MetroMFT upcoming events

MD Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists - August Meeting (Friday, August 21, 2026)

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:30:00 GMT

We encourage MetroMFT members to attend the monthly Licensure Board (BoPCaT) meetings and represent our field by being a thoughtful, listening MFT presence during the public sessions. Your participation helps strengthen the visibility and voice of marriage and family therapists within our professional community.

Our goal is to have at least one or two members attend each month. If you’re interested in advocacy and supporting the profession, please click this link to attend the meeting:

https://meet.google.com/nbr-bcqg-mke

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 267-689-8192‬ PIN: ‪498 972 751‬#

Please complete this google form and let us know you attended and share your takeaways!

https://forms.gle/W6N6JEknGfqkWEFUA

Board Website

https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/index.aspx

DBT-Informed Safety with Teens and Families - MetroMFT Peer Consultation in August (Friday, August 28, 2026)

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join us for a MetroMFT Peer Consultation Group hosted by Laura Goldstein, LCMFT, focused on DBT-Informed Safety with Teens and Families. Adolescence can be a time of emotional intensity, risk behaviors, and relational stress — and many clinicians seek supportive, practical approaches to safety planning that are grounded in evidence and compassion.

In this session, Laura will facilitate discussion around applying DBT-informed principles to safety planning, risk assessment, and engagement with teens and their families in ways that promote connection, self-regulation, and collaboration. Clinicians are invited to bring cases or questions related to safety work, DBT frameworks, and family involvement. Whether you’re new to DBT concepts or looking to deepen your clinical application, this group offers a collaborative space to learn and reflect with colleagues.

Come ready to engage, reflect, and learn with colleagues!

2026 MetroMFT Peer Consultation Schedule

September 25: Self-Care for Therapists hosted by Jordan Madison
October 23: Trauma-Informed Consent for Therapy hosted by Alexandra Simione
November 13: Case Consultations hosted by Alexandra Simione

Have you enjoyed our monthly peer consultation groups? We are looking for LCMFT volunteers to host our 2027 Peer Consultations! If you want to facilitate one monthly group please email Liann Seiter Brown at vicepresident@metromft.com.

Please note: Peer Consultation Groups are collaborative, member-led discussions. Ideas, perspectives, and recommendations shared during these sessions represent the opinions of participating therapists, not of MetroMFT as an organization.

Therapist Community Meetup: Art All Night in Petworth, DC (Friday, September 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Please join us for a fun, informal gathering at Petworth's "Art All Night" arts festival. This is a chance to enjoy local art, dance performances, listen to live music, and connect with fellow therapists in your community.

What to Expect

- Live music and art demonstrations throughout the event in an open-air setting.

- Relaxed networking with local therapists and mental health professionals.

- Family friendly. Expect to see many kids, and feel free to bring loved ones!

More information can be found on the Art All Night website:

https://www.petworthmainstreet.org/art-all-night-petworth

All clinicians are welcome. Plan to meet outside Loyalty Books on 9th St. at 5:30pm.

Please register if you plan to attend.

We hope to see you there!

The Ideal Practice Collective: A Yearlong Book Club & Support Group - September Meeting (Monday, September 14, 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Turn uncertainty into momentum — one month at a time.

Building a successful private practice takes more than clinical skill. Many therapists find themselves:

Struggling to launch and unsure where to start.
Working to build and maintain strong referral sources.
Avoiding or fearing the business side—marketing, planning, or finances—that feels overwhelming.

You’re not alone.

Join MetroMFT for a yearlong journey through Lynn Grodski’s Building Your Ideal Private Practice and the accompanying Twelve Months to Your Ideal Private Practice Workbook. Expect monthly discussions, accountability, and peer support—designed to help you build a thriving, sustainable practice with confidence.

Build community. Build confidence. Build your ideal practice.

Focus for September's Meeting

Profit: Making Peace with Making Money

"Show me the money! This month, take steps to ensure that you have a highly profitable practice. Examine your thoughts and feelings about money and profit, check your profit picture against a reliable formula, evaluate your current fee structure, see how to raise fees successfully, and build a business not just to own, but to sell."

To best prepare for this month's meeting we suggest you:

✅ Complete Your Monthly Prep Form

✅ Workbook: Profit: Making Peace with Making Money

✅ Book: Why Good Therapists Go Broke

See the 2026 Reading Schedule for the Ideal Private Practice Collective.

For any questions about the Ideal Practice Collective please email Liann Seiter Brown at liann@alignedfamilytherapy.com.

Please note: Ideal Practice Collective Meetings are collaborative, member-led discussions. Ideas, perspectives, and recommendations shared during these sessions represent the opinions of participating therapists, not of MetroMFT as an organization.

MD Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists - September Meeting (Friday, September 18, 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Our goal is to have at least one or two members attend each month. If you’re interested in advocacy and supporting the profession, please click this link to attend the meeting:

https://meet.google.com/nbr-bcqg-mke

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 267-689-8192‬ PIN: ‪498 972 751‬#

Please complete this google form and let us know you attended and share your takeaways!

https://forms.gle/W6N6JEknGfqkWEFUA

Board Website

https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/index.aspx

Self-Care for Therapists - MetroMFT Peer Consultation in September (Friday, September 25, 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join us for September’s MetroMFT Peer Consultation Group, hosted by Jordan Madison, LCMFT, with a timely focus on Self-Care for Therapists.

As we transition out of summer and into the back-to-school season, a time when many clinicians experience an uptick in their intakes, this session offers a supportive space to reconnect with yourself before the fall rush begins.

Whether you’re seeking ideas for balancing workload, setting boundaries, cultivating rest, or integrating small daily habits that protect your emotional and physical well-being, this group invites open dialogue and shared strategies from fellow therapists.

Come ready to engage, reflect, and learn with colleagues!

2026 MetroMFT Peer Consultation Schedule

October 23: Trauma-Informed Consent for Therapy hosted by Alexandra Simione
November 13: Case Consultations hosted by Alexandra Simione

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ethical Therapy in Uncertain Times (Friday, October 02, 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:30:00 GMT

At its core, ethical practice requires us to attend to harm–preventing it when possible, ameliorating its effects and facilitating repair when not. But we live in a time where we struggle to collectively recognize the harms taking place. This presents a challenge to us as clinicians. How do we help our clients when people don’t agree on a shared reality, let alone a mutual understanding of the problems that we face or potential solutions?

In this training, we’ll talk about the ethics of working with your clients in these deeply unsettling times. We discuss how we can meet clients where they are while recognizing the larger context we find ourselves in. We’ll talk about how to help our clients confront and navigate societal harms, including global instability, the growing impact of climate change, and the rise of authoritarianism and artificial intelligence. We’ll also discuss how we as clinicians can confront our own fears, sadness, anxiety, and anger regarding the present moment–both for our own well-being and to be of service to our clients.

Using principles and techniques from the RISE model and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, we’ll discuss strategies you can use to help your clients navigate the present moment, in accordance with their values and histories. You’ll leave this training with tools to support populations targeted by the current administration, help clients manage uncertainty, and practice self of the therapist work that allows you to be ethical and effective in these difficult times.

About the Presenter: Erica R. Turner, MS, LMFT is the owner of Rosewater Therapy, as well as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Couple and Family Therapy program at the University of Maryland, College Park. She advocates for mental health literacy and training through teaching, writing, and speaking, including co-hosting a wellness book review podcast, S* Your Therapist Reads.

CEUs: Attendees will gain 3 hours of continuing education through the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists (pending approval).

Learning Objectives:

Describe the value and ethical complexity around naming and validating the present sociopolitical and economic reality for clients
Identify at least 5 symptoms clients may experience in response to the current sociopolitical and economic climate
Identify client populations that may be particularly vulnerable to present sociopolitical challenges and develop awareness of specific harms
Describe how an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy framework can help clients manage distress caused by overlapping crises
Identify at least 3 ACT strategies therapists can use with clients
Describe how the RISE framework can help clients manage distress caused by the present moment
Identify at least 3 RISE strategies therapists can use with clients
Describe how the therapist can use self of the therapist work to manage and ethically use their internal responses in session
Identify at least 3 techniques therapists can use to manage and use their own responses for the betterment of their clients

The Ideal Practice Collective: A Yearlong Book Club & Support Group - October Meeting (Monday, October 12, 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Turn uncertainty into momentum — one month at a time.

Building a successful private practice takes more than clinical skill. Many therapists find themselves:

Struggling to launch and unsure where to start.
Working to build and maintain strong referral sources.
Avoiding or fearing the business side—marketing, planning, or finances—that feels overwhelming.

You’re not alone.

Build community. Build confidence. Build your ideal practice.

Focus for October's Meeting

Stamina: Creating Business Strength and Endurance

"Position yourself and your practice for long-term success by learning how to anticipate future challenges. This month, explore the early stages of business evolution to see how to develop greater stamina and endurance, deal with competition as it occurs, transform envy into excellence, and stay true to your business vision."

To best prepare for this month's meeting we suggest you:

✅ Complete Your Monthly Prep Form

✅ Workbook: Stamina: Creating Business Strength and Endurance

✅ Book: Solo versus Group Practice

See the 2026 Reading Schedule for the Ideal Private Practice Collective.

For any questions about the Ideal Practice Collective please email Liann Seiter Brown at liann@alignedfamilytherapy.com.

MD Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists - October Meeting (Friday, October 16, 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Our goal is to have at least one or two members attend each month. If you’re interested in advocacy and supporting the profession, please click this link to attend the meeting:

https://meet.google.com/nbr-bcqg-mke

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 267-689-8192‬ PIN: ‪498 972 751‬#

Please complete this google form and let us know you attended and share your takeaways!

https://forms.gle/W6N6JEknGfqkWEFUA

Board Website

https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/index.aspx

Trauma-Informed Consent for Therapy - MetroMFT Peer Consultation in October (Friday, October 23, 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join us for this month’s MetroMFT Peer Consultation Group, hosted by Alexandra Simione, LCMFT, with a focus on Trauma-Informed Consent for Therapy.

This gathering provides a supportive space to explore how informed consent can be approached in ways that prioritize emotional safety, transparency, empowerment, and collaboration.

Whether you’re navigating how to introduce consent conversations, refining your written or verbal consent processes, or consulting on cases where power dynamics or trauma histories add complexity, this session offers space for dialogue and practical guidance.

Come ready to engage, reflect, and learn with colleagues!

2026 MetroMFT Peer Consultation Schedule

November 13: Case Consultations hosted by Alexandra Simione

The Ideal Practice Collective: A Yearlong Book Club & Support Group - November Meeting (Monday, November 09, 2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Turn uncertainty into momentum — one month at a time.

Building a successful private practice takes more than clinical skill. Many therapists find themselves:

Struggling to launch and unsure where to start.
Working to build and maintain strong referral sources.
Avoiding or fearing the business side—marketing, planning, or finances—that feels overwhelming.

You’re not alone.

Build community. Build confidence. Build your ideal practice.

Focus for November's Meeting

Optimization: Upgrading Your Practice

"Optimize and upgrade your practice. This month, focus on strategies that enhance your practice management, broaden you network, and diversify your services so that you can run a problem-free operation that can handle continued growth. Also, get comfortable with a normal and important entrepreneurial emotion: ambition."

To best prepare for this month's meeting we suggest you:

✅ Complete Your Monthly Prep Form

✅ Workbook: Optimization: Upgrading Your Practice

✅ Book: Building a Practice to Sell

See the 2026 Reading Schedule for the Ideal Private Practice Collective.

For any questions about the Ideal Practice Collective please email Liann Seiter Brown at liann@alignedfamilytherapy.com.

MetroMFT Peer Consultation in November (Friday, November 13, 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Join us for this month’s MetroMFT Peer Consultation Group, hosted by Alexandra Simione, LCMFT.

This monthly gathering provides a supportive space for therapists to discuss cases, share insights, and navigate the challenges of providing therapy. Whether you're exploring self-care strategies or tackling complex clinical issues, each meeting centers around topics chosen by the group to ensure relevance and connection.

With a focus on a systemic approach, you'll engage with like-minded professionals who share your passion for fostering growth and resilience in both your practice and personal well-being. Come ready to engage, reflect, and learn with colleagues!

MD Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists - November Meeting (Friday, November 20, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Our goal is to have at least one or two members attend each month. If you’re interested in advocacy and supporting the profession, please click this link to attend the meeting:

https://meet.google.com/nbr-bcqg-mke

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 267-689-8192‬ PIN: ‪498 972 751‬#

Please complete this google form and let us know you attended and share your takeaways!

https://forms.gle/W6N6JEknGfqkWEFUA

Board Website

https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/index.aspx

The Ideal Practice Collective: A Yearlong Book Club & Support Group - December Meeting (Monday, December 14, 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Turn uncertainty into momentum — one month at a time.

Building a successful private practice takes more than clinical skill. Many therapists find themselves:

Struggling to launch and unsure where to start.
Working to build and maintain strong referral sources.
Avoiding or fearing the business side—marketing, planning, or finances—that feels overwhelming.

You’re not alone.

Build community. Build confidence. Build your ideal practice.

Focus for December's Meeting

Expansion: Increasing Your Capacity for Growth

"Expansion and growth are important goals for many small business owners. This month, expand your practice by learning how to select the best opportunities for growth and prioritize your use of time. Then add balance to your expansion plan to become a model of services your offer, as you create strong community connections."

To best prepare for this month's meeting we suggest you:

✅ Complete Your Monthly Prep Form

✅ Workbook: Expansion: Increasing Your Capacity for Growth

✅ Book: Personal Growth and Coaching

For any questions about the Ideal Practice Collective please email Liann Seiter Brown at liann@alignedfamilytherapy.com.