More than 200 members from the 13 states making up the Midwest Region of the American Counseling Association convened in Council Bluffs, IA,
with the goal of promoting leadership and cooperation between branches of ACA as well as the association as a whole at the Midwest Leadership Institute and Nebraska Counseling Association Annual Conference.

The three-day conference, which ran from Oct. 3-5, promoted the word “synergy” and touted “Thinking out outside the box” as a catchphrase for up-and-coming leaders to remember.

During his keynote ACA President Bradley Erford discussed his involvement in ACA in the last 15 years, ranging from what he called “glamorous” chairing positions to “not-so-glamorous” ones. But throughout his speech Erford stressed to conference attendees – one-third of those being students – that all of them are capable of reaching the same level of leadership as him– so long as they have the desire to do so.

The key, he told attendees, “Is to have the attitude of servitude. Advocacy is not just a word. It is a way of life.”

Along with having presentations on leadership, session topics included addiction, gambling (the conference was held on Harrah’s casino), healthy communities and current trends in the counseling profession.

Heather Rudow is a staff writer for Counseling Today. Contact her at hrudow@counseling.org.