a PCA member who has contributed to the professional counseling profession through outstanding effort in the area of research and/or publication.

PCA Outstanding Supervisor Award -- Awarded to a PCA member who has demonstrated outstanding work as a supervisor in a university, community/mental health counseling, or school setting.

PCA Outstanding Professional Teaching Award -- Awarded to a PCA member to honor excellence in teaching in a counseling, counselor education, or counseling supervision program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

David W. Hall Advocacy Award -- Awarded to a PCA member who has promoted the profession of counseling through advocacy to whom the many professional counselors in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are forever indebted. 

CONFERENCE AGENDA

The detailed conference schedule, including all the times and locations of presentations will be available on WHOVA. You will receive an email when the schedule is pushed out via WHOVA. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to pca.programs@gmail.com

Friday Evening Drumming Event:
Share in the rhythm of drumming to get in tune with each other & ourselves. Experience the transforming power of cognition, drumming, movement, music & rhythm. Drums Alive/Drumtastic is an evidence-based wellness program designed to improve physical mental and social-emotional well-being in a fun environment.
Biography: Kathleen Hays, LPC is a drum circle facilitator & rhythm
teacher. Her experience includes 5 years' experience organizing and implementing drum circles within communities of the Greater Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania area. Her drumming activities appeal to a wide variety of participants, children through adults, regardless of skill level. Kathy's Drum-Atic Beats is a fun and interactive activity exploring moves and grooves with rhythm and music.  

Saturday Evening Yoga:
Rachel Allen/YogaSong
Rachel Allen, CMP, E-RYT 200

Rachel Allen is a Certified Music Practitioner, Sound Healer, Reiki Master, and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher. Her experience includes two decades of hospice as a music practitioner serving patients in a variety of conditions and she continues to work at Windber Hospice. Rachel has also has over 10 years of experience providing Trauma Sensitive yoga and facilitating expressive music to women who are incarcerated, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, in various community-based settings in past and present partnerships with many organizations including: Victim Services Inc, Tableland, Torrence State Hospital and Cambria County Prison. She is involved nationally with The Breathe Network as a rostered healing arts practitioner, and regionally with Unity Coalition of the Southern Alleghenies, a social justice organization dedicated to building peace in the community. Rachel has studied the intersection of yoga and social justice for over a decade. She is trained and certified as a Dynamic Gentle Yoga Teacher and as an Accessible Yoga Teacher and Ambassador. Rachel is the author of the recently published chapbook, Blessings Beyond Bypass (SeedHouse Press, 2022) and has had work published in Northern Appalachia Review, Long Shot Books and is part of the blog team for Christians Practicing Yoga. Rachel Allen facilitates yoga, healing music and movement experiences in person and virtually, at retreats and conferences and offers training on Resilience Building/ Compassion Fatigue/Trauma and Mindfulness throughout the USA and internationally.

PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTE

When Mental Health Hits Home: Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation and Counseling Advocacy

Join facilitators from PS-SAIGE to discuss current anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in PA and learn how counselors, educators, and supervisors can participate in advocacy efforts to combat harmful legislative efforts that negatively impact the lives of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians. Registration for the pre-conference can be done through the conference registration link. 

REGISTRATION

Click here to register online!

HOTEL AND AREA INFORMATION

The conference will be held at the Harrisburg Hilton. 

The Hilton Harrisburg is offering a discounted PCA Conference room rate of $159 for conference attendees. 

Schedule your reservations today:

1. One click away utilizing this link PCA Hotel Reservations

2. By phone by calling 717-233-6000 option 0 

Self-parking is available at $15/day, and Valet parking is $26.00/day.

For area information, see Visiting Harrisburg and Nearby Hershey.

EXHIBIT AND SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES

PCA offers a variety of exhibit and sponsorship opportunities. For more information, contact the PCA Marketing Team at pcamarketingdirector@gmail.com.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

The PCA Conference is a total of 13.75 CEs included in the registration fee.  An additional 3 hours may be earned by attending the PS-SAIGE Preconference Institute as an additional cost.

The Pennsylvania Counseling Association has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider ACEP No. 2039. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Pennsylvania Counseling Association is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

PCA EVENT ATTENDANCE DISCLAIMER

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) conferences, meetings, and events constitutes an agreement by the registrant to PCA for use and distribution, now and in the future, of the registrant or attendees’ image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions and audio of such events and activities to illustrate and promote the PCA experience and products.

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