Nebraska Counseling Association upcoming events

June 2026 RECORDED Free CEU for Members with Ryan Paul Carruthers (07/20/2026)

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Ryan Paul Carruthers, PhD, LMHP, LADC Presents: Beyond Abstinence: What to do clinically when someone isn't (or refuses) abstaining

(Pre-Recorded, Available On Demand until 7.20.26!)

Objectives: Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 1. Define the three categories of substance use goals, and list reasons why someone might choose each goal.

2. Describe the ethical rationale for counselors to help people achieve ANY positive substance use behavioral change.

3. Be able to write out appropriate treatment goals and objectives on a treatment plan.

4. Identify at least four recovery programs beyond 12-step programs along with how to help people access them.

This is a pre-recorded presentation, which you will receive access to once you have registered. Information will be sent via your registration email, including the video link, quiz link, and handouts. Please complete the quiz included in your registration email by no later than 5pm on July 20th, 2026 to receive your CE certificate. CE certificates will be sent automatically when you complete and pass the quiz (8/10 correct). You may take the quiz as many times is necessary to pass.

Interested in presenting? Contact us at nca@necounseling.org or complete this form: https://forms.gle/dWXMYAdQJHZaV3Y68

Photo courtesy of A. Hixon Photography

July 2026 LIVE Free CE for Members with Dr. Tara Sjuts & Mallory Swantek (07/24/2026)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Tara Sjuts, PhD, LP & Mallory Swantek, LIMHP, LADC, LPC, ADHD-CCSP, ASDCS Present: When Trauma Looks Like Autism (and Vice Versa): Ethical Assessment and Differential Diagnosis in Complex Clients

(Live Presentation via Zoom July 24th at noon central time)

Join Tara and Mallory for our July LIVE Free CE!

Clients with histories of complex trauma, neurodevelopmental differences, and chronic anxiety often show up with symptoms that don’t fit neatly into one diagnostic box. Emotional dysregulation, sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, dissociation, social communication differences, and hypervigilance can look like Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Complex PTSD, anxiety disorders—or some combination of all of the above.

This presentation focuses on the real-world clinical and ethical challenges of sorting through these overlaps, particularly with foster care, adoption, adolescent, and other high-risk populations where history, development, and environment matter just as much as symptom lists.

Using a trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming lens, participants will explore how well-intended assessment practices can sometimes lead to diagnostic overshadowing, over-pathologizing, or premature conclusions that do more harm than good. The session will move beyond checklists to look at developmental trauma’s impact on the nervous system and executive functioning, and how diagnoses can be used thoughtfully—as tools for understanding, access, and support rather than labels that limit or define a person. Case examples will reflect common dilemmas clinicians face, including when diagnostic clarity is helpful and when ethical restraint is actually the more responsible choice.

This session is designed to be practical, grounded, and immediately applicable to clinical work. Participants can expect an honest discussion of diagnostic uncertainty, guidance on communicating diagnoses with care and clarity, and strategies for advocating within systems that often push for certainty even when complexity is unavoidable. The goal is not to have all the answers, but to leave with a clearer framework for making ethical, compassionate decisions in the gray areas clinicians encounter every day.

This event is to be presented LIVE via Zoom on July 24th, 2026, from 12-1pm (Central Time). You must attend at this time to receive the CE credit, and you must attend the entirety of the session to obtain your CE certificate. This CE will NOT be recorded for playback later.

Please sign into Zoom with the name that you registered with to obtain your CE certificate. Information, including the Zoom link, will be sent via your registration email. One CE credit hour will be available for this presentation. CE certificates will be sent out at the conclusion of the presentation after participants pass a quiz (8/10).

Interested in presenting? Contact us at nca@necounseling.org or complete this form: https://forms.gle/dWXMYAdQJHZaV3Y68

Photo courtesy of A. Hixon Photography

2026 Nebraska Counseling Association Spring Conference (07/31/2026)

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Recordings Now Available! Access open between May 1 and July 31, 2026.

Join us for the 2026 NCA Spring Conference, featuring a keynote by non other than Autism expert Dr. Temple Grandin:

We will be convening on April 24th on the beautiful campus of Bellevue University in Bellevue, NE. We are pleased to announce we will be offering a full day of training, to include a maximum of 15 total CE's are available.

We will begin the day with a Dr. Temple Grandin for a keynote. Lunch will be available in the cafeteria, or you are welcome to eat off campus. We will resume in the afternoon for breakout sessions focused on Major Mental Illness and Ethics, requirements for licensure in Nebraska. Click here for more information on Dr. Temple Grandin or visit her website at: https://www.templegrandin.com/

This conference, barring unforeseen technical issues, will be recorded and available to registrants for playback and to obtain CE's from May 1st, 2026, until July 31st, 2026. You can attend live the day of in-person, or via Zoom.

If you wish to submit a proposal to be a breakout speaker, apply HERE.

If you are interested in being a student volunteer, apply HERE.

If you are interested in being a sponsor, that registration will open shortly HERE.

A light breakfast and afternoon snack are included in registration.

All in person conference attendees can receive a conference shirt by registering by April 1st AND completing the t shirt order form included in your registration email.

A hotel block is available at the Courtyard Marriott Bellevue, located at 3730 Raynor Parkway, Bellevue, NE 68123. The block expires March 24th at 11:59pm. Book by calling 402-408-5300 or reserving online HERE.

If you need to register a group, please email us at NCA@necounseling.org.

SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Conference check in, light breakfast, sponsor tables

8:30 AM -8:45 AM: Adventure for All Fundraiser

8:50 AM - 9 AM: Welcome Address

9:00 AM - 12PM: Keynote with Dr. Temple Grandin 12:00 PM - 1:30PM: Lunch/Sponsor Tables

12:30 PM: Facebook Live with Sponsors

1 PM-3 PM: Dr. Temple Grandin meet and greet

1:30 PM -3 PM Breakout 1

3-3:30 break/sponsor tables

3:30-5 Breakout 2

5: Closing Remarks in Auditorium

CE certificates will be provided by the NCA following your successful completion of a CE quiz (8/10 correct). If you have not received your live CE by April 25th at 12pm, and it is not in your spam folder, please email us at nca@necounseling.org. Registrants are responsible for maintaining their record of their CE's.

Recordings of the the conference will be available beginning May 1st, 2026, and will close July 31st, 2026 at 5pm. All CE quizzes are due at that time.

***UPDATED CANCELLATION POLICY: All registration cancellations and refund requests made prior to April 1st will be refunded 100%. Cancellation requests made between April 1st and April 16th will be processed with a $75 cancellation fee ($50 for Student/New Professional/Retired categories). No refunds of any kind will be granted after April 16th, 2025 for any reason. Refunds will not be issued for no-shows. Please note, you may register and choose the pay later option.

***Payments are due for online attendees by April 10th, 2026. Checks MUST be received at 6911 Van Dorn Street, Suite 2, Lincoln NE 68506 by that date. Any registrations for online attendees that have not been paid by that date will be canceled. In-person attendees may pay at check-in if needed.

***Student ID is no longer required at check in. All student members are required to provide proof of their student status within 10 days of registering as a member. If you have not provided proof of being a student, your student registration will be canceled. Please check your email or contact us for more details.

***To take advantage of MEMBER PRICING, you must be logged in to your NCA account prior to registering.

***To take advantage of STUDENT PRICING, you must be an NCA Student Member, and logged in to the NCA website prior to registering.

July 2026 RECORDED Free CEU for Members with Scott Walls (07/31/2026)

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Scott Walls, LIMHP Presents:

De-Escalation and Calming for the Escalated Client

(Pre-Recorded, Available On Demand until 7.31.26!)

Please join Scott Walls for the July 2026 RECORDED CE!

This course will provide a brief and concise overview for a variety of professionals working with clients from different backgrounds

Participants will learn:

1. The basics of a crisis cycle and corresponding strategies to adjust to different

levels of the crisis.

2. The contributing factors towards crisis situations

3. A step by step plan for how to avoid and deal with crisis situations

4. This program is useful for those in solo and group settings. The information is also useful for non-clinicians as well (case managers, technicians, support

workers, etc.)

This is a pre-recorded presentation, which you will receive access to once you have registered. Information will be sent via your registration email, including the video link, quiz link, and handouts. Please complete the quiz included in your registration email by no later than 5pm on July 31st, 2026 to receive your CE certificate. CE certificates will be sent automatically when you complete and pass the quiz (8/10 correct). You may take the quiz as many times is necessary to pass.

Interested in presenting? Contact us at nca@necounseling.org or complete this form: https://forms.gle/dWXMYAdQJHZaV3Y68

Photo courtesy of A. Hixon Photography

ACA Midwest Region - 2026 Leadership Development Academy: Navigating Change: Advocacy Leadership in a Complex World (11/06/2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

ACA Midwest Region – 2026 Leadership Development Academy
Navigating Change: Advocacy Leadership in a Complex World

Join us for an inspiring and transformative experience at the 2026 Leadership Development Academy, where mental health professionals from across the Midwest will come together to grow, connect, and lead with purpose.

Hosted by the Nebraska Counseling Association, this dynamic conference will take place November 6–8, 2026, at the Omaha Marriott Downtown in Omaha, Nebraska. Designed for counselors, educators, and mental health leaders at all stages of their careers, this year’s theme—Navigating Change: Advocacy Leadership in a Complex World—focuses on equipping professionals with the tools, insight, and confidence needed to lead effectively in an ever-evolving landscape.

Attendees can expect engaging sessions, meaningful networking opportunities, and forward-thinking discussions centered on advocacy, leadership development, and the future of the counseling profession. Whether you're looking to strengthen your leadership voice, stay ahead of emerging challenges, or connect with passionate peers, this academy offers an energizing space to do just that.

Additional details, including keynote speakers and session offerings, will be announced soon—stay tuned!

We look forward to welcoming you to Omaha for a weekend of growth, collaboration, and inspiration.

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This conference, barring unforeseen technical issues, will be recorded and available to registrants for playback and to obtain CE's from November 16th until February 15th, 2027.

Live attendance the day of will be the only registration option. We will not be offering live zoom registrations for this conference.

If you wish to submit a proposal to be a breakout speaker, apply HERE.

If you are interested in being a student volunteer, apply HERE.

If you are interested in being a sponsor, that registration will open shortly HERE.

Hotel Reservations can be made through October 9th. Please reserve online HERE.

If you need to register a group and would like a single invoice, please email us at NCA@necounseling.org.

CEU certificates will be provided by the NCA following your successful completion of a CE quiz (8/10 correct). If you have not received your live CEU by November 9th at 12pm, and it is not in your spam folder, please email us at nca@necounseling.org. Registrants are responsible for maintaining their record of their CE's.

Recordings of the the conference will be available beginning November 15th, 2026, and will close February 15th, 2027 at 5pm. All CE quizzes are due at that time.

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***CANCELLATION POLICY: All registration changes, cancellations, and refund requests made prior to October 1st will be refunded 100%. Cancellation requests made between October 1st and October 20th will be processed with a $75 cancellation fee ($50 for Student/New Retired categories). No refunds of any kind will be granted after October 21st, 2026 for any reason. Refunds will not be issued for no-shows. Please note, you may register and choose the pay later option.

***Payments are due at check in for the conference. If a check is being mailed on your behalf by a business, it MUST be received at 6911 Van Dorn Street, Suite 2, Lincoln NE 68506 by no later than October 21st, 2026. In-person attendees may pay at check-in if needed.