Virginia Counselors Association 2018 Annual Convention

My name is JilliAn Moreland and I am a second year graduate student at Longwood University in the Counselor Education program, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track. Last month, I attended the VCA Annual Convention in Norfolk, Virginia. It was an unforgettable experience that I got to share with my professors and fellow students in my cohort.

It was encouraging to be surrounded by counselors from all over the Commonwealth of Virginia learning and growing in the profession, together. There were various sessions, covering a handful of diverse topics. Topics covered the importance of trauma-informed care, self-care, ethical issues, and other various important topics. My favorite session focused on the importance of collaboration and advocacy for K-12 students in crisis. I also appreciated the session that discussed the importance of self-care as a professional counselor.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have received a travel grant from Longwood for this event. Without it, I would not have been able to grow professionally at this level. Additionally, it helped create a closer bond between the individuals in my cohort. For future students, I highly recommend attending conferences and stepping out of your comfort zone to become a better counselor. Attending this conference helped solidify my identity as a counselor, and I am looking forward to attending future conferences to represent Longwood University’s Counselor Education program.