Guide to Professional Counseling Conferences (2026)
Counseling Schools Search
When you click on a sponsoring school or program advertised on our site, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
Conferences have the potential to benefit professionals on multiple planes. Conferences introduce counseling professionals to new strategies, techniques, or knowledge to deepen their capacity to serve their clients. They can also connect counselors to their peers, providing a network for support, business partnerships, and more. They allow professionals to connect with businesses providing services, technology, or products that can be useful to them or their clients. Some even hold space to honor counselors doing groundbreaking or superlative work through awards ceremonies.
Although it has been a while since the world moved past the challenges of Covid-19, many organizations are still working to provide all the benefits of the conference experience to those within the professional counseling community. Several organizations have embraced hybrid models, offering both virtual and in-person options to make conferences accessible to a wider audience. This approach allows participants to engage regardless of location, fostering broader participation and inclusivity.
The benefit of virtual conferences can be seen in CE opportunities. Most virtual meetings keep proceedings available on-demand well after the conference concludes, giving counselors the ability to earn as much CE as possible from their registration fee.
The lessons learned after the pandemic have influenced how counseling conferences are structured, with many continuing to offer hybrid formats. This ensures flexibility and accessibility, catering to professionals who may prefer virtual participation alongside traditional in-person gatherings.
The following guide to professional counseling conferences in 2026 offers information regarding specific conference offerings, registration price ranges, the number of CEUs being offered, and conference format.
Conferences for Professional Counselors of All Disciplines
11th Annual Law and Ethics in Counseling Conference
This national refereed conference, hosted by the University of Holy Cross and sponsored by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), brings together counselor educators, graduate students, and practitioners to explore the latest trends in law and ethics. Attendees learn from leading scholars through keynote addresses by experts like Dr. Mary Hermann, Dr. Warren Wright, Dr. Barbara Herlihy, and Dr. Gerard Lawson. The hybrid event offers in-person networking in New Orleans’ French Quarter. It also offers virtual access, with recordings available for one month post-conference to maximize CE hours. University of Holy Cross is an NBCC-approved provider.
- Date: January 27–30, 2026
- Location: Bourbon Orleans Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana (Hybrid: in-person and virtual)
- Cost: In-person full conference (professional: early bird – $315 and regular – $415; student: early bird – $195 and regular – $295); virtual full conference (professional: early bird – $175 and regular – $275; student: early bird – $55 and regular – $155); one-day/half-day options available
- CE Opportunities: Up to 19 NBCC-approved hours (virtual live) or 13 (in-person live), plus 100+ additional hours from recordings
American Counseling Association 2026 Conference & Expo
This conference experience will be hosted by the American Counseling Association, a professional not-for-profit educational organization that is dedicated to the enhancement and growth of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, the American Counseling Association is the world’s largest organization representing professional counselors in several practice settings.
The conference will offer continuing education credits, networking, and professional development for licensed counselors at this in-person flagship educational event. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with fellow mental health students and professionals and get the latest information, resources, and tools to support their work and earn continuing education (CE) credits.
- Date: April 9–11, 2026
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
- Cost: Member: $410 to $630; student, new professional, or retired member: $315 to $475; non-member: $675 to $875; and student non-member: $515 to $675
- CE Opportunities: Varies by session
Multi-Disciplinary Conferences Offered By State-Based Counseling Associations
The South Carolina Counseling Association, a state branch of the American Counseling Association, has been approved by NBCC as an approved continuing education provider.
The South Carolina Counseling Association’s 62nd annual conference has introduced its Learning Institute. The Learning Institute is their new, enhanced format replacing the traditional pre-conference. The sessions (morning, afternoon, evening) last two to four hours.
Topics for these sessions include ethically navigating the triangle strategy: social emotional learning through financial literacy; strategic and solution-oriented approaches to working with depression; mental health in the classroom; NCE refresher: a targeted review for licensure success; nonsuicidal self-injury: ethics and legal considerations for counselors; clinical and persuasive communication: supporting clients with suicidal ideation and complex traumabrief trauma treatment: solution-focused hypnotic regression; and integrating clinical reasoning into mental health diagnosis, among others.
- Date: February 18-20, 2026
- Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Cost: Professional member (three-day pass: $385; two-day pass: $275; one-day pass: $150); student member (three-day pass: $235; two-day pass: $175; one-day pass: $100); professional non-member (three-day pass: $460; two-day pass: $325; one-day pass: $175); student non-member (three-day pass: $295; two-day pass: $215; one-day pass: $120)
- CE Opportunities: Specific details regarding the number of Continuing Education (CE) units available at the conference have not been provided in the available information.
North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA), a state branch of the American Counseling Association, represents professional counselors in various work settings. Titled “Shaping the Future of Counseling: Innovation, Integrity, & Impact,” this annual conference will be an excellent opportunity for professional development, networking with peers, and engaging in inspiring sessions tailored for counseling professionals. NCCA has been approved by NBCC as an approved continuing education provider.
The conferences will be held at the Embassy Suites in Asheville, NC. Details about the available topics may be revealed in early January 2026.
- Date: February 19-21, 2026
- Location: Embassy Suites in Asheville, North Carolina
- Cost: Member (pre-conference rate for professionals: $135; pre-conference rate for graduate students: $85; two-day conference rate for professionals: $250; two-day conference rate for graduate students: $200); non-member (pre-conference rate for professionals: $160; pre-conference rate for graduate students: $110; two-day conference rate for professionals: $275; two-day conference rate for graduate students: $225)
- CE Opportunities: Several NBCC Hours will be offered
The South Dakota Counseling Association, a state branch of the American Counseling Association, has been approved by NBCC as an approved continuing education provider. The 2026 conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center, Rapid City. The theme for this year’s conference is “Celebrating Each Other Together”. It is important to note that while the association does give special consideration to presentations connected to the theme, their goal is to provide a well-rounded conference experience for all community mental health, private practice, and school counselors, and welcome a variety of presentation submissions.
SDCA is working on creating an exceptional professional experience for all counselors at the 2026 Conference. Previous conferences covered topics such as testifying in court, personality disorders, trauma-informed practices, addictions, stress management, grief and loss, eating disorders, and survivors of family suicide.
- Date: April 23-25, 2026
- Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
- Cost: TBD
- CE Opportunities: TBD
Conferences for Addiction and Substance Abuse Counselors
NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, will hold its 2026 conference in person in Kansas City, MO. The conference will include pre-conference training sessions as well as post-conference sessions.
NAADAC is currently seeking 2026 workshop proposals in the following areas: practice management, organizational competence, and technology; co-occurring disorders; psychopharmacology, medication for addiction treatment, pharmacotherapy, co-occurring medical issues, or advanced SUD-specific treatment; cultural humility & demographic-specific treatment issues; process addictions; peer recovery and recovery support; and higher education and behavioral health workforce development.
The 2025 conference had several nationally recognized speakers and over 40 CEs.
- Date: August 29-31, 2026
- Location: Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, Kansas City, MO
- Cost: TBD
- CE Opportunities: Up to 50 contact hours
Conferences for Grief Counselors
UWL International Death, Grief, and Bereavement Conference
Through its international death, grief, and bereavement conference, the University of Wisconsin La Crosse Center for Death Education and Bioethics is offering professional counselors the ability to learn more about the effects of ancestral, generational, and culturally shared grieving.
Conference topics for the 2026 International Death, Grief & Bereavement Conference that may pique counselor interest include redefining loneliness & aloneness; identity, marginalization & invisible grief; masculinity, silence & cultural expectations; developmental & relational dimensions of loneliness; connection, companioning & community support models; and innovation & creative healing approaches.
The conference is open to palliative care providers, hospice providers, program directors, funeral service directors, counselors, case managers, social workers, educators, individuals dealing with personal loss, and the general public.
- Date: Pre-conference (May 31, 2026); Conference (June 1–03, 2026)
- Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Cost: Attendees (pre-conference – $345; actual conference: early registration – $669, regular registration – $799); students (pre-conference – $125; actual conference – $289)
- CE Opportunities: TBD
Conferences for Marriage and Family Counselors
“Growing from Our Roots: Integrating Systemic Traditions with Modern Realities” is the theme for the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy’s annual conference in 2026. Taking place in Galveston, this conference is dedicated to grounding Texas MFTs and friends of the field in systemic theory and practice.
This year’s keynote speakers include Steven M. Harris, a professor in the department of family social science at the University of Minnesota, and Victoria Harrison, the author of numerous articles on research and clinical work.
Topics at the conference include contemporary couple therapy practice; co-creating ethical sex dialogue in supervision; expanding diversity: men as a cultural group; applying systemic approaches for divided families; neosystemic framework: navigating a world in flux; parts, politics, and presence; healing a bloodline of trauma: seeing the system; communication limitations in the therapy room; therapy with deaf clients: ethical considerations; supervision with an EMDR-trained consultee; multisystemic therapy: FIT in MFT; and therapy in an AI world: systems, ethical signals, among others.
- Date: April 9-11, 2026
- Location: Galveston, Texas
- Cost: Full conference early bird pricing (member: $330; non-member: $495; student member: $225; student non-member: $275); one-day pass (member: $210; non-member: $275)
- CE Opportunities: 15.5 contact hours
Conferences for Mental Health Counselors
The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an approved continuing education provider. It is a growing community of thousands of mental health counselors whose members are committed to furthering the education of licensed mental health counselors.
In addition to chapter leadership summits, keynote/plenary sessions, lunch and learns, and educational sessions, the 2026 conference has pre-conference training offerings as well. Most attendees will be able to accumulate their continuing education hours during the core conference days; however, they can earn additional continuing education hours by attending pre-conference workshops.
Conference topics include gender identity and sexual identity; children and adolescents; crisis counseling; supervision; substance use and co-occurring disorders; specialized clinical assessment; neuroscience; immigration and human trafficking; forensic evaluation; trauma; and couples and family.
- Date: June 23-26, 2026
- Location: Portland, Oregon
- Cost: Clinical or regular (early bird: $449; regular: $549); student, retired, or emerging member (early bird: $349; regular: $449); non-member (early bird: $499; regular: $599); non-member with one year of membership (early bird: $549; regular: $649); onsite rates (clinical or regular – $599; student, retired, or emerging – $499; non-member – $649; non-member with one year of membership – $699)
- CE Opportunities: up to 16 contact hours
Conferences for School Counselors
Palmetto State School Counselor Association (PSSCA) 2026 Conference
The Palmetto State School Counselor Association (PSSCA), a state affiliate of the American School Counselor Association, hosts this annual conference for school counseling students, graduate students, and emerging professionals. Attendees engage in breakout sessions on culturally responsive practices, data-driven advocacy, trauma-informed counseling, and ethical supervision, with keynote speakers and exhibitor resources tailored to build skills for K-12 school counseling careers. Student rates and networking opportunities make it ideal for those training to become school counselors. PSSCA offers NBCC-approved continuing education.
- Date: January 22–24, 2026
- Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Cost: Main conference (professional or affiliate member: $175; student & retiree member: $105; non-member: $225); pre-conference (member: $65; non-member: $100)
- CE Opportunities: NBCC-approved hours available
The 2026 ACCA Annual Conference will be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The conference theme is “Navigating the Tides: Charting the Course for a Changing World.” This year’s theme is focused on preparing college counseling professionals to navigate an evolving higher education landscape. The conference invites submissions and participation that align with this theme and contribute to advancing counseling practices on college campuses.
- Date: March 5-08, 2026
- Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Cost: ACCA professional members (early bird: $449; regular: $524); ACCA student members (early bird: $349; regular: $424); non-member professionals (early bird: $519; regular: $594); non-member students (early bird: $389; regular: $464); one-day registration ($275)
- CE Opportunities: 15 contact hours for the conference and six additional contact hours for the pre-conference workshop
The conference will be held at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. ASCA’s conference offers school counselors the opportunity to network with peers from across the country, the chance to find companies offering products to help with their work, and the opportunity to earn continuing education units.
This conference will include informative breakouts, inspirational keynotes, and in-depth looks at hot topics in the school counseling profession. The American School Counselor Association invites attendees to join K-12 school counselors, college professors, graduate students, school district directors, and counseling supervisors.
Approximately 5,000 school counselors attend each ASCA Annual Conference and come ready to learn about their organization and make purchasing or referral decisions. With numerous breaks and special activities scheduled in the exhibit hall, attendees will witness some of the best traffic they’ve ever seen.
- Date: July 11-14, 2026
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Cost: ASCA members (in-person: $449 to $549; virtual: $229); student members (in-person: $349 to $449; virtual: $189); retired members (in-person: $349 to $449; virtual: $189); principal ($449); non-members (in-person: $649 to $749; virtual: $399); presenters ($349 to $449); one-day only ($219 to $259)
- CE Opportunities: TBD
Becca Brewer, MEd
WriterBecca Brewer is building a better future on a thriving earth by healing herself into wholeness, divesting from separation, and walking the path of the loving heart. Previously to her journey as an adventurer for a just, meaningful, and regenerative world, Becca was a formally trained sexuality educator with a master of education.