Thinking outside of the box can be difficult, especially in an economy like this one.

IWPA will feature a panel discussion on freelancing led by career counselor Arlene Hirsch, and including free lance writers Nancy Shepherdson, Pam Dittmer McKuen and Bonnie McGrath.

Hirsch founded her namesake Chicago-based career and psychological counseling firm, whose corporate clients have included AT&T, Baxter Healthcare, Citicorps, State Farm and Travelers Insurance. She has also worked with people at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.

Besides IWPA, Hirsch has made presentations to the American Bar Association, American Medical Association, Society of Women Engineers and the International Association of Career Management Professionals.

She is the author of three best-selling career books:How to Be Happy at Work, Love Your Work and Success Will Follow, and The Wall Street Journal Premier Guide to Interviewing. She is working on a fourth book, titled, Shooting Yourself in the Foot: How to Stop Sabotaging Your Career Success.

Nancy Shepherdson received a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University and worked as a trust offi cer at an Illinois bank before she “came to her senses,” as she says on her Web site.

A full-time free lance writer for over 16 years, Shepherdson’s work has appeared in a wide variety of magazines, including Newsweek Japan, Discover, Sierra, Woman’s Day, National Geographic World, American Heritage, Boys’ Life and Reader’s Digest Books.