Delta Kappa

There is still time to get registered for this event THIS FRIDAY!! This conference is free to all Delta Kappa members.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-delta-kappa-leadership-conference-tickets-1989322487110

Only 15 days until our 2026 Leadership Conference! Register now:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-delta-kappa-leadership-conference-tickets-1989322487110

Workshop #2: Option 2: Curious About Research? Finding Your Place in Research as an MFT

Featuring Ronald J. Chenail, Ph.D.

For many new therapists, research can feel intimidating, inaccessible, or disconnected from the “real work” of therapy. Yet research remains one of the most important ways clinicians strengthen the field of Marriage and Family Therapy, advocate for clients, improve clinical practice, and amplify the stories and experiences of diverse communities. In this engaging and encouraging presentation, Dr. Ronald J. Chenail shares his personal journey into research, the evolution of qualitative inquiry within the MFT world, and how emerging therapists can begin developing confidence and curiosity as researchers early in their careers.

Drawing from decades of experience as a family therapist, educator, researcher, editor, administrator, and mentor, Dr. Chenail explores how research does not have to be reserved for academics alone. Instead, he invites clinicians to view research as a relational, creative, and clinically meaningful process that can directly inform therapeutic work, supervision, advocacy, and systemic change.

Dr. Chenail currently serves as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Nova Southeastern University and has spent decades contributing to the advancement of qualitative research, systemic therapy, and Marriage and Family Therapy education. He previously served as Dean of the School of Social and Systemic Studies at Nova Southeastern University, overseeing the Department of Family Therapy and related systemic programs.

A widely respected leader in qualitative inquiry, Dr. Chenail has authored and edited numerous books, articles, and chapters related to family therapy, systemic practice, qualitative research, and clinical discourse analysis. He is the longtime Editor-in-Chief and Co-Editor-in-Chief of *The Qualitative Report* and has served in editorial leadership roles for the *Journal of Marital and Family Therapy* and numerous other academic publications.

Throughout his career, Dr. Chenail’s work has centered:
• Qualitative and systemic research methodologies
• Clinical qualitative inquiry
• Family therapy education and competencies
• Discursive and postmodern therapies
• Research mentorship and pedagogy
• Bridging clinical practice and scholarly inquiry
• Making research more accessible and collaborative for clinicians

Attendees can expect discussion around:
• Why research matters in the MFT profession
• Overcoming fear and imposter syndrome around research
• How clinicians can begin engaging in research early in their careers
• Qualitative research as a relational and systemic practice
• Connecting clinical curiosity to meaningful inquiry
• Publication, presentation, and professional growth opportunities
• How research strengthens advocacy, ethics, and client care

This presentation is ideal for:
• MFT students and interns
• Early career clinicians
• Doctoral students and emerging researchers
• Therapists interested in qualitative research
• Supervisors and educators mentoring future clinicians
• Clinicians wanting to better understand the role of research in systemic practice

Whether you are deeply interested in research or simply curious about where to begin, this presentation offers an approachable and inspiring introduction to how research can become an integral and empowering part of your identity as a therapist.

Workshop #2: Option 1: Dear Insurance, Mind Your Business: How to Document for Insurance Compliance Without Oversharing Client Information

Featuring Kamber Peerboom, MBA, MSW, LICSW

Most therapists were taught one of two extremes when it comes to documentation: write the bare minimum and hope it passes, or document everything and accidentally turn progress notes into full therapy transcripts. Neither approach truly protects the client or the clinician.

In this refreshingly honest and practical training, Kamber Peerboom breaks down what insurance companies are actually looking for in clinical documentation and how therapists can meet compliance standards without over-disclosing sensitive client information. Attendees will learn how to create documentation that is clinically solid, ethically grounded, audit-ready, and protective of client privacy while still clearly demonstrating medical necessity and maintaining the “golden thread” throughout treatment.

Known online as the “Mean Older Sister Therapist,” Kamber Peerboom is recognized for her direct, relatable, and empowering teaching style that combines accountability, humor, and real-world clinical guidance. She is the founder of Loud Thoughts Therapy, a multi-state group practice focused on creating a more human and authentic approach to mental health care.

Kamber is widely known for her educational resources on documentation, compliance, and ethical clinical practice. Through her website and social media platforms, she helps therapists learn how to write notes that support reimbursement and clinical integrity without compromising client trust or safety.

This training focuses on helping clinicians:
• Understand what insurance companies actually require
• Demonstrate medical necessity clearly and ethically
• Maintain strong clinical “golden thread” documentation
• Reduce risk of audits, clawbacks, and compliance concerns
• Protect sensitive client information
• Write concise notes without oversharing
• Balance ethical care with insurance requirements
• Feel more confident and less overwhelmed by documentation

Kamber approaches documentation from the perspective that knowing the rules allows therapists to better advocate for and protect their clients, not simply satisfy insurance companies. Because the reality is that therapists never fully know where documentation may end up, learning how to write intentional, clinically appropriate notes matters deeply for client wellbeing and ethical practice.

This presentation is ideal for:
• Student therapists and interns
• Associate and independently licensed clinicians
• Group and private practice therapists
• Clinicians navigating insurance-based work
• Supervisors supporting documentation development
• Therapists who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or frustrated by documentation expectations

Attendees can expect a down-to-earth, practical, and engaging conversation that makes documentation feel less intimidating while helping clinicians feel more competent, compliant, and ethically aligned in their work.

Workshop #1: Option 2: Beyond “The Talk”: Reimagining Teen S*xuality Through a Pleasure-Based Model

Featuring Coreen Haym, Ph.D., LMFT, LCPC

Working with adolescents around s*xuality requires clinicians to navigate conversations that are often layered with shame, stigma, fear, identity development, family dynamics, cultural expectations, and systemic messaging. In this thoughtful and clinically grounded presentation, Dr. Coreen Haym explores a pleasure-based model for working with teens on s*xuality that centers curiosity, consent, authenticity, safety, and relational connection.

Attendees will gain insight into how therapists can support adolescents in developing healthy relationships with their bodies, identities, boundaries, communication, pleasure, and emotional wellbeing while navigating the realities of social media, cultural narratives, family systems, and evolving relational norms. This presentation encourages clinicians to move beyond fear-based or pathology-centered frameworks toward approaches that are affirming, developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive.

Dr. Coreen Haym currently serves as Core Faculty in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Capella University and has taught at numerous institutions including the UNLV School of Medicine, Adams State University, and Touro University. She is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor through the AAMFT with extensive experience supervising clinicians in both family therapy and professional counseling.

With over 50 professional presentations and multiple publications in areas including consensual/ethical non-monogamy and feminist family therapy, Coreen’s work spans clinical practice, education, social justice, s*xuality, and advocacy. Her clinical and academic interests include:
• Adolescent mental health and s*xuality
• LGBTQIA+/Queer studies
• Kink-aware psychotherapy
• Non-traditional family systems
• Feminist family therapy
• Language, culture, and identity
• Marginalized populations and systemic advocacy
• S*x therapy and relational health

Coreen brings over 25 years of advocacy and social justice experience beginning in reproductive justice and s*xuality education work. Her approach integrates academic rigor, clinical experience, relational ethics, and compassion while creating space for nuanced and affirming conversations around s*xuality and identity.

Attendees can expect discussion around:
• Pleasure-based approaches to adolescent s*xuality
• Consent, communication, and relational development
• Shame reduction and affirming clinical language
• Working with diverse family systems and identities
• Cultural and systemic influences on s*xuality
• Supporting LGBTQIA+ and marginalized youth
• Ethical considerations in clinical work with teens

This presentation is ideal for:
• Marriage and family therapists
• Mental health clinicians and interns
• School counselors and educators
• S*x therapists and s*xuality educators
• Professionals working with adolescents and families
• Clinicians seeking culturally responsive and affirming approaches to s*xuality work

Join us for an engaging conversation that challenges traditional narratives around adolescent s*xuality while offering clinicians practical, ethical, and affirming ways to support teens in developing healthy relationships with themselves and others.

Workshop #1: Option 1: Creative, Compliant, and Courageous: Navigating the Pitfalls of Building a Private Practice

Featuring Nicole “Coach Coley Cole” Williams

Starting a career in mental health can feel overwhelming, especially when clinicians are balancing clinical growth, ethical responsibility, business development, burnout prevention, imposter syndrome, and the realities of building a sustainable private practice. In this empowering and honest presentation, Nicole “Coach Coley Cole” Williams shares the lessons, setbacks, and breakthroughs she experienced throughout her journey in the mental health field and private practice ownership.
Through storytelling, practical guidance, and real-world insight, attendees will explore how to creatively grow within the field while remaining clinically compliant, ethically grounded, and authentically themselves. This presentation is designed to support new and emerging therapists who may feel intimidated by the business side of mental health work or uncertain about how to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship within helping professions.

With nearly three decades of experience in mental health, Nicole Williams is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Substance Abuse Professional, transformational coach, motivational speaker, and author. She is the founder and CEO of Nick of Time Services LLC., an outpatient therapy practice serving Virginia and Nevada, and the creator of the empowering social media platform “Coley Cole Live.”

Nicole’s work centers authenticity, leadership, multicultural awareness, and emotional wellness. She has collaborated with practitioners, scholars, organizations, and agencies in areas related to trauma, substance use, depression, anxiety, stress management, leadership development, and self-care. Her work extends across clinical practice, consultation, training, and public speaking.

Nicole currently collaborates with organizations including:
• Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program
• Richmond Police Department
• Nevada Chamber of Commerce
• Roses and Wings nonprofit organization

Known for her motivating, interactive, and approachable presentation style, Nicole empowers clinicians, leaders, students, and organizations to overcome fear, self-doubt, and barriers to success while learning to lead authentically and sustainably.

Attendees can expect discussion around:
• Lessons learned as a new therapist
• Avoiding common private practice pitfalls
• Balancing creativity with compliance and ethics
• Building confidence as a clinician and business owner
• Multicultural awareness in practice and leadership
• Burnout prevention and self-care
• Finding your authentic voice within the field

This presentation is ideal for:
• Student therapists and interns
• Associate and pre-licensed clinicians
• New private practice owners
• Mental health professionals exploring entrepreneurship
• Clinicians seeking encouragement, mentorship, and practical guidance
Join us for a motivating conversation focused on growth, resilience, authenticity, and the reminder that, as Nicole teaches, “It’s never too late for success.”

MEET OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DR. LEXX BROWN-JAMES

From Physics to Pleasure: The Journey to Finding the Field

Join internationally recognized s*xologist Dr. Lexx Brown-James for an inspiring and candid conversation exploring her unique journey into the field of s*x therapy, s*xuality education, and intimacy work. In this engaging presentation, Dr. Lexx shares the path that led her from the world of physics to becoming a leading voice in pleasure-centered, shame-free s*xuality education and relational healing.

Through storytelling, professional insight, and real-world experience, attendees will explore the intersections of identity, education, systemic barriers, pleasure, intimacy, and professional growth within the s*x therapy field. Whether you are a student, clinician, educator, advocate, or simply curious about the evolving world of s*xuality and relational work, this presentation offers both inspiration and practical insight into building a career rooted in authenticity and connection.

As an AASECT Certified S*xuality Educator and Supervisor, Dr. Lexx lectures, trains, and provides therapy for academic, professional, and public audiences internationally. She is a multiple-time bestselling author and has been featured in prominent media outlets including CNN, Essence, Therapy for Black Girls, Scary Mommy, It Gets Better, and more.

Through her practice, The Institute for S*xuality & Intimacy, LLC, Dr. Lexx has:
• Developed curriculum designed to interrupt racism within s*xuality education
• Created therapeutic frameworks focused on decreasing s*xual shame
• Provided professional training and consultation for clinicians and educators
• Developed resources supporting S*x Positive Parenting and intimate partner connection

Known for breaking down complex and often taboo topics into approachable, actionable, and digestible conversations, Dr. Lexx centers pleasure as a connective tool for healing, education, and relational growth.

This event is ideal for:
• Therapists and mental health professionals
• Students and interns
• S*x educators and advocates
• Medical and helping professionals
• Anyone interested in s*xuality, relationships, and personal/professional growth

Come learn, reflect, and be inspired by a clinician whose work continues to reshape conversations around s*xuality, pleasure, intimacy, and connection.

Hello Delta Kappa members! Registration for our 2nd annual Leadership Conference is live!! This year's conference features many presenters, including our keynote speaker, Dr. Lexx Brown-James!

2026 Delta Kappa Leadership Conference Get ready for the 2026 Delta Kappa Leadership Conference - a virtual gathering of top leaders learning from leaders in the field.

Antioch University is hosting a FREE virtual research conference next Wednesday and Thursday, and our own Dr. Charles Cole will be the keynote speaker!

https://sites.google.com/antioch.edu/2023-cft-virtual-research-conf/2025-home?fbclid=IwY2xjawJroD1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsNvjYSGTWnLXyjBpZHp1MPodhx0l3edi6QUYLEo-ZxBprTEMra13WptA6TF_aem_rjgAOEs7xQZF48I2o_vBsg

2025 RT Division Virtual Research Conference Join the Antioch University Relational Therapy Division for an engaging look at emerging and relevant issues in our field. This conference is designed to provide an opportunity for new professionals and graduate students in the field of systemic couple and family therapy and related fields to have

Who is attending this November in Louisville? Come see us in the exhibit hall! We'll have new swag for purchase!