Clients
often come for help when their sense of self is compromised by an
observing ego, or by significant others in their lives. The dysphoria is
often palpable, and the attendant emotional pain is disorienting. They
feel like an outlier — a person differing from all others in their peer
group.
Who has
not experienced the perceived need for caution that outliers feel when
interacting with those who are among the mean of a distribution? The
energy expended in hiding one's outlier status — and the fear of that
status being discovered — can suck the life out of enterprise.
As humans
we need to feel connected, and being an outlier feels antithetical to
that feeling of connection. To have someone from the majority respect
the perspective of the outlier is soothing for an outlier. As a culture
we seem to be moving increasingly toward awareness of those outliers who
occupy a smaller percent of the general population; this I think of as
human growth.
Once
again, the monthly IE-CAMFT training/CEU opportunities makes learning
the perspectives of those in outlier groups of all sorts easier. This
can only serve to make our culture more inclusive. Featured speakers may
give context to the perspectives of outliers; allowing them to become
resources from whom to learn more in the future. Check for more info
and to RSVP for our future events:www.ie-camft.org
The
effort, if successful, increases the chance we can hear the pain of more
and more diverse populations, responding to them with genuine respect.
The look of relief on a client's face when he/she, them/they feels heard
is the best treat ever!
I love being part of IE-CAMFT. I'm so glad to be a part of a bigger picture. It keeps me hopeful.
Warmly,
Paul Velen, MS, LMFT
Nothing done for another is wasted
Welcome New and Returning Members!
Lydia Alejandre and Jeanne M. Duebbert
Thank you for renewing!
Tina
Gonzalez, Judy Kelly, Ramona Carver, Tosha Owens, Reginald Rogers,
Luciana Puyo, Stanley D. Brown, Jamie R. Nelson, Lisa Larson, and
Wandalyn Lane
Renewal Reminders
Jack
Gershfeld, Krystle Rowe, Tamson Overholtzer, Crystal Folk, Truevolution
Casamayor, Catherine Hayes, AmyLynn Dimaano, Roberta Reid, Corrie
Keener, Jodie Shea, Estefani Crisostomo, Bryanna Shirley, Paulina
Trujillo Perez, Hope Flores, Brittney Power, Stacy Donaldson, Ann Doan,
and Jennifer Codega
