Empowered Escapes / The 4th annual summit

Doubt yourself. Do it anyway.

Three days in a room full of people who are scared and doing the thing anyway.

Ted Lasso didn’t know what offsides was when he took the job. He owned it. He was vulnerable with his team and his staff. His vulnerability helped him grow as a human and as a coach.

The 4th annual summit · Kansas City · October 4–6, 2027

REGISTER NOW. $799 + 9 NBCC CEs
A crowd gathered in conversation at an evening event
03Days
10Speakers
09CE Hours

From Jennifer and Patrick

A word from your hosts.

They have a few things to say about DYDIA 2027, and they dressed for the occasion. Turn the sound on and give them two and a half minutes.

The Roy Kent version.

Straight to the point.

  • What · 3 days, 10 speakers, 9 NBCC CE hours
  • Who · Entrepreneurs, therapists, creatives, anyone building something that scares them
  • Where · Crossroads Hotel, Kansas City, MO
  • Cost · $799, or four monthly payments of about $200
  • Included · Speaker sessions, daily lunches, welcome party
  • Not included · Travel, hotel, breakfasts, dinners
  • Capacity · Planned cap: 150. Every previous summit has sold out. Final capacity to be confirmed.
REGISTER NOW. $799 + 9 NBCC CEs

01 / The people

Your people are in this room.

You’ve got a big idea. The podcast, the book, the retreat, the weird business nobody’s built yet. It’s been living in your Notes app for two years because some voice keeps asking: who do you think you are?

This summit started with private practice therapists. It’s grown way past that. If you’re doing creative, risky, slightly unhinged work with your creative work—or you want to be—you belong here.

You’ll fit right in if…

Have more ideas than follow-through, and you’re tired of that.

Want a business that fits your brain and body, so you can anchor into your WHY.

Want collaborators, not competition. No comparison trap mentality here. You’d rather be curious than judgmental.

Are neurodivergent, disabled, chronically ill, queer, BIPOC, or done masking for rooms never built for you.

A cheering audience with arms raised in a historic theater

Probably best to skip it if you want…

A traditional clinical CE conference; a box to check for the year; a seat in the back; a ten-step formula guaranteed to make you rich; or to be Rupert. Nobody wants to be Rupert. Fuck Rupert.

02 / The experience

You can’t get this from a webinar.

Richmond didn’t turn around because of one brilliant tactic. A bunch of people started believing in each other. You sit at lunch next to someone who launched the thing you’ve been too scared to try. She almost quit. Then she tells you what happened when she didn’t.

Suddenly your thing feels possible. Not easy. Possible.

Podcasts get launched. Books get outlined. Retreats get booked. People find co-hosts, business partners, referral networks, and actual friends. Somebody says their idea aloud and the room says, “Hell yes, do it.”

Patrick Casale and Jennifer Agee smiling outdoors at sunset

03 / What we stand for

Doubt is allowed in the room.

Think of this as the BELIEVE sign taped above our locker room door.

Lived experience counts.

Nobody here has figured it out, speakers and hosts included. Your story is powerful; lived experience counts as expertise.

Rest counts as participation.

Skipping a session to lie on your hotel room floor is valid. Explore Kansas City or try the BBQ. Build at the pace your body can sustain.

Access is the foundation.

We solicit feedback before a ticket sells and keep learning. Accessibility is built into the foundation, not added at the end.

No hustle culture.

Paid speakers, payment plans, and no pressure to grind harder. We’re here to help you build something sustainable.

What actually changes

We won’t promise you’ll leave a new person. Even Ted needed a lot of sessions with Dr. Sharon. You’ll leave the same person, a little braver, with better people in your phone.

The big idea gets announced. Shame gets quieter. Group texts turn into years of friendship. Someone unmasks a little. Someone asks for more money. Someone gives themselves permission to go slower. And when a launch flops? Be a goldfish. Ten-second memory. Next play.

REGISTER NOW. $799 + 9 NBCC CEs

The people behind the summit

Meet your hosts

Jennifer Agee dressed as Ted Lasso, wearing a visor, sunglasses and moustache
Ted Lasso – Is that you?Nah. It’s Jennifer Agee
Patrick Casale as Roy Kent, standing with his arms crossed
Patrick Casale asRoy Kent

04 / The voices

Ten voices. No exposure gigs.

Ten speakers. Ten bad-ass women. Most of them are Black, Brown, or Asian. Half hold doctorates. Every single one is paid. Plenty of events ask for “exposure.” We won’t. Expertise costs money, and this field has a history of underpaying women and people of color.

A group of smiling women standing together on a brick street
Headshot of Dr. Adrianna Taylor

Dr. Adrianna Taylor

Dr. Adrianna N. Taylor, DSW, LCSW, BCD, RYT-500, is a trauma therapist, social work professor, educator, single mama, and founder of Black Opal Healing Collective. Her work centers Black women’s healing, relational and intergenerational trauma, and the systems that shape how people experience themselves and one another. Drawing from clinical practice, scholarship, entrepreneurship, and lived experience, Dr. Taylor creates learning spaces that are culturally grounded, honest, and deeply human.

Dr. Adrianna Taylor

DSW, LCSW, BCD

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Comparison Without Context: Building What You Were Never Shown

Dr. Adrianna N. Taylor, DSW, LCSW, BCD, RYT-500, is a trauma therapist, social work professor, educator, single mama, and founder of Black Opal Healing Collective. Her work centers Black women’s healing, relational and intergenerational trauma, and the systems that shape how people experience themselves and one another. Drawing from clinical practice, scholarship, entrepreneurship, and lived experience, Dr. Taylor creates learning spaces that are culturally grounded, honest, and deeply human.

Headshot of Dr. Melissa Robinson-Brown

Dr. Melissa Robinson-Brown

Dr. Melissa Robinson-Brown — known as Dr. Mel — is a clinical psychologist, professor, speaker, and cultural disruptor who helps high-achieving women stop performing success and start living it. A first-generation Trinidadian-American with over 20 years in the field, she brings clinical depth, cultural truth, and unapologetic realness to conversations about the “shoulds” shaping our lives. After surviving toxic, racist workplace systems, she walked away from her so-called dream job and founded Renewed Focus Psychology Services, a culturally attuned practice delivering therapy and corporate wellness programming that hits different. Through her signature coaching programs, Limitless & Fearless: The Career, Boundaries & Connections Academy and The Private Pay Way, she helps women reclaim their voice and boundaries, and therapists build practices on their own terms. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, Essence Wellness House, Forbes, and Therapy for Black Girls.

Dr. Melissa Robinson-Brown

Ph.D.

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Whose Voice Is That? The “Shoulds” Beneath Self-Doubt

Dr. Melissa Robinson-Brown — known as Dr. Mel — is a clinical psychologist, professor, speaker, and cultural disruptor who helps high-achieving women stop performing success and start living it.

A first-generation Trinidadian-American with over 20 years in the field, she brings clinical depth, cultural truth, and unapologetic realness to conversations about the “shoulds” shaping our lives. After surviving toxic, racist workplace systems, she walked away from her so-called dream job and founded Renewed Focus Psychology Services, a culturally attuned practice delivering therapy and corporate wellness programming that hits different.

Through her signature coaching programs, Limitless & Fearless: The Career, Boundaries & Connections Academy and The Private Pay Way, she helps women reclaim their voice and boundaries, and therapists build practices on their own terms. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, Essence Wellness House, Forbes, and Therapy for Black Girls.

Headshot of Dr. Colleen Cira

Dr. Colleen Cira

Dr. Colleen Cira is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Founder and CEO, and Keynote Speaker specializing in ADHD, autism, and trauma. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She has built an entire ecosystem to support the neurodivergent community: Cira Center Consulting, a consulting agency helping nonprofits, organizations, and corporations better understand and support neurodivergent minds; Cira Center for Behavioral Health, a group practice specializing in the intersection of neurodivergence and trauma; the Healing Haven, an online community and professional development platform built by and for the neurodivergent community; and NeuroCheck, an app that walks people through a daily, three-month curriculum on the DSM criteria, lived experience, and co-occurring conditions of ADHD and Autism, and how gender, race, and culture shape who gets seen and who gets missed.

Dr. Colleen Cira

Psy.D.

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Take Back Your Power: The Neuroscience of Transformational Change for the Neurodivergent Business Owner

Dr. Colleen Cira is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Founder and CEO, and Keynote Speaker specializing in ADHD, autism, and trauma. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She has built an entire ecosystem to support the neurodivergent community: Cira Center Consulting, a consulting agency helping nonprofits, organizations, and corporations better understand and support neurodivergent minds; Cira Center for Behavioral Health, a group practice specializing in the intersection of neurodivergence and trauma; the Healing Haven, an online community and professional development platform built by and for the neurodivergent community; and NeuroCheck, an app that walks people through a daily, three-month curriculum on the DSM criteria, lived experience, and co-occurring conditions of ADHD and Autism, and how gender, race, and culture shape who gets seen and who gets missed.

Headshot of Dr. Amanda Buduris

Dr. Amanda Buduris

Amanda Buduris, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and owner of PNW Psychological Wellness, a private practice specializing in CPTSD recovery and attachment in relationships. Her clinical work on how early experiences shape our relationship to safety and security carries directly into her coaching practice, where she helps fellow clinicians recognize that financial stress is rarely just about money - it’s a trauma and attachment issue that shows up in fee-setting, boundaries, and burnout. As a solo practice owner herself, Dr. Buduris has navigated the financial realities of clinical work firsthand, from pricing sessions to building a sustainable business without sacrificing client care. She helps mental health professionals build a healthier relationship with money that protects both their own well-being and the integrity of their client care.

Dr. Amanda Buduris

Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Financial Self-Care as Clinical Competency

Amanda Buduris, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and owner of PNW Psychological Wellness, a private practice specializing in CPTSD recovery and attachment in relationships. Her clinical work on how early experiences shape our relationship to safety and security carries directly into her coaching practice, where she helps fellow clinicians recognize that financial stress is rarely just about money - it’s a trauma and attachment issue that shows up in fee-setting, boundaries, and burnout. As a solo practice owner herself, Dr. Buduris has navigated the financial realities of clinical work firsthand, from pricing sessions to building a sustainable business without sacrificing client care. She helps mental health professionals build a healthier relationship with money that protects both their own well-being and the integrity of their client care.

Headshot of Dr. Arielle Jordan

Dr. Arielle Jordan

Dr. Arielle Jordan knows what it means to build a life while navigating changes you never asked for. A U.S. Army veteran, licensed trauma therapist, TEDx speaker, author, and entrepreneur, she brings clinical expertise and lived experience to conversations about grief, identity, and what comes next. She is the founder of Mindset Quality LLC and The Jordyn Effect, creator of Grief Intelligence™, and an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Approved Consultant. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Arielle combines research, humor, and honest conversation to make complex topics approachable. Her work helps people make room for what hurts, question what no longer fits, and take meaningful steps in their lives and careers without pretending they have it all figured out.

Dr. Arielle Jordan

PhD, LCPC, LPC, NCC

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Grief Intelligence™: Plot Twist. Now What?

Dr. Arielle Jordan knows what it means to build a life while navigating changes you never asked for. A U.S. Army veteran, licensed trauma therapist, TEDx speaker, author, and entrepreneur, she brings clinical expertise and lived experience to conversations about grief, identity, and what comes next.

She is the founder of Mindset Quality LLC and The Jordyn Effect, creator of Grief Intelligence™, and an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Approved Consultant. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision.

Arielle combines research, humor, and honest conversation to make complex topics approachable. Her work helps people make room for what hurts, question what no longer fits, and take meaningful steps in their lives and careers without pretending they have it all figured out.

Headshot of Ariel Landrum

Ariel Landrum

Ariel Landrum, LMFT, Certified Art Therapist, is a Filipina American therapist, Clinical Director of Guidance Teletherapy, clinical trainer, supervisor, educator, and continuing education provider. Her work integrates culturally responsive mental health care with creativity, play, art, pop culture, and experiential learning. Ariel is especially interested in how clinicians can bring their identities, interests, and lived experiences into meaningful therapeutic and community-based work. Together, Ariel and Stefanie combine clinical and program-development experience to create engaging mental health programs that bring people together.

Ariel Landrum

LMFT, ATR

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Kapwa We Build Together

Ariel Landrum, LMFT, Certified Art Therapist, is a Filipina American therapist, Clinical Director of Guidance Teletherapy, clinical trainer, supervisor, educator, and continuing education provider. Her work integrates culturally responsive mental health care with creativity, play, art, pop culture, and experiential learning. Ariel is especially interested in how clinicians can bring their identities, interests, and lived experiences into meaningful therapeutic and community-based work.

Together, Ariel and Stefanie combine clinical and program-development experience to create engaging mental health programs that bring people together.

Headshot of Stefanie Bautista

Stefanie Bautista

Stefanie Bautista, MAT, is a Filipina American educator, speaker, pop culture enthusiast, and program design consultant with Guidance Teletherapy. With a background as an elementary school teacher and experience managing student programs and educational programming staff, she specializes in developing engaging, accessible, and participatory educational experiences. Her work explores the intersection of education, mental health, fandom, and community engagement. Together, Ariel and Stefanie combine clinical and program-development experience to create engaging mental health programs that bring people together.

Stefanie Bautista

MAT

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Kapwa We Build Together

Stefanie Bautista, MAT, is a Filipina American educator, speaker, pop culture enthusiast, and program design consultant with Guidance Teletherapy. With a background as an elementary school teacher and experience managing student programs and educational programming staff, she specializes in developing engaging, accessible, and participatory educational experiences. Her work explores the intersection of education, mental health, fandom, and community engagement.

Together, Ariel and Stefanie combine clinical and program-development experience to create engaging mental health programs that bring people together.

Headshot of Mandi Dixon

Mandi Dixon

Mandi Dixon, LPC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor and EMDR-trained clinician specializing in the intersection of late-diagnosed ADHD and perimenopause in women. She runs a private counseling practice in Allen, Texas, offering in-person and telehealth services, and founded Mandi Dixon Co., a coaching company for women navigating ADHD and midlife hormonal change. Mandi coined the term “Ugly Perimenopause” to describe how estrogen decline can destabilize dopamine and unravel the coping strategies high-functioning women have relied on for decades. She is the instructor of “Peri/Menopause, Mood & the Mind,” a menopause mental health course with Remedy Meducation. She is a member of The Menopause Society and ISSWSH, a 2026 CHADD Annual Conference speaker, and has been featured in USA Today and Good Morning America. Online, she reaches more than 200,000 women with one message: nothing about you was ever wrong. You were unsupported.

Mandi Dixon

LPC, NCC

Pronouns: To be confirmed

When Coping Collapses: Late-Diagnosed ADHD, Perimenopause, and the Self-Doubt Clinicians Miss

Mandi Dixon, LPC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor and EMDR-trained clinician specializing in the intersection of late-diagnosed ADHD and perimenopause in women. She runs a private counseling practice in Allen, Texas, offering in-person and telehealth services, and founded Mandi Dixon Co., a coaching company for women navigating ADHD and midlife hormonal change. Mandi coined the term “Ugly Perimenopause” to describe how estrogen decline can destabilize dopamine and unravel the coping strategies high-functioning women have relied on for decades. She is the instructor of “Peri/Menopause, Mood & the Mind,” a menopause mental health course with Remedy Meducation. She is a member of The Menopause Society and ISSWSH, a 2026 CHADD Annual Conference speaker, and has been featured in USA Today and Good Morning America. Online, she reaches more than 200,000 women with one message: nothing about you was ever wrong. You were unsupported.

Headshot of Atsede Scarseth

Atsede Scarseth

Atsede Scarseth, MA, LPC, NCC, is a therapist, coach, and speaker based in Denver, Colorado, and the founder of Unearthing Choice Counseling and Unearthing Sanctuary. She works with neurodivergent and trauma-impacted adults and is AuDHD herself. Much of her early life was spent overwhelmed and anxious while appearing to handle everything well, which is where her interest in the distance between insight and actual change began. Her clinical work balances evidence-based modalities, including Brainspotting, Integrative Gestalt, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, with spiritually aligned practices such as yoga, psychedelic work, and intuitive movement. She hosts international retreats for neurodivergent adults in Ireland, Portugal, and Costa Rica, and reaches an audience of more than 50,000 with public education on integration and behavior change.

Atsede Scarseth

MA, LPC, NCC, CIGT, TCYM, BSP, RYT-200

Pronouns: To be confirmed

Insight Is Not Integration: Shame, Protection, and Practitioner Behavior Change

Atsede Scarseth, MA, LPC, NCC, is a therapist, coach, and speaker based in Denver, Colorado, and the founder of Unearthing Choice Counseling and Unearthing Sanctuary. She works with neurodivergent and trauma-impacted adults and is AuDHD herself. Much of her early life was spent overwhelmed and anxious while appearing to handle everything well, which is where her interest in the distance between insight and actual change began.

Her clinical work balances evidence-based modalities, including Brainspotting, Integrative Gestalt, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, with spiritually aligned practices such as yoga, psychedelic work, and intuitive movement. She hosts international retreats for neurodivergent adults in Ireland, Portugal, and Costa Rica, and reaches an audience of more than 50,000 with public education on integration and behavior change.

Headshot of Sharise Nance

Sharise Nance

Sharise Nance is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker, licensed clinical social worker, and Workplace Well-Being and Burnout Consultant with more than 25 years of experience in mental health and social work. Known as “The Compassion Fatigue Lady,” Sharise helps helping professionals, leaders, and organizations understand the emotional cost of demanding work and create healthier, more sustainable ways of working, leading, and serving. A business owner for more than 13 years, she also spent over a decade co-founding and leading a group mental health practice. Sharise is the Founder and CEO of Vitamin C Healing and the Co-Founder and CEO of the SWAG Alliance Foundation. Her honors include the 2026 IUP Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2026 Girls Inc. of Southwestern Pennsylvania Professional Woman Award. Outside of work, she enjoys running, watching sports, traveling with her husband, Bil, and trying new foods.

Sharise Nance

LCSW, CCTP, EMDR-C

Pronouns: To be confirmed

The Mental Cost of Being the Boss: Building a Business Without Becoming Its Most Exhausted Asset

Sharise Nance is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker, licensed clinical social worker, and Workplace Well-Being and Burnout Consultant with more than 25 years of experience in mental health and social work.

Known as “The Compassion Fatigue Lady,” Sharise helps helping professionals, leaders, and organizations understand the emotional cost of demanding work and create healthier, more sustainable ways of working, leading, and serving. A business owner for more than 13 years, she also spent over a decade co-founding and leading a group mental health practice.

Sharise is the Founder and CEO of Vitamin C Healing and the Co-Founder and CEO of the SWAG Alliance Foundation. Her honors include the 2026 IUP Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2026 Girls Inc. of Southwestern Pennsylvania Professional Woman Award.

Outside of work, she enjoys running, watching sports, traveling with her husband, Bil, and trying new foods.

Topics include: The Mental Cost of Being the Boss; Insight Is Not Integration; Comparison Without Context; Financial Self-Care as Clinical Competency; Take Back Your Power; Grief Intelligence™; Kapwa We Build Together; Whose Voice Is That?; and When Coping Collapses. Individual talk titles, credentials, pronouns, bios, and headshots are pending confirmation.

06 / The ticket

What $799 actually gets you.

Let’s be honest. $799 is not a cheap ticket. We know you need to plan and budget. Here’s where it goes:

  • 3 full days of sessions and panels
  • 9 NBCC CE hours, one per session attended
  • 10 paid speakers, half with doctorates
  • Daily lunches with speakers and attendees, plus a welcome party
  • Event photos to take home, plus a limited number of headshots, from the incredible Ariel Shumaker Photography and Therapy
  • A sensory-friendly, affirming space shaped by Patrick and years of feedback
  • 2-, 3-, or 4-month payment plans

Not included: travel, hotel, breakfasts, dinners.

One idea that finally gets out of your head and into the world pays for this weekend. Talk to your accountant about whether your travel may be deductible.

REGISTER NOW. $799 + 9 NBCC CEs

07 / Built for real bodies

Come as you are. Stay how you need.

Built by Autistic, ADHD, and chronically ill people. For everybody, including you. Most conferences are a sensory nightmare with a lanyard: fluorescent lights, forced small talk, packed rooms, and eight hours in a chair that hates your spine. We’ve burned out at enough of them to know better.

Your senses

A quiet, low-stim room open all day. Softer lighting where the venue allows. Fidgets and sensory tools at every table. Headphones and earplugs welcome in every session.

Your body

Chairs with backs, floor seating, and standing spots. Pace, stim, stretch, or leave without explaining yourself. Water and salty snacks available all day. Elevator and restroom details are pending venue confirmation.

Your brain

Visual schedule sent two weeks ahead, with maps and venue photos. Clear start and end times; no surprise activities. Slides shared before and after sessions.

Connection & access

Eye contact never expected. Participation optional. Pronouns on every badge. 2-, 3-, or 4-month payment plans. Communication badges and a quiet lunch table are suggestions, not confirmed amenities.

Need something that isn’t listed? Email . You don’t have to disclose a diagnosis. “This would help me” is enough. We won’t get everything right; when we miss something, tell us and we’ll work to fix it.

08 / The host city

Why Kansas City?

Jennifer is a Kansas City native, just like everyone’s favorite overly optimistic, mustachioed coach, Ted Lasso. So, it only felt right to bring the 4th Annual Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway Summit to one of our hometowns!

And let us tell you, Kansas City is SO much more than a flyover city.

Known as the City of Fountains, KC has a little bit of everything: legendary barbecue, an incredible jazz scene, world-class museums, vibrant arts districts, fantastic restaurants, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. It’s a city with big personality, Midwestern hospitality, and just the right amount of unexpected charm.

Kansas City skyline near Union Station

The Crossroads Arts District

We’ll be gathering in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District, one of KC’s coolest neighborhoods, where historic brick buildings meet colorful murals, independent galleries, locally owned restaurants, rooftop bars, and live music. It’s creative, a little quirky, and full of entrepreneurial energy. Sound like our kind of people? We thought so, too.

Come early or stay a little longer!

Explore the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, catch some live jazz, wander through the Country Club Plaza, visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial, or settle the age-old debate about who serves the best Kansas City barbecue. (Fair warning: locals have VERY strong opinions about this.)

And because this is Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway, we couldn’t resist bringing a little hometown inspiration into the mix.

After all, Ted Lasso taught us a thing or two about believing in ourselves, finding our people, and doing hard things even when we’re not entirely sure how they’ll turn out.

So pack your bags, bring your big ideas, and come see why we’re so excited to welcome you to Kansas City.

We have a feeling you’re going to love it here.

09 / What people take home

A little braver. Better people in your phone.

Ideas leave the Notes app. Shame gets quieter. People stop building alone. Sometimes, for the first time in a professional space, they unmask a little.

“If you’re questioning whether to go, if you’re doubting whether you’re ready, if you’re scared… good. Bring it all. Then do it anyways.”
Xander · Past attendee
“There’s no pressure to network a certain way or show up with a polished ‘business face.’”
Gabrielle · Past attendee
A smiling group in aprons at a cooking class

They say it’s the hope that kills you. We disagree.

It’s not trying that’s even worse. You’re going to doubt yourself about registering. Good. Do it anyway.

REGISTER NOW. $799 + 9 NBCC CEs

10 / The practical stuff

Good questions.

Still have a question? Email .

Where do I stay?

Our host hotel is the Crossroads Hotel, located at 2101 Central Street, Kansas City, MO 64108.

We’ve secured a discounted room rate of $239 per night for summit attendees.

The Crossroads Hotel is a beautiful boutique property in Kansas City’s vibrant Crossroads Arts District, filled with local art, restaurants, and plenty of places to explore.

Once you have registered you will receive an email with the booking link. We have a limited number of rooms available so we strongly encourage you to book your room at the hotel as soon as you register.

Amenities

  • Complimentary on-site fitness center
  • The Gallery: A 2,000-square-foot public exhibition space hosting rotating installations from local creators and artist-led programming
  • In Room Comforts: Plush bathrobes, Grown Alchemist bath products, streaming-capable HDTVs, electronic safes, and mini-fridges stocked with local refreshments at cost.
  • Multiple on-site restaurants and two full-bars, including rooftop.
  • Kansas City International Airport (Code: MCI) is 20 miles away

Hotel Accolades:

  • Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Award Winner
  • Travel + Leisure Top 15 City Hotels in the Continental U.S.
  • Best Hotel in Kansas City in Kansas City Magazine
  • Maxim’s 10 Great Rooftop Bars
  • Trip Advisor #1 in Kansas City, MO
  • Travel + Leisure’s 500 Best Hotels for 2021
  • “Best Hotel” and “Best Hotel for your Wedding Night” in The Pitch’s annual best-of awards
  • #9 by Travel + Leisure on their “Top 15 City Hotels in the Continental U.S.”
  • Travel Post and MSN The Top 20 Destinations for Pet-Friendly Travel
  • The Pitch’s “Best of KC 2020” list: Best Hotel Bar, Best Rooftop Bar, Best Rooftop View
  • Michelin Key Award 2024, 2025 & 2026
What dates should I book?

The Summit takes place October 4–6, 2027, with our welcome party on Sunday, October 3, at Percheron Rooftop Bar.

We recommend arriving on Sunday, October 3, so you can join us for the welcome party and settle in before the Summit begins.

Plan to depart on Wednesday, October 6, after our final session, or stay an extra night and enjoy more of Kansas City!

Our discounted hotel rate is available October 3–7, with availability up to three days before or after those dates, subject to hotel availability.

Is parking available at the hotel?

Yes! Daily valet parking is available at a discounted rate of $10 and overnight parking is $20. Uber and Lyft are also readily available and our hotel is within one short block to the KC Streetcar. Here is a link to the KC Streetcar routes.

Which airport do I fly into?

Fly into Kansas City International Airport (MCI).

The airport is approximately 25–30 minutes from the Crossroads Hotel, depending on traffic. Uber, Lyft, rental cars, and other ground transportation options are available.

Can guests come?

Absolutely! You’re welcome to bring a partner, friend, or family member to enjoy Kansas City with you.

Guests who aren’t registered for the Summit are welcome to explore the city while you’re attending sessions. However, Summit presentations, meals, and other ticketed activities are reserved for registered attendees.

How do CEs work?

This Summit has been approved for 9 CE hours through NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors).

Why is ASWB not approved? ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards) is very clear that CE’s are not for the benefit of the clinician, only the client. Because this summit focuses on entrepreneurial business growth, education and leadership our trainings do not meet ASWB requirements. Most states allow NBCC CE’s for licensure renewal. If you have a question about this and cannot find the answer on your state board’s website, please contact Jennifer and she can help answer this question.

To receive CE credit, you’ll need to attend the applicable sessions and complete the required evaluation forms. Once your evaluations are submitted and attendance requirements are met, your CE certificate will be emailed to you.

What is the cancellation policy?

Non-Refundable Deposit

All registrations require a non-refundable deposit of $500 to secure your spot. This deposit is non-refundable under all circumstances, including cancellation, illness, travel disruptions, or changes in personal circumstances, except as expressly provided under the Event Cancellation by Organizer section.

Participant Cancellation

  • 120+ days before the event: Full refund of payments made, minus the $500 non-refundable deposit — or elect a credit toward a future Empowered Escapes, LLC event.
  • 90–119 days before the event: Refund of 50% of payments made beyond the $500 non-refundable deposit — or elect a credit toward a future Empowered Escapes, LLC event.
  • Within 90 days of the event: All payments are non-refundable. A credit toward a future event may be granted at the sole discretion of Empowered Escapes, LLC.

Registration Transfers

You may transfer your registration to another qualified individual if you are unable to attend. Transfer requests must be submitted in writing at least 90 days prior to the event.

The original registrant is responsible for any financial arrangements with the new attendee. Final approval remains at the discretion of Empowered Escapes, LLC.

Travel Insurance

We strongly encourage all participants to purchase travel insurance to protect against unexpected situations, including trip cancellation, illness, travel delays, family emergencies, and governmental travel restrictions.

Empowered Escapes, LLC is not responsible for travel-related expenses, including airfare, lodging, or transportation.

Event Cancellation by Organizer

In the unlikely event that Empowered Escapes, LLC cancels the Summit for reasons other than circumstances covered under the Force Majeure section, participants will receive a full refund of registration fees paid, including the $500 deposit.

If the Summit is postponed or rescheduled, Empowered Escapes, LLC may transfer registrations to the rescheduled event or offer credit toward a future Empowered Escapes, LLC event, as outlined in the Force Majeure section when applicable.

Empowered Escapes, LLC is not responsible for additional costs incurred, including airfare, lodging, or other travel-related expenses.

Force Majeure

Empowered Escapes, LLC is not responsible for delays, postponements, or cancellations caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, war or terrorism, civil unrest, governmental travel restrictions, airline shutdowns, or acts of God.

In such circumstances, Empowered Escapes, LLC reserves the right to reschedule the Summit or provide registration credit toward a future Empowered Escapes, LLC event in lieu of a monetary refund.

In the event of a conflict between this section and the Event Cancellation by Organizer section, the Force Majeure provisions take precedence.

Participant Conduct

Empowered Escapes, LLC reserves the right to remove any participant whose behavior is disruptive, harassing, discriminatory, or otherwise harmful to the group environment.

Participants removed for conduct-related reasons will not receive a refund.

Is Kansas City safe for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ attendees?

Creating a welcoming, inclusive, and affirming experience is incredibly important to us.

We intentionally bring together speakers and attendees from diverse backgrounds, identities, lived experiences, and perspectives. We believe our profession is stronger when people have the freedom to show up authentically.

Kansas City has a vibrant arts and cultural community, LGBTQ+ organizations, and diverse neighborhoods and businesses. What we can promise is that inclusion, respect, and belonging are foundational to the experience we’re creating.

Discrimination, harassment, and hateful behavior are not welcome at our events.

If you have specific accessibility needs, safety concerns, or questions about attending, please reach out. We want to hear from you and help make your experience as comfortable and welcoming as possible.

You belong in the room.

Have a question that isn’t answered? Here’s who to contact.

Reach out to us any time at and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.