East Texas A&M University’s Department of Counseling welcomed students, educators and mental health professionals from across the region to the return of the Murphy Day Counseling Conference on April 23 at the university’s Mesquite location.

The conference drew 225 registered attendees, including East Texas A&M students, faculty, staff, alumni, school counselors, private practice professionals, community agency counselors and administrators representing 19 school districts across North and East Texas. The event featured presentations focused on forgiveness, grief, addiction, trauma and trends in mental health counseling.

Speakers included Dr. Richard Balkin of the University of Mississippi, Joe Powell of the Association of Persons Affected by Addiction, communication coach Jolie Higazi and Dr. Stephen Southern of Antioch University. Sessions explored topics ranging from trauma-informed counseling and addiction recovery to self-compassion and forgiveness in clinical practice.

Hosted by the Department of Counseling, the conference marked the return of the long-running Murphy Day tradition, which honors former professor Dr. Harold Murphy for his decades of leadership and advocacy within the counseling profession. Murphy came to the university in 1950, when it was called East Texas State Teachers College, and stayed for over four decades, serving in multiple roles and eventually earning the title of Professor Emeritus of Counseling.

“The return of the Murphy Day Conference was far more than a one-day event—it was a statement of purpose,” said Dr. Michael Schmit, department head and professor of counseling. “Bringing together professional counselors, educators, administrators, alumni and students for a day of learning, connection and celebration reignited a sense of community and shared mission within the counseling profession.”

East Texas A&M's Department of Counseling offers graduate programs that prepare students for careers in clinical mental health counseling, school counseling and counselor education. The next Murphy Day Counseling Conference is scheduled for April 22, 2027, at East Texas A&M's Dallas campus, continuing the department's long-standing commitment to professional development and community engagement within the counseling field.