NJMHCA - New Jersey Mental Health Counselors Association

Dear One and All,

Our organization represents mental health clinicians in all types of settings - schools, agencies, and private practice. We are dedicated to improving mental health services for the consumer on a state and national level as well as advocating for all Licensed Professional and Licensed Associate Counselors (LPC and LAC) in the state of New Jersey. Licensed Professional and Licensed Associate Counselors are master level clinicians who have attained their licenses following a rigorous program of study and experience. Their license is renewable every two years with a requirement of continuing education. They utilize many different theories of psychology and counseling along with practical and skill based resources. If you are seeking a counselor, please click on FIND A COUNSELOR for a selection of names and location in your area. We believe the information found on this website will be beneficial to both clinicians and consumers. We hope you agree! If you have any suggestions or comments, email us at presidentelect@njmhca.org

Sunday Brunch
June 2, 2013 * 12 PM to 5 PM * 3-CEU’s
Holiday Inn, 1 Rt 46, W. Totowa, NJ
Law/Ethics 973-785-9000

Presenter: John MacDonald, JD
Legal and Ethical duties are often ambiguous or conflicting for counselors and clients. John MacDonald will review common issues and discuss best practices for protecting your client and your practice..

How To Negotiate Law and Ethics
Make checks payable to “NJMHCA” - $55.00 per person 908-581-2277 Send to: Ruth Altamura-Roll, 35 Spring St., Flemington, NJ 08822

"Resilience, Transformation and Advocacy" is Theme of AMHCA's 2013 Conference

October 3, 2012 – Alexandria, VA – The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) is pleased to announce that "Resilience, Transformation and Advocacy" is the theme for the organization's 2013 annual conference. The conference will take place July 18-20, 2013, in Washington, DC, at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel.

Chairing the conference planning committee is AMHCA president-elect, Judith Bertenthal-Smith, LPC, ALPS. "This event brings mental health counselors together to help build our resilience and transform our work not only as individual clinicians but as a field," Bertenthal-Smith said.

"AMHCA's conference has a proud tradition of offering an outstanding program tailored especially for clinical mental health counselors," said W. Mark Hamilton, PhD, AMHCA executive director and CEO.

AMHCA will solicit program proposals for the 2013 conference beginning in October and will provide submission procedures on the conference website, www.amhcaconference.org.

To All Member of New Jersey Mental Health Counselors

New Jersey and New York have suffered great losses and devastation due to Sandy. I would like to suggest to all Licensed Professional Counselors who have the ability and who are in safe place to consider offering their services to their communities. Consider volunteering at the Red Cross or Salvation Army. Contact your local Office of Emergency Management service to find out if you can donate your services to local shelters. Or offer up to three free sessions to anyone in your community who may be in need of emotional support due to anxiety, depression, loss and grief and acute stress.

To find a shelter or donate to the Red Cross, go to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

SALVATION ARMY: Nationwide, the Salvation Army is providing support, including food, hydration and cleanup kits. The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by this disaster to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word STORM to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, "Yes." At this point, in-kind donations, such as used clothing and used furniture, are not being accepted for hurricane relief.

UNITED WAY: United Way Worldwide has created the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund, which will be distributed through local United Way organizations across the eastern portion of the United States.
Donations to the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund can be made online at uwsandyrecovery.org. A $10 donation can be made by texting the word RECOVERY to 52000. People who need assistance may call 2-1-1 or visit www.wv211.org for disaster information and for resources in their communities. For more information, contact United Way of the River Cities at 304-523-8929.

VERIZON FOOD DRIVE: Local Verizon Wireless locations are collecting nonperishable food through the month of November to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy.

We are a strong group of well trained therapists and counselors. Let's help our fellow citizens get through this crisis.

Thank you.
Ruth Altamura-Roll, MA. NCC, LPC
President of NJMHCA
Licensed Professional Counselor

New Jersey Mental Health Counselors 5th Annual Retreat
Click here to read more.

It’s that time of year to take the time to rejuvenate the counselor’s soul! Take time to connect with others in the counseling field, enjoy a tranquil setting and earn some CEU’s as well! Price includes room, dinner Friday through brunch Sunday, snack breaks, CEU’s, and full use of the facilities.
Contact Ann Adornetto at changework@mac.com for more information.

NJMHCA Self Care Retreat Surpasses Its Promise
Written by Kathy Parte-Willbergh, MA, LPC

As individuals and clinicians, we frequently say these words: Breathe. Slow down. Take time for you. Reflect. Relax.

On a good day we may get to the gym for an hour of yoga, or make it home in order to take a walk, or get to spinning class… only to realize that we’ve been spinning all day. When we can accomplish even a piece of peace it is rewarding. We know how important it is for our minds, bodies and spirits. Yet, often excuses, some better than others, prevent us from taking healthy action.

The retreat that Heidi Brogan and Ann Adornetto organized for the weekend of Oct. 22nd to Oct. 24th 2010 was a "Magical Mystery Tour" into a place of release, rhythm and renewal. Those of us who participated are quite pleased with ourselves. We appreciate the fact that being able to attend was a luxury but we also recognize that our choice to go meant that we were (at the risk of sounding trite) "walking our talk."

Outstanding presenters, including some of our own members, had us: discussing ethics, singing, exploring our dreams, doing yogic breathing, finding our joy through psychodrama, singing again, drumming, continuing to sing, and imagining peace. We danced together. We cried together. We laughed together. We were together!

Under the direction of music therapist, Kymberly Tindall, we even wrote fresh new lyrics to Green Day’s “Time of Your Life.” The words sum up our experience:

I’d like to practice long and richly live my faith
And have a strong connection to my grandkids and family.
I know what I need is right in front of me;
It’s not a question, but to live life blissfully!
Chorus:
It’s something that’s attainable and in the end it’s right.
I know I’ll have the time of my life.

Please consider joining us next year and if you would like more information about the top-notched presenters, contact Heidi Brogan at hkbrogan@iecounseling.com