Counseling + Coaching + Recovery + Marriage and Family
You don’t want to miss this one!
What you will learn
Dear Colleague:
Built around the four streams of: Counseling, Recovery, Marriage and Family, and Professional Coaching, the 2020 Mega National Christian Counseling Conference will feature our signature “Specialization” Counselor Training and Coaching Intensives, along with engaging keynote addresses from “world-class” leaders, powerful praise and worship, cutting-edge professional workshops, fellowship, and networking. It is shaping up to be one of our best ever events! The best news, you can tailor the 2020 National Conference to meet your personal and professional needs!
Conference Option 1: Specialization Counselor Training and Coaching Intensives
Want more advanced training? Drawing on the latest research, each intensive will feature 12 full hours of in-depth training throughout the conference from national experts—all in an interactive, experiential environment. Connect with colleagues… learn and grow together… and best of all, walk away with a Professional Certificate of Completion that will better equip you to provide competent counsel and care. These intensives will run from Thursday morning through Saturday afternoon, breaking for plenary sessions.
Conference Option 2: Pre-conference and Conference Workshops
Pick and choose. Create your own conference schedule and make sure to come early for one of our full or half-day pre-conference workshops. In addition, you can choose from eight diverse professional conference tracks, including Child, Adolescent and Family Issues and Interventions, Love, Sexuality and Relationships, Couples in Crisis, Relationship Conflict and Marital Recovery, Grief, Crisis, Trauma and Disaster, Addiction, Relapse and Recovery, Clinical Assessment, Research and Evidence-based Practices, Professional Life Coaching and Consultation, The Faith Factor and Spiritual Interventions … and much more!
Whether it’s attending an Intensive or creating your own conference schedule, we promise you won’t be disappointed. Join counselors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, pastors, ministry leaders, and coaches from around the world!
Our Mission:
To educate, empower and equip today’s Christian counselors, leaders, churches and parachurch organizations by creating a reservoir of knowledge, resources, support and networking opportunities for marriage and family issues.
My prayer is that you will join us to be better encouraged, trained and equipped in the work God is calling you to. Mark your calendar now for September 17-19, 2020!
Workshops are Launching Soon!

SPEAKERS
DAYS
WORKSHOPS
AACC National Conference
Two Options to Tailor the National to Your Needs
We’ve created the AACC National with YOU in mind…
030. Complex Trauma: The Healing Gateway to New Life and Real Relationships
040. Love, Sex, and Attachment: Building and Strengthening Emotional Closeness with Couples
050. Brain Health, Neuroscience, and Therapy
060. ***Treating Compulsive Sexual Behavioral Disorder and Infidelity
070. ***Building and Maintaining a Thriving Coaching Practice
080. The Unique Role of Emotional and Relational Intelligence and Spiritual Formation in Helping Clients Manage Anger, Anxiety, and Depression
Choose Your Pre-Conference and Conference Workhops
Pick and choose. Create your own conference schedule and make sure to come early for one of our full or half-day pre-conference workshops. In addition, you can choose from eight diverse professional conference tracks, including Child, Adolescent and Family Issues and Interventions, Love, Sexuality and Relationships, Couples in Crisis, Relationship Conflict and Marital Recovery, Grief, Crisis, Trauma and Disaster, Addiction, Relapse and Recovery, Clinical Assessment, Research and Evidence-based Practices, Professional Life Coaching and Consultation, The Faith Factor and Spiritual Interventions … and much more!
Full Pre-Conference and Workshop Listing below!
Option 1 Intensive Pricing:
Hurry up and get the Early Bird Savings discount while it lasts!
Option 2 Pricing:
Hurry up and get the Early Bird Savings discount while it lasts!
International/Student/Spouse
- Badge to All Workshops and Keynotes
- Must Be a Full Time US-Based or International Student or Spouse of Registered Attendee
Schedule
We’ve created the AACC National with YOU in mind…
AACC recommends that attendees watch their chosen Pre-conference Workshops and/or Intensives before the Opening Plenary Session on Thursday, September 17th. Attendees will have 30 days from September 17th to view all purchased Pre-conference Workshops, Intensives, Track Workshops, and/or Plenary Sessions.
Intensives and Pre-conference Workshops will be online
Track Workshops Will be online
Opening Virtual Plenary Session
Virtual Plenary Session
Virtual Plenary Session
Virtual Plenary Session
Virtual Plenary Session
AACC recommends that attendees watch their chosen Pre-conference Workshops and/or Intensives before the Opening Plenary Session on Thursday, September 17th. Attendees will have 30 days from September 17th to view all purchased Pre-conference Workshops, Intensives, Track Workshops, and/or Plenary Sessions.
Pre-Conference Workshops
Pre-Con Pricing: Members – $49 / Non-Members – $69 / Student or Spouse – $29
8:30 – 11:45 AM
005. Youth Suicide: The Increasing Threat to Children, Teens, and Young Adults
Summary
Suicide is a growing threat to our youth. It is the third leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10-24 in the U.S. The suicide rate for youth has nearly tripled since the 1940s and continues to increase and impact younger and younger kids. Anyone who works with a young person, children, or teens needs to be trained to understand the threat of suicide and the best ways to protect those in their care. Our culture and the rapidly changing impact of social media are leveling new threats at young people daily. This workshop will seek to increase awareness of the most recent developments and statistics for youth suicide and highlight factors most highly correlated with suicide risk in children and teens.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
Review current data about suicide in the U.S. among children and teens
Explore child and teen suicide cases to gain a better understanding of the factors involved, including bullying, alcohol and drugs, sexual violence, and LGBTQ issues
Discuss media and social media factors impacting the youth culture and suicide
006. ***God, Soul Care, and 21st Century Professional Counseling
007. When Love Hurts: Domestic Violence, Trauma Care, and Intervention
008. ***Christian Counseling Ethics and the Law: 21st Century Developments and Hot Potato Issues
009. Control Freaks, Toxic Anger, and Violence
010. His Brain, Her Brain: Maximizing Meaningful Connection and Intimacy in Love and Marriage
011. ***Problematic Internet Use and Mental Health Implications
1:45 – 5:00 PM
016. ***Developing and Maintaining a Thriving Lay Counseling Ministry
017. Childhood Oppositional Defiance and Rage: Diagnosis Treatment for Severe Mood Regulation
018. Intimate Deception: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal
019. Childhood Trauma, Epigenetics, and Mental Health
020. Complicated Grief and Loss: Finding Hope Beyond the Pain and Suffering
021. Abuse, Trauma, and the Emotionally Destructive Marriage
022. ***Living Beyond Pain: A Holistic Approach to Manage Pain and Get Your Life Back
023. Neuroscience, Mental Health, Addiction, and the Church: What You Need to Know
Track Workshops
John Trent, Ph.D., Gary Sibcy, Ph.D., and Daniel Sweeney, Ph.D.
Possible Topics: Media and Culture; Birth Order Influence; Conduct and Oppositional Disorders; Attachment Disorders; Teen Sexual Behavior (Pregnancy, STDs, Abstinence); Suicidal Ideations; Self-injury; Eating Disorders; Substance Abuse; Impact of Parental Divorce; ADD/ADHD; School Problems; Parenting Styles; Communication and Conflict Resolution; Generation Gap; Remarriage and Blended Families; Special Needs Children; Attachment-based Parenting; Biblical Discipline; Balancing Marriage and Parenting
Tim Jennings, M.D., Daniel Amen, M.D., and Michael Lyles, M.D.
Possible Topics: Applications of Neuroscience, Psychotherapy and Brain Plasticity; Cutting-edge Research; Interpersonal Neurobiology
Leslie Vernick, M.S.W., Sharon May, Ph.D., Jesse Gill, Psy.D., and David Hawkins, Ph.D.
Possible Topics: From Conflict to Collaboration; How to Build Honesty, Trust and Understanding; Personality Differences; Family of Origin Issues; Characteristics of Lasting Relationships; Dating/Pre-marital Issues; Infatuation vs. Biblical Love; Gender Differences and Communication; Approval-seeking; Friendships; Importance of Christian Community Strengthening Marriage; Cultivating Love and Intimacy; Spiritual Oneness; Disaffection; Rebuilding Trust; Rekindling Romance; Marriage as a Safe Haven; Anger and Intimacy; Reconciliation and Forgiveness; Selflessness
Jennifer Cisney Ellers, M.A., Michele Louviere, M.A., M.Div., Gary Oliver, Ph.D., and Kevin Ellers, D.Min.
Possible Topics: Styles of Grieving; Loss of a Child, Spouse or Parent; Sudden Death as Loss; Counseling with Cancer Victims/Terminally Ill; Pathological Grieving; Complicated Bereavement; Suicide; Survivor Guilt and Fostering Resiliency; Crisis and First Responder Training; Acute Stress; Natural Disasters; Domestic and Community Crisis Response; Physical, Sexual, Verbal, Spousal and Spiritual Abuse; Abuse by Counselors/Ministers; Hiding and Denying Abuse; Neglect; PTSD; Dissociation; Recovered Memories; Secondary/Vicarious Trauma; Disasters and Accidents; Compassion Fatigue; War/Refugee Trauma; Spiritual vs. Secular Trauma Treatment; Critical Incident De-briefing
Stephen Arterburn, M.Ed., David Jenkins, Psy.D., David Stoop, Ph.D., and Rick Amato, M.A.
Possible Topics: Styles of Addictive Disorders; Disease Model vs. Psychosocial Disorder vs. Moral Responsibility; Relapse Issues; Cutting-edge Detox Treatments; Poly-Drug Abusers; Ecstasy Abuse; OxyContin and New Drugs of Abuse; Sex Addiction; 12-step Programs and the Church; Role of the Holy Spirit and Accountability in Recovery; Harm-reduction Model
Eric Johnson, Ph.D., Matthew Stanford, Ph.D., and Ev Worthington, Jr., Ph.D.
Possible Topics: Models and Assessment of Christian Counseling; Empirically Supported Treatments for Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Personality Disorders and Psychotic Disorders; Bio/Psycho/Social/Spiritual Development; Dual and Differential Assessment; Research in Diagnostics and Treatment Planning; Eating Disorders; Addictions; EMDR; Biofeedback; Visualization; Outcomes-based Research; Brief vs. Longer-term Therapy
Shannon Ethridge, M.A., Georgia Shaffer, M.A., Mark Crear, Ph.D., and Ben Allison, J.D., M.B.A.
Possible Topics: Strategies to Reach Clients; Launching and Growing a Successful Coaching Practice; Coaching Assessments and Tools; Career Planning and Vocational Development; Marriage/Relationship Coaching; Leadership/Executive Coaching; Divorce Coaching; Online Assessments/Survey Tools; Health/Wellness Coaching; Spiritual Formation Coaching; Financial Coaching; Developing an Online Presence; Marketing Yourself
Ian Jones, Ph.D., Ph.D., Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D., and Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D.
Possible Topics: Spiritual Disciplines; Experiencing God; Biblical Mediation; Forgiveness; Theology of Spiritual Transformation; Role of Scripture in Counseling; Confession and Repentance; Biblical Change Processes; Idols of the Heart; Suffering and Faith; Resisting Temptation
Contact Us
Need Help?
Call 800.526.8673 to speak to a Member Services’ representative or E-Mail our helpful customer service representatives at: contactmemberservices@aacc.net
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:30 AM – 6:30 PM ET