ATTENDING

• Why should you attend?

  The American Counseling Association Conference & Expo is the premier professional development and networking event for licensed professional counselors, students, and mental health professionals. This year we are heading back to face-to-face to celebrate 7 decades of Empowerment, Community, and Compassion.

  By registering for this year’s 2023 Conference, attendees will have the opportunity to earn 1.0 continuing education credit (CE) for each hour of attendance at select education sessions over the course of two days.

• What are the dates of the conference?

  ACA Conference & Expo dates are Thursday, March 30 – Saturday, April 1, 2023.The Expo Hall will be open on Thursday, March 30th and Friday, March 31st.

• Where will the ACA Conference activities be held?

  The Conference Keynote, Registration, Education Sessions, and Expo Hall will all be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. All ACA and Division business meetings and social events, such as board meetings, committee meetings, and receptions will be held at the Westin Harbour Castle Toronto hotel.

• What is the dress code for the conference?

  Conference Sessions: In an effort to maintain a professional atmosphere, we require business casual attire for all conference sessions. Please refrain from wearing shorts, baseball caps, flip flops, halter cut tops, sun dresses, torn/frayed denim, club wear, and any other inappropriate workplace attire.

  Thursday Night Opening Celebration: Dress to Impress and wear comfortable shoes to dance the night away.

• Where do I find a schedule of events?

  The 2023 Conference & Expo session sorter schedule is available here.

• Will there be an Expo Hall or Career Center?

  Yes, there will be an Expo Hall and a Career Center, both located in the Metro Toronto Convention Center.

• Will there be networking opportunities? How can I meet people?

  This year, during our 2023 Conference & Expo, you’ll be able to engage, find support and inspiration in connecting and reconnecting with your colleagues in the mental health community. Featured events include the ACA Opening Party, ACA Division Receptions, Career Center Networking events, and various opportunities on in the Expo Hall.

• What food is provided at the conference for attendees?

  Below are a few of the opportunities provided for food at the conference:
  - Thursday, March 30 - 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Expo Hall Grand Opening - light hors d’oeuvres
  - Thursday, March 30 - 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm ACA Opening Celebration - select food stations and heavy hors d’oeuvres
  - Friday, March 31 -12:15 pm - 2:00 pm boxed lunches will be provided for all attendees in the expo hall. In addition, food kiosks available in the Metro Toronto Convention Center
  - Saturday, April 1 - 11:30am - 1:30 pm food kiosks available in the Metro Toronto Convention Center

• What lunch options are available for attendees to purchase?

  There will be food carts during breakfast and lunch hours in the Metro Toronto Convention Center. On Saturday, April 1st, ACA is providing first come first serve $5 off coupons (of purchases $7 or more) for attendees to take advantage of from 11:30am – 1:30 pm while supplies last. Additionally, you will find many restaurants within walking distance of the Metro Toronto Convention Center and at each of the ACA contracted conference hotels.

• What are some things to do and see nearby?

  A few of the area attractions in Toronto include: the CN Tower-a top attraction, as well as the Harbour Front Centre, which is a hub of cultural activities, innovative arts, performances, and events by the water. The Entertainment District and the Distillery District are home to unique shops and restaurants. We invite you to check out the city of Toronto’s website for more options!

REGISTRATION

• What’s included in the full registration rate?

  • Educations Sessions - All taking place Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1st
  • Poster Sessions – All taking place Friday, March 31st
  • General Session and Keynote on Thursday, March 30th, 5:00pm – 6:30pm, Metro Toronto Convention Centre
  • General Session on Friday, March 31st, 11:00am – 12:15pm, Metro Toronto Convention Center.
  • ACA Opening Night Celebration-Thursday, March 30th 8:00pm-11:00pm
  • Access to the exhibit hall to include the opening reception Thursday, March 30th. Be sure to visit the Career Center and ACA Experience.
  •ACA and Division meetings and social events
  Additional information can be found on our Conference at a Glance here

• Can I register for the Conference onsite?

  Yes, attendees can register for the conference onsite. The onsite rates (dates) are March 30-April 1, 2023.

• Where can I pick up my conference badge?

  All conference attendees will need to pick-up their registration badge onsite at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in the South Registration Hall.

• ADA Accommodations

  If you should require ADA assistance during the Conference, please complete the ADA questionnaire when registering for the Conference. For additional inquiries, contact the ACA Events team 10 days prior to the start of the conference

• Cancellation and Refund Policies

  All registration cancellations and refund requests must be made in writing via email by March 23, 2023. You will receive a refund minus a $75 cancellation fee ($50 for Students/New Professional/Retired categories). No refunds will be granted after March 23, 2023. ACA regrets that refunds will not be issued for no-shows.

EDUCATION (PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)

During the ACA 2023 Conference & Expo, attendees will be able to select from 26 topic track categories with over 300 sessions.

• What type of session content will be available?

  During the 2023 ACA Conference & Expo, we are offering a variety of sessions providing attendees with several continuing education credits. Session dates, times, locations, titles, descriptions, presenter name(s) and presenter bio(s) are available here for attendees to view.

• Will there be a maximum capacity for the sessions, or can an unlimited amount of people enter a session?

  Yes, there will be maximum capacities for individual education session rooms based on COVID-19 protocols and fire marshal capacities.

• Will there be Pre-conference Learning Institutes?

  There will be no Pre-conference Learning Institutes this year. All education opportunities are included with registration and begin on Friday, March 31, 2023.

• Will there be live streaming for sessions available?

  No, there will be no live streaming offered for education sessions at the 2023 in-person Conference. For virtual education, we invite you to visit our website for more information (as it becomes available) on our upcoming 2023 Virtual Conference Experience.

• Will CE credits be offered for the 2023 ACA Conference?

  Yes, CE hours are available on over a hundred sessions. Each session listing will clearly identify the credit amounts available and approved by various organizations. Our website has a full list of education sessions that will be offered.

• Will CE credits be offered?

  Attendees can earn 1.0 continuing education (CE) contact hour for each hour of attendance at select education sessions.

• Will I receive a certificate acknowledging my participation?

  Attendance certificates are not issued; however, attendees have the ability to claim CE credit for time spent in education sessions during the conference.

• How will I receive my CE certificate?

  Step 1: Login using your ACA username and password at https://education.counseling.org by June 30, 2023
  Step 2: Click Dashboard on the left navigation
  Step 3: Click ACA 2023 Conference & Expo under Course Overview
  Step 4: Select the session you attended at conference and complete the required Evaluation. Do this for EACH session you attended.
  After you have evaluated all the sessions attended, click Transcript on the left navigation to view/print your CE Certificate.
  Deadline: Attendees must complete evaluations by June 30, 2023, in order to receive CE credit.

• How can I connect with a speaker or presenter?

  Some presenters have opted to share their contact information within their session handout(s). For keynote speakers, we recommend reaching out to them via their social media channels.

• How can I submit a proposal for presentation consideration at the 2024 Conference?

  More information on the 2024 Call for Proposals will be released in June 2023.

• Who are the keynote speakers?

  We're delighted to announce our first keynote speaker for ACA's 2023 Conference & Expo, Dr. Wendy Borlabi! Widely respected as an innovator in unlocking high performance in teams and individuals, Dr. Borlabi is the director of performance and mental health for the Chicago Bulls. You won't want to miss her keynote address at ACA's General Session & Opening Keynote on Thursday, March 30th at 5:00 PM!

  Dr. Romie Mushtaq is a board-certified physician, award-winning wellness speaker, and the founder of “brainSHIFT at Work.” She brings together over 20 years of authority in neurology, integrative medicine, and mindfulness to not just deliver programs, but create cultural change.

  She is on a mission to transform mental health and wellness in the workplace and currently works with Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, & global associations. You won’t want to miss her keynote address at ACA’s General Session & Closing Keynote on Friday, March 31st at 11 AM!

ACA CONTRACTED HOTELS

• There are three contracted conference hotels in Toronto:

  The Westin Harbour Castle Toronto (Host Hotel) - One Harbour Square, Toronto, ON M5J1A6
  Delta Hotels Marriott Toronto - 75 Lower Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J3A6
  Marriott Toronto City Center - One Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON M5V1J4

• How do I make a reservation at one of the ACA contracted hotels?

  Please make your hotel reservations at one of the contracted hotels. ACA is committed to these contractual obligations in order to bring the guest room rates down from regular pricing. If you stay at a hotel other than one of the ACA conference hotels, we may fall short of our housing obligations and will be responsible for paying lost income to our hotels, which could result in higher registrations fees and fewer benefits for attendees.

• Who should I trust when making a reservation?

  ACA is not utilizing the services of any housing bureau for the ACA 2023 Conference & Expo. Reservations should be made directly with the hotel, either by phone or the link we provided for each hotel on our website. When calling, please be sure to reference the discount code provided.

  Be aware that third party companies may target conference exhibitors and attendees with offers for discounted hotel room rates. Booking rooms through such companies (e.g. “housing company”) or others may result in false or incorrect reservations, charging of additional convenience fees, loss of deposit monies, or other penalties. ACA cannot guarantee room rates or availability provided by any of these companies. If you provide your credit card information to any unauthorized vendors, your card may be charged but you may not have a reservation when you arrive in Toronto.

• Will ACA provide shuttle buses from hotels to Conference?

  Yes. ACA will provide shuttle bus transportation between all ACA-designated hotels and the Metro Toronto Convention Center. Attendees should check their hotel lobby for shuttle bus schedules.

Conference Mobile App

• How do I download the app?

  The 2023 Conference App can be downloaded from your phone’s app store: Android or Apple. Here is the app page with links and qr codes for downloading.

  The app is the one stop shop for all things conference and will have the most up to date information regarding sessions, meetings and receptions!

• What do I do if I have technical issues with the app?

  There is a help area in the app and onsite there will be an app help desk.

ACA Virtual Conference Experience

• Will there be a virtual conference option for those who are not vaccinated and cannot attend in person?

  The ACA Annual Conference & Expo in March is a distinct event and will not have a virtual component. Currently, ACA is exploring options for a separate virtual conference to take place in fall 2023 as well. If a separate virtual conference is scheduled for this coming fall, the two events will have separate costs and registration guidelines and will not be interchangeable.