Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I’m going to start this newsletter with some incredible data I’ve collected about the most recent LA-CAMFT picnic, which was held at Cheviot Hills Park last weekend. Historically, this annual event has been the best opportunity for people in the mental health field to make new friends and learn more about the resources that our organization provides. 

This year was no different with over seventy attendees, including seven children, which is the largest number of kids we’ve ever had. The LA-CAMFT board requested that attendees bring meals that represent their culture and upbringing, and everything was delicious!

We also had more activities than ever before, ranging from drum circles to expressive arts, sing-a-longs, play workshops, and even Tai Chi. I’ve never seen so many people bring different types of instruments, including a standing bass and tambourines. My multi-genre playlist kept the energy high as everyone socialized.

Our favorite caterers, Tacos Family Perez, returned, serving over 250 tacos and quesadillas. Clearview Treatment Center returned as our devoted sponsor with Michelle Lee, Outreach Coordinator, representing them. I really appreciated Michelle Lee’s touching announcement about Clearview’s work with women dealing with borderline personality disorder and addiction. LA-CAMFT also treated attendees to massages under the trees with Yvonne Larson, master massage therapist.

Over two dozen volunteers came together to make this event possible, working well beyond the 1 pm–5 pm picnic hours. It was so much fun handing out nine pairs of Hollywood Bowl tickets to our lucky raffle winners.

As some of you may remember, my platform for running for president has focused on “celebrating” everyone at LA-CAMFT. The last few weeks have been difficult for our country, and being on the front lines means that we work extra hard to help people heal through trauma. We need to keep our wells full of spirit and self-care, and this picnic was a perfect opportunity to do so.

Moving into September, there are several events and workshops that I’d like to encourage all of you to attend:

Friday, September 20, from 9 am–11:30 am:Our Monthly Networking Event, featuring Dr. Barbara Nosal, LMFT, LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor) speaking about “Healing Trauma: The Pathway to Authenticity and Authentic Connections.” We will have our delicious breakfast and various networking opportunities. 

Sunday, September 22, from 2:30 pm–5:30 pm: “Exploring the Influence of LGBTQ Intersectionality in Therapy,” featuring: Dr. Harpreet Malla, Registered Psychologist; Tara (“Stara”) Shakti, MA, AMFT; Sage Mendez-McLeish, Med; and Joe Garza, MS, AMFT. This is the first workshop brought to you by LA-CAMFT’s Diversity Committee and it’s our first event on the East side of Los Angeles. 

I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at our September events!

Best Regards,
Christina Castorena, LMFT

Christina Castorena, MS, LMFT, worked in community mental health before starting her private practice, Castorena Therapeutic Services, in 2016. She passionately serves adults, couples, and members of the LGBTQ+ community who are dealing with life transitions, parenting, relational conflicts, and anxiety. She employs family systems and mindfulness-based CBT. As president of LA-CAMFT, Christina strongly advocates for her professional community and celebrates the hard-working clinicians that facilitate healing. Her website is castorenatherapeutic.com. Christina may be contacted at president@lacamft.org.