PCA's 58th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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

2026 Conference Logo

 

AWARDS

The Call for Awards is open!  The deadline for submissions is Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 pm. This is the call for nominations to honor the hard work, commitment, and dedication of Pennsylvania counselors, students, supervisors, and programs. Please consider nominating a colleague, program, or graduate student for an award. The award categories are listed below. Winners will be announced during the 2026 PCA Conference.

  • 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.  

Submissions of award nominations will go through an online portal located here: PCA Awards Nomination Application and Information


CONFERENCE AGENDA

The full 2026 conference schedule will be available by the end of August in the conference app, SCHED. In the meantime, an overview of the schedule is available here: https://2026pca58.sched.com/list/simple.

PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTE

Pre-conferences can be added to any registration as a separate cost.  Please click the registration link below to register.

  • Pre-Conference 1: PS-SAIGE - Friday 11/6 9am-12pm (3 CEs)
    Queer Sexual Embodiment: Unpacking Intersectional Narratives and Re-Visioning Pleasure

    This presentation will explore intersectional queer pleasure and sexual embodiment and provide reflective opportunities for professional counselors to identify their growth areas and be curious about the places they experience discomfort in.

  • Pre-Conference 2: PASERVIC - Friday 11/6 9am-12pm (3 CEs) 
    Embracing Landscapes of Change: Integrating Values, Meaning, and Purpose in Times of Transition

 

PRESENTATIONS

The PCA conference call for proposals is CLOSED! We are thrilled to have received over 200 proposals, and our reviewer team is looking forward to reviewing them. We are aiming to have proposal decisions to prospective presenters by May 15th. 

A tentative agenda outlining presentations will be available shortly on the SCHED App. 

EMERGING LEADERS' PROGRAM

The call for emerging leaders program applications has closed for the 2026-2027 cohort. Be on the lookout for the application for 2027-2028 in Spring 2027. 

If you'd like to learn more about the emerging leaders' program, please join the PCA President and Emerging Leaders Program on August 24th:

August Office Hours: PCA President x Emerging Leaders Committee

August 24th, 6:00-7:00PM EST

Members of the NEW Leadership Committee from the Emerging Leaders' Program will be joining me to discuss this exciting program that is preparing to welcome their second cohort of leaders this fall. Whether you're interested in leadership development, becoming a mentor, or supporting the program as a committee member, we would love to hear from you! General PCA interest is also welcome! Please note that the application period for cohort 2 of the PCA Emerging Leaders Program has closed for this year. 

Sign up here for August!

 

REGISTRATION

Registration for the 58th Annual PCA Conference is OPEN! Please use this link to register using our event platform, SCHED: https://2026pca58.sched.com/registration. 

Registration fees include the full conference and all meals detailed in the schedule. Pre-conferences are a separate registration fee.

Full Conference Early-Bird (ends 9/15) Full Conference (after 9/16)
PCA Members - $269 PCA Members - $315
PCA Students - $159 PCA Students - $159
Non-Members - $369 Non-Members - $415
Non-Member Students - $209 Non-Member Students - $209

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

 

HOTEL AND AREA INFORMATION

The Hotel Booking Link for the Penn State Hotel and Conference Center is Live! You can click here to reserve your room for the conference: PCA Hotel Reservations Link

 

EXHIBIT AND SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES

PCA is excited to invite you to partner with us as a sponsor or exhibitor at the 2026 Annual Conference.  Each year, our conference brings together approximately 400 counseling professionals and students from across the state of Pennsylvania to learn, connect, and grow!

This year, we are offering a range of sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities designed to showcase your organization to our statewide network of counselors, educators, and students.  As a sponsor or exhibitor, you will gain visibility through recognitions at events, marketing, platforms, and exclusive opportunities to engage with attendees.

The exhibitor and sponsor application can be accessed here: PCA Exhibit and Sponsor Registration.

 

CONTINUING EDUCATION

The PCA Conference is a total of 13 CEs included in the full registration fee.  An additional 3 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. 

Joe Charette, PhD, LPC, NCC - 58th 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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