President's Message — Nikki Gabriel, LMFT

Exciting Plans!

As MFT's, the last days of summer often mean a return to school, and fuller schedules. There are projects to finish and perhaps goals to attain before we reach the end of this year. For our chapter, this means the return of consistent monthly meetings, interest groups, and workshops. In addition to our regular monthly meetings, our annual pre-licensed event will be held on October 6, headed by Shari Manculich, our Pre-Licensed Representative to the Board.

This Fall we have two member presentations coming up at the monthly meetings, and a visit from state CAMFT. Chapter member Debi Jenkins Frankle will be speaking to the membership about Family Grief on September 8, and on November 10 we will have a presentation on Therapists and Medical Issues by chapter member Jaelline Jaffe. On, October 13, Executive Director of CAMFT, Nabil El-Ghoroury, will give the chapter an update on state and federal legislation that could impact LMFT practice and he will address regulatory topics from the Board of Behavioral Sciences. At this session, the 2020 board of directors will be presented to the membership for approval.

Below is the proposed slate for the SFV-CAMFT 2020 Board of Directors for your review:

• President — Natalie Jambazian
• Past President — Nikki Gabriel
• President Elect — Mishka Kimball
• CFO — Parshaw Barati-Marnani
• Vice President of Programs — Norra MacReady
• Vice President of Membership — Shari Manculich
• Vice President of Marketing — Gina Balit
• Secretary — Kirstin Carl
• Pre-Licensed Representative - Nicolette Gubicza
• Member at Large — David Schwartz
• Member at Large — Audra Potz
• Member at Large — Rena Pollack

The current board is busy with some exciting plans to continue offering improved services and support to our members. The board has voted to offer free registration to any pre-licensed members that volunteer their time and talent on behalf of the chapter. We are also considering new ways to do outreach to pre-licensed members and engage them in the many opportunities the chapter has to offer. For the clinical members the board is planning a suicide prevention workshop to be scheduled in 2020. Chapter committees are working on bringing back two events, that were new to the chapter in the last year, with a 2nd Implicit Bias event being planned for October of this year, and a 2nd Theater of the Mind in the works for February 2020.

It is going to be a wonderful autumn at SFV-CAMFT as we finish off 2019 and make a smooth transition into 2020! If you have any questions about the chapter, the board of directors, volunteering, or any other related issue please send me an email at sfvcamtpre@gmail.com as I will be happy to discuss with you further. Thank you!

Nikki Gabriel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in Encino and Granada Hills. She assists teens and adults in learning to manage anger, anxiety, depression, and confidence issues by utilizing interventions from an eclectic background. She enjoys helping people discover new ways to solve problems, develop healthier behavior patterns, and improve communication skills. Learn more about Nikki by visiting her website http://www.nikkigabrielmft.com. She can be reached at 818.473.0088 or nikkigabrielmft@gmail.com.