Public speaking is one of the best ways to boost your 
credibility and your name recognition, too. The Colorado Counseling Association’s conference on March 8 – 9, 2013. The conference is small – usually no more than 200 attendees with lots of workshops to choose from.
I think you ought to consider submitting a proposal to present! (Besides, I’ll be there and would love an opportunity to meet you and anyway . . . it’s a great excuse to come see Colorado!)
Please see the CCA 2013 Program Proposal for details.
All submissions are due by December 14, 2012. Send proposals and inquiries to proposals@coloradocounselingassociation.org.
And, of course, if you are submitting a proposal, leave a note for us here so that others can know to look for you there!
Tamara,
You mention a good point about presenting at state branch conferences, but it made me think of something else as well. Assuming that the Pennsylvania licensing board uses consecutive numbering for LPC licenses, there are more than 6000 LPCs in Pennsylvania. There are also people who are not licensed. I was just at the Pennsylvania Counseling Association conference, and we probably had about 200 people at our conference as well. Some of the sessions were really good!
I know that not everyone who is a member of the state branch attends the conference, but I’d like to recommend that everyone consider joining their state branch. While I can’t speak for all branches, I know that the Pennsylvania Counseling Association is a way to stay abreast of changes in state laws and other changes. If you have questions about joining a state branch, I would recommend that you send an e-mail asking about the benefits of membership. The benefits may be more than you think and it may be less expensive than you think!
Oh, my gosh, Lauren! Thank you for making this point! What many mental health professionals don’t realize is that almost all of the laws that affect our practices come from the state level and not the federal level! And, that means that you absolutely need to be a member of your state professional association and not just the national one! It’s your state professional association that also has the ear of the national organization.
If you are not already a member, please please please join your state organization. Ideally, join it and then join a committee. But if you can’t join a committee, at the very least make sure that you’ve paid your dues to maintain your membership. It’s like voting – you have a professional responsibility to do so.