Houston Psychological Association upcoming events

Fall Ethics & Diversity Day (September 25, 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for our annual Ethics + Diversity Day this fall, a full-day continuing education event focused on timely topics in ethics, diversity, and clinical practice.

The Council on Recovery
303 Jackson Hill St
Houston, TX 77007

This annual training offers psychologists and mental health professionals an opportunity to engage with important professional considerations, strengthen culturally responsive practice, and reflect on the evolving needs of the communities they serve.

The day will include an in-person morning session from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM featuring Michelle Fingeret and The Big Wellness Institute, followed by an online afternoon session from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM featuring Connesia Handford. For those attending in-person, we will view the afternoon session together as a watch party.

Lunch, for those who are attending both events in-person, will be provided by Salata for an additional fee.

Morning Session: Helping Clients Adjust to Body Changes Following Illness and Medical Treatment: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Psychologists

Body image concerns are among the most common yet overlooked psychological challenges experienced by individuals affected by illness and medical treatment. This interactive workshop equips psychologists with practical strategies for recognizing and addressing body image concerns, using cancer survivorship as the primary clinical focus while highlighting applications across a range of medical conditions. Participants will also explore how interdisciplinary collaboration with oncology aesthetics and oncology massage can complement psychological care and improve patient outcomes. Through case discussions, guided self-reflection, and interactive learning activities, attendees will leave with greater confidence in supporting clients as they adjust to body changes throughout the medical journey.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Describe the multidimensional impact of body changes following illness and medical treatment on psychological adjustment, functioning, and quality of life.
Recognize common body image concerns and identify opportunities to integrate body image care within routine psychological practice.
Apply practical communication and intervention strategies to support clients experiencing body image concerns using clinical case examples.
Explain how interdisciplinary collaboration, including partnerships with oncology aesthetics and oncology massage professionals, can enhance body image care for individuals affected by illness and medical treatment.

Participants will gain practical tools to more confidently identify, assess, and address body image concerns in clients affected by illness and medical treatment. They will leave with concrete strategies for initiating conversations about body image, integrating body image considerations into treatment planning, and collaborating with complementary healthcare professionals when appropriate to provide more comprehensive care.

About Michelle Fingeret, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Michelle Fingeret is a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience specializing in body image and psychosocial oncology. She served on the faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Center for more than a decade, where she developed the first comprehensive clinical, research, and educational program in the United States dedicated to body image care for cancer survivors. In 2017, she founded Fingeret Psychology Services to expand access to specialized body image support, professional education, and consultation. She is also the co-founder of the Body Image Group (BIG) Wellness Institute, an interdisciplinary educational initiative that provides innovative training and resources to help healthcare and wellness professionals integrate body image care into oncology practice.

instagram.com/fingeretpsychology
facebook.com/BigWellnessInstitute
facebook.com/FingeretPsychology
instagram.com/bigwellnessinstitute

Join The Big Wellness Institute's Email list here!

Afternoon Session: The Ethics of Being Seen, Heard, and Valued: Exploring Epistemic Injustice and Racial Trauma Support

At its core, a primary function of mental health support is to help clients feel affirmed and supported in their endeavor to navigate distress. However, despite being a salient experience for many, racial stress and trauma is often overlooked in clinical practice and conceptualizations. Through an ethical lens, this presentation will explore the impact of gaps in racial trauma informed treatment and training and the role mental health professionals play in alleviating or perpetuating the experience of epistemic injustice for the clients we serve.

Attendees will deepen their understanding of epistemic injustice and its ethical implications
Attendees will explore what epistemic injustice looks like across mental health practices
Attendees will learn practical strategies to disrupt the experience of race-based epistemic injustice in their practice

After this training, attendees will have a deeper understanding of their role in fostering a psychologically safe space where clients are believed, affirmed, and supported as they navigate their lived experiences.

About Connesia Handford, PsyD, Racial Trauma Consulting Psychologist

Dr. Handford is a licensed psychologist, published author, and consultant specializing in racial trauma and its impact on identity development. Both the identity of individuals and the identity and culture of systems. As a consultant, she partners with organizations with anti-racist intentions to guide and support systemic transformation. With a diverse range of professional experiences, she integrates rigorous psychological training into her consulting approach with a deep commitment to healing justice, equity, and community empowerment.

linkedin.com/in/connesia-handford-psyd-7b271224

Join Dr. Handford’s Newsletter: Naming the Pain…Buffering the Impact https://drhandfordpsyd.kit.com/consultant

October CE Training with Jessica Jackson (October 23, 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training featuring Jessica Jackson, who will present “Clinical Practice in the Digital Era: AI and Emerging Technologies.”

Digital mental health is reshaping the clinical landscape. Today’s therapeutic ecosystem includes AI-assisted documentation, generative tools that support treatment planning, digital assessments, predictive analytics, virtual reality exposure interventions, app-based adjuncts, asynchronous care platforms, and data-informed care models. For therapists, the critical question is not whether these tools exist, but how they meaningfully integrate into clinical practice. This 60-minute workshop provides a structured, clinically grounded framework for evaluating and incorporating digital mental health technologies into clinical care. Participants will explore practical use cases across the treatment ecosystem, from behind-the-scenes workflow supports to client-facing digital interventions, and apply a step-by-step decision model to assess fit, clinical utility, and limitations.

Designed for psychologists and mental health professionals who work with adult clients, this session offers a valuable opportunity to stay informed, think critically about technology’s growing role in clinical work, and consider how digital tools may impact both providers and clients.

Key Takeaways:

Differentiate among major categories of digital mental health technologies, including AI-assisted documentation, generative AI tools, virtual reality interventions, digital assessments, predictive analytics, and app-based adjuncts and describe their potential roles within clinical practice.

Develop a structured digital tool integration checklist that evaluates clinical fit, therapeutic impact, client safety, cultural responsiveness, privacy considerations, and scope of practice before incorporating a digital tool into treatment.

Apply clear clinical criteria to determine when digital mental health tools are appropriate, when caution is warranted, and when integration may not be clinically indicated.

CE Annual Pass (October 23, 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

HPA Annual CE Pass

The Houston Psychological Association Annual CE Pass is designed for psychologists and mental health professionals who want ongoing access to HPA’s Monthly CE Trainings throughout the year. Annual passholders receive access to all monthly continuing education events hosted by HPA, making it easier to stay engaged, expand clinical knowledge, and participate in timely professional development opportunities.

With one annual pass, members can plan ahead for a full year of learning, connection, and growth. Trainings feature a range of relevant topics for today’s clinicians, including ethics, diversity, clinical practice, emerging trends, and specialized areas of mental health care. This pass is a convenient option for professionals who value consistent continuing education and want to stay connected to the HPA community year-round.

November CE Training with Jennifer Bahrman (November 13, 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training featuring Jennifer Bahrman, who will present on “Psychologist Wellness.”

More information coming soon.

CE Annual Pass (November 13, 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

HPA Annual CE Pass

December CE Training with Nathan Barclay (December 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training featuring Nathan Barclay.

More information coming soon.

CE Annual Pass (December 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

HPA Annual CE Pass

January CE Training with Michael Gomez (January 08, 2027)

Fri, 08 Jan 2027 18:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training featuring Dr. Michael Gomez, who will present “Effects of Stress on Immigration and Refugee Populations: Understanding the impact on children and families."

This course is designed to help public mental health providers encountering families where immigration experience, refugee status or other related phenomena are salient. This training explores how different stressors such as discrimination, language barriers, legal uncertainty etc. can significantly impact the mental health of children, youth and families. The training will also address cultural competency frameworks, and trauma-informed best practices tailored to the developmental needs of children and adolescents, with a focus on families experiencing immigration or refugee status. Providers will explore how Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) affects this vulnerable population.

Designed for psychologists and mental health professionals in active practice with diverse populations, this session offers a valuable opportunity to learn how to incorporate traumatic grief treatment into work with this population, and witness a clinical demonstration of relevant treatment techniques look like for this population.

Key Takeaways

Upon completion of training, participants can be expected to:

1. Describe how PTSD and C-PTSD symptomology are applicable to the immigration and refugee experience.

2. Identify specific resources that are relevant for families who are impacted by the immigration experience.

3. List specific evidence-based practices that have been empirically evaluated on this population.

4. Describe how grief is a core phenomenon in the immigration experience

CE Annual Pass (January 08, 2027)

Fri, 08 Jan 2027 18:00:00 GMT

HPA Annual CE Pass

February CE Training with Suni Osborn (February 12, 2027)

Fri, 12 Feb 2027 18:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training featuring Suni Osborn, who will present on “Maternal Mental Health.”

More information coming soon.

CE Annual Pass (February 12, 2027)

Fri, 12 Feb 2027 18:00:00 GMT

HPA Annual CE Pass

March CE Training (March 05, 2027)

Fri, 05 Mar 2027 18:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training.

More information coming soon.

CE Annual Pass (March 05, 2027)

Fri, 05 Mar 2027 18:00:00 GMT

HPA Annual CE Pass

Springs Ethics & Diversity Day (April 23, 2027)

Fri, 23 Apr 2027 14:00:00 GMT

More details coming soon!

May CE Training with Kim Richards (May 14, 2027)

Fri, 14 May 2027 17:00:00 GMT

Join the Houston Psychological Association for its Monthly CE Training featuring Kim Richards, who will present on “Countertransference and the Therapeutic Relationship”

More information coming soon.

CE Annual Pass (May 14, 2027)

Fri, 14 May 2027 17:00:00 GMT