Attending APA 2024 as an Independent Practitioner

For independent practitioners, attending conventions like APA 2024 can present some unique challenges. Time away from the office often impacts revenue, and the wealth of options at APA 2024 can be overwhelming. But attending APA 2024 can still be advantageous for you—and your business. 

APA is working to make it easier than ever for independent practitioners to participate in its annual convention. New for 2024, our Pathway for Independent Practitioners makes navigating APA 2024 seamless. Created by APA’s Office of Independent Practice, this curated experience will help you explore new lines of service to offer, strengthen the skill sets you already use, and earn mandatory CE credits. 

APA’s Senior Director of Independent Practice, Marnie Shanbhag, shares five reasons why independent practitioners should attend APA 2024—and how APA is making it easier than ever for practitioners to go all in. 

Explore New Lines of Service

Looking to expand your service offerings and open new revenue streams? APA 2024 is a great place to explore your options! 

Sessions like Pre-surgical Psychological Evaluation: A Skill-Building Session and Adding a Subspecialty to your Practice: Adoptees and Others with Unclear Roots introduce you to new services and subspecialities that you can offer in your practice. There’s even more to explore in the Pathway for Independent Practitioners. 

Discover the Latest Research

Attending APA 2024 is an excellent opportunity to stay updated on the latest research and trends. Sessions such as Assessment and Emerging Research and Practice For Clinicians Treating Individuals with OCD and Anxiety With Co-Morbid Trauma Related Disorders keep you up to date on the newest findings in science and practice. 

Connect with Others

As an independent practitioner, you spend most of your year flying solo. APA 2024 is your chance to surround yourself with people who understand what that’s like. With thousands of other psychologists and related professionals in attendance, you’ll be swept up in a community like no other. Check out the socials and events on offer to find your people. 

Earn CEs

APA 2024 makes it easy to check CE off your list. With CE-approved sessions for ethics, domestic violence, telepsychology, and other topics, there are ample opportunities to meet your CE needs. Many states will even allow you to claim some CE credit simply for attending APA 2024 (check with your state licensing board for specific requirements). 

To make things even easier, eligibility for one-hour CE session credits is now included in your registration.* Simply scan in and out of one of the 200+ CE sessions happening at APA 2024 to earn credits. 

*This does not include separately priced full- and half-day CE workshops.

Help Your Bottom Line

Many of your travel expenses to the convention may be tax deductible as a practice expense, making attendance at APA 2024 even more of a value-add. Be sure to check with your accounting firm to see how attending APA 2024 can help your business thrive.

Learn Skills to Support Your Practice

Learning opportunities at APA 2024 aren’t limited to clinical work. Explore sessions designed to equip you with the skills you need to succeed at the business side of independent practice, like Optimizing Cognitive Efficiency and Effectiveness: Adding Strategies to Your Clinical Practice and Planning for success: Why every business, practice, and professional needs an actionable strategic plan. You’ll leave APA 2024 with new solutions for your biggest challenges. 

With so many opportunities for independent practitioners, attending APA 2024 is a smart business decision that will help you and your practice thrive.   

Register for APA 2024 today. 

Dr. Marnie Shanbhag is APA’s inaugural senior director for the Office of Independent Practice.  In this role, she leads APA’s efforts to promote independent practice and private practitioners as part of APA’s goal to advance the profession. Prior to joining APA, Dr. Shanbhag ran her own successful private practice for more than sixteen years, providing individual and couples psychotherapy to adults, and executive coaching and consulting services to companies. Dr. Shanbhag is a licensed psychologist in Florida and holds the PSYPACT APIT® credential.