Can you believe it’s holiday time?  I am still trying to wrap my brain around this.  It’s certainly been an interesting year, unfortunately between Covid-19, the protests, grief and loss, and many fires, this has been a challenging year.  As recently as this weekend and the culmination in an Historic Presidential Election.  

While researching on the normalization of life after historical events as we are living in, it is difficult to foresee how long it will take life to be normalized from here.  The Spanish Flu took some time, certainly with our medical and mental health advances, we can only hope that we will bounce back sooner.  However, for now we have a more virtual world. 

With that said, please continue to check in with your clients on any Pandemic Fatigue that they may be feeling.  This is a very real response to these difficult times. Here is an online article on Pandemic Fatiguehttps://www.wdgpublichealth.ca/blog/pandemic-fatigue-what-it-and-how-do-we-move-past-it.  

Continue to manage your own self-care structuring your life in a way that is meeting your needs and hence your ability to be as present with your clients as possible. 

Finally, I wanted to let you know that we will have a unique Virtual Holiday Party this year.  We will be discussing further details in the coming weeks.  I am looking forward to a celebration that is celebratory and fun. 

I want to thank our last presenter Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem who spoke October 23rd  on the subject of infidelity.  If you missed this presentation, please feel free to visit his website at https://talalalsaleem.com/ and/or visit amazon to get your copy of his book on infidelity.  https://www.amazon.com/Infidelity-Happen-Marriage-Complete-Affairs/dp/0692874828 

Our upcoming presentation November 20th, 9am-11am is Brainspotting: Part Two, by Lisa Larson, MA, LMFT. Our video Interview will be available online (social media) on Monday November 9th, 2020. Part 2 is another view of Brainspotting. It is not necessary for you to have attended the July training (Introduction to Brainspotting) to attend this training.  As a trauma specialist I find this and many other trauma techniques useful to add to my arsenal of healing tools. Her training will include a demo.

Please keep in mind this is a zoom event, and registration will close on November 18th.  Also, attendees must attend the full session in order to receive 2 ceu’s.  

As a brainspotter myself, I also use Lisa Larson’s Intake Process.  I am hoping she will return and teach this method to all of us clinicians.  Once I took her course, I have used this method ever since.  Your interest in this subject matter would be helpful.  

Please email iecamft@gmail.com, attention to Lynn, if you would like to do a presentation for our chapter or have any connections/suggestions for future presentations.  There is also a link at the bottom of our  Event page to submit your presentation proposal.

IE-camft is not only here to offer you education, but also to allow us to network amongst our peers.  We invite you to come early to our event and get to know who is joining you at this training. 

We are also looking for volunteers and potential community and future board members.  If you are interested, please feel free to contact us at ie-camft@gmail.com.  As a member of this board for a number of years, I have found this to be an invaluable experience, and we hope that you too would consider this as a positive season in your life.

As we continue our virtual presentations, please remember:

This process is easy, and you can take part from the comfort of your home or office and even in your PJs if you like. Please do sign in early, and you must be present until the end. CEU time requirements are in place.  Also, you need to complete the seminar evaluation form in order to get your certificate.  The certificates are emailed in batches, so the earlier you complete yours, the sooner you will receive it, as most people submit theirs right after the seminar.

Here are a few suggestions to make your experience optimal.   

1.     Download and install the Zoom application ahead of time.

2.    Log in at least 15-20 minutes early and sign in. That way, you have time if a problem arises.

3.    Have only one browser window open during the conference call. We don’t need to see your email, and you will have a better connection.

4.    Make sure you are in a quiet place, and if you can’t be, or your dog starts barking of your child starts to cry, please mute yourself. In fact, everyone will be able to hear better if everyone but the presenter mutes themselves.

5.  Wear earbuds or headphones as that helps with unwanted feedback and makes everyone’s experience better.

6.  If the quality of the video becomes a challenge, you can stop the video and continue with audio-only. 

Thank you for continuing to support IE-CAMFT, please share about our trainings, we look forward to seeing you soon.

Carol Rose Adkisson
IE-CAMFT President

It’s hard to believe we are seven months into Covid-19. This season has changed much of our work as clinicians. Covid-compliant businesses have become a normal way of doing business. Masks are now necessary by both therapists and clients in most counties. I wonder how you are managing your own choices with this. Have you moved your practice to tele-health, or are you still seeing clients in person with precautions? I myself moved to a hybrid, depending on the comfortability of my staff. Each client has their special requests to create that connection for the healing process to begin.

Of course we have been dealing with so many difficult struggles during this time. As was discussed in Therapy Amidst Chaos, the racial protests and difficulties are continuing. It breaks my heart to see this remain an issue in this country, with so many of us children of immigrants from all over the world. And yet this is very real and needs to be addressed in all areas.

Finally we have had so many fires across this state. People needing to leave their homes in a hurry not knowing if they will find a home when they come back. I realize that this is fire season, but it seems that everyday you here of another fire and someone listing they are safe.  

So many different difficulties that we are dealing with all at once. Not to mention globally because some of these problems are a global problem. Healing is so necessary and mental health is needed more than ever. I feel the stigma in many cultures has lessened. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, I have never been to therapy, how does this work. That is a good sign to me that the admission of the need for help is a great first step.  

I want to thank Judy McGehee, LMFT and Sherry Shockey-Pope, LMFT  for presenting Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention on September 25th, 9-3:30 pm.  Their presentation was comprehensive, very informative, and we couldn’t have asked for better resources to deal with this serious issue.  

Our next presentation is Introduction to Systemic Affair Recovery (SART) presented by Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem on Friday, October 23, from 9:00am - 11:00am.

Look for our upcoming interview on Facebook live in the next week.

IE-CAMFT is not only here to offer you education, but also to allow us to network among our peers. We invite you to come early to our event and get to know who is joining you at this training. 

It’s hard to believe we are seven months into Covid-19. This season has changed much of our work as clinicians. Covid-compliant businesses have become a normal way of doing business. Masks are now necessary by both therapists and clients in most counties. I wonder how you are managing your own choices with this. Have you moved your practice to tele-health, or are you still seeing clients in person with precautions? I myself moved to a hybrid, depending on the comfortability of my staff. Each client has their special requests to create that connection for the healing process to begin.

Of course we have been dealing with so many difficult struggles during this time. As was discussed in Therapy Amidst Chaos, the racial protests and difficulties are continuing. It breaks my heart to see this remain an issue in this country, with so many of us children of immigrants from all over the world. And yet this is very real and needs to be addressed in all areas.

Finally we have had so many fires across this state. People needing to leave their homes in a hurry not knowing if they will find a home when they come back. I realize that this is fire season, but it seems that everyday you here of another fire and someone listing they are safe.  

So many different difficulties that we are dealing with all at once. Not to mention globally because some of these problems are a global problem. Healing is so necessary and mental health is needed more than ever. I feel the stigma in many cultures has lessened. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, I have never been to therapy, how does this work. That is a good sign to me that the admission of the need for help is a great first step.  

I want to thank Judy McGehee, LMFT and Sherry Shockey-Pope, LMFT  for presenting Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention on September 25th, 9-3:30 pm.  Their presentation was comprehensive, very informative, and we couldn’t have asked for better resources to deal with this serious issue.  

Our next presentation is Introduction to Systemic Affair Recovery (SART) presented by Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem on Friday, October 23, from 9:00am - 11:00am.
Look for our upcoming interview on Facebook live in the next week.

IE-CAMFT is not only here to offer you education, but also to allow us to network among our peers. We invite you to come early to our event and get to know who is joining you at this training.  

We are looking for volunteers and future board members. If you are interested, please contact us as ie-camft@gmail.com.  As a member of this board for a number of years, I have found this to be an invaluable experience, and we hope that you too would consider this as a positive season in your life.

Thank you for continuing to support IE-CAMFT! We look forward to seeing you soon, and please share about our trainings.

Carol Rose Adkisson
IE-CAMFT President

First of all, I would like to take a moment of silence for the loss of Beverly Johnson. She passed a few months ago and we were just made aware of this sad news. Beverly Johnson was actively involved with IE-CAMFT in the past and was an amazing therapist. As stated by one of our board members, “Beverly was the most awesome therapist ever!” Her son, Jack Johnson, is also a licensed therapist. He will be continuing the family legacy and giving back to the mental health community.

I would like to apologize for missing our last meeting. Unfortunately I too was one of the many that struggled with Covid-19.  I am finally up and about and I am blessed to have had I believe a moderate case that will fully pass in time.  

The last training I participated in was Lisa Larson’s training “Introduction to Brainspotting: Trauma Therapy That Works!” on July 24th. I was fortunate to be her demo at that training, and received a deep healing from that experience. I was trained the next week and am happy to say I have joined the community of fellow Brainspotters! Lisa has agreed to come back and continue this training with a second presentation. I encourage you to join us. The more tools we have in our tool chest as clinicians the more effective we are with our clients.

I would like to thank the presenters of “Therapy Amidst Chaos; The Role of a Therapist in 2020 and Beyond” which was on August 28th. Thank you Anthony Carson, LMFT, Jamie Nelson, LMFT, Nicole Serrano, LMFT and Marissa Soria, LCSW!  I have heard nothing but positive responses from their presentation. Their diverse cultures brought together a dialogue about systemic change in the therapy room and to offer appropriate interventions and inclusive psycho-education.  

The presenters were from the following practices:
Anthony Carson - Hope Avenue Counseling - Colton
Jamie Nelson - Equilibrium Counseling Services - Rancho Cucamonga
Nicole Serrano -  NS Counseling - Rancho Cucamonga
Marissa Soria - Metztli Counseling - Upland

We at IE-CAMFT thank them for their willingness to open a dialogue around this sensitive, important, and timely subject. Together they gave us tools to continue this dialogue in our local communities.

Our next presentation on September 25th, from 9:00am-3:30pm will be “Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention,” facilitated by Judy McGehee, LMFT and Sherry Shockey-Pope, LMFT. Since the passage of Assembly Bill 1436, it is important for us to remain educated on this subject matter.

View an interview with our presenters:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYbFnhX3uN8. 

This will give a brief snippet of our upcoming six hour training. We look forward to seeing you at this event. We are limiting our event to 100 participants, so recommend that you sign up as soon as possible.  

Visit our event page to learn more about this important presentation.

IE-CAMFT is not only here to offer education, but also to allow us to network among our peers. We invite you to come early to our events and get to know those joining you at each training.  

We are also looking for volunteers and potential community and future board members. If you are interested, please contact us as ie-camft@gmail.com.  As a member of this board for a number of years, I have found it to be an invaluable experience, and we hope that you too would consider this as a positive season in your life.

Thank you for continuing to support IE-CAMFT! You can help us by sharing our trainings with your peers. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Best to you all,

Carol Rose Adkisson M.A. LMFT MFC #83484
IE-CAMFT Board President
CEO/Founder
The Trauma and Healing Foundation

Can you believe that school is starting for many school districts? The start of a new school year was always fun and exciting for me as a child. I always got a few new outfits, a new pair of shoes and a new jacket. Then the best part was my dad taking me to Sav-on (yes, I am that old), and we would purchase my new school supplies. I can even remember the smell of the freshly sharpened pencils that I proudly put into the pencil pouch in my new notebook. However, our world has changed dramatically since then, and this year most kids will remain at home doing some version on distance learning. We know from the current global research not really surprising thorough that this pandemic is affecting our mental health in many negative ways. In our offices, we are likely seeing more people with depression, anxiety, and stress. One study conducted by Mcginty, Presskreischer, and Han from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in April 2020 found that young US adults ages (18-29) had the highest psychological distress at 24% higher than compared to the same group in 2018. Additionally, 13.8% of all US adults reported they always or often felt lonely. 

I am sure that these results are not overly surprising to you. It is apparent we have community health concerns throughout the world. That also means that our communities are also reaching out more to therapists, and in turn, we must be even more diligent about our self-care and boundaries. It seems that this pandemic is not going away anytime soon, and therefore keeping a consistent schedule, watching out for excessiveness, i.e., eating, gambling, drinking, seeking consultation as needed, and maintaining friendships both personally and professionally is an absolute must. If you haven’t heard from a friend or colleague for a while, reach out to say hi. We all need a bit of encouragement from time to time. We will get through this as other generations have gotten through their trials and tribulations of their time. 

Until next time, be well!

Sherry Shockey-Pope
IE-CAMFT Secretary     

As the world is changing, IE-CAMFT is too! Flexibility is so important during these changing times.

First of all I would like to inform you of a change on our board. Unfortunately Carol Bouldin has chosen to resign from her position as web mistress and President-Elect. We wish her well and look forward to seeing her soon.

With that said, this has left us with a great need for volunteers to step and support this growing board. In fact this current training next week is the biggest training that we have hosted by far. We as a board are asking for you to consider volunteering with our growing organization. Please consider where you can help and support us. We will be having a board meeting as usual after our training. Please make one of the board members aware of your desire to join our meeting and we will supply you with the Zoom link.

Second, we are launching a new networking option for our members. Although our trainings launch at 9 AM, please feel free to login at 8:30 AM. Our Relationship component of our trainings remains paramount. Turn on your chat feature, and begin to connect. Get to know your fellow clinicians, introduce yourself. Don't forget to bring your coffee, tea, etc.

As a board, our plan is to continue to offer you relevant and unique trainings to augment your education. Let me reiterate the benefits that you receive as a member of IE-CAMFT.

1.2- Unit Education Seminars - 10 per year; 2. Reduced fee for our annual Law and Ethics seminar; 3. Free classified ads on our website and also in our monthly ad bulletin; 4. Networking opportunities with fellow clinicians; 5. Public online Therapist Directory; 6. Members only area on our website that includes expanded information seminars.

Thank you Holli Kenley for your training on Breaking Through Betrayal During Covid-19 in May, not only was your training very informative it was also thought provoking. 

Virtual Trainings are becoming more normalized all of the time. With that said this process is made as simple as possible. Taking part in the training from the comfort of your home and/or office takes the logistical problem solving out of the mix.

Please do sign in early, 8:30am to network would be great. Remember that to receive your CEU's, you must be present until the end. CEU time requirements are in place. Further during this training Lisa Larson would like your camera on, as this treatment is so relational in nature, as you will see throughout her training.

Also, you need to complete the seminar evaluation form in order to get your certificate. The certificates are emailed in batches, the the earlier you complete yours, the sooner you will receive it, as most people submit theirs right after the seminar.

Finally, we hope you enjoy your training, we look forward to reading your comments, your feedback offers us the opportunity to give you a seamless virtual experience.

Reminder, stay safe and remember self-care remains prominent for clinicians. The need for mental health is at an all-time high.

Carol Rose Adkisson

IE-CAMFT President

Due to a scheduling conflict on the part of the presenter scheduled for June, the Brainspotting seminar has been rescheduled for the fourth Friday in July, July 24th, rather than June 26th.  Therefore, there will be no seminar in June as we have moved the board meeting normally scheduled in July up to June.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause any of you who have registered.

IE-CAMFT Board

AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DUE TO THE COVID 19 OUTBREAK, OUR SEMINARS ARE CURRENTLY BEING OFFERED ON ZOOM ONLY.  YOU MAY STILL PARTICIPATE IN ANY AND ALL OF OUR SEMINARS, WE HAVE JUST MOVED THEM TO ONLINE NOW TO DECREASE SOCIAL CONTACT.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING DURING THIS TIME.

IE-CAMFT

We are rolling around to election time for our IE-CAMFT board.  We will have a slate available soon, but please consider serving on the board for any open positions.   We always need people to help the hospitality committee for all those amazing events that IE-CAMFT hosts throughout the year.  We would love you to participate with us in making a difference with our local chapter that is growing larger each month.

I would also personally like to send a shout-out to Steve Gray, our Chief Financial Officer, he was recognized by CAMFT for an award as our Outstanding Chapter Leader. We appreciate his dedication and service in working to resolve financial issues enabling us to move forward in the fiscally solvent manner that we are.  Thank you Steve.  We as a board are grateful.

Carol Adkisson, LMFT

President, IE-CAMFT

For a preview of the L&E seminar, go to YouTube

We as a board are excited to present our Law and Ethics training for this year.  Why is a Law and Ethics Training so Important?

As I am sure anyone reading this understands, we are governed by both legal and ethical standards.  As clinicians, it is important for us to consider and if necessary, consult, on legal and/or ethical dilemmas.  We make daily decisions and we need to rely heavily on these trainings to keep us apprised of the latest laws and regulations.  

One of the changes in our world, our digital world, is an important part of the decision-making process today.   The training that we are hosting this month, by Dr. Maelisa Hall addresses our ethical and legal standards in this digital age that we are all navigating.    She herself has a strong online presence and will guide us on how to manage our documentation using today’s technology. Her learning objectives, will help us to gain confidence as clinicians in today’s modern age. 

Please take the time to sign up for our training.  The link is included along with the description of this month’s training in the newsletter and in the announcements which are sent out.  

One other thing, our board could use some help.  Both our hospitality, and our set-up and tear down crew need your help.  If you are willing to help, please contact one of the board members and we would be more than happy to welcome you as a volunteer.  We are growing, and with growth comes the need for more help.  Would you please consider stepping up and being a part of our team?  Thank you for considering filling in this gap for us.   

Carol Rose Adkisson

President, IE-CAMFT