Mississippi Counseling Association

01/15/2026

Today, Mississippi Counseling Association was represented at the Mississippi State Capitol. The day was spent meeting with law makers to discuss the services counselors can provide throughout our communities and within our schools. Time was well spent outlining the professional training we each complete to provide our state with the best services!

01/11/2026

We look forward to having more great people join the field of counseling! 💙

The DSU CED faculty and staff is excited to start off the Spring 2026 semester by welcoming our new cohort of wonderful counseling students! We are excited to see what the future has in store for you all and see you cross the finish line before you know it.

Welcome to the family! 💚🤍
Delta State University
Chi Sigma Iota
Mississippi Counseling Association

01/02/2026

12/16/2025

The MCA Government Relations Committee would like you to attend the MCA Day at the Capitol on January 14, 2026. We will have a table from 7:30 A.M. -11:30 A.M. in the Rotunda. Let’s fill the Capitol with counselors! We need as many of you as possible to be able to attend the Senate session at 10:00 A.M. and the House session at 2:00 P.M. After 11:30 A.M., counselors are encouraged to make appointments to meet with their Senators and Representatives. We are at a very critical time in our profession. Contact with your Senators and Representatives to provide them with information regarding the need for ALL counselors, both mental health and school, is paramount in advocating for our profession.

12/08/2025

Pinebelt Region, check your emails for RSVP information!

11/27/2025

MCA is thankful to each of you for making us the great organization that we are! Happy Thanksgiving!

11/22/2025

Starting July 1, 2026, as part of provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) could begin making significant changes to federal student loan limits. Under these guidelines, non-doctorate counseling programs are considered graduate programs, and therefore capping student borrowing power to $20,500 a year in federal student loans.

ED is required to consider public comments—generally open for at least a 30-day period—before issuing a final rule. ACA will submit formal comments to the Department of Education during the comment period and will be engaging with federal legislators to address this alarming policy shift.

We strongly encourage counselors to advocate for the reversal of these provisions by also submitting comments to the Department of Education once the comment period opens.

Act now: https://bit.ly/3KdfSzn

11/11/2025

1 in 5 people in our communities face food insecurity. The Mississippi Counseling Association is partnering with Mississippi Food Network to help support neighbors across the state. Every $1 helps provide 6 meal.

Mississippi Food Network (MFN) distributes more than 1.5 million pounds of food and feeds more than 150,000 every month — or a total of 1.8 million people per year. MN takes donations from multiple sources, and distributes food and goods through 430 member agencies. They, in turn, distribute to recipients in their own communities.

The following link to donate is available through November: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/mca

Please help us meet our goal!!

11/10/2025

The Mississippi Counseling Association would like to thank you for another successful fall conference last week in Tupelo. It wouldn’t be possible without each of you. We hope to see you on the coast next year for our 2026 fall conference.

11/05/2025

We are so excited to have our 2025 Fall Conference attendees in Tupelo! Don’t forget that the keynote speaker is at 5:00 pm today followed by the President’s Reception. The map of the venue was emailed to all attendees a few days ago, but it is included in this post for a second point of access.

11/01/2025

Born in England, Arkansas, Dr. Petty is a nationally acclaimed speaker, educator, and advocate for families, with a lifelong commitment to strengthening relationships and promoting emotional wellness across generations. He currently serves as President of Family Success Unlimited, Inc., where he continues to inspire and empower audiences through keynotes, seminars, and strategic leadership consultations.

Dr. Petty began his academic journey at England High School before pursuing Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University. He later earned his B.A. from Ouachita University in Arkansas and completed his Ph.D. at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he authored a groundbreaking dissertation on divorce.

His distinguished career includes executive leadership in the Governor’s Office of North Carolina, where he served as Senior Staff and Executive Director of the Office of Citizen Affairs, overseeing over 1.1 million volunteers and managing more than 100,000 citizen inquiries. He has also held leadership positions with the Baptist Conventions of North Carolina and Texas,
directing programs on marriage, family life, sexuality, and counseling.

Dr. Petty has served as North Carolina’s Coordinator for the White House Conference on Families and Co-Coordinator for the White House Conference on Children. He has been a visiting professor at both Southeastern Seminary and Wingate University, where he taught on family dynamics and human sexuality.

A dynamic communicator, Dr. P. has delivered keynote addresses in all 50 U.S. states and in 15 countries, speaking to over 3,700 organizations, including churches, schools, government agencies, businesses, and civic groups. His audiences have ranged in size from intimate gatherings to arenas of over 27,000 people.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Petty has been inducted into the National Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE) and honored as one of the “Legends of the Speaking Profession” by the Veterans Speakers Association. He is an active member of the National Council on Family Relations and continues to serve his local church and community.

He and his wife, Jamie Brewer Petty, reside in North Carolina and are proud parents of two children, Anthony and Jeremy, and loving grandparents to Allison, Ben, Caleb, Dylan, Tanner, and Tom.

Dr. Petty’s depth of experience, wit, and wisdom makes him a powerful voice for today’s families, and an inspiring keynote presence at this year’s MCA Fall Conference.