LOS ANGELES CHAPTER
OF THE
C A L I F O R N I A A S S O C I AT I O N
OF
M A R R I AG E & F A M I LY T H E R A P I S T S
M a r c h / A p r i l
2
0
1
5
L.A. THERAPIST UPDATE
www.lacamft.org
P. O. B ox 4 8 0 1 1 9 w L o s A n g e l e s w C A 9 0 0 4 8 w 3 2 3 . 9 6 4 . 3 2 0 0
President’s Message
D
by R A N D I G O T T L I E B , P R E S I D E N T
ear Friends, and Colleagues,
IN THIS
ISSUE
President’s Message
1
Editor’s Desk
2
Financial Matters
2
I want to take this opportunity to share with you the goals
and objectives the chapter board of directors has set for
2015. We are definitely aiming high and keenly aware that
some of our goals may take more than a year to achieve. And that’s
okay. I remind myself of Mark Victor Hanson’s witty admonition, “You’ll fail at 100% of the
goals you don’t set”, then reflect upon my favorite goal setting quote of all: “Always aim
for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars” W. Clement Stone.
Somatic Therapies SIG: DARE 5
So here’s what we’re aiming for:
Travel Therapy
6
Art Therapy
8
• Optimal functioning for our chapter events and workshops by establishing an entire
year calendar of speakers for all of our Networking Events.
• Increased fiscal solvency by establishing an entire year of sponsors for all our
Networking Events, establishing relationships with new sponsors, and exploring
additional sponsorship opportunities for SIGS and Special Events
• A new and attractive logo and chapter brand
• A new and dynamic website
• A re‐envisioned, reformatted, interactive newsletter
• Increased functionality between our various IT platforms so we have interface between
our membership data base, event registration, and on‐line chapter list‐serve communication
• Increased social media presence with an LA CAMFT professional Facebook page and
viable Linkedin chapter profile supporting a far greater degree of networking for jobs,
workshop publicity, and therapist referrals
• Increased chapter volunteer involvement by creating a clear and effective path from
chapter members’ first expressed interest in getting involved to actual participation
• Increasing chapter membership to a total of 600
• A robust 3000 Club with outreach to colleges promoting the benefits of LA CAMFT,
offering stimulating and relevant events that promote psycho‐education awareness
and a sense of community to our pre‐licensed members
• Increased usage of Special Interest Group and Special Workshop Guide to strengthen
existing SIGs, promote development of new SIGs, resulting in increased diversity of
workshops available to chapter members and the broader therapy community
• Reinstated Chapter Trauma Response Committee utilizing the Trauma Resource Institute
(TRI) Community Resiliency Model
One last goal, upon which all the others are dependent, is that we have a
fully supported chapter leadership team. It is my personal goal to chair
productive and dynamic meetings with balanced engagement of the full
team. I seek to increase the attractiveness of chapter leadership by
increasing incentives for board and committee leadership, by promoting
chapter leadership as inherently valuable skill‐building opportunity for
chapter members seeking leadership development, and by implementing
a leadership‐training program, with mini‐workshops on leadership skills
that have relevant application to our field of practice.
I am very grateful to the Board and Committee and SIG chairs for
working with me to develop this list of goals for 2015 (and beyond) and
it is truly exciting to share these goals with you. I must admit it is also a
New Reporting Requirement 3
Internet Addiction
3
March Legal-Ethical Workshop
4
Supervisors SIG Committee 5
Newsletter Guidelines
10
“Write it down.
Written goals
have a way
of transforming
wishes into wants,
cant’s into cans,
dreams into plans,
and plans
into reality.
Don’t just think
it – ink it!”
bit daunting
to see it all written down. So I will close with a
final quote (this one from an unknown author)
to reassure me of the importance of doing so.
And for all of you who are grappling with similar
emotions around making your intentions
visible and concrete!
“Write it down. Written goals have a way of
transforming wishes into wants, cant’s into
cans, dreams into plans, and plans into reality.
Don’t just think it – ink it!” n
PAGE 2
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
FROM
THE EDITOR’S DESK
Sietze Vanderheide, PsyD, JD
T
“To every thing; change, change, change.”
here are great new changes afoot for the LA Therapist
Newsletter. Since last year’s LA‐CAMFT Leadership retreat
there has been a continual exploration of how to improve
and expand the chapter’s communication with members and the community.
Included in this conversation has been the retooling of the newsletter, creating a
calendar of events, and more integration of email and facebook as ways for chapter
members to stay connected and informed.
And, now the time has come to end one form of the newsletter and give birth to a
new form. The new newsletter will be more Internet friendly, more interactive, and
flexible. Heading the process of development are Rena Jacobs, Randi Gottlieb, and
Jonathan Flier.
I will be steeping down from the editor’s position with this final old format
newsletter. It has been my greatest pleasure to edit the newsletter for the prior
couple of years and to support and cultivate the interest and enthusiasm of the
leadership team for creating a new format to better serve our community.
It is my sincere wish that all of you actively participate in the new community
communication and connection opportunities. n
FINANCIAL MATTERS
T
By Billie Klayman, LMFT, LACAMFT CFO
he Los Angeles Chapter of CAMFT is glad to provide its 2014 Financial
Report. The Chapter is legally organized as a 501.c6 non‐profit organization
in good standing with the State of California and has been maintaining a
healthy operating budget.
The Chapter has a Finance Committee that meets monthly to review bookkeeping
matters, income and operating expenses, and discuss recommendations to be
made to the LA‐CAMFT Board. The Committee reports to the Board and responds
to questions and requests the Board brings up at their monthly finance meetings.
Highlights of this past year include increasing the amount that the Chapter holds in
its reserve fund. As of December 2014 the reserve fund was $13,506. The Reserve
is intended to support the Chapter in the event of a dramatic loss of income at which
time the Reserve would be used to sustain the operating expenses of the Chapter.
Generally, as a non‐profit, programming, workshops, and events, are designed to
cover expenses and support the Chapter in its expanding need to provide additional
services to the membership. One of the most successful actions the Chapter has
taken was to establish a Sponsorship Program, which began four years ago and is
becoming increasingly popular. Our sponsors have been a great help to the
Chapter by keeping meetings, workshops, events, and dues reasonably priced.
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
LA-CAMFT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Randi Gottlieb, MA, LMFT......... [email protected]
Vice President
Vacant
Past President
Jonathan Flier, MA, LMFT ... [email protected]
Chief financial Officer
Billie Klayman, MA, LMFT..... [email protected]
Board Secretary
Estelle Fisher, MA, LMFT............. [email protected]
Membership Chair
Kane Phelps, MA, LMFT ............... [email protected]
Networking Event Chair
Darlene Basch, MA, LCSW ................... [email protected]
Communications Chair
Rena Jacobs, MS, MFT Intern ...... [email protected]
Special Interest Group & Special Workshop Chair
Daniel Factor, MA, LMFT ......... [email protected]
Pre-licensed Representative
Debra House, MA, MFT Intern..... [email protected]
Members-At Large
Lynne Azpeitia, MA, LMFT....... [email protected]
Sietze Vanderheide, PsyD, JD....... [email protected]
COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
CHAIRS
Newsletter Editor
Sietze Vanderheide, PsyD.............. [email protected]
Registration Co-Chairs
Tracy Bevington, MA ......... [email protected]
Aimee Martinez, MA..................... [email protected]
Table Host Co-Chairs
Tony Davis, MA, LMFT..... [email protected]
Randi Gottlieb, MA, LMFT......... [email protected]
Expressive Arts Chair
Lori Chaikin, PsyD, LMFT, AT............. [email protected]
Hilary Kern, MA, MFT Intern, AT ........ [email protected]
Networking Event Program Chair
Roger Schwarz, LMFT, JD ................... [email protected]
Ways and Means Chair
Billie Klayman, MA, LMFT..... [email protected]
Sexuality and Gender Awareness Co-Chairs
Mary Ann Rege, MA ........... [email protected]
Michael Comlish, MA...................... [email protected]
Social Media Co-Chairs
Rena Jacobs, MS ........................... [email protected]
Alyson Stack, MS, LMFT............ [email protected]
Somatic Therapy Co-Chairs
Cathy Graf, MA, LMFT ................... [email protected]
Jonathan Flier, MA, LMFT ... [email protected]
Supervisors’ Special Interest Group
Catherine Auman, LMFT......... [email protected]
3000 Club Co-Chair
Debra House, MA, MFT Intern....................... [email protected]
Katelyn Piceu, MA, MFT Intern ....... [email protected]
Natalie St. Cyr, MA, MFT Intern ..... [email protected]
Elections Chair
Vacant
Administrator
Christina Bielfelt [email protected]
If you are interested in any of the
committees or special interest groups,
please contact any Board member.
During 2014, the Los Angeles Chapter of CAMFT had income of $65,384 and expenses totaling
$60,454 for a net income of $4,930.36. A complete Financial Report and Statement is
presented and discussed at all Board meetings which are open to LA‐CAMFT members and
members are encouraged to attend Board meetings which are listed on the LA‐CAMFT website.
Involvement in the Finance Committee is an opportunity to learn about the financial
management and planning for the Chapter. If you are interested in participating in the
Finance Committee contact: [email protected], cell: 818.458.3379. Typically, the Committee
meets for about 1 hour during the first week of the month. If you have any questions about
the Chapter’s financial status please feel free to contact me at my email address. n
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
AB1775 New Reporting
Requirement Creates Controversy
A
By Jonathan Flier, LMFT
ssembly Bill 1775, carried by Assemblyperson,
Melissa Melendez and sponsored by CAMFT, was
signed into law by Governor Brown and went into
effect on January 1, 2015. The intent of the bill was
to bring current law in line with the fact that the vast majority
of sexual images now reside on the Internet. This bill expanded
the previous definition of reportable sexual exploitation via
the copying, printing, exchanging of photos, slides or negative
of children engaged in an act of obscene sexual conduct to
include the downloading, streaming and accessing through
any electronic or digital
THE LAW EXPANDED THE
media. The law expanded
the role of therapists as
ROLE OF THERAPISTS
informants by requiring
the reporting of clients
AS INFORMANTS BY
who view or viewed
REQUIRING THE
obscene sexually exploitive
content of anyone under
REPORTING OF CLIENTS
the age of 18, regardless
of the age or circum‐
WHO VIEW OR VIEWED
stances of the viewer.
OBSCENE SEXUALLY
Looked at from our point of
EXPLOITIVE CONTENT OF
view as treating therapist,
a potential scenario arises
ANYONE UNDER THE AGE
where we are seeing a
client who would benefit by
OF 18, REGARDLESS
treatment for an obsession
OF THE AGE OR
with pornography. However,
because of this expanded
CIRCUMSTANCES
mandate to report, the
viewing online of an image
OF THE VIEWER.
of an underage person,
the client must be reported to authorities and could likely
result in draconian consequences and an ending of treatment
with the reporting therapist.
Regarding the bill’s intent to protect, research has shown the
need to distinguish between child predators and those who
view child pornography. A major study looking at this issue
states, "the empirical literature does not put forward any
evidence that the consumers of child pornography
pose a considerably increased risk for perpetrating
hand‐on sex offenses...The consumption of
child pornographic material alone does not
seem to predict hands‐on sex offenses."
www.biomedcentral.com/1471‐244X/9/43.
Before August 2014, there was overwhelming
support for the bill including the California
Psychological Association, the BBS, and law
enforcement agencies. The first concerns
about the impact of the bill came in August just
before the Governor signed the
Continued on page 8
PAGE 3
Internet Addiction
I
by Maria Gray
am fascinated by our constant need to be occupied or
busy; I like to think of it as an overall addiction to busy
with technology playing a predominant role. Brene
Brown calls it crazy‐busy. If we are always busy, we
don’t have to feel the unpleasant feelings, or pleasant ones,
that arise throughout the day ‐ we numb out.
In my prior career, I felt compelled to check my email and phone
before, during, and after work. After work, my home computer
would chime, letting me know I had new messages. I would
glance at the screen, intending to answer one or two messages
and return to whatever I was doing; however, before I knew
it, 30 minutes had passed. By acting this way, I was exhibiting
at least one of the symptoms of Internet addiction: spending
more time online than I had intended. Today I check email
several times a day and no longer use auditory alerts on my
computer.
Dr. Kimberly Young is a pioneer in the field of Internet
Addiction. She conducted the first study on Internet addiction
in 1996. Her study showed that, subjects met the same criteria
as individuals who were classified as pathological gamblers.
Gambling occurs in an environment where there is intermittent
reinforcement; there is a pleasurable charge that occurs
intermittently. This is known as variable reinforcement
schedule. Similarly, a variable reinforcement schedule exists
when we use the Inter‐
net. Dr. Young talks
IF WE ARE ALWAYS BUSY,
about the pleasure
WE DON’T HAVE TO FEEL
people receive when
clicking and finding
content on the internet, THE UNPLEASANT FEELINGS,
viewing a text on the
OR PLEASANT ONES, THAT
phone, reaching a high
ARISE THROUGHOUT THE
score in a challenging
game, finding porno‐
DAY WE NUMB OUT
graphy, searching for
content on Facebook,
etc. The variety and intermittent timing of these hits is what
makes the Internet so addictive.
Internet addiction is difficult to define. David Greenfield
(1999) uses a number of terms including: Internet
addiction disorder, pathological Internet use,
digital media compulsion, and virtual addiction.
Digital media compulsion encompasses a
wide array of devices such as smart phones,
laptops, MP3 players, and portable games.
Dr. Young developed the first screening
measure for diagnosing Internet Addiction,
the Internet Addiction Diagnostic
Questionnaire (IADQ). The IADQ consists
of the eight questions listed below.
1. Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet,
Continued on page 8
PAGE 4
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
w
MARCH/APRIL 2015
The LOS ANGELES CHAPTER of CAMFT
PRESENTS
LAW AND ETHICS WORKSHOP
March 27, 2015
This Year’s Featured Presenter is
Cathy Atkins, J.D. Deputy Executive Director of CAMFT
In this workshop, Cathy Atkins will provide an updated and in‐depth understanding of the laws and ethical standards
psychotherapists are expected to know and uphold. This lecture is drawn from thousands of discussions with CAMFT
members regarding a wide variety of common legal and ethical questions including: Being mandated reporters and
applying the exceptions to confidentiality legally and ethically; how to handle subpoenas; testifying and privilege; when
and how to report child abuse and neglect, proper clinical record keeping; truthful and accurate advertising; and how
to deal with consent for treatment of minor issues.
Cathy Atkins, JD, started with CAMFT in 2006 as a staff attorney, but was promoted to Deputy Executive
Director in 2009. Cathy received her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1994,
graduated from the University of San Diego, School of Law in 2000 and passed the California bar
examination in July 2000. Before joining CAMFT, Cathy was a litigator in both civil and criminal litigation.
While Cathy’s focus for CAMFT is on legislative and regulatory matters, she also provides road‐to‐
licensure, L&E, and legislative update presentations to schools and chapters. Cathy also provides legal,
ethical and business guidance to CAMFT members.
SPONSORED BY
For:
When:
Time:
Where:
Cost:
Licensed Therapists, Interns & Students
Friday, March 27, 2015
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Beverly Hills Country Club
3084 Motor Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90064 310.836.4400
Including all printed materials, full breakfast, buffet lunch & all day valet parking
$95.00 Members of LA‐CAMFT, AAMFT, and other CAMFT Chapters
$110 Non Members
$75 Interns & Students
6 CEUs
REGISTRATION AFTER MARCH 22, 2015 additional $20
For more information and to register for this event, go to http://www.lacamft.org
Provider PCE 2600 Mandatory Continuing Education for MFTs and LCSWs
Fulfills Mandatory 6‐hour Legal/Ethical Education Requirement
Refund Policy: Registrants who do not attend or fail to request a refund 24 hrs in advance,
will be charged full fee.
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
LA‐CAMFT
SUPERVISORS’ SPECIAL
INTEREST GROUP
PAGE 5
THE LOS ANGELES CHAPTER OF CAMFT
SOMATIC THERAPIES SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
Presents
An Introduction to DARe
Dynamic Attachment Re‐Patterning Experience
With Patricia Meadows, MS, RN, RCST, SEP
Sunday March 22, 2015 12pm‐4pm
A quarterly lunch discussion group for
CAMFT Certified Supervisors and anyone
who is interested in supervision. Receive
your required Supervision CEUs in the
relaxing company of your peers.
The Supervisors’ SIG meets at Louise’s
Trattoria, the popular Westside
restaurant located at 10645 W. Pico Blvd,
Los Angeles 90064. Each meeting we will
read and discuss a journal article from
EBSCO. It’s easy! Supervision CEUs for the
price of (tax‐deductible) lunch.
Our next meeting is Friday, April 10 from
noon to 1:15 pm. We will be discussing:
CLINICAL SUPERVISION:
THE STATE OF THE ART
Come join us! To reserve a space and
get the reading material emailed to
you: RSVP to Catherine Auman at
[email protected]
Catherine Auman, LMFT is a CAMFT
Certified Supervisor who has been teaching
and mentoring mental health clinicians
(LMFTs, PhDs, LCSWs,
RNs, psychiatrists,
interns, and students)
for nearly thirty years.
She is in private
practice in West L.A. n
Patricia Meadows, senior faculty of Diane Poole Heller's groundbreaking approach to
integrating Attachment Theory with Trauma Healing, will offer an experiential 3‐hour
introduction to DARe, Dynamic Attachment Re‐Patterning Experience, Sunday, March
22 from 12‐4 pm. This approach is particularly appropriate for those who are interested
in embodied and holistic approaches and want to learn practical and effective ways to
integrate working with relational trauma and attachment wounding into their existing
practice.
Patricia will introduce the basic philosophy and principles of DARe, as well as provide an
overview of the fundamentals of different Attachment Styles: Secure, Avoidant,
Ambivalent, and Disorganized.
In this introduction, you will learn to:
• Identify the hallmarks for secure and insecure attachment styles and what is needed
to help heal these patterns.
• Create corrective experiences that respond to what was, or continues to be, missing
in the person’s attachment system.
• Practice self‐regulation, co‐regulation, and being fully present to yourself and another.
• Access and reinforce secure attachment.
Patricia Meadows, MS, RN, RCST, SEP, is a trauma therapist and a
holistic nurse/counselor with over 40 years experience facilitating
inner work, healing and transformation. In her private practice,
Integral Healing & Living, she specializes in working with people
with diverse forms of trauma. Her unique synthesis of holistic
modalities integrates DARe with Somatic Experiencing (SE) along
with specialized training in pre and perinatal trauma therapy, early
and adult attachment work, interpersonal neurobiology, biodynamic
cranio‐sacral therapy, Authentic Movement and embodied psycho‐spiritual inquiry.
Patricia’s work is informed by long‐term spiritual practice as well as six years of doctoral
studies in East/West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. n
SAVE THE DATE
NETWORKING
MEETINGS
CALENDAR
FOR INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER:
CONTACT www.lacamft.org
April 25, 2015
Saturday Networking Meeting
May 29, 2015
Friday Networking Meeting
June 27, 2015
Saturday Networking Meeting
July 24, 2015
Friday Networking Meeting
September 26, 2015
Saturday Networking Meeting
October 24, 2015
Friday Networking Meeting
PAGE 6
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
TRAVEL PSYCHOLOGY
FIVE REASONS WHY INTERNATIONAL STUDY
IS GOOD FOR THERAPISTS
F
By Dr. Leslee S. Brown
or therapists, psychologists, and other mental
health professionals with wanderlust and the desire
to travel and study in a foreign land, there is some
terrific news to be had. There is now empirical
research demonstrating that studying, traveling and
living in a foreign country is not only a culturally stimulating
experience, but one that actually changes the brain, most
notably in terms of increasing one’s creativity and problem‐
solving abilities. Qualities, which are often crucial to doing the
best clinical work with our clients.
Here are five key reasons why studying abroad expands one’s
internal as well as external horizons:
thus builds skills and capacities.
When we find ourselves trying new things, especially when
immersed in a different culture, we naturally become more
cognitively flexible. Being in a culture where we need to
adapt to, or at least become familiar with, people, foods,
customs, media, and modes of transportation different from
those encountered in our ordinary living situations, stimulates
us to be more receptive to new ideas. Such an experience can
only assist mental health professionals in being more effective
in working with multicultural clients who present with a
diverse array of emotional and relational concerns. As
clinicians, we never know what will be opened up in our
offices from a client. Travel and experiencing and adapting to
new cultures and new ways of being increase our flexibility,
thus helping in our day‐to‐day practice
with clients.
1. Travel and geographic distance enhances creativity and
problem solving capabilities.
In a recent scientific study conducted by
TRAVEL AND
Dr. Lile Jia, a psychometric test called The
Creative Generation Task, which tests
EXPERIENCING AND
creative problem solving, yielded striking
findings. Dr. Jia applied the Creative
ADAPTING TO NEW
Generation Task psychometric test with
Indiana University graduate students as
CULTURES AND NEW WAYS
his research participants. The participants
were given a problem and asked to
OF BEING INCREASE OUR
generate as many solutions to it as
possible. Two groups of participants were
FLEXIBILITY, THUS
compared to one another: one group
HELPING IN OUR
comprised of students living at their home
university and one comprised of students
DAY-TO-DAY PRACTICE
studying abroad. Dr. Jia found that the
group studying abroad showed a strikingly
WITH CLIENTS
increased ability to problem solve and be
more creative in their approaches.
A reasonable inference to be made from this study is that
when we travel and study internationally and have a culturally
enriching experience, we feel more relaxed and are therefore
more able to conceive new and different ways of approaching
and solving our problems at home. Other studies have also
demonstrated that travel can positively change our brain
structure and increase our creativity. Could such attributes
not make us more
supple and alert
when dealing
with the complex
emotional and
relational concerns
of our clients?
2. Travel makes
us more open to
experiences and
3. Travel helps us expand our sense
of self.
When traveling abroad, we find ourselves
in unfamiliar, perhaps even exotic, terrain.
Such travel thus leads to a widening and
growth of our own self‐concept, an
expansion of our sense of potential.
Getting out of our comfort zone helps
lead us toward more confidence in our
abilities to try and succeed at new and
challenging tasks and situations. As we
develop and acquire new capabilities
and skills in areas like navigation and
transportation, we naturally experience
uncertainty and fear, but we also
experience the expanded sense of self
that results from confronting these fears
and working through them. For therapists who believe that
truly effective and meaningful therapy involves not just short‐
term behavior change but long‐term expansion of our clients’
capacity for growth, such soul‐expanding travel could prove
an invaluable tool in the clinical toolbox.
4. Travel helps us relax.
One of the most common occupational hazards for those
of us in the helping professions is burn‐out. What happens
when the giver feels he or she has nothing left to give? Can
a therapist truly help a client manage anxiety and stress if the
therapist him or herself is constantly anxious and stressed as
well? Fortunately, taking ourselves away to new geographical
locations helps us to relax and recharge our emotional
batteries. Whether we are licensed or pre‐licensed clinicians,
we frequently lead very busy lives, and our dedication to
helping others can make it perilously easy for us to overlook
our own self‐care. If, as many
Continued on page 7
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
Art Therapy
By Victoria Van Zandt, LMFT
D
oes the word art or creativity send chills up
your spine? Well, you do not have to be
artistic or creative to engage in the process of
art therapy. Art Therapy is a form of psycho‐
therapy, which focuses on the process rather than
the product of creating art for expressing feelings,
thoughts, and emotions.
Art therapy allows the therapist and client to work
together to develop a dynamic interpersonal
relationship, with clear boundaries and goals. It is
suitable for all ages, and particularly for those who
may be experiencing life changes, trauma, illnesses,
or disabilities causing distress for the individual and
their family.
Art therapists use a variety of art materials to help
clients access thoughts and feelings quicker and
easier than with words alone. It differs from
traditional art in that the emphasis is on the process
of creating rather than the end product. Art therapy
works by accessing thoughts and feelings easier and
quicker than words alone as the emotional brain is
responds to images, colors, and symbols naturally.
Art therapy can help individuals:
Gain insight into thoughts and feelings
Reduce stress and anxiety
Deepen self‐awareness
Learn new communication and problem‐solving skills
Reduce depression or fear
Increase passion for life
Decrease self‐doubt and self‐criticism
In the state of California, Art Therapists practice
under a MFT or LCSW license.
Victoria Van Zandt is a trained art therapist and a
licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private
practice in West LA. For more information on my
practice and monthly mandala workshops, please
visit: www.arttherapyla.com. n
PAGE 7
TRAVEL
Continued from page 6
believe, “use of self” is a key component in a therapist’s ability
to heal a client, the importance of taking care of ourselves is
imperative, so we can be present for others. The American
Psychological Association (APA) code of ethics states that self‐care
is imperative. “A state of physical, emotional, and mental
exhaustion caused by a long term involvement in emotionally
demanding situations” (Figley 1995) describes burnout in
psychotherapists. Current literature typically attributes burn
out to work environment context or job choice. It is seen as
cumulative, and frequently a vacation or change helps
considerably. (Brown 2011).
5. Travel helps us more fully experience the essence of life
itself.
Traveling abroad and taking a break from our routines allows
therapists to become more inquisitive about the
nature of existence itself, providing us with
new opportunities to consider the world
and our place in it. To fully explore a
new landscape, after all, one must
be more alert
and authentic to its environment.
Such alertness and authenticity
increases our confidence and opens
us up to opportunities to express our
true selves in new and different ways. As a
result, we may not only experience more positive
thoughts and emotions, but deeper and richer ones as well, ones
that our daily structures may too often help keep at bay. The
traveling psychotherapist is, therefore, the psychotherapist who
not only sets out on a course of going to new landscapes abroad,
but also to new landscapes within, more fully engaging in the
quest to live passionately and authentically and to deeply
experience the very essence of life itself.
In short, Travel Psychology studies show remarkable benefits to
our health and psyche…more Travel Psychology coming soon
from Mind Body Passport!
About the author:
Dr. Brown is the founder of Mind Body Passport Inc., providing
extraordinary learning experiences, certificate programs,
professional development courses and continuing education, for
adults, professionals, grad students and others interested in once
in a lifetime learning experiences. Courses are offered and held in
International locations with prestigious partners, and provide
experiential learning through travel.. Each trip is specifically crafted
to learn and explore therapeutic techniques, cultural phenomenon,
and history through a psychological lens and more. Mind Body
Passport Courses meet the California requirements for hours of
continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs
as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences
Mind Body Passport Inc. Provider # PCE 5701
Explore and Discover the World…Be Inspired!
For more information www.mindbodypassport.com or contact
[email protected]. n
PAGE 8
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
AB1775
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
Continued from page 3
bill into law. Soon after, many active members of CAMFT
expressed their upset that our Association sponsored this bill.
There is consternation that the staff did not fully deduce the
clinical implications and may have made a rush to judgment
to be a prime sponsor because of the strong political support
in Sacramento. Many of the voices decry the situation as
another Bylaws Fiasco; an example of a staff that does not
gather enough information by fully educating and vetting it
with the board without seeking feedback from members and
other stake holders such as those treating sex addictions. The
board seated at that time was wrestling with the pressure to
repeal the bylaw revisions and perhaps because the bill was
racing through the legislature, information about the bill was
not given the time necessary to be fully understood beyond
its obvious content to protect children.
There are potential solutions that are being explored at this
time. Below is a link to the National Association of Social
Workers‐California. They are working on amendments to the
current law. Below that is a link prepared by CAMFT staff that
are working on clarifying the actions we could and or should
make as mandating reporters. Lastly, the current board of
CAMFT is discussing changes in how legislation is being vetted
to prevent issues like this in the future.
The questions include:
What if my client just stumbled upon child‐pornography
while searching other pornography sites?
What if I do not know if the image is of a minor?
What if my client told me prior to January 1, 2015 that they
download child pornography?
What if my client tells me about past sexual exploitation?
What should I put in my informed consent?
How do I make a report?
What if I hear of sexual exploitation third hand (i.e.,
my client’s wife)?
How do I know if something is “obscene”?
What if I feel my client is not an imminent threat to a child?
If I make a report, what will happen to my client?
So, what about my duty has changed under AB 1775? What
if I don’t want to make the mandatory report?
Do I have to report my teenage client for “sexting” a
LINKS AND REFERENCES
sexual photo/video of themselves to a significant other?
The National Association of Social Workers –California Chapter
wrote an important analysis of the impact of AB1775 and a suggestion for dealing with the unintended repercussions that
can be read here: http://stopab1775.org/wp‐content/uploads/NASW_AB1775_Jan2015.pdf.
CAMFT Executive Director, Jill Epstein and Cathy Atkins, Deputy Executive Director, have created an excellent review and an
exhaustive list of questions and answers concerning the practical applications on reporting. The answers are here:
http://www.camft.org/images/PDFs/AttorneyArticles/Cathy/Understanding_Mandated_Reporting_Requirements_AB1775.pdf. n
Internet Addiction
Continued from page 3
(think about previous online activity or anticipate the
next online session)?
2. Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing
amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?
3. Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to
control, cut back, or stop Internet use?
4. Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable
when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?
5. Do you stay online longer than originally intended?
6. Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant
relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity
because of the Internet?
7. Have you lied to family members, therapists, or others
to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?
8. Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from
problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings
of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?
If you answered yes to four or five of the questions, you
may want to examine your Internet and technology usage.
I have decided I would like a little more space between me and
my technology. I don’t want to slip into my old ways. I have
renewed my commitment to refrain from checking emails or
texts in the car. In addition, I am making an attempt to limit
how often I check my phone during the day.
Maria Gray, LMFT, NMP is a licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist in private practice in West Los Angeles; specializing
in trauma and addiction. Maria is currently enrolled in Dr.
Young’s Internet Addiction certification program. n
LA THERAPIST UPDATE
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
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