President's Message:

2017 is well underway and your Chapter is ready to meet your needs!

Have you seen the list of amazing events that your Chapter hosted last year?! Almost two events every month to cater for your educational, professional, and personal needs.

2017 is set to offer you the same range of events that's sure to have something you need and want. We'll continue to build out partnerships with other mental health practitioners, support our community, and provide you with ample opportunity to meet and mingle with those in your field.

If you are a therapist or other helping professional, join us! We strive to be a community that informs, advocates, and assists our members in being respected and successful helping professionals. We still have an open Board position and invite you to help make us a stronger team! See our Board page for more info.

Kiefer Rich, LMFT
SD-CAMFT President

Please check our website regularly for event updates.

Members, please post questions, as well as share information (such as recent research, articles, podcasts, etc.) on our forum. Be active in our community, which is for you, to support you, support your practice, and support your clients.

Volunteer opportunities

Join the San Diego CAMFT Board! Or helps us with our events, let us know if you want to help out!The perks to volunteering with SD-CAMFT include networking, promoting the field of Marriage and Family Therapy, being well informed of all things that effect MFTs, and feeling good about your contribution to wellness in our community.

Community CE Opportunities

SD-CAMFT partners with various agencies in the community to offer you discounts to community events. Check out our News page for more info!

Recent Events

Somatic Experiencing

Last night members learned that trauma is not in the event but in the nervous system at Bernadette Talia’s Somatic Experiencing event. The top down approach of traditional therapy doesn’t always resolve the underlying issue clients are coping with. It may support their coping skills however the body and it’s physical response to stressful events we experience also needs to be expressed. Read more here

On Saturday, May 13th, Hannah's House, Jewish Family Services & SD-CAMFT presented SCREENAGERS to a group of professionals and parents! We had over 60 people sign up for the afternoon session and many questions about how to address screen addiction in our youth, families, schools, and communities. Read more here.

Spring Social: Cupcakes and Conversations

On Tuesday, April 25th, we had our first social networking event at Babycakes on 5th Avenue in Hillcrest.  Great connections and conversations were made while enjoying delicious food and drinks.  Keep an eye out for more social events this year!  Click here for more information.

Trauma and the Body

This week members engaged in learning about the physiological responses of the client and the therapist. Diana Guest, LMFT expert in trauma and bioenergetics reviewed the importance of our physical responses to stress and trauma which allows us to survive some of the most difficult circumstances. Our bodies have not only the freeze, fight, flee responses, we also...read more here

Last night members got a great introduction and amazing resources from Davida Price, LMFT for Positive Discipline. Originally, Positive Discipline was developed by Lynn Lott and Jane Nelson in 1990. The five criteria for Positive Discipline are: 1. Helps children feel a sense of connection 2. Is mutually respectful and encouraging 3. Is effective-long term 4. Teaches important social and life skills 5. Invites children to discover how capable they are. Read more here

Opioid Overdose Prevention & Education 

In 2010/2011 we saw a large increase in opioid use. Stats from 2014 state that 91 Americans die everyday from an opioid overdose (includes prescription opioids and heroin). This surpasses the accidental deaths caused by car accidents. Now it’s 2017, paramedics and police officers are now carrying Naloxone/Narcan to save lives. As an MFT, you need to be aware of what should be in your first aid kit, especially if you work in treatment centers for addiction. Read more here

Last night we had an outstanding, FREE event with Jill Epstein, Executive Director, JD of CAMFT. Did you know that you can advocate for your own rate with insurance companies? Stay tuned to CAMFT's webinar on this. The veteran's choice program may be going away and CAMFT is advocating that it stays. This allows veterans to choose their own provider if their normal provider is unavailable to see them, reducing emergency room and urgent care demands. Did you know...read more here

Save a Life Walk!

Over the weekend SD-CAMFT supported San Diego Save a Life Walk promoting Suicide Prevention! Several professionals, businesses, organizations, and individuals joined together to increase education & awareness. 

Commissioner Darlene White & Dr. Lori A. Love presented on Gender/Race Bias in the Court System: Everybody has a bias and it's ok. We have preferences to things that are familiar to us and we sometimes try to simplify our complex world. As therapists we have to acknowledging that we have it…read more here