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- 2023-09 Newsletter
Welcome to September! This is National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month, National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and World Alzheimer’s Disease Month. Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15th to Oct. 15th.
Read on to learn about all the activities happening with RECAMFT this month as we enter our Fall training season together.
RECAMFT begins our Fall series of programming with a very important training - we hope all of you can join us!
| Affirmative Therapy with Trans and/or Nonbinary Clients
Friday, September 1st, 2023
10:00 am - 12:15 pm
ZOOM, 2.0 CEs Presented by Sand Chang, PhD Register here. |
Featured member
Did you miss the BBS-MANDATED 3 CE Telehealth course?
Telehealth: Law & Ethics, Technology, and Best Practices for Connecting with Your Clients with Lisa Wenninger, BC-TMH Catch it on video here, and get your mandated 3 Telehealth CEs. Return to top RECAMFT's Mission Statement The purpose of RECAMFT is to promote and maintain professional competence and integrity with knowledge, innovation, compassion, humor and respect for human dignity and diversity. We do this by providing opportunities for networking, education and community outreach. Got a sticky problem? Come discuss it confidentially with your colleagues at our next Ethics Roundtable
Not consultation, just a great way to get some ideas about how to handle your sticky case. Friendly and open group. Learn more here.
Did you get your Pride sticker shown below in the mail? If not, please let us know: therapy@recamft.org.
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Happy (almost) Fall, amazing RECAMFT community! This is my favorite time of year, as school resumes, the world starts to slow down in preparation for winter, the holidays have not quite kicked into full gear yet, and the weather starts to cool though we may still get some hot days. Sweaters, hot chocolate, pumpkins, Halloween, apples, back to school supplies (does anyone miss the smell of new pencils every fall?). This season brings a smile to my face and I am genuinely content and happy. Autumn also represents death in preparation to be reborn in the spring (my other favorite season). This time of year, we remember, and miss, loved ones more. During the autumn, I contemplate the cycle of life and death much more than I do other times of the year, maybe because of the losses I have endured. Later in the fall, I definitely see and feel a spike in sadness and traumatic grief for me. This year, I will be honoring the 10th anniversary of my mom’s death, but also the 1st anniversary of my sister’s. So many times, when I think of both of their deaths, it feels like freight trains heading full speed at one another without even hitting the brakes. At other times, it feels like the ocean’s ebbs and flows: sometimes peaceful, sometimes a little turbulent, and occasionally, stormy. When it is challenging to face, I focus on remembering our love for one another, happy memories, funny things they shared, and how much they meant to me. It eases the pain to a bearable level so I can keep moving forward again. While I miss both of them, trying to hold this perspective and honor their influences on my life in a way congruent with how I live in and see the world, helps to calm the stormy waters. While I did not intend for this month’s message to turn to one of grief (my eyes welled up as I was writing this article), it also helps me with managing the other griefs (personal, work, community, global) which continue to crop up so I can be the anchor in the storm for those who are maybe struggling a tinge more than me. I leave you with one of my favorite visualizations which the above photo reminds me of: imagine yourself sitting on the bank of a creek, stream, river (you choose) and imagine the leaves falling from the tree and floating away. Next, imagine your troubles, your worries, your thoughts (whichever you choose) are placed onto those leaves as they float by. You sit and watch as they drift away. Take a deep breath as you sit and watch. Take care, my friends, and may you find pockets of calm and peace at this time of year. With love,
Gina L. Culver, MS, LMFT President, RECAMFT.org
SAVE THE DATE! In-person training in Windsor - October 27th - LAW & ETHICS
Below: Picture from one of our last in-person events at Furth Center, Law & Ethics with Dave Jensen, 2019.
We STILL need help with
Please send an email to therapy@recamft.org if you can help. Return to top Welcome back, RECAMFT community! We are so excited to share some of the upcoming monthly CE events coming this fall:
Are you interested in seeing what we have coming up? Consider microvolunteering with the Programs & Conferences Committee! Microvolunteering opportunities: screening speaker applications; providing support at in person CE events; monitoring Q&A for speakers during monthly Zoom presentations. We are also looking for a Programs Committee Chairperson. |
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Meet RECAMFT's Prelicensed Chair and Director at Large, 
Gina Culver, LMFT is a 
Attorney, topics to be announced
Call for Submissions for the Oct. 2023 Issue of The RECAMFT Therapist!
October is Filipino American Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Hispanic Heritage Month runs thruogh Oct. 15th. We especially welcome submissions where these themes intersect with mental health. Please send your submission (500 word max) to therapy@recamft.org by the 15th. Questions? therapy@recamft.org.
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Photos from the RECAMFT Rustic Reunion Members, June 24, 2023
On June 24th, we hosted our Rustic Ranch Reunion at the picturesque Bridal Path, and it was nothing short of enchanting. This sun-soaked afternoon was an occasion for colleagues to step out from behind their screens, connect in person, and revel in the joys of community and camaraderie.
The horse and carriage rides were a highlight and members also loved the close encounters with the ranch's charming miniature horses. Attendees brought a potluck of delightful dishes to share and there were games and giveaway prizes to our winners. We extend our sincerest gratitude to all who attended the Rustic Ranch Reunion and contributed to its resounding success. We are excited about the connections that were formed and look forward to seeing those relationships flourish. Thank you all for making this event not just a reunion, but a true celebration of our community. Here's to many more gatherings that enrich our shared journey in this profession.
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Update on Letter to CAMFT about Gender-Affirming Care By Linda Block, RECAMFT RSJC Co-Chair & CAMFT DEI Committee Member RECAMFT's Racial and Social Justice Committee would like to report updates since we sent the letter to CAMFT in May. Our letter was in response to the deleterious Letter to the Editor that CAMFT published in the March/April issue of The Therapist magazine. RECAMFT's letter to CAMFT - calling for an apology for harm caused and transparency in actions taken to assure that there will not be a recurrence of a mistake like that - was signed by nearly 100 of our members.
The RSJC thanks all RECAMFT members who participated in this important advocacy with CAMFT.
We hope you had a rejuvenating summer break! We're thrilled to invite you to dive back into learning with our Continuing Education (CE) resources. RECAMFT has a learning library that comes with your membership! You can access recordings of our zoom events from 2023, 2022, and 2021. Watch the video, pass the test, fill out the evaluation, and download your certificate. It's that easy! You can earn CEs for any recorded event that you didn't already earn CEs from the live event. You must be logged in to see that library here: https://www.recamft.org/CE-Video-Library Here are just a few of the engaging titles currently available:
Introducing our On-Demand Store: Now, even non-members can benefit from RECAMFT's extensive CE video library by purchasing select individual video programs in our On-Demand Store. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our friendly support team at therapy@recamft.org. We are here to help! You can also visit our On-Demand store to purchase CE presentations that were not offered free with membership, and it is not required to be a RECAMFT member for purchase: https://www.recamft.org/on-demand-training We have plans to release more programs to the On-Demand Store in the coming months. Announcing the 2023 Winners of the Joe and Pamela Ward Memorial RECAMFT Scholarship .jpg "Erin Prieskorn")
Erin Prieskorn, LMFT was recently licensed in January and is a Sonoma County native with a passion for helping local clients with chronic health conditions as well as those impacted by disasters and PTSD. Erin is currently developing skills for an integrative mind, body, and acceptance-based therapy for these clients while pursuing ACT training and publishing a workbook.
Nicole Penrod, AMFT graduated from SSU in December 2022 and is an Associate in private practice. Their greatest joy is helping clients move through challenging transitions and cultivating their own voice. Nicole is a bicultural, bilingual, trans/non-binary clinician who works from a racial and social justice framework and specializes in work with creatives and the LGBTQ+ community.
Diana Northness, LMFT recently completed her first year in private practice. Diana treats children as young as 4 with years of experience in play therapy and attachment therapy. She is currently in the process of becoming certified in Brainspotting and would like to invest in more trauma training. | RECAMFT's Racial and Social Justice Pledge
We strive to advocate, educate, collaborate, and strategize for positive racial and social justice change within our membership and our community.
Check out all the following events!
Contact therapy@recamft.org to advertise a job.
If you are not currently enrolled in the listserv, please email therapy@recamft.org and ask to be added. You have the option of setting up your account to be
After you have been added to the listserv, you can change the way you receive the emails to any of the above choices. In Gmail the emails will appear under your Forums tab. To send an email to the listserv, simply address your email to recamft@groups.io If you do not want to be on our listserv, you can delete your account or write to therapy@recamft.org and ask to not be a part of the listserv. But we urge you to give it a try. You are missing out on a ton of meaningful collaboration with your colleagues. We hope you will enjoy being part of our online community! Are you creative? Join us for our Crafting Group. Bring any craft you like, get on Zoom with us and visit with your colleagues while we knit, sew, paint, draw, cook, create, etc. Return to top
September
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Linda Block, LMFT is co-leader of our Racial and Social Justice Committee (RSJC), and a member of CAMFT's DEI Committee. She has a 
Participate in the Justice Project : Antiracism by 12/31/23 and receive a lovely Certificate of Achievement for your wall! Click 
Our listserv has over 400 members on it, and is active daily with great conversations, resources, offerings, in search of, books, movies, office rentals, jobs, internships, etc. You can view the home page of our listserv at 
Compassion Fatigue Peer Support Group Meeting
This scholarship program was established in 2021 to honor the legacy of our late Administrative Consultants, who were known for their exceptional generosity, kindness, and special affinity for supporting early career clinicians. RECAMFT awards three scholarships of $1000 each and a free year-long membership. All Pre-Licensed and Newly-Licensed chapter members are eligible to apply.
We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who applied for the scholarship, as well as those who generously contributed to our scholarship fund. Your contributions pave the way for a profession where every dedicated clinician can confidently pursue their aspirations and positively impact our community. Thank you for being a driving force in empowering these emerging professionals to succeed in their journey to licensure and beyond.
The funds that make these awards possible have been generously donated by members of our chapter and are doubled by matching funds authorized by our Board of Directors. Your donations will go twice as far! Please visit www.recamft.org/scholarship to give a tax-free donation today!
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Find out more about advertising with RECAMFT here. | Upcoming events
The Spirit of RECAMFT Award is intended to highlight or showcase our members who are working in the community to support the mental health profession and the well-being of our community at large. It is for those members who may not necessarily be seen but have contributed to unmet needs and or advancements in the mental health profession. At the heart of this award is acknowledging someone who embodies all of the aspects of RECAMFT’s mission, values, vision, and commitment to the profession and mental well-being within the community. Find out more here. Return to top |
Members! Your SHORT DESCRIPTION is the most important thing on your profile. Why? Because that shows in our 
Do you have a colleague who has done something amazing in our community? Nominate them for a Spirit of RECAMFT Award!
What you missed: "What Every Therapist Needs to Know about Black Folks and Other BIPOC" Presented in June 2023 by Shawn LaRé Brinkley If you missed this training, we are planning on producing it for the RECAMFT On-Demand Library soon. |
| RECAMFT was excited to welcome Shawn LaRé Brinkley, LMFT, for an all-day training focusing on the experiences of BIPOC individuals in America. This engaging training shared facts and clinical tools, and importantly, lived experience around how BIPOC people are often dismissed and invalidated. In a therapeutic setting, the presentation of BIPOC individuals seeking care is often misunderstood, leading to misdiagnosis, medication mismanagement, and other harms. Shawn LaRé brought so much enthusiasm and energy to the learning experience, debunking myths, and giving needed information to help overcome challenges and bridge cultural gaps that may occur when therapists, especially white therapists, have not had the necessary training to make these connections. RECAMFT is grateful for the insights, knowledge, and experiences that Shawn LaRé brought to our community during this exciting day together! |
Minutes from RECAMFT Board meetings are always available on the Members Only page.
LOTS MORE PAGES AND GROUPS - RECAMFT.ORG/Therapy-Groups CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL GROUP OFFERINGS, AND PAYMENT TO ADVERTISE YOUR GROUP. Thank you for reading this month's newsletter! RECAMFT is great because of involved members like you!! |
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Are you looking for help? Find therapists offering free natural disaster and crisis sessions here. Please check out MySonomaStrong.com. Visit the NAMI Warmline. Take a trauma-informed yoga class. We will recover together! ¿Buscas ayuda? Encuentre terapeutas que ofrezcan sesiones gratuitas de crisis y desastres naturales aquí. Visite MySonomaStrong.com. Visite la NAMI Warmline. Toma una clase de yoga informada sobre el trauma. ¡Nos recuperaremos juntos!
Redwood Empire Chapter of California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists |
