Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association Calendar RSS Feed

Apr 3, 2026 - Apr 4, 2026: Starting and Maintaining a Successful Therapy Practice

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:08 -0500

PRICING:

IMHCA Members: $249

Non-Members: $309

*Registration includes a 30-minute 1-on-1 consultation

10 CEUs Awarded

Presented By: Christine Barker, LCPC and Carmel Brown, LCPC

Launching a private practice is both exciting and challenging. This workshop is designed for mental health professionals who want to confidently start, structure, and sustain their own practice. Over the course of the training, participants will learn:

Foundational steps in setting up a practice, including choosing a business structure, meeting licensing requirements, and establishing policies and documentation.
Financial planning essentials, from setting fees to managing bookkeeping, taxes, and insurance considerations.
Best practices for ongoing operations, such as systems for workflow, client retention strategies, and compliance with legal/ethical standards.
Practical tools for creating a welcoming, efficient practice environment—whether in-person, online, or hybrid.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a clear roadmap for building a practice that aligns with your professional goals, serves your community, and supports long-term growth.

Christine Barker, LCPC - Christine has been in private practice for 15+ years, 10 years as a solo independent contractor and going on 6 years as a group practice owner. She cofounded Inner Courage Counseling, where she led, managed and grew a practice to its peak of 25 clinicians and 6 administrative staff for 5.5 years. Currently, Christine owns a small private practice in Naperville, IL, CB Counseling Services, where she manages a team of 2 part time clinicians and a masters level intern. Christine’s clinical focus includes treating clients who suffer from trauma, relationship issues, grief and loss. She is trained in EMDR, certified in CPT and divorce mediation. In addition to her clinical focus, Christine is an adjunct professor at Lewis University, provides supervision services to pre and provisionally licensed counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists. She also provides individual and group consultation assisting independently licensed practitioners start and maintain their own solo and group practices.

Carmel Brown, LCPC - Licensed therapist with more than 25 years of professional experience. My work history includes the State of Missouri’s Board of Probation and Parole, the not-for-profit sector as a program director, the state of Illinois at Alton Forensic center, and currently self-employed in private practice as a wellness professional and licensed therapist. I provide mental health services for individuals, families, and corporations and consulting for mental health professionals in private practice. I am a workplace wellness expert and have worked with national and international corporations and their employees during their times of tragedy, crisis, or distress. I offer corporate mental health and wellness services through a variety of EAP services such as, critical incident debriefing and stress management services, training, webinars, and workshops. I’m a Region Representative and a Chapter President for the Illinois Counseling Association and was awarded the Bea Wehrly Human Rights Award in 2022 by the ICA.

May 1, 2026 - May 2, 2026: NCMHCE/LCPC Test Prep Workshop

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:03 -0500

PRICING:

IMHCA Members: $299

Non-Members: $359

Presenter: Dr. Kevin Kusy

12 CEs

Time: 9 AM - 4 PM Each Day

We have redesigned our successful NCMHCE Test Preparation training to align it with the new narrative format that took effect in November 2022. This Test Prep will prepare you to pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) licensing exam — with flying colors!

*Please note that taking this course does not guarantee a passing exam score. This course is meant as a preparation course to help individuals better understand what to expect when going into the exam

What attendees gained from our latest NCMHCE Online training:

"Practical information to highlight what I needed further review. Gained a lot of confidence!"
"Learning the technique and receiving really direct and clear rationale behind information."
"The Presenter was excellent and provided the information in a very understandable format."
"No travel needed to access workshop."
"I like that the workshop was available as a webinar."
"Learning specific strategies and bodies of knowledge to help me do well on the exam."

May 27, 2026: National Louis University: Counselor Symposium

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:28 -0400

Featuring a presentation on Starting and Maintaining A Successful Private Practice by Carmel Brown, LCPC and Christine Barker, LCPC.

$15 for Professionals (Members and Non-Members)
FREE for NLU Students (Please call our office to register at 815-787-0515)

The specific time of Carmel and Christine's presentation is TBD, but we will provide more details as the event approaches.

Jul 31, 2026 - Aug 1, 2026: NCE/LPC Test Prep Workshop

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:08 -0500

PRICING:
IMHCA MEMBERS: $244
NON-MEMBERS: $299

Presenter: Dr. Kevin Kusy

9am-4pm Each Day - 12 CEs

The NCE is a computerized exam, comprised of 200 multiple choice questions. Prepare yourself by taking this test prep course to help you pass the exam. Topic areas include: Human Growth and Development, Social and Cultural Foundations, Helping Relationships, Group Work, Career and Lifestyle Development, Appraisal, Research and Program Evaluation, Professional Orientation, and Ethics.

*Please note that taking this course does not guarantee a passing exam score. This course is meant as a preparation course to help individuals better understand what to expect when going into the exam.

Nov 6, 2026 - Nov 7, 2026: NCE/LPC Test Prep Workshop

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:34 -0400

PRICING:
IMHCA MEMBERS: $244
NON-MEMBERS: $299

Presenter: Dr. Ashley Mitich

9am-4pm Each Day - 12 CEs

Nov 20, 2026 - Nov 21, 2026: NCMHCE/LCPC Test Prep Workshop

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:09 -0500