Ariel Cohen, LMFT

Ariel Cohen, MA, LMFT


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January-February 2018

Ariel Cohen, MA, LMFT

A Love Letter to CAMFT and its Volunteers

Toward the end of 2011 I met Robin Walker. I was searching for the next stepping stone in my career, and I was referred to Robin with the possibility of a private practice internship. The interview went really well (I was hired, after all) and Robin, having been in the field for decades, encouraged one thing to begin with: "Start going to SFV-CAMFT meetings." I have never regretted my decision to do so

I've come a long way since joining the chapter in 2012. Soon after becoming a member, I was asked to help as a greeter on Sunday mornings as part of the Hospitality Committee. Then some colleagues identified me as a candidate for the board. I subsequently served as 2014 Pre-Licensed Representative, and owe a debt of gratitude for the mentorship and encouragement of Maja Szachniewicz and Dan Drake, who helped me realize my potential for taking on the position. Then came a major leap—Molly Lyda and Curt Widhalm, 2013's President and President-Elect, asked me to consider taking on the role of President. This is no small undertaking, as any of our Past Presidents can tell you. It's a three-year term (President-Elect, President, Past President). It comes with major upsides and challenges. But there are two sides to every coin, and I've learned that anything worth pursuing in life will come with challenges. Which brings me to my main point today: why I love this organization, and why getting involved has been worth every bit of my time.

CAMFT, as an entity, was founded in 1964 (for any interested history buffs, read the detailed story and timeline here: http://www.camft.org/COS/About_Us/CAMFT_History/COS/About_CAMFT/CAMFT_History.aspx?hkey=3d82680c-5d86-4572-8327-3f157e408d17). The chapter we belong to shares its rich legacy of advocating for the profession of Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists, and in turn it supports the larger California communities who are in need of quality mental health services. For me as an individual, CAMFT represents the best of a community in the most general sense.

CAMFT fosters connection through well-planned events, encourages cutting-edge training through CEU programs/conferences, and inspires us to support our communities at both micro and macro levels of care. Before joining CAMFT, I had very little knowledge of how policy drives access to care and, in turn, quality of care. I'm so grateful for all of the opportunities that CAMFT has given to me, but even more so grateful for the depth of knowledge and understanding that comes with involvement in it's community.

Over the years, CAMFT has successfully organized legislative outreach on a variety of relevant topics of interest, launched a CE Provider Program of its own (helping meet an urgent need after the BBS decided to cease their own CE Provider Program), and continued to foster that sense of community I value so much. How does CAMFT do all this? In short, through the spirit of volunteerism. CAMFT, in and of itself, is run by volunteers. Our SFV-CAMFT Board of Directors, for example, is made up fully of volunteers. Most recently, I've been given the great honor of serving on some state-level committees, which are also volunteer-run. If I am given the chance for only one rally cry in this whole article, it's to encourage our members to consider volunteering. Whether it's at the chapter level or state level, this kind of volunteering enriches both the community it serves and concurrently yields great benefits to the volunteers themselves. To quote Anne Frank: "No one has ever become poor by giving." In my own volunteering, I have had the chance to connect with and get to know countless colleagues, thanks to my involvement in CAMFT. We are in the business of relationships, and my involvement in SFV-CAMFT on a local level has been instrumental in building essential professional relationships for my business. I could go on and on about how much I love this organization and why, but I think you get the point. Instead, I'll keep it simple: get involved, stay involved, and enjoy the benefits. I guarantee you won't regret it!


Ariel maintains a full-time practice at Teen Therapy Center in Woodland Hills, CA. He works with children, teens, and families, with an emphasis on supporting the special needs community. He can be contacted at 818.674.9834 or ariel@teentherapycenter.com.













San Fernando Valley Chapter – California Marriage and Family Therapists