Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT

february President’s Message

Am I crazy? Yes, that was a joke, or is this year speeding by?  One minute we are having a quite unusual New Year’s Eve and the next, clients are making appointments in March.  How is your year going so far?  Are you taking steps toward the goals you would like to reach this year?  I have heard so many people saying they are feeling hopeful, and I feel that too.  Yes, the vaccines have been rolling out, and depending on where you stand on that controversial issue, that may be the tipping point to a more hopeful year.  Or maybe your hope could be attached to something else.  I see lots of new babies being born; how can that not bring joy to the family members that bring a new life into this world?

I, myself, stay clear of politics and with this country divided, this may also be affecting how you are feeling.  The point is that therapists feel.  As a clinical supervisor, many of my staff question if that is ok. I always say you are a human, then please feel free to express your emotions in the way you need to, and of course, at an appropriate time.  None of us know how Covid will continue to play out with these newly added strains.  It seems so many people have their own Covid story, and they are very interesting to hear.  As we are unique humans, we all have had our unique story. Was your case mild, are you a long hauler, were you somewhere in the middle?  For me, I was a long hauler, about two months, with a few lingering symptoms; however, since having Covid, it really put me into high gear, appreciating my health.  How are you feeling?  I wish I could talk to each and every one of you and hear your stories.

I want to thank Dr. Ryan Witherspoon for his unique presentation last month, Censensual Non-Monogamy. I have heard many positive comments about his presentation.  I found he was well informed and helped us, as clinicians, navigate the world we live in today; understanding relationships are complicated. He gave us a peek into this world he understands so well.  If you are interested, you can see his pre-interview talk with me at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veJSDmDb_Go&t=190s

We are looking forward to this month's speaker, Georgia King, LCSW. She is presenting Immigration Evaluation Masterclass for Therapists on February 26.

Not many therapists know about the amazing opportunities available in the field of immigration law. Therapists can help immigrant families stay together and get asylum. Lawyers have a huge need for expert clinical assessments, and the field is wide open for therapists to get started. Read GEORGIA'S ARTICLE about how she got involved with immigration evaluation work. 

Watch our pre-presentation chat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnlFYbAWHj0.

I am especially excited about this topic, as I have written hundreds of immigration evaluations. It is quite a privilege to sit in the pain and trauma of possibly being separated by your loved ones.  Please sign up as soon as you can, remember we close registrations two days before the actual presentation.  

Mark your calendars!
6 hour Law and Ethics Training, April 9th 

There will be more information in the coming months. We are partnering with State CAMFT to make this experience educational and virtual friendly.

IE-CAMFT is here to offer us educational programs and also to allow us to network with each other.  Please come early to our events and get to know who is joining you at the training. 

For suggestions to make your virtual event experience optimal, check out our website: www.ie-camft.org.   

Board Elections in April! 

Here is the slate for the board for 2021-2022.

• President: Carol Adkisson
• President-Elect: Open Duties: Succeed to the presidency after one year. Perform the duties of the President in his or her absence or incapacity.
• Past President: N/A
• Treasurer/Financial Officer: Steve Gray
• Secretary: Sherry Shockey-Pope
• Membership Chair: Ilse Alerts
• Program Chair: Lynn Flewelling
• Members at Large: Garry Raley, Omar Gonzalez-Valentino, Cecilla Fabris, (Zanetta Van Putten?)

We are 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.

Thank you for continuing to support IE-CAMFT. Please share about our trainings. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Carol Rose Adkisson
President-IE-CAMFT

Suggestions for Using Zoom

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 or 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.