Mississippi College’s First Rehab, Counseling Symposium Uncovers Emerging Trends in the Industry
Dozens of rehabilitation and counseling professionals throughout the Southeast will visit the Mississippi College campus on Friday, Aug. 9, to explore the latest developments within their ever-evolving industry.
Sponsored by the Mississippi Chapter of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and MC’s Doctor of Professional Counseling Program, the daylong symposium, “Emerging Trends in Rehabilitation, Counseling, and LCP Practices,” will include presentations by some of the area’s leading professionals and will conclude with an engaging panel discussion among the guest speakers.
The daylong event will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Anderson Hall in the B.C. Rogers Student Center. Virtual attendees may also join the conference online.
Lisa Busby Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling at MC and president of the Mississippi Chapter of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, said the conference is expected to attract a diverse group of counselors, life care planners, physicians, nurses, attorneys, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and others to the Clinton campus. The IARP is the premier organization serving more than 2,500 professionals in the private rehabilitation industry.
“We’re thrilled for Mississippi College to host this event and for our D.P.C. Program to be a featured sponsor,” Thomas said. “Partnering with the local chapter of the nation’s premier rehab professional association adds to the prestige of MC’s program.
“The conference provides an opportunity for professionals to network with one another and to hear discussions of the hottest topics in the field.”
Mississippi College’s online Doctorate in Professional Counseling Program has been recognized as one of the most affordable online doctoral programs in the nation. Thomas said the event will provide an opportunity to recruit students for the program.
“This program is not just for students in Mississippi – since it’s virtual, anyone in the U.S. can earn a degree from our program,” she said.
A pair of Mississippi College faculty members will join experts in the field of rehabilitation and counseling as keynote speakers at the conference.
Kayla Acklin, assistant professor and department chair in the Department of Counseling at MC, will discuss “Suicide Assessment and Treatment,” while Amy Vlach, assistant professor of psychology and counseling, will present “Aspects of Trauma and Addiction.”
Acklin obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in counselor education and supervision at Duquesne University before joining the MC faculty. Her clinical and research specialties include perinatal mental health and wellness, trauma counseling, and suicide assessment and prevention.
A Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, Vlach obtained her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the University of Mississippi. She worked as a therapist in various clinical settings and has been a professor in the D.P.C. Program at MC since 2013.
Dr. Howard Katz, medical director of neuro rehab care at NRC TASS/Asher’s House in Crystal Springs, the TASS Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, REMED of Louisiana in Covington, and Neuro Rehab Care in Hammond, Louisiana, and Gini Gentry, his nurse practitioner, will give the opening presentation, “Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation.”
“They will showcase the Virtual Reality system being used in rehabilitation today,” Thomas said. “It is a unique system that we’re excited to learn more about.”
Board-certified in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation and board-certified in the subspecialties of spinal cord injury medicine and brain injury medicine, Katz received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences and completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Chair of the Board of Directors of the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi and the Mississippi chapter of the United Spinal Association, he is certified by the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners.
Chris Wallace, director of Methodist Orthotics and Prosthetics, a division of the Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, will discuss “Current and Emerging Technologies in the Treatment of Limb Loss.”
Certified in orthotics and prosthetics by the American Board for Certification and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, Wallace obtained his Masters of Health Science from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He has more than 35 years of clinical and technical experience in orthotics and prosthetics, overseas operations, and clinical care with MRC.
Christopher Skerritt, a vocational rehabilitation expert based in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and Paul Bourgeois, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Haven, will cover “Artificial Intelligence Use in Practices.”
Skerritt earned his Masters of Education in rehabilitation counseling at Springfield College, Massachusetts. An expert in life care planning, assistive technologies, career counseling, psychometric test administration and analysis, and medical cost projections, he has a background in rehabilitation needs, vocational evaluations, labor market analysis, employability assessments, and Social Security vocational issues.
A Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and national certified counselor, Bourgeois obtained his doctorate in rehabilitation counselor education from the University of Arizona. He has more than a decade of experience as a professor, researcher, rehabilitation counselor, and vocational consultant.
Members of the Board of the Mississippi Chapter of the IARP will conclude the session with a lively panel discussion on “Ethical Considerations in Rehabilitation and Life Care Planning.” Throughout the conference, exhibitors will showcase the latest products, and attendees will receive information for further study.
The event is free of charge for students and faculty, $25 for IARP members, and $75 for non-members. Continuing education credit is available for a wide range of disciplines. For more information or to register, click here or email Thomas at lthomas@mc.edu.
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