Maryland Counseling Association

What Maryland Counseling Association does

Maryland Counseling Association, Inc. (MCA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, operating as a chartered state branch of the American Counseling Association (ACA). The organization serves licensed professional counselors and counselors-in-training across Maryland through membership, advocacy, networking, and professional development. MCA's core offerings include a Find a Counselor searchable directory, the quarterly Compass Points newsletter, the Weekly Digest email publication, an annual conference (2026 event themed "Restorative Practices through Community, Connection and Collaboration" at the Hilton Garden Inn Hanover), a job announcements board, and resources covering licensure, accreditation, internship supervision, and anti-bullying/interpersonal violence. The association is structured around seven specialized state divisions — MACES, MAMCFC, MAMCD, MASERVIC, MCDA, SAIGE-MD, and MCSJ — and runs an Emerging Leaders Program for counselors-in-training.

MCA's business model rests on three revenue streams: recurring membership dues (annual subscriptions), conference registration fees priced on a tiered structure ranging from $145.99 (single-day member) to $285.99 (full two-day non-member), and advertising/sponsorship revenue. Conference monetization extends across Platinum ($2,000) down to Copper ($500) sponsorships, exhibitor tables ($550), newsletter ads ($25-$75), e-blast placements ($25-$40 for 4-6 weeks), and Wellness and Welcome Reception sponsorships. The membership website is operated on Wild Apricot, a self-serve association management platform that handles enrollment, event registration, and an e-commerce store. MCA has a formal GTM partnership with Walden University, which provides members a 10% tuition scholarship (worth $5,000-$7,490 depending on program) on counseling, social work, and psychology degrees. The organization is governed by an elected leadership team led by President Dr. Marybeth Heather and Executive Director Catherine Eaton, with no disclosed headcount, no external funding, and no M&A activity. Geographic reach is intentionally limited to Maryland, consistent with its role as a state-level professional association.

Name

Maryland Counseling Association

Legal name

Maryland Counseling Association, Inc.

Website

https://mdcounseling.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maryland Counseling Association (MCA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association and state branch of the American Counseling Association, serving licensed counselors and counselors-in-training across Maryland through membership, advocacy, continuing education, an annual conference, and seven specialized divisions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Professional counseling association
• Membership services
• Continuing education counseling
• Professional development conferences
• State advocacy counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaithersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees supporting professional counselors and counselors-in-training with access to professional development, networking, and advocacy services.
2. Conference Registration Fees: Revenue from annual conference registration with tiered pricing for members, students, retired members, and non-members. Also includes sponsorship and exhibitor fees.
3. Advertising: Revenue from newsletter advertisements (Compass Points) and e-blast advertisements sold to members and external organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maryland Counseling Association (MCA) is a state-level professional membership association for counselors in Maryland, operating as the Maryland branch of the American Counseling Association. It sells annual memberships, an annual professional development conference, specialty division affiliations, advertising in newsletters, and access to member resources including a counselor directory, job board, and advocacy materials. The offering targets licensed professional counselors, counselors-in-training, and related mental health practitioners across Maryland.

Product overview

Maryland Counseling Association (MCA) offers a membership-based professional association serving counselors in Maryland. The organization's core offerings include the Find a Counselor directory, professional development through the MCA Annual Conference, quarterly Compass Points Newsletter and weekly digest publications, job announcements for members, membership management, and advocacy resources on licensure and accreditation. MCA operates as a branch of the American Counseling Association, providing networking, career resources, and continuing education support to counseling professionals and counselors-in-training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MCA Membership Annual membership for licensed professional counselors and counselors-in-training in Maryland, providing access to member-only resources, advocacy representation, and discounts on conference registration.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Walden UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWalden University offers the 'Believe & Achieve Scholarship' providing 10% tuition savings for MCA members. Programs include bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in counseling, social work, psychology, and related fields. Savings range from $5,000 to $7,490 depending on program. This partnership provides education and scholarship benefits to MCA members while supporting Walden's recruitment of counseling professionals.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Texas Counseling Association: State branch of ACA serving Texas counselors. Same ACA-branch structure as MCA, providing a useful regional benchmark for membership and conference operations.
• New York Mental Health Counselors Association: State-level professional association serving licensed mental health counselors in New York. Directly comparable member-based model and advocacy focus.
• California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors: Another state-level professional counseling association with comparable membership, advocacy, and conference offerings — directly analogous in scale and structure to MCA.
• American Mental Health Counselors Association: National professional association specifically for clinical mental health counselors. Highly comparable in mission and member services, providing a national alternative to MCA's state-level membership.

Broad incumbents

• National Board for Certified Counselors: National certification body for counselors. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but overlaps on credentialing and continuing education — a key member need that MCA also addresses.
• American Counseling Association: National parent professional association for counselors. MCA is a state branch of ACA, making ACA the most directly comparable organization at the national level, offering overlapping membership benefits, publications, and conferences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mdcounseling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland Counseling Association