Los Angeles Chapter  California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists


Voices — June 2022

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  • 05/31/2022 11:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    Leanne Nettles, LMFT
    President, LA-CAMFT

    Speak Up

    This week I had to stand up against a professional injustice. My voice, shaking. My chest, trembling. My fists squeezing the life out of my stress ball as I tried to keep my composure…

    Our field is one which is full of grace, compassion, and resilience. But just like any system, our field is also impacted by the intersections of different types of privilege, discrimination, power hierarchy, and red tape. While we tend to view burnout primarily through the lens of vicarious trauma, poor work boundaries, and inadequate self-care, I believe that there is not enough attention paid to the systems and environments in which we work that can either build resilience, or tear it down.

    My mom always taught me that as long as you speak respectfully, you should be able to say anything, even if it's hard. In the professional world, I have learned to add that if you have complaints, come with solutions. And if our leaders don't know what's wrong, they won't know what to fix. I follow this advice and urge those whom I supervise to speak up!

    So there I sat, coming up against one of these professional systems, having held my breath toward this systemic injustice for too long. And I couldn't anymore. I needed to speak up, directly to the ones who needed to hear it and could have the power to change it. I'm one that tends to hope high, and in response, can get disappointed deeply. I had to weigh the risks: to stay silent and have nothing change, or to speak up and risk disregard or even retaliation (which despite the legality, does happen). But when I see people suffering, I cannot stay silent. So I spoke . . . 

    As of the date I write this, I do not yet know the outcome of this situation. But I have hope. And I am proud that I spoke up against the injustice. I pray that I will have the perseverance to keep fighting against injustices in this field, the wisdom to know when to pause for my own mental health, and the courage to never give up. And I pray the same for you. YOUR VOICE MATTERS. 

    I'll leave you with the words of Activist Maggie Kuhn: 

    "Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind – even if your voice shakes. When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say." 

    Until next time, blessings.

    Leanne Nettles

    Leanne Nettles, LMFT is a School-based Clinical Program Manager in a community-mental health agency and an Adjunct Professor at Pacific Oaks College. She specializes in child and adolescent therapy, while practicing and supervising from a systemic and structural therapy approach. Leanne works to advocate for cultural diversity and equity within the field, and is passionate about training quality mental health professionals to serve low income, historically disenfranchised communities using a team-based, collaborative approach.

  • 05/31/2022 10:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    LA-CAMFT June 2022 ONLINE Presentation
    including Q&A

    Friday, June 24, 2022

    9:00 am-11:00 am (PT)

    Via Zoom

    2.0 CEUs

    Sponsored by


    Stories Matter: Building Resilience, Consciousness, and Empathy through Entertainment Media

    Dr. Drea Letamendi, Ph.D.

    Stories are a part of our psychological fabric, and the personal and emotionally charged connections we form with "faux friends" in film, TV, gaming, and comics can help harness essential insights. Dr. Letamendi will delve into the powerful phenomenon of "mediated others" and share how grit, emotional growth, and self-discovery are gained while facing multiple threats in today's world. The speaker will discuss how fiction and fandom in entertainment media can comfort anxieties, manage fears, and affirm hopes through healthy escapism, allowing our clients (and us) to flourish in times of crisis. Dr. Letamendi will provide participants with effective strategies for implementing compassionate self-care, cultivating belongingness, and increasing health consciousness for a happier and more fulfilling work-life identity.

    Event Details: 
    Friday, June 24, 2022, 9:00 am-11:00 am (PT)

    Where: Online Via Zoom
    After you register you will be emailed a Zoom link the Thursday before the presentation.

    More information and register today by clicking the Register Here button below.

    Register Here

  • 05/31/2022 9:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT
    Voices Editor

    Getting Paid: For Sustainable Practice & Career Success Make These 6 Things Convenient For Clients, Referrers & Employers

    People looking for therapy are not going to look very hard to find you or find out more about your services. To sustain private practice and career success, online or in person, convenience is the top priority for prospective clients, referral sources, and employers—so make the following six things convenient.

    1. Make it convenient for people and your community to find out about you and your services.

    When people listen to your introduction, go to your website, look at an ad, directory listing, email signature, business card, or social media page, make sure you make it easy for them to find out
          Who you are
          What you can do for them
          Whether you see people online or in person
          What services you offer
          How they can contact you

    When looking for a position, make it easy to find needed information on your resume. 

    In any interaction, conversation, listing or shared practice information, make sure you have made people aware that

    • Your practice is open
    • You see clients in person (or not)
    • You are accepting new clients (or not) and/or have a waiting list (or not)
    • And you offer telehealth services (or not) 

    Since the pandemic began, many things have changed about counseling—some practices closed, others moved, some are now only telehealth. Currently these four things are what people want to know right away when they are considering you as a therapist or referring. 

    When you make it convenient for prospective clients, referral sources, and employers to access this information right away, people have the feeling you’re helpful, responsive to their needs, and are taking care of them. This also gives people the sense that you are the best person to hire or refer to as a therapist. 

    2. Make it convenient for people to realize the value you provide.

    People want to consult with a therapist who has expertise in their specific condition, problem, challenge or issue. When that is you, make it easy for people to see that you are that therapist. 

    Speak, write, connect, communicate, have conversations—online and in person—in a way that demonstrates your knowledge and experience, and builds trust, belief, and familiarity BUT MAKE SURE the information does not overwhelm or confuse people with technical jargon or all your credentials. 

    Give Information—written or spoken, in print, online or in person—that responds to people’s interest and questions. Remember, the best information is tailored to people’s interest and curiosity—and connects them to you, informs them about their challenges or problems, and says, “I know what you’re going through, and I know how to help.” 

    Your perceived value grows when your words, phrases, and presentation show that YOU have intimate knowledge, sensitivity, experience, training or certification—and you increase people’s awareness and perception of your expertise. This provides them with insight into who you are and why you are the professional they should choose for therapy or refer to or hire. 

    3. Make it convenient for prospective clients, referrers, and employers to contact you.

    Making it convenient to contact you so you have private practice and career success depends on four things:

    • Getting in front of your people,
    • Being visible to your people and community
    • Being known to your people and in your community
    • Being accessible to your people and community

    —And giving them your contact information and how to best contact you—including hours, days, and platform or format. 

    Make sure this information is on—and easily visible and accessible—your website, directory listing, email signature, business card, Linked In, Tik Tok, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and more—depending what platform is best for you and your prospective clients, colleagues, referrers or employers. 

    Depending on your preference and or your clientele’s, this could mean making sure your contact information includes any or all of the following: email, text, phone, dm, website form, video or audio message, etc. 

    4. Make it convenient for prospective clients, referrers, and employers to hear back from you.

    Many clients still report that therapists aren’t getting back to them. While most therapists with successful practices do return most calls, emails, and texts, many do not. It’s not a new phenomenon, however, a therapist’s practice can suffer if it becomes known they aren’t responding to calls, texts or emails from prospective clients and referrers.

    For sustainable practice and career success, it’s important for therapists to figure out methods for getting back to those who contact them by phone, email, and text. Here are some that therapists can use to briefly let the person know their message was received, and, if and when, there’s a time available for speaking:

    • If your caseload is full, put it on your voice mail. No callback needed.
    • If you respond quicker by email, put it on your voice mail along with your email address.
    • You may be able to text callers back if they call you.
    • Use apps, like SlyDial to return calls—leave a message directly to a caller’s voice mail. You can briefly let the person know their message was received and if there’s a time available to speak with them.
    5. Make it convenient for prospective clients, referrers, and employers to get to you.

    This means to talk, have a text or email exchange, or make an appointment; drive and park, Uber/Lyft, or take the bus to the session. Or it can mean getting connected to you for a session by phone or through a video platform (Zoom, Doxy, VSee, Simple Practice or other EHR, etc.). 

    Again, if it’s too complicated to make an appointment or to connect online for a session or the video or audio keeps failing, the call keeps dropping, clients are unlikely to continue therapy. When it just takes a few clicks to start or end the session, the line or feed is good, appointment times are doable, with their schedule, clients continue. 

    6. Make it convenient for clients to pay you for your services.

    Therapists today have many choices for accepting payment—debit, credit cards (Square, Stripe, Ivy, PayPal, ApplePay…), Zelle, Venmo, cash, handwritten or bank bill pay checks, and more. 

    Which do your clients prefer? If paying for services is too many steps or cumbersome to clients, they may not book another session. 

    Most clients prefer a very quick payment platform, this is why Zelle and Venmo are so popular. Clients pay with a click or two through an app—no work for the therapist and very little for the client. 

    Some clients prefer that their credit card is on file with automatic billing after a session—many therapists prefer this, too. Some clients don’t like to do this, however, so it’s important to assess. 

    Other clients like to receive a digital invoice and pay online. This can be before or after a session or a number of sessions. Sometimes, for convenience, clients will request an invoice to pay 4, 5, or 10 or more sessions in advance. 

    As you can see, convenience for both clients and therapists—and always within legal and ethical and treatment guidelines—result in sustainable practice and career success. Remember you can ignore everything written here and still be successful. Discover what works for you—and your clients.

    Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, is in private practice in Santa Monica where she works with Couples and Gifted, Talented, and Creative Adults across the lifespan. Lynne’s been doing business and clinical coaching with mental health professionals for more than 15 years, helping professionals develop even more successful careers and practices. To learn more about her in-person and online services, workshops or monthly no-cost Online Networking & Practice Development Lunch visit www.Gifted-Adults.com or www.LAPracticeDevelopment.com.

  • 05/31/2022 8:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    LA-CAMFT Grant
    Award Committee

    LA-CAMFT 2022 Grant Awards for Pre-Licensed Members Who Are Therapists of Color

    The LA-CAMFT Grant Committee is pleased to announce that LA-CAMFT will be offering two grant awards for LA-CAMFT Pre-Licensed Member Associates, Trainees, and Students who are Therapists of Color.

    If you are not an LA-CAMFT member, in order to apply for the award, you must first join LA-CAMFT.

    Registration for the LA-CAMFT 2022 Grant Award for Pre-Licensed Members who are Therapist of Color opens on May 4, 2022, and closes on June 25, 2022.

    Please read the information below regarding the description of the grant award, criteria for applying, application process, and selection process.

    Description of the LA-CAMFT Grant Award
    Every 4 months (3x per year), a grant award will be offered to two applicants who meet the following three criteria:

    1. Must be a current LA-CAMFT and CAMFT member
    2. Identify as a Therapist of Color
    3. Must be either an Associate, Trainee, or Student still in graduate school.
    • Grant winners will receive
    • $500 to be spent at the winner’s discretion
    • Free year of LA-CAMFT membership
    • Free admission to 3 LA-CAMFT workshops or networking events of the winner’s choosing. 

    The $500 award can be used at the recipient’s discretion based on their own individual needs (whether it be for BBS fees, testing materials, memberships, living expenses, etc.). 

    Confirmation for what the Grant Award money is used for will not be required. 

    Application and Selection Process
    Interested Pre-Licensed LA-CAMFT members who are Therapists of Color can complete the 2022 Grant Award Application on the LA-CAMFT website. 

    The selection process entails using a Randomized Generator of the applicants who met the full criteria and complete the application online in order to take out human bias and decrease activation of one's trauma history. 

    The drawing will be recorded via Zoom and posted onto social media along with an announcement naming the grant winners, who will also be contacted via email directly. 

    Registration for the 2022 LA-CAMFT Grant Awards for Pre-Licensed Members who are Therapists of Color  opens on May 4, 2022, and closes on June 25, 2022. 

    The drawing for the 2022 LA-CAMFT Grant Award for Pre-Licensed Members who are Therapists of Color will take place on June 26, 2022.
  • 05/31/2022 7:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)


    David Silverman,
    LMFT

    How Screenwriters Get Into Flow

    Most writers have experienced a period during which writing seems to come easily. For many writers (including myself) it happens late at night, when there are few distractions, no errands, or other tasks to worry about. For others it happens in the ungodly early hours, after getting up at 5 AM.

    Some writers call it being “in the zone.” Others call it “flow,” or "a state of flow”—and it involves feeling relaxed, yet productive and highly focused for a prolonged period while writing. Whatever you call it, it’s something every writer welcomes, but can’t always conjure up.

    I think it helps to have a pretty good idea about what you’re going to write during these periods, since you don’t want to be stopping to rethink things during the flow. The whole idea is to get started, keep moving forward and let momentum fuel your creativity.

    One of the keys to achieving the flow state is being able to deal with distractions. If you’re feeling hungry or thirsty, you’ll want to head to the refrigerator. If you’re tired, you’ll need to get some sleep and start the next day, or take a nap or grab some coffee. Aches and pains may need to be dealt with, in which case a hot bath and some aspirin may solve the problem.

    Another factor in creating a state of flow is being able to center yourself so you can fully concentrate. This is the part where relaxation can help. It helps to be able to self-regulate emotions. If you’re stressed, calm down. This is easy to say, but you’d be surprised by how many people have trouble doing it.

    If you have a relaxation ritual (which could involve yoga breathing, mindfulness meditation, clearing your mind of random thoughts, physical relaxation, music, lighting, or whatever works)—it can go a long way towards getting you de-stressed and into a flow state.

    A relaxation ritual that works for a lot of people involves visualization. You picture yourself in a peaceful environment, say a secluded beach or in a mountain cabin. You focus on how it feels to be there.

    You concentrate on the sensory stimulus in your visualization. What do you see, and hear? You let that inform the way you feel physically and psychologically. Hopefully you’ll feel relaxed and energized.

    There are all kinds of visualization exercises that can help you cope with stress. Some people visualize their stress in a kind of cloud that they can pick up and transfer to an object. Some people visualize a stream, with comforting sounds to relax them, or a crackling fire to energize them.

    Somebody taught me a visualization technique in which I imagined that “my hands and feet were slowly getting warm and heavy.” Then I visualized the blood in my body flowing out to my fingers and down to my toes.

    When you’re stressed your muscles tense up all over your body and blood goes to those areas, then your fingers and toes get colder, with less blood flowing out to them. This exercise forces blood to your extremities, your fingers and toes feel warm and heavy; and you feel relaxed.

    Another way to get into flow is to do self-hypnosis. You use one of the above-listed relaxation methods, then count backward from 100, picturing yourself walking down 100 steps, sinking into a state of hypnosis.

    Along with learning to relax, it’s important to be able to dial down your “inner critic” during the writing process. To oversimplify a bit, your inner critic is the combined voice of all the people who’ve been critical of you throughout your life, almost always going back to an over-critical parent.

    While those critical thoughts are there to keep you doing your best work, they can also take a toll. They can eat away at your self-confidence and slow, or stop your train of thought. The idea during the “flow state” is to keep moving forward.

    What I recommend writers do is learn a technique they call “thought-stopping” in cognitive psychology. When you catch yourself thinking self-critical thoughts—immediately challenge them. Be aware of them. Expect them. And when you encounter them—stop. Just stop thinking about them.

    “Can you really do that?” you might be asking yourself. Yes. People do it every day, all the time, it’s called coping. What you can’t stop is the existence of these thoughts. What you can do is learn to let go.

    You’re going to encounter those thoughts when you’re writing. But you don’t have to entertain them or dwell on them or obsess about them. You can decide to move on to more productive thoughts.

    If you’re having trouble ignoring self-critical thoughts you might have to challenge them. If you find yourself doubting your abilities, keep an arsenal of challenges ready. When faced with self-doubt, I stop, catch myself, and think, “Wait, I created five TV shows. Of course I can do that.”

    Always challenge negative self-talk.

    Whatever your major accomplishments are, use them to combat the critical self-talk. Let’s say you’ve published novels, or placed in film festivals or screenwriting contests. Use those facts. Win that imaginary argument.

    Use these “mind tricks” or as I call them “reframes,” or just “different ways of thinking,” to stop self-critical thought during the flow period. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Make sure you have a plan, get started and let the flow carry you as far as it can. Criticism comes later, during the rewrite.

    David Silverman, LMFT, treats anxiety and depression, especially in highly sensitive individuals in his LA practice. Having experienced the rejection, stress, creative blocks, paralyzing perfectionism, and career reversals over a 25 year career as a Film/TV writer, he’s uniquely suited to work with gifted, creative, and sensitive clients experiencing anxiety, depression, and addiction. David received training at Stanford and Antioch, is fully EMDR certified, and works with programs treating Victims of Crime and Problem Gamblers. Visit www.DavidSilvermanLMFT.com.

  • 05/31/2022 6:30 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    Tina Cacho Sakai,
    LMFT 

    LA-CAMFT Therapists of Color Mentorship ProgramCall for Therapist of Color (TOC) Mentors (July 1 Start Date)

    During our “Anti-Racism as a Movement, Not a Moment” Roundtable in August 2020, we came together as a therapeutic community to discuss and address racism and discrimination. We collaborated on what LA-CAMFT can do to be an actively and overtly anti-racist community. We specifically identified needed supports that we as therapists of color and as a therapeutic community wanted to see provided. One of the many needed supports identified was a Therapists of Color (TOC) Mentorship Program.

    In January 2021 a group of students, associates and licensed therapists of color formed the Therapists of Color (TOC) Mentorship Program Committee and met on a monthly basis to discuss and begin the creation of this program. The committee spent quality time on the purpose statement, guidelines, interest form, marketing, launch date, and more. The development of the program are the contributions of the following committee participants: Akiah Selwa, Destiny Campron, Jenni Villegas Wilson, Leanne Nettles, Lucy Sladek, Maisha Gainer, Matthew Fernandez, Nehemiah Campbell, Perla Hollow, Rachell Alger, Raven Barrow, Stara Shakti, and Tina Cacho Sakai.

    The LA-CAMFT Therapists of Color (TOC) Mentorship Program exists to help address inequities experienced by professional mental health therapists of color and intersections with other historically marginalized groups. The first of its kind amongst CAMFT chapters, LA-CAMFT is committed to ensuring quality mentorship for therapists of color by therapists of color. The mentorship program is intended to help bridge the gap of identifying and creating opportunities for growth and advancement in the field, guide clinicians across various stages of professional development, increase accessibility and sustainability in the field, and assist therapists of color to confidently provide services from their culturally authentic self.  

    At this time, we are Calling for Therapists of Color (TOC) Mentors who are committed to this mission and more:

    • Qualifications: Licensed in the State of CA (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, PSYD, etc) 
    • Commitment: 6 to 12 months with the option to continue independently.
    • Frequency: 1x per month or mutually agreed-upon schedule of meetings, which may occur via phone, virtual platform, email exchanges, or face-to-face meetings.
    • Types of Mentorship Relationships: 1-on-1 and/or group mentorship (your choice) .
    • Mentors do not need to be LA-CAMFT Members. 

    Here are some of the many rewards for being a Therapist of Color (TOC) Mentor:

    • Guide, teach, and inspire the next generation of TOC mental health professionals.
    • Establish and promote a culture of support within our profession.
    • Build intergenerational relationships.
    • Contribute to new developments in the field.
    • Receive LA-CAMFT benefits for volunteering your time, knowledge and wisdom. 

    If you are interested in becoming a Therapist of Color (TOC) Mentor, would like to receive more information and/or receive the Interest Form, reach out to us at tocmentorshipprogram@lacamft.org

    Interest Form Due Dates and Mentorship Start Dates: 

    • June 1st for 6-month mentorship to start July 1st.
    Interest Forms submitted after the Due Date will be placed on the list to begin with the next quarter cohort.

    With Gratitude and Solidarity, 

    LA-CAMFT Therapists of Color (TOC) Mentorship Program Committee
  • 05/31/2022 6:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    Chellie Campbell,
    Financial Stress
    Reduction Expert

    The Waitress and the Short Order Cook  
    from The Wealthy Spirit

    “Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one the stars. 
                                        Frederick Langbridge

    The waitress has worked here since time began. Ageless and calm, her eyes see through to the end of the world. She smacks her gum, gives the customer a lopsided grin, and smoothly asks in her professional voice, “May I take your order now?” She stands there expectantly, pencil poised to write on her order pad.

    “I don’t know exactly what I’m hungry for. I can’t make a mistake. I’m really sorry this is taking so long—I’m so stupid!” In discomfort and confusion, the customer gropes for the right words and the right order.

    “One don’t, one can’t, and a side order of shame!” the waitress hollers to the cook. He stands behind the counter, ready to serve up another batch of cold reality. He’s heard this order before. In a second, the plate is prepared.

    “I really want to help people. I don’t care about the money,” the customer explains.

    “Hold the money!” the waitress hollers.

    The cook silently removes the money from the plate.

    A new customer bursts into the diner: “I’ll have the talent, drive and determination to be a top caliber professional writer, I write a book that helps many people and easily makes me rich and famous!”

    The waitress laughs and gives the order to the cook: “One successful bestseller smothered in money and a side order of fame!”

    “It’s already been delivered,” smiles the cook.

    This is Earth’s Universal Diner, where you always get exactly what you ask for. Would you like to change your order?

    Today’s Affirmation: “I always get exactly what I want!” 

    I love this story. I can say that with modesty, even though I wrote it, because I’m not sure how I wrote it. This is one of the magical stories that just came through as I sat at my computer typing and thinking and writing. Once in a while, something else took hold, the zone embraced me, images flowed through my mind and became words. And the words formed a story, heretofore unknown.

    Every artist experiences this otherworldly phenomenon, that transforms their picture or article or ad or whatever creation they are working on. This is why we show up hour after hour, day after day. 

    We wait for the inspiration, the muse, the automatic writing that takes over and uses us as a tool. The thing we intended has been transformed and blessed.

    This only happens when you are working, experimenting, listening, giving yourself over to the thing you love. 

    Ask for what you want today. Then give yourself over to it, expecting the best. Transformation awaits you!

    Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert, is the author of bestselling books The Wealthy Spirit, Zero to Zillionaire, and most recently From Worry to Wealthy: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Success Without the Stress. She is widely quoted in major media including Redbook, Good Housekeeping and more than 50 popular books. She has been treating Money Disorders like Spending Bulimia and Income Anorexia in her Financial Stress Reduction® Workshops for over 25 years. Her website is www.chellie.com.

  • 05/31/2022 4:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    LA-CAMFT Diversity Committee
    Presents:

    Black Therapist Support Group

    First Saturday of Every Month

    Next Meeting:
    Saturday, June 4, 2022
    12:00 pm-1:30 pm (PT)

    Online Via Zoom

    Black Therapist Support Group

    A safe place for healing, connection, support and building community. In this group, licensed clinicians, associates and students can come together and process experiences of racism (systemic, social, and internalized), discrimination, implicit bias, and micro-aggressions, along with additional experiences that therapists of African descent encounter in the field of mental health. As the late great Maya Angelou once said, “As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal someone else.” May this space, be the support needed to facilitate that journey.

    Open to LA-CAMFT Members and Non-Members

    First Saturday of Each Month
    Location: Zoom Meeting

    For more information contact Akiah Robinson Selwa, LMFT at aselwa@sunrisetherapycenter.org.

    Event Details: 

    For:
    Licensed Therapists, Associates, and Students

    Event Details: 
    Saturday, June 4, 2022, 12:00 pm-1:30 pm (PT)
    Time of Check-In: 11:50 am

    Where: 
    Online Via Zoom
    Once you have registered for the presentation, we will email you a link to Zoom a few days before the presentation.

    Cost:
    No Charge

    Online Registration CLOSES on the date of the event.
    (Registration is open and available until the group ends.)

    Questions about Registration? Contact  Diversity Committee, diversitycommittee@lacamft.org.

    Register Here

  • 05/31/2022 3:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    Catherine Auman,
    LMFT

    You Don’t Need to Love Yourself First

    “You have to love yourself first before you can love anyone else.” Justin is saying this as his explanation for why he’s still single. It’s an adage we’ve all heard a zillion times, haven’t we? I used to blindly believe it myself—I’d heard it over and over and read it in self-help books, so it must be true. It’s considered so absolutely right, it’s not even questioned. I hear it frequently quoted by my patients and friends. But think it through with me:

    Many people out there in long-term relationships don’t particularly love themselves, and didn’t love themselves before they got paired up either. They didn’t wait until they loved themselves to get involved.

    You don’t need to be a good tennis player before you decide to learn to play tennis. People at all levels of competency enjoy playing. Some of them don’t even particularly love tennis; they just play for the fun of it.

    Relationships are petri dishes in which we can learn to love ourselves and others. Through the constant friction, through correcting our mistakes and starting over again, through striving to become a better person, we gradually turn into someone who is capable of love. All that is really needed is a willingness to love and be loved and a decision to not have to get your own way all the time.

    People who don’t especially love themselves yet, usually because of a difficult childhood or because they are sensitive to advertisers’ messages that they don’t measure up, can learn to love themselves by being in relationships. As the slogan goes in Al-Anon, “Let us love you until you learn to love yourself.”

    We don’t learn to love in a vacuum. It’s essential to have relationships with other people in order to turn into a person who loves yourself, and not the other way around. The famous saying above is putting the cart before the horse.

    You don’t need to wait until you learn to love yourself before you start loving others. Go ahead and love freely: rescue a cat or dog, become friendly with everyone, not just people your own age or coolness-factor. Help out; volunteer. Join groups and give, give, give. You learn to love yourself by be- coming a lover and not by waiting until you’ve reached some mythical state.

    © 2021 Catherine Auman

    Catherine Auman, LMFT is a licensed therapist with advanced training in both traditional and spiritual psychology with over thirty years of successful professional experience helping thousands of clients. She has headed nationally based psychiatric programs as well as worked through alternative methodologies based on ancient traditions and wisdom teachings. Visit her online at catherineauman.com.

  • 05/31/2022 2:00 PM | Mike Johnsen (Administrator)

    LA-CAMFT Diversity Committee
    Presents:

    Therapists of Color Support Group

    Sunday, June 12, 2022

    Second Sunday of Every Month

    11:00 am-1:00 pm

    Via Zoom

    Therapists of Color Support Group

    A safe place to receive peer support and process experiences of racism (systemic, social, and internalized), discrimination, implicit bias, racist injury, aggression, and micro-aggressions, along with additional experiences that therapists of color encounter in the field of mental health.

    Open to LA-CAMFT Members and Non-Members
    Second Sunday of Each Month
    Location: Zoom Meeting

    For more information, contact the LA-CAMFT Diversity Committee at DiversityCommittee@lacamft.org.

    Event Details: 

    For:
    Licensed Therapists, Associates, and Students

    Event Details: 
    Sunday, June 12, 2022, 11:00 am-1:00 pm (PT)
    Time of Check-In: 10:50 am

    Where: 
    Online Via Zoom
    Once you have registered for the presentation, we will email you a link to Zoom a few days before the presentation.

    Cost:
    No Charge

    Online Registration CLOSES on the day of the event.

    Questions about Registration? Contact Diversity Committee, diversitycommittee@lacamft.org.

    Register Here


    In diversity there is beauty
    and there is strength.

    Maya Angelou

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