Posts tagged Virginia Counselors Association

Virginia Counselors Association Convention

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 1.01.54 PM

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Virginia Counselors Association Annual Convention for the second year in a row. The convention was held at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA. At the convention, I attended several sessions on topics such as bully prevention programs, non-suicidal self-harm, overcoming tragedies, using students as leaders in counseling, having a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset, how counselors and attorneys work together, and using board games and computer games in counseling. The keynote speaker, Sherene McHenry, delivered an inspiring and informative address on love languages and how we can use them to strengthen relationships in both our personal and professional lives.

Aside from learning and expanding my counseling knowledge, my favorite part of the convention was networking with classmates, alumni, and professors from Longwood, along with my internship supervisor and other colleagues and professionals. Once again, the Virginia Counselors Association Convention left me feeling refreshed and even more excited and prepared to begin my career as a professional school counselor.

Virginia Counselors Association Convention

IMG_2093This November, I had the opportunity to attend my first Virginia Counselors Association Annual Convention, which was held in Williamsburg, VA.  Throughout the convention, I attended several sessions on topics that will help me to become a successful school counselor, such as bucket filling, creatively expressing emotions, positive behavior interventions, social media, and even how to use dance and yoga in the classroom or during counseling sessions.  The motivational speaker, James Lloyd, was incredibly entertaining and motivated me to not only be a better counselor, but to be a better person as well.  His words on genuinely making others feel important and taking care of yourself will stick with me for many years to come.  In addition to learning a variety of new counseling strategies and resources, I really enjoyed networking and getting to spend time with other grad students, friends, and professors outside of the classroom.

The conference was a very inspiring and refreshing experience that has left me with new tools, greater friendships, and even more excitement as I move closer to starting my career as a counselor.  I am already looking forward to attending next year’s convention!

Virginia Counselors Association Convention 2014

imageThe VCA convention was absolutely a remarkable experience. I believe every one should take the opportunity to attend one while a student or counselor. As a student preparing to indulge in the counseling field it was inspiring to be apart of such a big event. One gets the opportunity to notice numerous counselor come together and celebrate their accomplishments. They all seem to want to make an impact in children’s lives, as well as help those who need assistance. The atmosphere as I attended the three day convention remained positive through  out the entire conference. Everyone was so welcoming, wanting to learn about one another and what position they play in schools or institutions. It was great to meet new people and find out their “stories” and where are they come from.

During the convention, I learned plenty while attending each of the session. Each presenter had a great topics to introduce and discuss; all worth listening and learning from.  One of my favorite lectures dealt with adolescents and social media. It gave a great insight of today current trends and how adolescent use social medias such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and etc.If possible, I would want to attend again next year.

Virginia Counselors Association (VCA Convention 2014)

FullSizeRender

(left to right) Lisette Bennett, Chelsea Carroll, Ashlie Robertson, and Elizabeth Forman

I attended the Virginia Counselors Associations (VCA) Convention in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was a wonderful, exciting, and educational experience. The convention began on Thursday and ended Saturday afternoon. It was a very valuable experience to be able to attend various sessions on different topics throughout the counseling field. I was able to attend eleven different sessions. I really enjoyed the keynote speaker, James Lloyd. James did a great job captivating and inspiring the audience. I also enjoyed the humor he blended into his speech. One of my favorite experiences during the convention, was having the opportunity to be able to converse with counselors practicing in multiple settings and agencies.

I really enjoyed that the convention was in Williamsburg, VA. It was nice to be within walking distance of Colonial Williamsburg. During the lunch sessions, it was very easy to walk to Colonial Williamsburg to get a bite to eat. Furthermore, it was nice to be able to spend time with fellow Counselor Education students and hear about the sessions they attended. Overall, I had a fabulous experience at the VCA Convention and I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to be able to go and learn new techniques and ideas that are occurring in the counseling world. I look forward to implementing some of the ideas I was given into my current internship.

Go to Top