PCA's 58th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Join us at the Penn State Hotel and Conference Center November 5-8, 2026

• Awards
• Conference Agenda
• Presentations
• Pre-Conference Institute
• Registration
• Hotel and Area Information
• Exhibit and Sponsor Opportunities
• Continuing Education
• Disclaimer

AWARDS

The Call for Awards will open in April 2026. Please consider nominating yourself or a colleague! 

• PCA Outstanding Practitioner Award: Awarded to an outstanding professional counselor for service to the profession; nominees must be current PCA members.
• PCA Lifetime Achievement Award: Awarded to a PCA member who is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania resident and who has demonstrated outstanding dedication, service, and/or achievement in professional counseling. A PCA member can only receive this award once.
• PCA Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award: Awarded to an outstanding professional counseling program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. At least one member of the counselor education program must be a PCA member.
• PCA Outstanding Graduate Student Award: Awarded to an individual who is currently a graduate student in professional counseling within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and who shows excellent potential and professionalism; preference will be given to a PCA student member who has had some involvement with the association.
• PCA Outstanding Research/Publication Award: Awarded to a PCA member who has contributed to the professional counseling profession through outstanding effort in the area of research and/or publication.
• PCA Outstanding Supervisor Award: Awarded to a PCA member who has demonstrated outstanding work as a supervisor in a university, community/mental health counseling, or school setting.
• PCA Outstanding Professional Teaching Award: Awarded to a PCA member to honor excellence in teaching in a counseling, counselor education, or counseling supervision program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

David W. Hall Advocacy Award: Awarded to a PCA member who has promoted the profession of counseling through advocacy to whom the many professional counselors in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are forever indebted.  

CONFERENCE AGENDA

The full 2026 conference schedule will be available beginning in May 2026 in the conference app. Below is an overview of the tentative conference schedule.  

PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTE

Pre-Conference Details will be available in May 2026 when Registration Opens. 

• Pre-Conference 1: Leadership - Thursday 11/5 1-3:30pm
• Pre-Conference 2: PS-SAIGE - Friday 11/6 9am-12pm
• Pre-Conference 3: PASERVIC - Friday 11/6 9am-12pm 

PRESENTATIONS

The Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s 58th Annual Conference will be held at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center - November 5-8th, 2026.  This year’s theme is “Embracing the Journey: Leading Through Change and Transition” Proposals should be geared toward counselors, supervisors, graduate students, or educators.  The deadline to submit proposals is Wednesday April 1st, 2026 at 11:59PM.

All proposals should address this year’s theme as one of four (4) presentation types: 

• 90-minute Education Session
• 1 hour Education Session
• 1 hour Roundtable Session 
• 30-Minute Poster Session

Please note that if you are submitting a proposal for an education session or roundtable, presenters should be prepared to present on Friday OR Saturday. 

All proposals will be accepted via SCHED. Additional details about the proposal requirements and process are available in the proposal form. 

Click Here to Submit a Proposal

REGISTRATION

Registration for the conference will open on May 1st, 2026. Registration fees include the full conference and all meals detailed in the schedule. Pre-conferences are a separate registration fee.

*Student pricing will remain the same through the entire registration period*

HOTEL AND AREA INFORMATION

Information about booking accommodations at the Penn Stater Hotel will be made available by May 1st, 2026. The Penn Stater has established a discounted group rate for conference attendees. 

EXHIBIT AND SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES

PCA offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities and is actively seeking sponsorships for the 2026 Conference. PCA is also seeking exhibitors for the exhibit hall at the conference. The Exhibitor and Sponsor Application will open in April 2026. 

For more information, contact the PCA Conference Sponsorship Coordinators at pca.programs@gmail.com. 

CONTINUING EDUCATION

The PCA Conference is a total of 13 CEs included in the full registration fee.  An additional 5.5 hours may be earned by attending a pre-conference Institutes as an additional cost.

The Pennsylvania Counseling Association has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider ACEP No. 2039. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Pennsylvania Counseling Association is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

The conference committee can be reached by emailing pca.programs@gmail.com. 

Joseph Birli, EdD, LPC, NCC - 58th President of PCA

Joe Charette, PhD, LPC, NCC - 57th President of PCA, Programs Co-Chair

Stephanie Onkst, PhD, LPC - Programs Co-Chair

Michael Stephens, PhD, LPC - Logistics Chair 

PCA EVENT ATTENDANCE DISCLAIMER

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) conferences, meetings, and events constitutes an agreement by the registrant to PCA for use and distribution, now and in the future, of the registrant or attendees’ image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions and audio of such events and activities to illustrate and promote the PCA experience and products.

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