The Touchstone Foundation will host our first-ever Student Symposium: A Peer-to-Peer opportunity to learn about the professional and personal journey towards a license (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT) in the Mental Health field at IU13 in Lancaster, PA. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary of elevating the mental wellbeing of youth and children in Lancaster County, this event will foster a community of support for students exploring careers in the mental health field.
Our goal is for students at each level of education to connect and learn from each other, building a community of support and practice towards a clinical license in the mental health field. This dynamic Student Symposium is centered on mutual education regarding the journey towards becoming a licensed mental health provider, such as a therapist, counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and more. High school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates are all welcome to attend.
At the event you can expect to…
We welcome you to sign up to participate as a panelist for a small
group breakout session. We encourage you to share your first-hand
knowledge with students who are interested in learning from you about
your recent experience. We encourage our current and past scholarship
and fellowship participants to serve as panelists.
Breakout panelist sessions will focus on:
Sierra McNeil, MSW, is a dedicated social worker focused on promoting awareness of underrepresented groups and driving system change. As Director of Workforce Development, she addresses the behavioral health workforce crisis in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. She has contributed to the update of PA Crisis Regulations, the 988 Advocacy Coalition, and crisis system mapping efforts. Sierra currently serves as NASW-PA President and previously sat on the NASW National Board. She led NASW-PA’s Social Justice Committee, founding a peer support group for Black female social workers. Sierra is passionate about improving mental and behavioral health care for all.
CLINICAL SPECIALIST AND PRIMARY COUNSELOR, BLUEPRINTS FOR ADDICTION RECOVERy
Jacquelyn Palm serves on the Access Committee and supports clients in addiction and mental health recovery at Blueprints for Addiction Recovery. She has worked as a counselor at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and held roles in restaurants, mental health insurance, and billing. Jacquelyn has served on ethics and trauma-informed care committees and participated in Touchstone Foundation programs. A Mental Health Careers Scholarship recipient, she earned her Human Services degree from Elizabethtown College in May 2024.
Ryan is a practicing licensed professional counselor (LPC) focusing on clinical mental health and substance use disorders with individuals, couples, families, and groups. He is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) and formerly a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSTOP). When not teaching in Immaculata University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, you can find Ryan working with and mentoring students to become the best counselors they can be while supporting students who wish to pursue doctoral degrees.
“Licensure can be a very overwhelming process for most people. From the cost of private supervision, to finding a supervisor who is going to push you enough to advance your skills, dealing with imposter syndrome, finding time to meet the licensure requirements, and then you need to complete all of the paperwork for licensure application. When it was my time to start the licensure process, I was surprised with how little people knew about the licensure procedures and what a license would do for me. All of these experiences led me to providing supervision for pre-licensed counselors to help them to be the best counselors possible, but also to understand the licensing process so that they can be of service to others who are starting the licensure process. While it is not difficult to obtain a license, knowing all of the ins and outs of the process can be the part that is overwhelming to most.”
Want to join us as a Community Partner?
Send an email to Intern@touchstonefound.org for more information