President's Message

Jennifer Stonefield, LMFT
LA-CAMFT President

International Stress Awareness Day

The first Wednesday in November is International Stress Awareness Day. This is a global observance aimed at raising awareness about stress and its impacts on health and well-being. Held annually, this day is meant to encourage people across the world to recognize the signs of stress and take proactive steps to manage it. Stress can affect anyone, regardless of age, profession, or location, making it a universal issue. International Stress Awareness Day brings attention to the importance of mental health, promoting the adoption of stress-relief techniques like mindfulness, exercise, and relaxation practices to improve the quality of life. 

One’s own individual strength, as well as the strength of the community, plays a central role in how they approach stress management. On International Stress Awareness Day, the concept of strength is not just about withstanding stress, but about building resilience. Resilience, in this instance, involves learning how to cope with challenges more effectively, knowing when to seek help, and finding healthy outlets for stress. Strength also comes from knowledge, along with understanding the triggers of stress and equipping oneself with the tools to handle it. This day serves as a reminder that cultivating inner strength is essential in navigating the pressures of modern life. 

International Stress Awareness Day is meant to extend beyond the individual and should also encompass wider collective efforts. Workplaces, governments, and healthcare systems are also encouraged to foster environments that reduce stress and promote well-being. This is encouraged by creating supportive, stress-reducing frameworks in professional and social settings builds a stronger, more resilient society. By embracing one’s strength as a proactive approach to stress, individuals and organizations alike can work toward a healthier, more balanced world, where mental health is prioritized and supported. As always, there is support out there for you and those you know. Please remember to be kind to yourself and others. 

Jennifer Stonefield, LMFT, is Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. She’s always had a passion for psychology and going on the therapeutic journey with her clients reminds her of this every day. She has a wide array of clinical experience ranging from working with children in an educational setting to those suffering from dementia to individual work in several group, private practices where age holds no boundaries. She has an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jennifer applies a person-centered approach when working with clients, as she believes that a “one size fits all” approach simply won’t cut it.

stay tuned

Editor's Note

Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT
Voices Editor

Getting Paid: Private Practice Success Without Stress — Top 10 Articles to Make Your Practice Even Better This Season (5)

Fifth in a series of Annual Articles on Private Practice Success Without Stress—Top 10 Articles to Make Your Practice Better This Season

‘Tis the season to be giving thanks and to be giving, so, my gift to you, once again, is 10 of the best articles I’ve come across this year — the ones that give the best answers to the questions that therapists have about how make and keep their practices profitable and successful — without having to spend a lot of time or money or effort to do so.

Each of these articles is a short and easy read — and every single one of them is chock full of the best tips and information that therapists can quickly and easily use to make their practice better any time of the year.

Reading any one of them will definitely give you more private practice success — minus stress!

So, when you can make a little time during this season to reflect on your practice and how to make it better, stronger, more profitable, and more, take a look at one of these and see what you think. 

1. 3 Tips to Attract Ideal Clients Every Mental Health Professional Needs
2. How to Get More Therapy Clients With a Niche
3. Developing Deeper Referrer Relationships
4. Networking Tips for Therapists Who Think They Don't Know How to Network
5. How to Feel Good About Earning Money in Private Practice
6. Why Raise Your Therapy Private Practice Rates – And How To Do It
7. Missed Sessions: Being Nice Can Cost You Thousands
8. How to Transition From Insurance to Private Pay
9. Social Media Marketing: Good or Bad?
10. Email Newsletter Ideas for Private Practice Owners

There you have it, your very own Private Practice Coaching Kit. Enjoy your reading! 

If you want to look at last year’s Top 10 List, click on this link. 

Happy Holidays!

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.

Therapists of Color (TOC) Mentorship Program

TOC Mentorship Program Committee gets ready to host Dishes of Diversity: A Mentoring Potluck

The Therapists of Color Mentorship Program is excited to announce its upcoming mentoring potluck, an event specially designed to bring together both mentees and mentors in a celebration of community, culture, and connection. This exclusive gathering is set to take place on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at Center Pointe Club at Playa Vista, fostering an enriching experience for all attendees.

Dishes of Diversity is more than just an opportunity to share delicious food—it's a chance to celebrate the rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences that make up the Therapists of Color Mentorship Program. Each participant is encouraged to bring a dish that represents their cultural heritage or personal favorites, creating a vibrant tapestry of flavors that reflects the unique stories of our community members.

In addition to the culinary delights, the event will feature a variety of games and activities designed to nurture connections and build a sense of camaraderie. From traditional board games to culturally significant activities, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. These games are not only fun but also serve as icebreakers, helping mentors and mentees get to know each other in a relaxed and informal setting.

This mentoring potluck is also an excellent opportunity for mentees to interact with their mentors outside of the usual professional context. Sharing food and engaging in games allows for more personal conversations and deeper connections, which can enhance the mentorship experience. It’s a chance to see mentors as individuals with their own unique stories and experiences, rather than just professional guides.

This event underscores the importance of community within the Therapists of Color Mentorship Program. By coming together to celebrate our diverse backgrounds, we strengthen the bonds that make our community resilient and supportive. It is through these shared experiences that we can continue to grow both personally and professionally.

We look forward to seeing all our mentees and mentors, past and present, at this year's event. Please USE THIS LINK to RSVP by Sunday, November 10, 2024. Let's make this event a memorable celebration of our collective heritage and the strong, supportive community we are building together.

Call to Action: Not part of the program but eager to find ways to participate in this exciting event? Consider being a sponsor. For more details, please contact Keonna Robinson or Brian Hart. We can't wait to share this special experience with you!

Keonna Robinson, MA, LMFT, is the TOC Mentorship Program Chair. Visit: TOC Mentorship Webpage. Email: Tocmentorshipprogram@lacamft.org.

LA-CAMFT 3000 Club

presents

3000 Club Monthly Support Group 

Saturday, November 2, 2024
9:00 am- 10:00 am

Meets First Saturday of Every Month

FREE Registration

Via Zoom

3000 Club Monthly Support Group

Join the 3000 Club for a one-hour support group. Meet and get to know other pre-licensed members, ask questions about BBS updates, participate in a supportive group of other LA-based pre-licensed MFTs.

For more information, contact Javan Taherkhani. 

For:
Prelicensed Associates and Students, Trainees, Associates, Newly Licensed Therapists, LA-CAMFT Members and Non-Members.

Event Details: 
Saturday, November 2, 2024, 9:00-10:00 am

Where: Online Via Zoom

Cost:
No Charge

Your registration confirmation email will include the Zoom link and instructions for accessing the event.

(To be sure you receive any information we send prior to the event, please add prelicensed@lacamft.org to your known contacts or safe list and check your bulk, junk or promotions mailboxes for any emails from us about this event.)

Registration is open and available until the presentation begins.

Guest Article

The Power of Companionship: Finding Connection in Unexpected Places

Kim Scott, LMFT

This summer, I had the chance to reconnect with a distant cousin who retired to Palm Springs years ago. As we caught up, she shared an intriguing arrangement: she bought a home with a close friend, another woman in her 70s. Not a romantic partnership, but a friendship built on practicality and companionship. They think of themselves as “Boomer Mates,” a concept that is rapidly growing in popularity.  I hadn’t heard of it before but it immediately struck me as brilliant.

My cousin’s story is just one example of a broader trend. The idea of living with a friend isn’t new, but it's gaining traction—especially among people in their 70s. Intergenerational living, which was once common in America, is also seeing a resurgence. The 2022 US Census revealed that approximately 947,000 seniors now live with unrelated roommates, with about 50 percent sharing homes with younger adults.

This arrangement offers a creative way to combat the loneliness that can accompany retirement, while easing financial pressures. Some of the other benefits of having a roommate as an older adult include enhanced safety—especially during falls and medical emergencies—prolonged independence, and a shared journey through the later stages of life.  But perhaps the greatest gift is companionship.  

At the heart of these living arrangements is the desire for connection, something that becomes even more essential as we age. Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, has spoken powerfully about this in his May 2023 advisory, where he labeled loneliness and social isolation as a public health crisis. He highlighted the profound health risks of chronic loneliness, likening it to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. His insights shine a light on the deep emotional pain that comes from feeling disconnected. The Surgeon General also makes an important distinction between isolation and loneliness.

Isolation is simply being alone; it can be neutral or even beneficial. Loneliness, however, is the emotional distress that arises when we feel separated from others. It’s a feeling many clients struggle with in therapy, particularly as they age. But recognizing that loneliness is not a personal failing can help take away the shame many people feel. It is, in fact, a shared human experience.

In his book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, Dr. Murthy outlines three levels of relationships that shape our well-being. The most intimate circle includes our closest connections—family and confidantes who are there in times of crisis. The second circle consists of companions we see occasionally, like friends from work or places of worship, who enrich our lives in important but less intimate ways. The outermost layer is made up of more casual acquaintances—colleagues, baristas, or fellow gym-goers. Though these relationships may seem insignificant, they still contribute to a sense of belonging.

When any of these connections weaken, loneliness can take root. For seniors, this is especially common, though it is not necessarily linked to mental health disorders. Normalizing the conversation around loneliness in therapy can lift some of the shame clients may feel.

So how can we support clients who are experiencing loneliness? Here are a few ways to help:

• Create a safe space for open conversations: Loneliness is often seen as something shameful, especially for men. Offering clients a space to express these feelings without judgment is vital. Studies, such as one by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, show that 22% of adults report feeling lonely or isolated. Normalizing these feelings can help them feel less alone and less ashamed.
• Build a therapeutic relationship: For many clients, sharing their inner world with a therapist might be the first time they’ve opened up to anyone. This connection can be a starting point for learning how to build relationships outside of therapy.
• Encourage comfort with solitude: Dr. Murthy reminds us that developing comfort with solitude is key to fostering connection with others. By helping clients embrace mindfulness, reflection, gratitude, and creativity, we can guide them toward a greater sense of ease with being alone, which in turn strengthens their capacity for connection.
• Introduce new possibilities: Encouraging clients to explore new living arrangements, like my cousin’s "Boomer Mates," can help them find practical ways to foster connection. Resources such as the National Shared Housing Resource Center offer tools to help seniors find housemates.
• Foster social engagement: Teaching clients how to engage socially is critical, particularly for those who struggle with social anxiety. Building this skill can be a pathway to healthy, meaningful relationships.
• Prescribe pro-social activities: Simple activities like visiting a senior center, joining a class, or volunteering can help clients build social connections. For example, OneGeneration.Org, a Senior Enrichment Center in Los Angeles County, offers meals, classes, and volunteer opportunities, giving seniors a chance to engage with others. Similarly, the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks hosts activities ranging from knitting to creative writing, providing various ways to build community.

With over 55 million people in the U.S. feeling lonely or isolated at any given time, addressing this issue in therapy is crucial. Supporting our clients often requires more than just therapeutic tools; it calls for us to be knowledgeable about community resources that meet both their emotional and practical needs.

Kim Scott, LMFT is a licensed marriage, family and child therapist. She has a private practice in Granada Hills where she works with couples and individuals, in-person and via Telehealth. Kim has been licensed for 30 years and has expertise in working with older adults and women issues. To learn more about Kim's practice and to read more of her articles visit her website: www.kimscottmft.com

LA-CAMFT Diversity Committee
Presents:

Black Therapist Support Group

Second Monday of Every Month

Next Meeting:
Monday, November 11, 2024
6:00 pm-7:30 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 this Month
Location: Zoom Meeting

For more information contact the Diversity Committee, diversitycommittee@lacamft.org.

For:
Licensed Therapists, Associates, and Students

Event Details: 
Monday, November 11, 2024, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm (PT)
Time of Check-In: 5:50 am

Where: 
Online Via Zoom
Upon registration for the presentation, you will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to our Zoom meeting.

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 Stara Shakti, LMFT   at DiversityCommittee@lacamft.org.

Guest Article

Why the Term Transition is Transphobic

Van Ethan Levy, LMFT, LPCC

The term transition is based on the idea that gender looks a certain way and that people need to change from looking/sounding/acting/and more, a certain way for their identity to be respected. When we are born, doctors assign us a gender based on our external genitalia (which is rooted in transphobia because they are basing it off the idea that men have penises and woman have vaginas.

The reality is, we are who we are, and our outside appearance does not change who we are on the inside. We then navigate the world with the assumption that if a doctor told me so, then this must be true. For some of us, who we are does not match what the world has told us.

The term transition implies that we were one gender and are now another. But that is not the case. We are and always have been our gender, it just may have taken us a while to find the words, support, understand, knowledge and/or much more to affirm ourselves and our identities. Our outward appearance does not dictate and/or represent who we are.

There is no one way to look: male, female, trans, non binary, conforming and/or another identity. Therefore, changing how we look on the outside is not a transition, just like getting a nose job, liposuction, butt implants and/or other surgeries to affirm our self-esteem are not transition surgeries. Rather, they are affirming surgeries to how we want to appear externally. Yet, when discussing these external changes regarding trans people we are so quick to label with words like transition.

When a cis person takes hormones that their body is not producing enough of, we do not label their experience as a transition. Yet when a trans person takes hormones that their body is not producing enough of, we slap on the label transition. This others trans people and again reinforces that the term transition is transphobic, designed to other trans people. If the term transition was used for everyone; trans, cis, non binary, non conforming and/or many more identities, then it would not be transphobic. When a cis person changes up their style, hair, accessories, and/or other parts of themselves/identity(ies) we do not label this experience as them transitioning, when trans people do, we label it as 'transition'.

It is important to recognize that the term transition has been and is continuously used and weaponized against trans/nonbinary/ non conforming/and/or more identities, as a gauge to see if someone is “something enough” and/or to assimilate what society has dictated (social constructs) of how people need to look/feel/act/sound and much more. There are many words, terms and/or phrases that we have used across time that are problematic that we were unaware of. Often people state, I have always used the term transition and/or I am trans or know a trans person who uses this term. This is not a justification as to why it makes it okay. We can do better, so let’s do better.

At the same time, it is vital to know that we should NEVER dismiss someone’s personal identity while not taking the person’s identity and thinking it is okay to copy and paste it on to someone else. An example is if someone identified as transsexual, respect that, that is their identity and know that you should not call someone transsexual (unless they explicitly state that, that is their identity) because the term transsexual is transphobic.

When we are unaware of the harm that our language is creating and it is brought to our attention, it is vital to explore our own internalized transphobia. Often, people become defensive when they hear terms like transphobic and/or internalized transphobia. This defensiveness and resistance is the privilege we hold and our ego prevents us from taking the time to process and explore our own internal concepts. People have a belief that trans/non binary/ non conforming and/or more identities cannot be transphobic and/or have internalized transphobia, and that is false. Everyone has and will always have internalized transphobia and it is an active process to continue to work on it.

The difficulty with affirming language is that the language that is supposed to be affirming has often been designed by people who are in positions of power and are not part of the community. They hold privilege and are unable to truly conceptualize and understand what it is like to be part of the population. Often, the people in positions of power are cis/het/white-passing/middle to higher SES/neurotypical/able-bodied and/or more.

It can be difficult for folx who are trans/non binary/ non conforming and/or more identities to cultivate affirming language due to many factors, such as, but not limited to; basic survival (lack of access to housing/food/job), knowledge, access, awareness and/or many other factors. While we are at times barely surviving, folx with privilege are labelling our experience and dictating how we need to live our lives while arguing with our experiences.

Our community is suffering and experiencing chronic violence while accepting the knowledge cis folx are imposing on us. We justify that it is “okay” because our oppressors (whose oppression we are unaware of most the time) have “empowered us” with language for our experience. Can you see the irony in someone who holds privilege and power “empowering” someone on their own experience and/or identity?

Van Ethan Levy, MA, LMFT, LPCC, (they) (elle), a trans and non binary therapist, is a queer, non binary, trans, socialized as female, nBPOC (not Black Person of Color), who is autistic, and has dynamic disabilities amongst many more historically excluded identities. Van provides consultations and trainings on trans and non binary identities, is the organizer of the 2022 Virtual International Do Something: Identity(ies) Conference, authored the interactive book, Exploring My Identity(ies), and produced the Documentary, Do Something: Trans & Non Binary Identities, Website: VanEthanLevy.com

stay tuned

Guest Article

The Rule Of Three

Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert

"Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is ready cash—use it." -Kay Lyons

I had just received a large cash settlement from an auto accident I had been involved in. Gleefully, I held the $12,000 check in my hand. I thought about what I should do with all this money. At the time, I had debts, so I considered using it all to pay down my debt. That felt good, but not great—I wouldn’t have anything fun to show for my good fortune. Then I thought, I could save all the money, but here again, I wouldn’t have any enjoyment of the money right now. What I really wanted to do was spend all the money on fun and extravagance. But that didn’t feel very responsible.

I wrestled with the problem a while, then called a friend of mine, Gale Johnston, a certified financial planner.

When I confessed my dilemma, Gale laughed and told me about the “Rule of Three.” This is what she told me to do:

1. Take a third of the money and put it towards the past—pay off debt.
2. Take another third of the money and put it towards the future—invest it.
3. Take the last third of the money and have a good time in the present—spend it.

I did as she suggested, and felt responsible and had fun at the same time.

I’m praying you receive a large windfall soon, so you can try this out for yourself!

Today’s Affirmation:
“I am successful, generous, and happy!”

I love feeling responsible. Makes me feel like I am a good citizen, a proper role-model, smart, savvy, and together. I’m taking care of the future, storing my nuts for the winter like the squirrel in my backyard.

But then I love throwing caution to the winds, escaping the bonds of frugality, and splurging on fun, excitement, travel, poker, and fine dining! I don’t see any critters in my backyard doing that, though…they are all devoted to searching for food, building a nest, attracting a mate.

Except sometimes, it seems the birds just sit in the trees and sing, apparently for no reason except to revel in the sound of their song.

I think the life lesson of that is: When you’ve stored some nuts, be sure to take some time off to sing!

Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert, is the author of bestselling books The Wealthy Spirit, Zero to Zillionaire, and From Worry to Wealthy: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Success Without the Stress. She has been treating Money Disorders like Spending Bulimia and Income Anorexia in her Financial Stress Reduction® Workshops for over 25 years and is still speaking, writing, and teaching workshops—now as Zoom classes and The Wealthy Spirit Group on Facebook—with participants from all over the world. Website: www.chellie.com.