Upcoming Committee Meetings

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• Legal and Ethical Implications of Sexual Misconduct with Clients with Frances Schopick JD, MSW

  • When
    04/29/2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 2:15 PM
  • Location
    Live Synchronous Zoom Event
  • Spaces left
    151

  Register

  Description:

  Has a client ever told you they love you? Or said it might be nice to get to know each other better outside the therapy setting? Attraction between client and counselor is not unusual – but it must always be addressed with care and understanding of underlying meaning and potential consequences. State laws and regulations as well as ethical codes explicitly prohibit sexual relationships between counselors and clients, as they can cause harm, exploit power dynamics, and undermine treatment. Even so, you do not want to be caught unawares, at a loss for words, contemplating what to say for the first time as a client awaits your response. Sexual dynamics under any circumstances can be complicated. Counselor /client sexual dynamics are particularly complicated because they can put your job at risk, with your career hanging in the balance.

  In this webinar, Frances Schopick, JD, MSW invites attendees to an interactive presentation to learn about how some dynamics may heighten or mitigate risk, so that you can protect yourself and the client’s therapy with informed choices. We will consider boundaries and role clarity, as well as the unintentional sexualization of the therapy space, hormonal responses to gratitude, client responses to authority, sexual attraction that feels like “true love,” and predation.

  Anyone can be at risk for these dynamics. In fact, your greatest risk may be thinking you’re not at risk! This is a conversation that many counselors say they wish they had had in graduate school or early in their careers. Give yourself the opportunity to participate in this important discussion sooner rather than later so that the counseling session is preserved as a safe space for one and all.

  This program meets Washington State's Ethics CE requirement. 

  Objectives: Participants will:

  • Gain awareness of WA State laws, regulations, and sanctions pertaining to sexual misconduct.
  • Gain familiarity with relevant Codes of Ethics and ethical implications of sexual relations with current and former clients. 
  • Be able to identify risk factors correlated with counselor/client sexual interactions.
  • Be able to identify safeguards correlated with protective factors.

  Frances Schopick, JD, MSW is an attorney with an extensive background in clinical Social Work and psychiatric research. She served on the Psychiatry Faculties at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NYC and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA to research mood disorders, personality disorders, and psychotic illness. Personality disorders focused mainly on narcissistic, borderline, anti-social, and schizotypal personalities.

   Now an attorney in WA State, Fran represents health care providers undergoing licensing board investigations. To help licensees avoid such complaints, Fran develops Disclosure and Informed Consent resources tailored to individual practice, so that providers can simultaneously minimize counselor risk and maximize client care. Fran provides legal consultation to counselors and psychologists working with individual adults, children, couples, and families, often in “high conflict” situations. Fran speaks nationally on the importance of well-administered Informed Consent as well as the many factors that can affect and complicate clinical care. 

  

  This course is approved for 4 CE hours for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and all associate-level licensees in Washington State.

  
  

  Washington Mental Health Association (WMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2079. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. WMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  

  WMHCA Cancellation Policy

  To receive a refund, less a $15 cancellation fee, cancellations must be made by contacting WMHCA at least 48 hours prior to workshop date. There will be no refunds within 48 hours of the workshop date. Please make sure you have the link 24 hours prior to the event starting.
  

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• Professional Development and Education Committee Meeting

  • When
    05/01/2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The monthly meeting for the Professional Development and Education Committee. This committee normally meeting on the first Thursday of the month. 
  

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• Conference Task Force Meeting

  • When
    05/02/2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The conference task force is working on planning WMHCA's very first conference in nearly 10 years. We are looking for volunteers to join the conference task force.  WMHCA hopes the conference will be in the Spring of 2026.  The task force will meet the 1st Fridays of the month. 
  

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• Unveiling Transgenerational Birth Trauma (TBT): A Hidden Legacy of Psychopathology and Distress with Dr. Anadavalli, LPC

  • When
    05/02/2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Live Synchronous Zoom Event
  • Spaces left
    156

  Register

  Description:

  Transgenerational Birth Trauma (TBT) refers to the intersection of traumatic birth experiences and the transmission of psychological distress across generations. Despite the documented effects of transgenerational trauma, TBT remains a critical gap in research and practice. This presentation explores the clinical implications of TBT, particularly among immigrant mothers and families. Somatic memories of traumatic birth experiences can be transmitted, leading to strained mother-newborn relationships, attachment issues, behavioral problems, suicidal ideation, and relational difficulties. Addressing TBT is crucial for developing effective interventions and support systems. By acknowledging and exploring TBT, we can better understand its far-reaching consequences for mental health, relationships, and overall well-being across generations.
  

  
  

  Objectives:

  Participants will:

  • Understand the concept of TBT, its symptoms, and how it perpetuates psychopathology, psychological vulnerability, and distress across generations.
  • Learn how TBT affects mother-infant attachment, child behavior, and overall well-being, and how this impacts family dynamics and relationships.

  About the Presenter:

  Dr. Valli is an award-winning, nationally recognized trauma-informed mental health counselor and counselor educator. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in counseling and counselor education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Her previous degrees include a Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Currently, she serves as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Oregon. She is the owner and founder of Soulfulness Counseling, LLC, a private practice dedicated to serving women who have been exposed to early childhood trauma, in addition to being a Clinical Faculty at Southern New Hampshire university. An expert on minority women’s mental health needs, she has served as a consultant and speaker for several nonprofits and agencies. In addition to her numerous service roles, she also serves as the Associate Editor for The Professional Counselor, an open-access peer-reviewed counseling journal dedicated to advancing knowledge in the counseling field. As a counselor educator, Dr. Valli maintains a special commitment to experiential education when training graduate students in counseling. Her expertise in counseling skills, assessment in counseling, and trauma and crisis counseling are deeply appreciated by her colleagues and students. Her areas of research interest include international student mental health, AAPI mental health.

  Currently, she serves as a full-time Clinical Faculty at Southern New Hampshire University in the Counseling program. She also serves as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Counseling at Palo Alto University and Saybrook University.   

  She is a leader and change agent within the counseling profession and has spearheaded several grant-funded research initiatives which have been published in top-tier peer-reviewed counseling and allied journals. Dr. Valli is passionate about sustainability, gardening, and cooking. She enjoys connecting with land and natural beauty with her husband and baby boy.

  

  

  This course is approved for 2 CE hours for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and all associate-level licensees in Washington State

  
  

  Washington Mental Health Association (WMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2079. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. WMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  WMHCA Cancellation Policy

  To receive a refund, less a $15 cancellation fee, cancellations must be made by contacting WMHCA at least 48 hours prior to workshop date. There will be no refunds within 48 hours of the workshop date. Please make sure you have the link 24 hours prior to the event starting. 
  

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• Law and Ethics: Understanding Process, Risks, and Safeguards Related to Disciplinary Board Actions with Frances Schopick JD, MSW

  • When
    05/07/2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Live Synchronous Zoom Event
  • Spaces left
    151

  Register

  Description:

  One of the risks of being a counselor is that clients may file complaints against you to the Department of Health (DOH) for unprofessional conduct. In this 6-hour interactive webinar, Fran Schopick, JD, MSW, will help attendees recognize common risk factors and scenarios that may result in a risk of DOH complaints. Participants will learn best practices to clarify both client and counselor roles, avoid misunderstandings that can lead to complaints, and maintain scope of practice when clients enter litigation. We will also consider ways to address working with children, couples, and families engaged in “high conflict” family dynamics.
  

  Objectives:

  1. Attendees will identify at least three types of dynamics that may lead to DOH complaints.
  2. Attendees will be able to identify three practices that can mitigate risk of DOH complaint.
  3. Attendees will understand ways to remain within scope of clinical practice.
  4. Attendees will be able to name three common risks that can occur when clients are involved in litigation.
  5. Attendees will be able to identify the difference between clinical and legal advice.
  6. Attendees will understand particular risks and long-lasting effects of romantic relationships with current or former clients.

  About the Presenter:

  

  Frances Schopick, JD, MSW is an attorney with an extensive background in clinical Social Work and psychiatric research. She served on the Psychiatry Faculties at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NYC and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA to research mood disorders, personality disorders, and psychotic illness. Personality disorders focused mainly on narcissistic, borderline, anti-social, and schizotypal personalities.

  Now an attorney in WA State, Fran represents health care providers undergoing licensing board investigations. To help licensees avoid such complaints, Fran develops Disclosure and Informed Consent resources tailored to individual practice, so that providers can simultaneously minimize counselor risk and maximize client care. Fran provides legal consultation to counselors and psychologists working with individual adults, children, couples, and families, often in “high conflict” situations. Fran speaks nationally on the importance of well-administered Informed Consent as well as the many factors that can affect and complicate clinical care. 

  

  

  This course is approved for 6 CE hours for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and all associate-level licensees in Washington State

  
  

  Washington Mental Health Association (WMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2079. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. WMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  WMHCA Cancellation Policy

  To receive a refund, less a $15 cancellation fee, cancellations must be made by contacting WMHCA at least 48 hours prior to workshop date. There will be no refunds within 48 hours of the workshop date. Please make sure you have the link 24 hours prior to the event starting. 
  

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• Intro to Understanding Law Enforcement: Culture, Challenges, and Family Dynamics with Susie Kroll, LMHC

  • Start
    05/17/2025
  •  
  • End
    05/18/2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Mountlake Terrance Police Department at the MLT Civic Center
  • Spaces left
    23

  Register

  Description:

  This course is designed for anyone interested in becoming a law enforcement therapeutic provider.  Ideally, attendees should have a masters degree or higher in Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or a related field of study.  The WA licensure credentials include but are not limited to, LMHC(A), LMFT(A), MSW, and LICSW.

  Attendees will become familiar with facets of law enforcement as an industry, profession, culture, and environment with its own challenges and unique setting in which officers function.  Further, this two-day course will familiarize the attendee with the family dynamics that interplay with law enforcement as a profession.  

  Objectives:

  After the two-day course, licensed therapists and social workers will have systems familiarity and knowledge in the following areas:

  • Law Enforcement 101

  • Structure of the workplace

  • Paramilitary culture and “sense of family”

  • How individuals become law enforcement officers

  • Components of training and expectations of law enforcement

  • Physical demands of the job

  • Types of calls law enforcement go to-Trauma exposure

  • Types of roles law enforcement can hold within a department

  • Court process, reporting, prosecution, defense, public disclosure requests

  • Job Security-Complaints, Compliments, “Under the Radar”, resisting counseling

  • Firearms familiarity / Firearms as an extension of the person

  • Cultural Introduction

  • Warrior / Guardian Mentality

  • Dark humor and desensitization

  • Types of behavioral health issues first responders face

  • Suicidality

  • Peer Support in police vs Peer Support in Therapy

  • Substance abuse indicators

  • Barriers to seeking care

  • Political Terrain Navigation-criticism, kudos, and everything in between

  • Line of Duty Deaths and symbols

  • Personal Life and Family Dynamics

  • Family dynamics, divorce, children, relationships

  • Resources available for law enforcement and their families

  • Common coping skills

  • Your first session and building a therapeutic alliance (trust means something completely different)

  • Therapeutic Approaches

  • Understanding the process of a de-brief and a critical incident stress debrief

  • Balancing the duty or services to others and duty to self – sacrifice mentality

  • Mock Scenarios / Table-Top Discussions for Therapeutic Processing

  • Demonstrating true unconditional positive regard and non-judgement

  About the Presenter:

  
  

  Susie M. Kroll, MA, MHP, LMHC earned her Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from City University of Seattle.  She is an alum of the University of Washington having earned Bachelors degrees in Speech Communication and Zoology with a Marine Emphasis in 2001.  Susie started as a Clinician with a local community behavioral health agency upon earning her Masters. While employed with that agency, she promoted to Clinic Manager, Regional Operations Director, and Division Director overseeing the day-to-day operations of six outpatient behavioral health clinics in King County.
  

  Susie was the founding Mental Health Professional for the Law Enforcement and Mental Health Professional Co-Response Programs in Shoreline, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Redmond, and Duvall PDs.  She is a national educator and speaker on Crisis & De-Escalation, Mental Health, and Crisis Negotiation.  She instructs at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission and is the Mental Health Advisor for Crisis Systems Management.  She volunteers yearly at the Seattle King County Clinic as the Crisis Response Director.  More importantly, she is the fur-mom to two rescued kittens and a very clownish Umbrella Cockatoo.

  

  

  This course is approved for 15 CE hours for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and all  associate-level licensees in Washington State.

  
  

  Washington Mental Health Association (WMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2079. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. WMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  
  

  Workshop Cancellation Policy:

  To receive a refund, less a $15 cancellation fee, cancellations must be made by contacting sara@wmhca.org at least 7 days prior to workshop date. There will be no refunds within 7 days of the workshop date.
  

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• Social Connection Program Information Session

  • When
    05/27/2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The Greenwood Senior Center is celebrating the fourth anniversary of its Social Connection Program. Lack of social connection has been shown to have the same negative health impact as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Roughly one third of U.S. adults ages 50-80 report feeling lonely, isolated, or both some of the time or often. Such concerns prompted the creation of the Social Connection Program. What started as a small project has grown into a full-fledged program with many offerings focused on increasing social connection among older adults. The program has a strong focus on helping people understand the underlying reasons for social isolation and loneliness. Some participants desire additional, ongoing counseling to supplement their program participation. Come join Teresa Tam, the Social Connection Program Coordinator, to learn more about the program and partnership possibilities as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State.

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• Becoming a Counselor in Washington State

  • When
    06/02/2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The Washington Mental Health Counselor Association is presenting a free event for members on how to become a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State. Topics include, timeline to a counseling career, WA state Legislation and Licensing, Supervision and Tracking Hours, and much more.  It will be 60 to 90 minutes depending on participant engagement and Q&A. 
  

  

  
  

  
  

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• Professional Development and Education Committee Meeting

  • When
    06/05/2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The monthly meeting for the Professional Development and Education Committee. This committee normally meeting on the first Thursday of the month. 
  

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• Conference Task Force Meeting

  • When
    06/06/2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The conference task force is working on planning WMHCA's very first conference in nearly 10 years. We are looking for volunteers to join the conference task force.  WMHCA hopes the conference will be in the Spring of 2026.  The task force will meet the 1st Fridays of the month. 
  

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• Becoming a Counselor in Washington State

  • When
    08/28/2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The Washington Mental Health Counselor Association is presenting a free event for members on how to become a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State. Topics include, timeline to a counseling career, WA state Legislation and Licensing, Supervision and Tracking Hours, and much more.  It will be 60 to 90 minutes depending on participant engagement and Q&A. 
  

  

  
  

  
  

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• Becoming a Counselor in Washington State

  • When
    10/30/2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The Washington Mental Health Counselor Association is presenting a free event for members on how to become a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State. Topics include, timeline to a counseling career, WA state Legislation and Licensing, Supervision and Tracking Hours, and much more.  It will be 60 to 90 minutes depending on participant engagement and Q&A. 
  

  

  
  

  
  

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• Becoming a Counselor in Washington State

  • When
    12/01/2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  The Washington Mental Health Counselor Association is presenting a free event for members on how to become a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State. Topics include, timeline to a counseling career, WA state Legislation and Licensing, Supervision and Tracking Hours, and much more.  It will be 60 to 90 minutes depending on participant engagement and Q&A. 
  

  

  
  

  
  

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