When We Unite, We Can Effect Positive Change
As the new Inland Empire CAMFT President, I want to invite you to be involved in this amazing profession we have by joining us in our monthly meetings.
This is the most important time in CAMFT’s history, considering last year’s bylaw debate. As you may know, the CAMFT Board attempted to change the CAMFT association into one that was for “all” mental health professionals. Instead, therapists across the state unified together, with “SAVECAMFT.ORG” leading the way, to preserve our profession. As I write this, I do not yet know if we successfully brought in the SAVE CAMFT candidates to help promote the vision for CAMFT to remain as it was.
One of things we learned was that as members, we can be unified and effect change. As the CAMFT Board had not been transparent about their intent to change the focus, we members came together in a large turnout and stated what we want: every other mental health profession has representation, and we need CAMFT to solely represent our interests!
As I think over our profession and how we facilitate a new vision for our clients, I think of a quote by Maya Angelou, “When we know better, we do better.” We help people “do better” in their relationships. We therapists play that very important instrumental role of reflecting hope. We listen, reflect, instruct, reframe, validate, affirm, laugh with and encourage, all the while inspiring with words that say change is possible. Our presence resonates that the client has value and that she or he has the answer within.
At this time, stop and slowly let the many clients who have come through your office come to your mind, all those clients representing families, marriages, and precious lives in need of restoration. And then think of all the estimated 30,000 members of CAMFT, who also do this essential work. Let’s applaud one another and hold each other up. We need each other’s support. I am personally thankful for a sense of a renewed strength springing from the unified belief that this profession is not only vital, but is worthy of having its own association. We need to value one another as well as what we do.
Janine Murray, MFT
President
Inland Empire CAMFT
