Higher Education Counseling Centers of Kansas (HECCK)
We are excited to announce the 2nd Annual Higher Education Counseling Centers of Kansas (HECCK) Conference.
This Year's Theme: Care, Connection, and Community: Rebuilding Human Connection in Higher Education
*New this year - CEs!!
Audience: Mental health clinicians working in the many university and college campuses across the state of Kansas and surrounding KC metro area.
Date: June 18th, 2026: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Location: Kansas Union, 6th Floor, University of Kansas - Lawrence
Cost: $25
Facilitated by the University of Kansas, Wichita State University, and Washburn University
Bruce Liese, PhD, ABBP
Bruce S. Liese, PhD, ABPP, is Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center and Clinical Director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment. A Fellow of three American Psychological Association (APA) divisions, he is a past president of the APA Division on Addictions and an APA Council Representative. He is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in Addiction Psychology, Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology, and Family and Couple Psychology.
Dr. Liese has taught more than 100 courses and workshops on addictions, psychotherapy, and evidence-based practice and supervised hundreds of trainees. He has authored over 75 publications, serves on editorial boards of three APA journals, and co-authored three textbooks on treating addictive disorders, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy of Addictive Disorders (2022, with Aaron T. Beck).
For service to APA Division 50, he received President’s Citations and the 2015 Distinguished Career Contributions to Education and Training Award, and an APA Presidential Citation in 2018. He maintains a clinical caseload of 25 patients weekly and has facilitated a SMART Recovery group for eight years.
| Time | Conference Schedule |
|---|---|
| 8:00 - 8:30 AM | Check-In |
| 8:30 - 9:00 AM | Welcome and Introductions |
| 9:00 - 10:30 AM | Keynote: CBT: It’s Not What You Think – Dr. Bruce Liese, PhD* |
| 10:30 - 10:45 AM | Break |
| 10:45 - 12:00 PM | Moving Naturally Through Challenges: A Nature-Based Physical Activity Group for College Students* Karan Bhatia, LCPC and Heidi McNeil, LPC | Kansas State University |
| Clinical Supervision in Practice: Navigating the Rewards, Challenges, and Unexpected Lessons of Training Future Clinicians* Christopher Leonard, PsyD; Rachel Amerson, PhD; Morgan Davis, LMLP; and Megan Morrison, TLMLP | Wichita State University | |
| 12:00 - 1:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 - 2:00 PM | Supporting From the Top: A Review of How Leadership-Led Interventions Can Improve Overall Organizational Well-Being* Stefany Ortiz, LMSW and Cassie Breen | University of Kansas |
| 2:00 - 2:15 PM | Break |
| 2:15 - 3:30 PM | Roll for Therapy: Using Table Top Role Play Games as a Group Modality for Connection and Change* Theryn Spomer, LSCSW | University of Kansas |
| Beyond Burnout: How Sunshine Committees Strengthen Well-Being, Connection, and Retention of Staff* Annette Santiago, LMSW and Kalie Hopkins, LMSW | |
| 3:30 - 4:30 PM | Social Hour |
| *All sessions approved for APA and NBCC Credit |
Proposals
Fill out the form to submit a proposal for consideration. Sessions will be 75 minutes in length. Proposals are due by May 29th, 2025.