Ohio Counseling Conversations

Ohio Counseling Association
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Monthly

The official Ohio Counseling Association podcast. Our mission is to host experts from our membership, leadership, and throughout the counseling field to bring listeners relevant conversations around what it means to be a counselor in Ohio. In addition, this podcast will provide a platform for Ohio Counseling Association divisions, chapters, and committees to share information and updates. Made for counselors by counselors, we hope to highlight important conversations in the profession that will inform our work as we continue to grow as professionals and as people. Thank you for tuning in! Views, beliefs, or references mentioned in episodes do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Ohio Counseling Association. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the view of the Ohio Counseling Association or any of its officials.

  1. 1d ago

    Couch to Capitol: July 2026 Legislative Updates

    Send us Fan Mail Laws don’t feel abstract when they land on your schedule, your billing, or your client’s ability to get through the front door. We’re back with a summer policy check-in that connects Ohio legislative news, federal rulemaking, and real clinical impact for counselors across the state. We start in Ohio, where a vetoed absentee voting bill highlights how barriers to civic participation can hit the same communities we often serve. Then we dig into a big practice-stability win: new limits on insurance clawbacks, plus the Access to Care bills that could improve network adequacy, stop retroactive prior authorization denials for behavioral health, and require private insurers to cover telehealth mental health services. We also unpack fresh data on reimbursement gaps, provider shortages across Ohio counties, and what a steep drop in ACA marketplace enrollment could mean for clients who suddenly can’t afford coverage. From there, we zoom out to Washington. We break down the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including the plan to extend the mental health telehealth in-person waiver, and why the numbers still matter for reimbursement. We also flag the “Do No Harm” earnings benchmark rule that could squeeze counseling programs and student loan access, even as the workforce shortage grows. Finally, we cover the status of 988’s specialized LGBTQ youth routing, what to update in safety plans right now, and the growing reach of the counseling compact for interstate telehealth. If you want clear, counselor-focused mental health policy updates without the fluff, subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more counselors can find it. State Level Gov. DeWine Vetoes HB 472 (Absentee Ballot ID Requirement) — No action needed; resolved. SB 162 Signed Into Law (Insurer Recoupment Timeframe) — No action needed; know your new rights on billing clawbacks. HB 219 — Network Adequacy Standards (Pending) — (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. HB 220 — Bars Retroactive Prior Auth Denials for MH/SUD Care (Passed House) — (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. HB 709 — Requires Telehealth Mental Health Coverage (Pending) — (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. Ohio Kids Losing Access to Mental Healthcare — (UPDATE) Use this data when advocating for HB 219/220/709. Ohio's Largest-in-the-Nation ACA Marketplace Enrollment Drop — (UPDATE) Check in with clients about coverage changes at intake/renewal. 30% of Ohio Women Didn't Get Needed Reproductive Care — (UPDATE) No specific action; context for client conversations. Funding Gaps and Stigma Driving Ohio LGBTQ+ Health Disparities — (UPDATE) Consider affirming-care CEU/training opportunities. House Bill 172 — Repeals ORC 5122.04 (Minor Consent for Mental Health Services) – (OPPOSE) Submit written testimony, contact your state rep to discuss in person.Senate Bill 274 — Repeals ORC 5122.04 (Minor Consent for Mental Health Services), Senate Companion to HB 172 – (OPPOSE) Submit written testimony, contact your state senator to discuss in person.ODM Recognizes DC:0-5 Diagnostic System for Infant/Toddler Mental Health — (UPDATE) No action needed; know the new billing crosswalk is available if you treat clients ages 0–5. Federal Level CMS Releases CY2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule — (OPPOSE Cuts to Fee Schedule) Submit comments by Sept. 14 (file code CMS-1848-P) at regulations.gov. "Do No Harm" Earnings Provision Now in Effect, Threatens Counseling Education Programs — Contact your members of Congress and urge them to protect counseling and other helping-profession programs from this earnings test via ACA's Take Action center. SB 5017 Bipartisan Senators Introduce More Paid Leave for More Americans Act — (SUPPORT) No action needed yet; bill just introduced. Good context for clients navigating unpaid leave, postpartum stress, or caregiver burnout. H.R. 8800 National Defense Authorization Act SAVE America Act Attached to NDAA — Voter ID/Registration Bill (Contested, Outcome Uncertain) — (SUPPORT) Civic participation is a protective factor for many clients — documentation barriers under debate would land hardest on older adults, name-changed individuals, and people without easy passport/birth certificate access. H.R. 139 - House Passes Sunshine Protection Act (Permanent Daylight Saving Time) — (UPDATE - WATCH) No action needed; informational. HHS Withdraws Rule Threatening Hospital Medicare/Medicaid Access Over Trans Youth Care — (WATCH) Continue monitoring; situation still developing. Other — Advocacy & Community 988 LGBTQ+ "Press 3" Option: One Year Since Shutdown, Still Not Restored — Update your referral lists; in the meantime, the Trevor Project's own 24/7 line is 1-866-488-7386. Contact your representative to push HHS to move faster. Pennsylvania Becomes 40th State to Join the Counseling Compact — No action needed; informational. ACA Hill Day — Registration Closes July 31 @ 11:59 PM — Register now. AOCC Registration Open — Early Bird Pricing — Register now to lock in the discount. Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree!  OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee  Hosted by Dr. Marisa Cargill Pre-Production & Coordination by Dr. Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Mariah Payne Editing by Dr. Marisa Cargill

    Couch to Capitol: July 2026 Legislative Updates

  2. Jul 21

    Let's Unpack That #14: Counselor Quirks

    Send us Fan Mail Getting on an elevator shouldn’t feel like a group therapy exercise and yet, at a counseling conference, it somehow does. We’re pulling back the curtain on the weird, funny, and honestly inevitable ways the counseling profession rewires your brain. If you’ve ever found yourself in a politeness standoff at a hotel elevator, you already know the vibe.  We talk through the counselor habits that follow us home: automatically nodding and using encouragers while watching a long TikTok, turning a simple checkout interaction into a surprisingly deep conversation, and hearing tone shifts and emotional language that other people miss. We also get into the subtle language changes that can “give you away” like calling adults “grown-ups,” catching yourself asking a classic therapy question, or being extra careful with “why” because you know it can make someone feel defensive.  Then we zoom out to the tools and values underneath it all. We share the regulation supports we keep within reach (think bubbles, fidgets, blankets, and other grounding props), how we react when friends slide into negative self talk or body talk, and the accidental “we” that can slip into everyday conversation because collaboration is baked into how we relate. We end with a real reminder: most of these quirks are features, not bugs, as long as we stay intentional about context, boundaries, and impact versus intent.  Listen, then tell us what counselor quirk you’ve picked up. Subscribe to Ohio Counseling Conversations, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend who will instantly recognize themselves. Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Marisa Cargill ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Victoria Frazier ·Editing by Marisa Cargill ·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

    Let's Unpack That #14: Counselor Quirks

  3. Jul 14

    Conversation 43 - Values In Action: Meet OCA's Next President

    Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever felt like counseling is happening in three places at once the therapy room, the classroom, and the policy arena you’re not imagining it. We talk with Dr. Chase Morgan-Swaney, an assistant professor at Baldwin Wallace University, an LPCC-S, and the newest president of the Ohio Counseling Association, about what it takes to practice and lead with clarity when the profession feels stretched thin. We start with professional counselor identity across clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, and couples and family work, and why those boundaries are not as clean as training programs sometimes imply. From there, we get practical about clinical supervision: what “meeting supervisees where they are” really looks like when values clash, stress is high, and the ethical duty to avoid imposing values is real. We also explore how trauma-informed counseling has expanded to include culture and oppression, alongside post-traumatic growth and resilience. On the clinical side, Chase breaks down Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for CBT-trained counselors, including the role of mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based action. We dig into affirmative therapy with LGBTQ and neurodiverse clients, how to hold space for discrimination without pathologizing a reasonable response, and how cultural broaching can build trust. Finally, we zoom out to OCA leadership, managed care pressures, continuing education, member value, and one system change that could reduce burnout: paying counselors for the administrative work that makes care possible. Subscribe for more Ohio Counseling Conversations, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more counselors can find the show. Connect with Us on Any/All Socials at our Link Tree! OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at ohiocounselingconversations@gmail.com! **** Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Marisa Cargill ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Shannon O'Mara ·Editing by Marisa Cargill ·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

  4. Jun 30

    Couch to Capitol: June 2026 Legislative Updates

    Send us Fan Mail Surprise insurance clawbacks, fast-moving Medicaid rule changes, and a growing stack of bills that reshape client access can make it feel like the ground is shifting under counselors’ feet. We lay out what’s changing in Ohio right now and translate policy language into practical realities for counseling practices, community agencies, and the people we serve. SB 162 (SUPPORT) Third party payments are considered final one year after the payment is made and providers are given 60-days to appeal a claw back. Awaiting signature from Gov DeWine HB 718 (SUPPORT) - Expands certification pathways for Qualified Mental Health Specialists (QMHS) and renames the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board to the Behavioral Health Professionals Board. In Committee; watching for updates. EO 2026-01D (UPDATE) - New Ohio Medicaid rules that moderate provider credentialing and attempt to mitigate fraud: 5160-1-17.4 -  Length and type of provider agreements; 5160-1-17.6 -  Termination and denial of provider agreement; 5160-1-42 -  Provider credentialing. SB 315 (UPDATE) - Medicaid Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Bill impacting Medicaid providers, managed care organizations (MCOs), and other stakeholders in Ohio’s Medicaid program; Legal Analysis Shumaker     ->The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers - Updated Guidance & ODM Provider Office Hours HB 718 (SUPPORT) - Could create a formal path for Qualified Mental Health Professionals and rename the Chemical Dependency Professional Board to the Behavioral Health Professionals Board. HB 346 (WATCH) - Creates redundant law that healthcare providers must report suspected child abuse. SJR 10 (OPPOSE): Constitutional amendment that would enshrine the states' existing photo ID requirements into the state constitution; on the Ohio ballot in November. HB 472 (OPPOSE): Waives ID and birth certificate fees for houseless individuals and includes a provision requiring absentee voters to present ID. SB 276; SUB-SB 156 (OPPOSE):  SUB-BILL which includes creating a requirement that  6-12 grade schools teach "Success Sequence.”  HB 347; HB 324 (OPPOSE) - Increased barriers to accessing timely abortions/abortion medication. SB 274 (OPPOSE) - Removing a minor’s ability to access services in crisis without parental consent. Justice Department Settles With Cleveland Clinic (UPDATE) H.R.2616 (OPPOSE) - Restrictions in Education around LGBTQIA+ topics Regulation for Federal Assistance (OPPOSE) - A sweeping overhaul of federal assistance rules; includes prohibitions on diversity, equity, inclusion policies or gender affirming practices. American Counseling Association: Hill Day (ACTION) - Collaborate with ACA to meet up in Washington DC and engage in legislative advocacy.     ->Article: A Counselor's Most Powerful Advocacy Tool Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree! OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounselingCreated by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Mariah Payne ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Mariah Payne ·Editing by Marisa Cargill

    Couch to Capitol: June 2026 Legislative Updates

  5. Jun 23

    Let's Unpack That #13: The Playlist Nobody Prescribed

    Send us Fan Mail A three-minute song can do something a 50-minute conversation struggles to pull off: it tells the truth fast. We’re exploring “accidental music therapy,” the tracks that were never designed to teach counseling skills, yet somehow nail grief, self-compassion, boundaries, identity, and resilience with a few lines and a melody that sticks. To be clear, this is not a replacement for counseling, and it’s not music therapy as a credentialed clinical discipline. It’s the pop culture side of mental health and why certain songs feel like emotional permission.  We start with the big question: why do some songs land so hard? From “Vienna” to “Never Grow Up,” “Landslide,” and “Lose You To Love Me,” we talk about how music can hold the complexity of loss, transition, and growing up. Then we shift into self-worth and the inner critic with songs like “Born This Way,” “Who Says,” and “That I Would Be Good,” using lyrics as a practical bridge when it’s hard to find your own words.  From there, we connect the playlist to therapy frameworks and real skills: resilience and post-traumatic growth, ACT ideas like cognitive diffusion and psychological flexibility, and parts work vibes inspired by “Surface Pressure” and “Anti-Hero.” We also dig into nervous system regulation and mindfulness, including why singing can be grounding and why “Weightless” by Marconi Union stands out with actual anxiety-reduction research behind it.  If you’ve ever felt seen by a chorus at exactly the right moment, you’re not alone. Listen, grab the playlist link in the show notes, then subscribe, share with a colleague or friend, and leave a review so more people can find the songs that help them heal. Spotify Playlist What do you think? Send us your questions or topics you'd like us to unpack! OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling Connect with Us on Any/All Socials at our Link Tree! **** If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at ohiocounselingconversations@gmail.com! **** Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Marisa Cargill ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Victoria Frazier ·Editing by Marisa Cargill ·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

    Let's Unpack That #13: The Playlist Nobody Prescribed

  6. Jun 9

    Conversation 42 - Psychodrama For Real Life

    Send us Fan Mail Talk therapy is powerful, but sometimes words are the slowest route to the truth. We sit down with Amanda Cole, LPCC-S, counselor educator, and doctoral candidate, to unpack psychodrama as an experiential action method that helps clients move from “thinking about it” to actually feeling it safely in the room. Amanda breaks down what psychodrama is (and what it is not), why warm-ups matter so much for pacing and containment, and how group cohesion makes deeper work possible without turning therapy into a performance. From there, we get extremely practical about telehealth counseling. Amanda shares how to adapt sociometry, spectrograms, and even empty chair work to online groups using features like renaming, chat, shared whiteboards, and collaborative tools. We also talk about why telehealth is not a one-to-one copy of in-person therapy, and how changing expectations can open up new ways to build rapport and engagement rather than getting stuck comparing formats. If you work with youth, this conversation is packed with real, usable ideas for online child and adolescent therapy: normalizing movement, planning multiple backup activities, using virtual sand tray and shared screen games, sending a “therapy box” packet, doing room tours for clinical context, and using music and playlists to connect with teens. We also connect psychodrama principles to counselor supervision and training, including role reversal for empathy and doubling to name what might be unspoken. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with the creative intervention you want to try next. OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling Connect with Us on Any/All Socials at our Link Tree! If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at ohiocounselingconversations@gmail.com! **** Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Marisa Cargill ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Victoria Frazier, and Shannon O'Mara ·Editing by Marisa Cargill ·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

  7. May 26

    Couch to Capitol: May 2026 Legislative Updates

    Send us Fan Mail Policy can feel far away until it lands in a session as grief, fear, shame, or burnout. Join the Ohio Counseling Conversations Team as we bridge the gap between the clinical couch and the Ohio Statehouse with a rapid, practical briefing on the bills most likely to affect counselors, and clients across Ohio. We start with House Bill 698 and its push to withhold public university funding based on DEI compliance, including annual certification requirements and tracking of prior DEI roles. We talk plainly about why that matters for counselor educators trying to uphold CACREP expectations and the counseling profession’s ethical commitments to beneficence and social justice. From there, we break down Senate Bill 156’s “success sequence” curriculum mandate for public schools and why a one-size-fits-all definition of success can invalidate students from LGBTQ communities, non-traditional families, and many real-life paths our clients live every day. We also cover House Bill 347’s 24-hour waiting period tied to reproductive care and the risk created by scripted, legally loaded requirements for providers. On the practice side, we dig into Senate Bill 162, a critical insurance reform aimed at limiting insurer clawbacks and reducing administrative burdens that can destabilize small practices and shrink access to mental health care. We round out the update with House bills on an all-payer claims database and behavioral health well checks, privacy protections for mental health professionals, Ohio’s Senate Bill 113 DEI ban, and a national legal challenge that could restrict federal student loans for counseling and other professional degrees. Connect with the Ohio Counseling Association's Legislative Advocacy Committee Find your Ohio Senator Lookup Find you House Rep Lookup OPPOSE House Bill 698- withholding higher-ed funding tied to DEI compliance and annual certification requirements OPPOSE  Senate Bill 156- the “success sequence” requirement in public schools plus likely harm for marginalized students OPPOSE House Bill 347- creating a 24-hour waiting period for reproductive care and adding provider compliance risks SUPPORT Senate Bill 162- reducing insurance takeback timelines and easing appeals to protect small practices and client access WATCHING House Bill 716- proposal for an all-payer claims database to support data-driven health care improvements SUPPORT House Bill 724 requiring coverage for behavioral health well checks without a diagnosis WATCHING House Bill 718- changes to the Behavioral Health Professionals Board and why legislative language matters WATCHING House Bill 837- aiming to protect residential and familial information for mental health professionals OPPOSE Senate Bill 113- banning DEI efforts in K-12 and why OCA submits formal opposition SUPPORT the National lawsuit challenging federal student loan rules that narrow what counts as a professional degree, including counseling  Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree! OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounselingCreated by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Lauren Collins-Knight ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, Mariah Payne, and Chase Morgan-Swaney ·Editing by Victoria Frazier

    Couch to Capitol: May 2026 Legislative Updates

  8. May 19

    Let's Unpack That #12: Springing Forward Doesn't Mean Falling Apart

    Send us Fan Mail Sunshine can feel like a promise: more energy, better mood, fewer heavy days. But we’ve learned the hard way that seasonal change, especially the spring shift into warmer weather, can also bring real mental health risks and clinical surprises. Victoria Frazier sits down with Jared Sparks, clinical counselor and supervisor at Cleveland Sex and Intimacy Counseling, to talk about what actually happens when the temperature rises and why “feeling better” isn’t always the same thing as being stable. We dig into research showing that even small increases in average monthly temperature can correlate with higher suicide rates, then connect that to what we see in practice: irritability, impulsivity, sleep loss, and the ways longer daylight can disrupt circadian rhythm. We also spend time on bipolar disorder and why light sensitivity and shifting sleep cycles can be a major factor during daylight saving time and seasonal transitions. From there, we get practical. You’ll hear the sleep hygiene tips we lean on with clients (consistent sleep and wake times, keeping the bed for sleep and intimacy only), how shift work complicates everything, and why tools like blackout curtains can be surprisingly powerful. We also talk medication considerations, including heat intolerance, dehydration, and sun sensitivity, plus how we can help clients ask better questions of their prescribers without stepping outside our scope. If you’re a counselor, therapist, or a client wondering why spring feels harder than it “should,” hit play. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can find it. What changes first for you when the weather warms up? Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Jared Sparks ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Victoria Frazier ·Editing by Marisa Cargill & Victoria Frazier ·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

    Let's Unpack That #12: Springing Forward Doesn't Mean Falling Apart
See All (72)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

The official Ohio Counseling Association podcast. Our mission is to host experts from our membership, leadership, and throughout the counseling field to bring listeners relevant conversations around what it means to be a counselor in Ohio. In addition, this podcast will provide a platform for Ohio Counseling Association divisions, chapters, and committees to share information and updates. Made for counselors by counselors, we hope to highlight important conversations in the profession that will inform our work as we continue to grow as professionals and as people. Thank you for tuning in! Views, beliefs, or references mentioned in episodes do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Ohio Counseling Association. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the view of the Ohio Counseling Association or any of its officials.

Information

  • Creator
    Ohio Counseling Association
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ohio Counseling Conversations
  • Show Website
    Ohio Counseling Conversations

You Might Also Like