I've been reflecting on a truly inspiring trip I took this past July to St. Julian's, Malta, and I wanted to share the experience with you. I was there to attend and present at the International Association for Counseling (IAC) 2025 Annual Conference.

Malta is beautiful—a gorgeous island in the Mediterranean with pristine weather. The energy was fantastic; attendees from every continent were excited to be there, not just to enjoy the scenery, but to engage with the global counseling community.

The conference's theme was "Counselling in a World of New Challenges: Cultivating Mental Health and Wellbeing". This theme really hits home, as it addresses the growing pressures people are facing all over the world.

Engaging with the "Who's Who" of Counseling

When you attend an international conference of this scale, you are surrounded by the "top-tier" professionals in our field. I’m talking about the people who write the textbooks I read in graduate school and the researchers who publish the primary articles that guide our profession.

To be in the presence of these "trailblazers" is humbling. You can literally point across the room and say, "That's the person who wrote the book on ethics that I've been using my entire career".

For me, this was a chance to 'peer behind the curtain' and be part of the process by which new knowledge and evidence-based practices are created and shared with the world. I was also honored to be part of a team presenting a poster on our research, exploring the complex emotions of forgiveness, karma, and revenge, and how we can better help clients navigate conflict and find emotional relief.

A Shared Struggle, A Shared Hope

The central theme of "new challenges" was a powerful thread throughout the event. There was a broad, honest acknowledgment that the world is not in a great place right now. There is so much conflict, anger, and political strife, and this is a global trend.

As a community of mental health providers, the central question was: What can we do? How can we help people find hope, sustain their families, and maintain a sense of peace and mental health when there are so many catastrophes on a global scale?

The most profound moments, for me, came from realizing just how connected we all are in this struggle.

I sat in an audience with professionals from every corner of the globe. I heard a speaker from Taiwan describe their client’s fears and anxieties about global instability and wars. That practitioner shared how their client's struggles touched on their own personal fears about the same issues.

In that moment, I felt an incredible sense of validation. As a practitioner here in Michigan, I sit across from clients discussing their fears of global instability. Hearing that a professional in Taiwan, China, or Peru is having the exact same experience in their corner of the world is a powerful reminder that we are all in this together. It feels like being embraced by all of humanity.

Yes, things are difficult right now. But we are facing these struggles together.

Bringing Global Knowledge Home to You

So, what does my trip to Malta mean for you, walking into our office in Rochester Hills, Michigan?

It means that you can feel confident and reassured.

When we work together on strategies to help you feel more calm, regulated, and at peace—whether it's using mindfulness to help your nervous system regulate or processing the effects of trauma—I want you to know that I am not just making this up. These aren't just "Jason's preferences".

These well-established, research-based interventions are being discussed, researched, and proven effective by the world's top professionals. These are the strategies practitioners use globally to help people like you.

My commitment to you is to continue engaging with this international community, learning from the very best, so I can bring the most effective, compassionate, and trustworthy care back home to our clients at Vannest Counseling.