Latest Blogs

AMHCA Supports the More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2026

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 19 days ago
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The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) is proud to support the bipartisan More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2026 (H.R. 7324), introduced by Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) and Tracey Mann (R-KS). This bill expands eligibility for incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area bonus program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance use disorder services and specifically lists mental health counselors as eligible for incentives. Across the country, communities continue to face significant shortages of qualified mental health professionals, particularly in rural and underserved areas. H.R. 7324 would ...
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Voices from the AMHCA Stage: The People and Ideas That Shaped Our Conferences

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 27 days ago
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What was the clinical mental health counseling profession talking about 10, 15, or nearly 20 years ago? As we continue celebrating AMHCA's 50th Anniversary, we're returning to the archives to look at the people and ideas that have helped shape conversations across our profession. Our conference programs provide one part of that history. From neuroscience, vulnerability, and relationships to trauma, telehealth, professional identity, wellness, ethics, and culturally responsive counseling, speakers have brought timely ideas and challenging questions to the AMHCA Annual Conference stage. Many of those conversations didn't start and end with the conference. ...
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From Jessup to Portland: AMHCA Conferences Through the Years

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 08-26-2026
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For 50 years, the AMHCA Annual Conference has brought clinical mental health counselors together to learn, connect, share ideas, and advance the profession. As part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, we're opening the archives and asking members to help us tell the story of AMHCA through the people, places, and experiences they remember. Where We've Gathered Our current conference archives provide a detailed look at the past 20 conference years, beginning with New Orleans in 2007 and continuing through our 50th Anniversary celebration in Portland in 2026. During that time, AMHCA has traveled from coast to coast. We've gathered in San Diego ...
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Meet the 2026-2027 AMHCA Board

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 08-12-2026
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Written in collaboration with @Rebekah Harris The strength of AMHCA comes from the dedicated volunteers who lead our association and help shape its future. Our Board of Directors is made up of clinical mental health counselors from across the country who bring diverse experiences, perspectives, and a shared commitment to serving our members and advancing the profession. We recently asked each Board member to share a little about themselves and what inspired them to serve. Get to know the leaders behind AMHCA and learn what motivates them to give their time and expertise to the association. Nicole Kratimenos, Ed.D., LMHC, NCC, QS, C-DBT, ...
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Celebrating 50 Years of the AMHCA Annual Conference

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 07-30-2026
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For decades, the AMHCA Annual Conference has brought clinical mental health counselors together to learn, connect, and advance our profession. This year's conference in Portland was especially meaningful as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of an organization that has helped shape generations of counselors, leaders, educators, researchers, and advocates. Over several inspiring days, attendees participated in educational sessions, explored the latest innovations from exhibitors, celebrated excellence through our awards program, welcomed new leaders during the Board induction ceremony, and reconnected with colleagues from across the country. Whether it was ...
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Department of Education Publishes RISE Final Rule - Counselors are left out

By Courtney Ackerson posted 05-01-2026
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I write this today with frustration in the results of this final rule from the Department of Education. AMHCA strongly opposes the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to exclude master’s-level Mental Health Counseling programs from professional degree status in the final Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule. As stated in our public comment, this arbitrary classification represents a policy failure that will directly harm millions of Americans struggling with mental health conditions through our career pipeline. I had commented yesterday on the discussion thread about the final rule from the Department of Education. See the announcement ...
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Rethinking Imposter Syndrome: Can Therapy Actually Help?

By Nichole Williams posted 04-20-2026
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Imposter syndrome (or imposter experiences, as I prefer to call them) in high-achieving professionals is often driven by a combination of early experiences, internalized expectations, and environments that emphasize performance and comparison. Over time, these outside influences can create a persistent pattern of self-doubt even in people who are objectively successful. If you have ever looked at everything you’ve accomplished and still felt like you are fooling people, you’re not alone! For many professionals, these experiences say less about ability or competence and more about how your mind has learned to interpret success, pressure, and belonging. Imposter ...
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You’re invited to attend our 2026 AMHCA Annual Conference and our 50th Anniversary!

By Nicole Kratimenos posted 02-18-2026
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Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the 2026 Conference Planning Committee, I’m delighted to invite all AMHCA members, volunteers, leaders, stakeholders, and the broader clinical counseling community to join us for AMHCA’s 50 th Anniversary in Portland, Oregon, June 23-26, 2026. The 2026 AMHCA Annual Conference’s theme is ‘Rooted in the Past, Growing toward the Future.’ This milestone conference will bring our community together to reflect on where we’ve been, engage with the challenges and opportunities shaping our profession today, and look ahead to the future of clinical mental health counseling. Portland provides the perfect backdrop for learning, connection, ...
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Understanding How Occupational Therapy Supports Sensory Needs

By Nauman Jaffar posted 02-02-2026
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Sensory challenges can show up in everyday moments, from getting dressed to staying focused in class. Occupational therapy for SPD supports children through gentle, practical strategies that fit naturally into daily routines. With family involvement and play-based care, small steps can lead to big confidence over time. Read more on CliniScripts blog: Click Here!
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Congressional Briefing on 1/15/26: The Crisis in Mental Health: Professional Degree Loan Limits

By Courtney Ackerson posted 01-15-2026
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Earlier today, the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) participated in a Congressional Briefing examining how proposed federal student loan changes by the U.S. Department of Education could significantly weaken the mental health provider workforce. The briefing featured remarks from Representatives Andrea Salinas (D-OR-6) and Tim Kennedy (D-NY-26), followed by two expert panels addressing the workforce, access, and equity implications of the proposed changes. This briefing was collaboratively planned by a coalition of organizations including the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) , American Counseling Association (ACA) , ...
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Top 10 Reasons to Present at #AMHCA2026

By Nicole Kratimenos posted 10-27-2025
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The planning for #AMHCA2026 is in full swing! The deadline to submit your proposal for the 2026 AMHCA Annual Conference is almost here! Join us for our 50th anniversary celebration and share your ideas, innovations, and expertise with mental health counselors from across the country. Do you need another push to get your proposal in? Here are 10 fantastic reasons to submit a proposal for #AMHCA2026! 1. Be part of a historic milestone. The 2026 conference marks AMHCA’s 50th anniversary—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the future of the profession while honoring its legacy 2. Share your expertise with a national audience. Presenters ...
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Welcome Dr. Beverly Smith, the 45th President of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 07-23-2021
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AMHCA is pleased to welcome the 45 th President of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), Dr. Beverly Smith. Dr. Smith has professional counseling experience in various settings including private practice, public education, corrections, community counseling, and in higher education. She is the owner and principal therapist of BSmith Consulting Group, LLC. Dr. Smith is an adjunct professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mercer University teaching Psychopathology & Diagnosis, Cultural Perspectives in Counseling, and Ethics. She is a proud two-time graduate of Tuskegee University (B.S.-Biology, M.Ed.-Counseling & Higher Education) ...
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With Gratitude and Warm Regards

By Joel Miller posted 04-28-2021
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Dear AMHCA Members, This communication is to inform you that I have decided to retire as Executive Director and CEO of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, effective July 9, 2021. It has been my honor to lead AMHCA these past eight years and serve the thousands of clinical mental health counselors around the country who in turn serve as primary mental health providers for your clients. I have had only one overarching mission: To address the needs and promote the interests of AMHCA members every single day. The services you provide on behalf of your clients are so critically important to alleviate suffering and distress, that I ...
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Let’s Be Safe Just a Little Bit Longer

By Joel Miller posted 03-31-2021
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The past year saw the word “unprecedented” thrown around a lot, and rightly so. In the transition to virtual programming, associations like AMHCA had to be extra clever and resourceful when it came to meetings and events – the aspects of membership that had traditionally been contingent on the face-to-face. The AMHCA Board of Directors decided in February that we should hold our conference in June 2021 virtually rather than in-person -- or through a hybrid model. At that time, based on all the surveys we conducted, members were still not comfortable attending in person, and public health officials were providing guidance that it was not going to be safe ...
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AMHCA 2021 Annual Conference: Recognizing

By Whitney Meyerhoeffer posted 03-31-2021
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At AMHCA, we recognize that a virtual event is different from an in-person event. There are things you miss by not being in person, but there are things you gain by being virtual. For me, there are less hugs, not as many snacks (or maybe more), and not as many opportunities for those sidebar networking moments that are so loved at an AMHCA conference. How I miss hugs from colleagues I work with weekly but see just once a year. I regret my inability to make food as good as the 2016 New Orleans conference (beignets for days!) or snacks as good as the 2017 DC conference (anyone else remember that flavored popcorn bar?). I won’t be making a new connection on the ...
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Don't Miss This Unique Opportunity

By Joel Miller posted 03-10-2021
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I would like to congratulate Dr. Beverly Smith, AMHCA’s President-Elect and Chair of the Conference Planning Committee, and all the members of the committee, for their outstanding and hard work in organizing this year’s AMHCA’s Virtual Conference Program “UNITE! – RECOGNIZE. REFRAME. RESTORE.” from June 14-25, 2021. As our program highlights, we are truly living our conference theme by: RECOGNIZING the current situation, REFRAMING our way of thinking about our conference, and RESTORING the quality and engagement that is unique and important to AMHCA conferences. UNITE with us as we adapt and push forward with new innovations and perspectives at our Annual ...
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Thriveworks Counseling conducts a survey that reveals US adults in counseling are feeling stressed and depressed

By Anthony Centore posted 10-31-2020
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Thriveworks Counseling conducted a survey of 275 mental health professionals. Based on survey results, the most prevalent mental health issues resulting from the election are stress and fear. About 81% of participants said their clients are currently talking about election-related stress and approximately 78% said that their clients report feeling fearful of the outcome. Additionally, US adults in counseling are feeling depressed as well as hopeless. Nearly 66% of respondents said their clients have reported depression symptoms related to the election and 56% said their clients have reported feeling hopeless about it. Read more about ...
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President Signs Landmark Bill Opening the Federal Government to Mental Health Counselors

By David Bergman posted 10-20-2020
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On October 17, 2020, President Trump signed S. 785, which mandates the creation of a federal government classification for mental health counselors and pressures the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase its hiring of the profession. AMHCA is very proud of its leadership role in this tremendous success for the counseling profession. Passage of S. 785 is the most significant legislative accomplishment for mental health counselors since legislation to add the profession to the Minority Fellowship Program in 2011. Creation of an Occupational Series for mental health counselors has been a decade’s long priority for national counseling organizations. ...
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Congress Passes Landmark VA Mental Health Counselor Bill

By David Bergman posted 09-23-2020
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Today, the House of Representatives approved S. 785, sending a major VA mental health and counseling bill to President Trump for signature. The bill is the most significant new legislation for the counseling profession in over a decade and a tremendous advancement for mental health counselors working for the federal government, and particularly the Department of Veterans Affairs. This historic legislation directs the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to create the first ever federal government classification for mental health counselors, referred to as an Occupational Series. The Series will allow counselors to work in federal government agencies under the ...
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House Committee Passes Mental Health Counselor Medicare Legislation

By David Bergman posted 09-09-2020
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Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved HR 945 in an historic vote supporting Medicare coverage for the counseling profession. While this legislation has passed both the House and Senate twice over the years, never before has the bill been voted on as a standalone measure rather than part of a broader package. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr’s (D-NJ) opening remarks described HR 945 as “bipartisan legislation that would improve access to mental health providers in the Medicare program by covering mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist services.” The sponsors of HR 945, Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA) ...
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