I wish us all luck in expanding our consciousnesses to include the socio-political context of others and I see each IE-CAMFT, its membership, and the offered trainings as the means to this end.
The increase in vaccination rates in the past few weeks have brought hope for an end to, if not the Coronavirus itself, at least the restrictions that were imposed for dealing with the pandemic. This is important because the external stresses brought on by the pandemic have in some cases overwhelmed our capacity to maintain emotional balance. A "safe port in the storm" has always been important and during this difficult time even more so; we, as therapists, can be for our clients that precious harbor.
I was reading an article by Sharon Ramsey about Third-order Change. She defines such change as knowledge about cultures, power dynamics, and societal structures that influence the experience of others. It makes possible the integration of systems that govern the relationship between society, families, and individuals.
My awareness of the inequities that people may experience is an important part of being present to another person — to be a therapist who truly cares when seeing a client or clients. When clients understand and sense this connection, we, as therapists, may change their vista from one looking out to a roiling, lonely sea and instead toward a safe harbor.
This is not to say that this kind of therapist-client consciousness and knowledge is an easy goal, it is not. However, it is attainable at least in part. The biggest barrier to Third-order Change, is not knowing what we don’t know.
I’m so thankful for the monthly trainings available though IE-CAMFT, not to mention my many interactions with members. These trainings, and interactions help me, and all of us, learn new ways of looking at things we know, but most importantly help us to learn things we did not know existed. To help me learn what I didn’t know ...
I’m so glad to be a part of a bigger picture. It keeps me hopeful.
This month's virtual training is:
Ferrari Brain with Bicycle Brakes: How ADHD Shows Up in Young Adults & Teens, and When to Get Tested by Dr. Monica Blied, PhD.
Intro presentation video:
https://youtu.be/Ov8u_2Y6zBI
Warmly,
Paul Velen, MS, LMFT
IE-CAMFT President-Elect
