Send us Fan Mail

Conferences can feel like a gamble: hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, time away from clients, travel fatigue, and the hope that you’ll walk out with something that actually changes your work. We’re Maria and Liliana, and we’re naming the quiet frustration a lot of therapists carry, especially if you’re balancing caretaking, dynamic disabilities, or the financial realities of private practice. When conferences used to “fill the bucket” and now leave you thinking “Was that worth it?”, you’re not alone.

We dig into how we choose conferences with intention instead of pressure. We talk CE credits and licensure requirements, the difference between networking goals and skill-building goals, and why unclear “who this is for” session descriptions waste everyone’s time. We also call out the rinse-and-repeat problem: recycled slides, stale keynotes, and content that feels stuck in grad school while clinicians are dealing with modern anxiety, depression, isolation, and real-world complexity across settings like agencies, schools, and private practice.

Then we get into what we wish more conferences would do right now: bridge legacy models with innovation and talk honestly about AI in therapy. AI is already shaping how we search, learn, and create materials, so we explore how conferences can address AI tools, ethics, and adult learning without shaming clinicians. We also touch on the tone of conference culture itself, because our field should be leading the way in welcoming learning environments, not “you don’t belong” spaces.

Listen, then share your take: What conferences or trainers are truly worth it lately, and why? If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and send this to a colleague who’s debating whether to register.

A Hero's Welcome Podcast © Maria Laquerre-Diego & Liliana Baylon