Los Angeles Chapter — California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Voices — February 2026
Jenni Wilson, LMFT, President
Micro-Volunteering
In September 2025 I hosted the second Self-Care Saturday Night: Autumnal Social Networking Salon and Meet-Up at my home. As usual, I was running around like a madwoman right up to the moment the doorbell first rang and a wave of volunteers arrived to help set-up. It was amazing how many people had signed up, and amazing how unprepared I was to organize and direct them all.
Only minutes in, I was pulled away from the inside team to direct the food and beverage set-up outside. I threw up my hands and said, “you’ll figure it out!” to two volunteers waiting for me to tell them how they should set up the registration table and name tags. For sure frazzled, I soon returned to the registration table where folx were still trying to figure out a system from the pile of materials I had left them, and I overheard one volunteer saying to another, “…yeah, she just sort of threw this stuff at us and said ‘you figure it out’!”. With my head down in a pile of name tags, I looked up, and added something like, “What a totally unorganized messy bitch!”. They were horrified realizing it was me, and I laughed, admitting, “I’m so sorry for abandoning you… I’m really messy right now, thank you for understanding… it looks like you DID figure this stuff out!”. And they had.
One of our Chapter Aims this year is to rebuild the Volunteering Infrastructure that was damaged by or lost to the pandemic. The strength of LA-CAMFT’s in-person volunteer network began to atrophy when we were no longer meeting in person, when friendly faces leading Registration Teams, serving on committees, or serving as Table Hosts became a less immediate need. With everyone in existential crisis and survival mode at that time, Special Interest Group leadership and offerings also reduced to a trickle and then a slow drip, with the groups themselves fading into chapter history.
The glory days of the Olympic Collection, the abundant Expressive Arts Workshops or Somatic SIG Trainings, and the vibrant Constructive Uncoupling groups became a thing of the past. Over the past few years I’ve found myself explaining to new leadership how things looked pre-Covid. And since I’m not one to get caught up in the way things “were”, being generally more interested in finding ways that things can be, I want to know how we can reimagine and reinvigorate our chapter’s volunteer faction beyond the Board of Directors?
We’re looking for folx with a few hours to offer the community each month, the more the merrier – the more people chip in, the less any one of us must do on their own, and the less likely any one of us will burn out. The less exhausted we are, the more fun we can have together. And darn-it, who doesn’t need some camaraderie and unfettered joy right now? How will we help others stay sane if we’re not?
We’re looking for a Registration Team Captain and a Volunteer Coordinator to help us organize and direct volunteers for in-person events, and keep track of all the folx who graciously volunteer to assist throughout the year. Who among us is ready to step up to organize and rally the generous volunteers when we’re planning a special event? Who can help me look less like a messy bitch this fall? (For the record, no one EVER called me a bitch except me).
Who can help build an Online Merch Store to raise some chapter revenue for more events and programs?
Who can assist the Communications Chair as part of a Social Media Team?
Who is willing to spend a few hours each month helping the Membership Chair with Outreach Coordination?
Who has a few hours to help as a Materials Coordinator, alphabetizing event contact sheets for the Networking Chair, or creating nametags for a Meet-up Event?
Who might Host an in-person Meet-Up gathering, small training/workshop, or panel, at their home or office?
Who has a brilliant idea and energy to start a new Special Interest Group, Support Group, or Mentoring program?
We’re looking for new folx to be part of the Meet-Up Committee, to help plan smaller in-person events throughout the year.
We would love to see a Special Events Committee emerge to help the Special Events Chair start planning events like the Spring Fling in May.
We’re looking for a Donations Coordinator skilled at charming donations for special drawings at our bigger events.
Do any of these sound like you?
There are so many things we would love to do. There are so many things I hear people say they would love LA-CAMFT to offer. And guess what? We are all LA-CAMFT. You want it? Let’s figure out how to make it happen!
What’s in it for you?
Besides the feeling of having done your community a solid and raising your profile within it? Besides creating a resource/group/program to benefit the greater good? If nothing else, do it for Community! With all the division in the world, we need community now more than ever. Help us bring people together.
You’ve heard me say it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again – this year is about Micro-Volunteering: Building back our Volunteer Strength one person at a time. If you have time, skills, or resources that might be of service to the chapter, please reach out to any of the Board Members or Chapter Leaders – or me at President@lacamft.org.
We’re looking for folx with a wide range of skills, basic and advanced, we need you all!
And if all you can do right now is participate, that’s cool, too. Quick Reminder: This February 20th, for our Friday 2-CE-online Event Series, Dr. Brian Le Clair will be presenting on the neuroscience, the impact on relationships, and healing from Pornography Addiction, which should prove to be interesting and informative. Be sure to register at LACAMFT.org. See you there!
Paz y Amor,
Jenni J.V. Wilson, LMFT (she/her): As a collaborative conversationalist passionate about empowering and advocating for marginalized groups and underrepresented voices, Jenni uses an integrative approach based on post-modern principles to provide culturally-mindful and trauma-informed therapeutic services and clinical supervision. She works with creative, anxious, mixed race/culture, and co-dependent clients on improving and eliminating toxic relationships, while increasing authentic expression. She has a BA in theatre from Occidental College, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University LA, and is trained in EMDR, Brainspotting, and certified in Narrative Therapy. She is an accomplished writer, has produced/co-hosted multiple podcasts, worked in addiction treatment for nearly a decade, and sees the “worried well” in her private practice in Sherman Oaks. Website: www.JenniJVWilson.com
Friday, February 20, 2026 9:00am-11:00am
Online Via Zoom
2 CE Credits
Sponsored by
Pornography Addiction - Who Develops It and Suggestions on How to Treat It
with Brian Le Clair, PhD, LMFT
The origins of an addiction to pornography can, for most users, be traced back to the age of 11-12 when exposure happens for the first time, usually vis-à-vis videos and websites. At that age, the mind and personality are not sufficiently developed to align as a barrier to negotiate the addictive danger of the material.
Over time, the use of porn morphs from being a sneaky thing to do to becoming a reliable coping mechanism effective at negotiating unpleasant mood states. Soon, many users create a reliance on unhealthy material that will later challenge them in a variety of psychosocial ways. Therapists will find an intense uphill battle to help those afflicted learn to refuse this material. During this presentation, attendees will gain an understanding of the etiology of pornography addiction and learn a variety of tools to help clients reclaim control over their lives.
Educational Goals/Learning Objectives:
Participants will learn about the origins of pornography addiction. They will also learn how, from a therapeutic perspective, knowing when clients are first exposed to porn will help determine the degree of enmeshment it plays in their lives. Suggestions on how to treat the addiction will be shared, including which methods have proven to be most effective.
By the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
Brian Le Clair, PhD, LMFT has served individuals, couples, and families in the Los Angeles area for over 20 years. He was born and raised in New England and is a graduate of BYU, Cal State Los Angeles, and Texas Tech University, where he completed a doctoral degree in counselor education. He worked for 30 years in various positions for the Los Angeles Unified School District, but has formed an engaging private practice while working concurrently as an adjunct professor for the Texas A&M University-Central Texas Department of Counseling and Mental Health. Courses he has taught include Research Methods, Ethics, and Multicultural Counseling. Dr. Le Clair has co-authored various articles on the topic of porn addiction and recently authored a chapter in a newly published textbook about how to successfully open a private practice. He is fluent in Spanish and French.
For more information, contact Course Organizer/CE Networking Chair Shiji Yuan.
Event Details:
For: Licensed Therapists, Associates, Students, & Related Professionals
When: Friday, February 20, 2026 from 9:00am-11:00am
8:30-9:00: Check-In 9:00: Meeting/Presentation Begins 11:00: Meeting/Presentation & Related Announcements End 11:00-11:30: Participant Announcements (optional)
If you are interested in expanding your professional networking, sign up for Participant Announcements when you register. This segment is from 11:00am-11:30am, and is an optional 1/2 hour after the presentation.
After the presentation we will provide you with a link to a simple online test and evaluation questionnaire. When the test questions and the evaluation are completed, you will be provided with an online CE Certificate that can be personalized with your name and license information and either printed or saved on your computer.
Where: Online Via Zoom (Your registration confirmation email will include the Zoom link and instructions for accessing the event. A reminder email will be sent prior to the event.)
Cost: $25 for LA-CAMFT MembersOther CAMFT Chapter Members CSCSW Members $15 for Prelicensed Members Other CAMFT Chapter Prelicensed Members $35 for Non-Members $20 for Prelicensed Non-Members
*Registration closes Thursday, February 19 at 10:00pm.*
(To be sure you receive any information we send prior to the event, please add networkingchair@lacamft.org to your known contacts or safe list and check your bulk, junk or promotions mailboxes for any emails from us about this event.)
Register online today! We look forward to seeing you on Zoom.
CAMFT Approved Continuing Education Provider 59450. LA-CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs. LA-CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.
This course meets the qualifications for 2 continuing education credits for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
To receive CE certificate: Participants must sign in/sign out, and must complete an evaluation form upon course completion. For a Course Schedule, please contact Course Organizer at NetworkingChair@LACAMFT.org.
Refund policy: 48-hour notice required for refund of fee minus $5.00 administrative cost. Exceptions can be made for 48-hour notice in cases of emergency. Contact Course Organizer at NetworkingChair@LACAMFT.org.
Accommodations for Special Needs: Contact Course Organizer at NetworkingChair@LACAMFT.org.
Grievances: Program Administrator/CFO manages all grievances—and will acknowledge, investigate and remedy grievances. Response to grievances will be made in writing within 30 days. Contact them at cfo@lacamft.org.
https://lacamft.org/event-6519976
Getting Paid: Key Differences in Marketing & Branding Approaches with Insurance-Based and Private-Pay Clients
Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT, Voices Editor
Private-pay clients are seeking out an expert in the field. When you are in a private-pay practice, your marketing and branding must reflect that.
When it comes to seeking out therapy services, a client’s decision-making process can vary greatly depending on the type of practice, the therapist’s expertise, and the payment structure.
Research reveals that insurance-based clients generally select a therapist based on who takes their insurance and the convenience of appointments.
This usually leads insurance-based clients to choose a therapist based solely on price and insurance coverage, rather than on expertise or personal fit.
This is NOT the case with private-pay/cash pay clients.
Private-pay clients who select therapists in private practice are seeking out an expert in the field and are usually looking for a more personalized, specialized approach.
Because private-pay clients want a therapist who is knowledgeable, experienced, and an expert in the areas of their concerns, these clients are willing to prioritize the therapist's expertise over factors such as price, insurance coverage, and location—and are willing to pay out-of-pocket for the services of a highly skilled and experienced therapist.
For therapists in private-pay private practices, it is important to tailor marketing and branding efforts to attract and this type of client and referral. Since these clients are seeking out an expert in the field, your marketing and branding has to focus on and reflect that.
Ensuring that the overall client experience is positive, responsive, and supportive is another key factor in attracting, retaining, and continuously keeping your practice full with private-pay clients. Because these clients are often seeking a high level of personalized attention and care, the therapist's communication style, responsiveness, and attention to detail can all play a role in their decision-making process.
This may involve responding promptly enough to texts, DMs, emails, and voicemails, as well as having an engaging professional website with content that addresses their concerns, an interesting social media presence or platform with videos, images, and interesting content, and implementing effective communication strategies.
It also may involve highlighting your areas of expertise in your networking introductions as well as on your website, social media, email communications and other promotional materials. Including appropriate testimonials can also be effective in demonstrating a therapist's effectiveness and success in treating specific issues.
As you can see, insurance-based clients and private-pay private practice clients have different priorities when it comes to choosing a therapist. Private-pay clients prioritize finding an expert in the field who is responsive to them and can address their specific concerns and issues. As a therapist in private practice, it's important to understand this about your target audience and tailor your marketing and branding efforts accordingly.
Focus on your expertise and specialization, develop an engaging website that demonstrates that; utilize social media in interesting ways that your clientele appreciates; build relationships with other like-minded and allied professionals; and offer value-added services such as books, webinars, workshops, talks, and retreats to differentiate your practice and attract private-pay clients and referrals.
While insurance-based clients may prioritize convenience and insurance coverage in their decision-making process, private-pay clients are seeking out an expert in the field and are willing to pay for a personalized and specialized approach.
Therapists in private-pay/cash pay private practices must tailor their marketing efforts towards this type of client, highlighting their experience and expertise, and providing a high level of personalized attention and care. By doing so, they can attract and retain a clientele that values their skills and expertise, and is willing pay for their services.
Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, is in private practice virtually, and in Santa Monica where she works with Couples and Gifted, Talented & Creative Adults across the lifespan. Lynne’s been doing business and clinical coaching with mental health professionals for more than 15 years, helping therapists create even more successful careers and practices. She offers in-person & online services, workshops, presentations, & monthly no-cost Online Networking & Practice Development Lunches. Website: www.Gifted-Adults.com or www.LAPracticeDevelopment.com
Sunday, March 15, 2026 9:00am-4:00pm
6 CE Credits
(Meets BBS requirements for mandatory 6 CEs)
with Nicol Stolar-Peterson, PsyD, LCSW, BCD
This workshop, led by an expert on issues related to Child Abuse/Child Welfare, will expand beyond basic knowledge of CANRA (the Child Abuse, Neglect, and Reporting Act) by diving into real child abuse cases and applying them to the law. Issues covered will include the potential outcomes of delayed reporting or failing to report abuse, concerns around alerting perpetrators, and how to respond when abuse escalates. The presentation also explores basic and not-so-basic court issues for therapists such as how to handle requests for court letters, responding to subpoenas, testifying, and serving as a witness.
This workshop is intended for licensed and pre-licensed master’s level therapists with beginner-to-advanced experience working in the field of counseling/therapy. The workshop will educate therapists on handling a variety of legal issues they may encounter in their everyday practice, focusing on those related to child abuse and child welfare. Also covered will be how therapists can handle situations they may be called on to face in court.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
Nicol Stolar-Peterson, PsyD, LCSW, BCD (she/her) is a subject matter expert in Child Welfare, Child Protective Services, Forensic Interviews, and Standard of Care. She has served as an expert witness in over 100 cases coast-to-coast. She completed over 1000 child abuse investigations, interviews, and foster care and adoptive placements. She has trained over 1000 social workers in child abuse investigation and current standards and duties. Past speaking engagements have included The California Mediators Conference, and the Child Welfare Training Academy. She has been interviewed on podcasts such as “Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide,” “Private Practice Start-Up,” and more. Her website is www.nicolstolar.com.
When: Sunday, March 16, 2026 from 9:00am-4:00pm
(Check-In 8:45am; includes two 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch break)
Where: Online via Zoom (Your registration confirmation email will include the Zoom link and instructions for accessing the event. A reminder email will be sent prior to the event.)
Cost:$85 for LA-CAMFT Members / Other CAMFT Chapter Members$85 for CSCSW Members$35 Prelicensed Member / Other CAMFT Chapter Prelicensed Members $100 for Non-Members $50 for Prelicensed Non-Members
From March 12-14
$90 for LA-CAMFT Members / Other CAMFT Chapter Members$90 for CSCSW Members$40 Prelicensed Member / Other CAMFT Chapter Prelicensed Members $110 for Non-Members $55 for Prelicensed Non-Members
*Registration closes Thursday, March 14 at 10:00pm.*
Due to the popularity and ease of attendance, we are once again going to present with workshop LIVE on Zoom. This presentation will not be recorded.
This course meets the qualifications for 6 continuing education credits for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
https://lacamft.org/event-6504506
TOC Grant Award Registration Opens January 2, 2026
Christina “Tina” Cacho Sakai, LMFT, TOC Grant Award Committee Chair
The next cycle for the LA-CAMFT TOC Grant Award begins January 2, 2026 when registration opens. It is limited to current pre-licensed or student members of LA-CAMFT, and the award is limited to once per calendar year.
At the end of this article, there is an update on the impact that the award has had on awardees and their thoughts on its value.
Description of Grant Stipend
Every 4 months (3x per year), a grant award will be offered to two applicants who meet the following criteria: (1) must be a current LA-CAMFT member, (2) identify as a Therapist of Color, and (3) must be either an Associate, Trainee, or Student still in graduate school.
Grant winners will receive
The $530 award can be used at the recipient’s discretion based on their own individual needs (whether it be for BBS fees, testing materials, memberships, rent, groceries, etc.). Confirmation for the purpose that the money is used will not be required.
Application and Selection Process
Interested members can complete the application on the LA-CAMFT website. The selection process entails using a Randomized Generator of the applicants who met the full criteria and complete the application online to take out human bias and decrease activation of one's trauma history. The drawing will be recorded via Zoom and posted onto social media along with an announcement naming the grant winners, whom will also be contacted via email directly.\
Registration for the next award cycle will open on January 2, 2026 and will close on February 22, 2026.
The drawing will take place on February 23, 2026.
Awardees' thoughts on the LA-CAMFT TOC Grant Award
IMPACT OF THE GRANT
"It was very helpful. I was poor when I was an AMFT."
"The grant was very impactful as it eased the burden of some of the costs associated with the MFT process (training and supplies, L&E study materials, etc.)! The grant provided relief and helped finances feel less constrained as a trainee and now Associate."
"I found the grant very helpful to me particularly during a time when I was in dire need of additional funding & support to help keep me on track for the future."
"The grant was very impactful for me, as it helped me to pay my final fees, associated with my graduate program, so that I could finish strong. Every little bit counts, so I am very grateful to have been able to use this money to help toward that end."
VALUE OF THE GRANT
"I just want to express my sincere gratitude to the TOC Grant committee for this program as it truly helps alleviate some of the systemic socioeconomic gaps in this field that passionate therapists of color such as myself have to navigate in our journeys to becoming competent licensed mental health clinicians."
"I appreciate that this grant exists and can be applied to very easily. The gesture is meaningful and I hope other TOC are taking advantage of it."
"It really touched me. SFV chapter started giving scholarships too. I think TOC Grant was a positive influence to the therapists community."
"One additional comment I’d like to make is that it is very helpful that we are able to use the grant money at our own discretion. Removing limitations is advantageous because life happens to us all, and in order for us to be able to do our work well, sometimes we need to be able to address other situations, financially, that may directly or indirectly impact our work."
Best regards,
Member Article
Return of Meaning: How Psychological Integration Restores Purpose, Coherence, and Moral Vitality
Joanna Poppink, LMFT
The return of meaning emerges when a woman senses that her suffering carries direction. Meaning does not arrive as happiness. It arrives as coherence. Conflicts that once felt random reveal purpose. Symptoms that once discouraged her become signals from the psyche. As the self that never died rises from years of hiding, life begins to align around what is real rather than what has been endured. This article explores how meaning returns through psychological integration, moral clarity, embodied awareness, and spiritual renewal in midlife healing.
When Meaning Disappears Meaning often fades slowly. A woman may meet expectations, maintain relationships, and appear successful while feeling disconnected from her inner life. She moves through routines yet senses she is living beside herself.
One woman describes feeling as if she is floating above her days. She answers emails, tends her home, and smiles when required, yet feels a quiet absence within. She believes she should be grateful. Instead, she feels strangely distant from her own experience. Another woman keeps a structured schedule, but each completed task leaves her more depleted. This suffering is not a failure. It is a signal that life without meaning is no longer sustainable.
This disappearance of meaning shows that adaptation has reached its limit. Survival patterns that once protected a woman now restrict her. The ego, long organized around performance and reliability, has lost contact with truth. In depth psychotherapy, meaninglessness is not treated as pathology. It is understood as the psyche’s call for integration and recognition. The return of meaning begins when she realizes that something within her can no longer stay hidden.
The Psyche’s Demand for Coherence The psyche cannot live in contradiction. When outer behavior no longer matches inner truth, tension builds until it appears as anxiety, exhaustion, depression, or confusion. These experiences are not random symptoms. They are the psyche’s insistence on coherence and the early movement of meaning’s return.
A capable woman notices her hands shaking before a weekly meeting. She has always been reliable, yet her body protests. In therapy, she discovers she can no longer support decisions that contradict her values. Her anxiety becomes a message from her inner authority.
Another woman feels a tightening in her chest when she agrees to a request she knows will drain her. Her body recognizes the cost before her mind does. As familiar strategies weaken, symbolic material intensifies. Dreams sharpen. Old memories rise. What feels like instability is often the psyche reorganizing itself around truth.
Integration and Moral Awakening Integration is the slow reconciliation of what was once split off. It is the foundation of the return of meaning. A woman who spent years protecting others from consequences begins to acknowledge her own accomplishments. She becomes aware of her strengths. She stops softening her clarity. She speaks without shrinking. Others feel the difference. Her presence shifts the atmosphere in a room, not because she asserts power but because she is no longer hiding.
This stage often includes a moral awakening. She realizes that her exhaustion came from betraying her own integrity. She remembers how often she stifled her perception to maintain harmony. She sees how she shaped herself around the needs of others who never truly saw her. Integration restores truth to her inner life. The return of meaning is not sentimental. It is moral. She begins to live without contradicting herself.
Her therapist listens for coherence rather than performance. Themes that appear in her stories, dreams, and bodily reactions assemble into an inner narrative. Her authority rises as fragmentation decreases. Meaning becomes a quiet force guiding her forward.
The Body’s Role in the Return of Meaning The body recognizes truth before the mind does. Breath steadies. Shoulders soften. Speech slows into a natural rhythm. These are somatic signs of integration and the return of meaning.
A woman feels her chest lift with quiet energy when she chooses a project that aligns with her values. Her posture shifts when she honors what she knows. Her breath deepens when she speaks from truth rather than compliance. The body does not argue. It reveals direction.
A woman who once pushed herself through obligations now feels drained when she contradicts herself and energized when she is aligned. Her body becomes her compass. Meaning becomes embodied rather than conceptual.
Spiritual Renewal and Trust in the Psyche Every authentic return of meaning contains a spiritual dimension. Not belief. Presence. A living sense that the psyche is intelligent and responsive. Dreams change. Coincidences gather. Encounters feel purposeful. She senses she is part of a larger conversation with her own life.
A former colleague reaches out with an opportunity aligned with her emerging clarity. A book captures her attention at the precise moment she needs it. Someone speaks to a question she has barely formed. These moments are not magical thinking. They are signs of coherence. She follows what feels true and alive. Life responds.
Meaning was never lost. Only obscured. As trust in the psyche grows, so does trust in life. This is spiritual renewal grounded in psychological truth.
Living the Return of Meaning As the return of meaning matures, life reorganizes around truth. A woman acts from her inner authority. She no longer performs for approval. She no longer shapes herself around others’ anxiety. She enters conversations without rehearsing. Her voice is steady because she is no longer divided.
Relationships shift. Boundaries take root. She tolerates less distortion and more honesty. Some people draw closer. Others step back. She does not collapse when others disapprove. She moves with integrity.
A woman agreed to meet with a young adult after years of silence. Rather than repeat old patterns by offering her home or the familiar rituals of the past, she proposed choosing a neutral day, time, and place together. This quiet change dissolved the old dynamic. It created the possibility of meeting each other as they are now rather than as they once were.
She determines how she will spend her time and energy. She will end a lunch or walk when she feels complete. Instead of displeasure, her companion appreciates the time they shared even more. Her clarity strengthens connection rather than weakens it.
Any pain she feels is now aligned with truth rather than the pain of self-betrayal. Her inner compass becomes steady. Her presence becomes unmistakable.
Meaning as Preparation for Wholeness The return of meaning is not completion. It is preparation. It clears space for the living self to emerge. She senses that her suffering has direction. It was her psyche calling her home.
The woman who once lived in quiet discouragement now feels the first coherence of truth. She trusts the ground beneath her. She recognizes the sound of her own voice. Meaning is alignment, not reward. It prepares her for the next stage of healing.
She is like someone standing at the edge of a path she can finally see. The way forward is not lit in full. Yet she knows she can walk it. She recognizes that she is reaching for her inner wholeness.
Frequently Asked Questions What does the return of meaning feel like? It feels like coherence. You sense alignment between your inner truth and your outward life. Even simple actions feel purposeful.
Does meaning return through insight? Meaning returns through experience. It appears through clarity, bodily recognition, truthful speech, and dreams that reveal direction.
Why does meaning disappear in midlife? Meaning disappears when years of survival require too much adaptation. Midlife softens these structures and brings truth to the surface.
Is the return of meaning spiritual? It often includes a spiritual dimension because you sense movement within yourself that supports what is true.
Can meaning return without psychotherapy? Yes. Although depth psychotherapy accelerates and clarifies the process. It provides a reliable place where truth can rise.
References and Resources
Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.
Hillman, J. (1975). Re-Visioning Psychology. Harper & Row.
Jung, C. G. (1966). The Practice of Psychotherapy. Princeton University Press.
Woodman, M. (1990). The Pregnant Virgin. Inner City Books.
Purpose in Life Predicts Better Emotional Recovery from Negative Stimuli
When the Bark Splits: This article explores the moment inner development becomes visible and disruptive. It helps readers recognize how psychological rupture is often the first sign of authentic emergence.
Reversing the Narcissist’s Gaze: This article shows how women reclaim their own perception after years of being defined by someone else. It offers insight into the lived experience of recovering inner authority from distortion.
Poppink, J. (2025). Depth-Oriented Psychotherapy for Midlife Women.EatingDisorderRecovery.net.
Claiming the Lost Self: An Essential Task for Midlife Women — Seven-Part Series by Joanna Poppink, LMFT
You may begin with the series introduction here.
1. Following the False Map of Love This chapter examines how early distortions of love shape lifelong patterns that require self-abandonment. It shows how recognizing these distortions becomes movement toward revealing a woman’s genuine identity.
2. Dreams of the Rescuer This chapter explores how the unconscious signals readiness for change through rescue images. It shows how these dreams empower courageous actions that protect and support the emerging self.
3. Meeting The Self Who Never Died This chapter clarifies how the self can be pushed out of awareness but not destroyed. It shows how the hidden self rises and is available for recognition.
4. The Rescue Dream This chapter focuses on a decisive dream that marks a shift in psychological direction. It shows how instinct and clarity break through defenses, motivating a woman to support and protect her emerging self.
5. The Return of Meaning This chapter shows how meaning reappears when symptoms and conflicts are understood as communications. It demonstrates how judgment strengthens, and actions begin to follow inner integrity.
6. Becoming Whole This chapter describes how wholeness becomes a lived experience. It shows how relationships realign, the body participates in healing, and voice and presence emerge with clear, confident, and genuine presence.
7. Claiming the Lost Self: Conclusion This concluding chapter brings the arc of the work into focus. It shows how ongoing courage, clarity, and genuine self-regard anchor the next phase of development.
Joanna Poppink, LMFT, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder, is in private practice and specializes in Eating Disorder Recovery for adult women and with an emphasis on building a fulfilling life beyond recovery. She is licensed in California, Florida, Oregon, and Utah. All appointments are virtual. Website: EatingDisorderRecovery.net
Black Therapist Support Group
Second Monday of Every Month
Next Meeting: Monday, February 9, 2026 6:00pm-7:30pm
A safe place for healing, connection, support and building community. In this group, licensed clinicians, associates and students can come together and process experiences of racism (systemic, social, and internalized), discrimination, implicit bias, and micro-aggressions, along with additional experiences that therapists of African descent encounter in the field of mental health. As the late great Maya Angelou once said, “As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal someone else.” May this space, be the support needed to facilitate that journey.
Open to LA-CAMFT Members and Non-Members.
For more information, contact the Diversity Committee.
For: Licensed Therapists, Associates, and Students
When: Monday, February 9, 2026 from 6:00pm-7:30pm (Check-In: 5:50pm)
Where: Online Via Zoom (Upon registration for the presentation, you will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to our Zoom meeting.)
Cost: No charge
*Registration is open and available until the group begins.*
https://lacamft.org/event-6475300
Guest Article
The Wealthy Spirit: Worry
Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert
“Most people spend their lives running away from something that isn’t after them.” -Unknown
Whenever we were upset about the possibility of something bad happening, before it actually happened, Mom would smile and say, “Don’t borrow trouble. That hasn’t happened yet. If it does, we’ll figure out what to do then. Worrying about it today isn’t going to help.” This kind of conversation was usually preceded by the phrase “What if…”: “What if I don’t get accepted by the college I want to go to?” “What if I don’t get a date for the school prom?” “What if I don’t get the part I want in the play?”
Now, this is the same mother who was sick with worry if we were late getting home from our dates, but that was worry for a real event happening in the present. She didn’t waste energy being concerned about our being late days before the actual event.
Worry is a negative affirmation. When you worry, you focus all your attention on the negative, scaring yourself with pictures of disaster and failure. Worry is different from contingency planning. Certainly, you want to have a backup plan in place in case your first effort fails. Mom had us apply to several colleges instead of just one, plan something fun to do if we didn’t go to the prom, audition for other parts in other plays.
Contingency planning enables you to await outcomes with equanimity. As a successful woman business owner once said, “Plan A is always the ideal picture. But it is usually a dream bearing no relation to reality. By the time I get to Plan F, I’ve got a plan that has some chance of actually succeeding.”
I make my plans, put my dreams and goals onto paper and send out my ships. I hope they will come in. But I know I am never in charge of when they come in—or which ships come in. I am only in charge of sending them out. At that point, the winds of destiny and the hand of God take over. Worrying about those ships won’t see them safely past the rocks and the waves. I trust that some of the ships will reach my harbor safely. God will choose which ones. And even if, at first glance, they look like leaky rowboats, they will turn out to be the right ships for me—golden galleons in disguise.
Today’s Affirmation: All my golden galleons are arriving safely in my harbor now.
Whenever I start to worry about business, I do some affirmations and then I look for evidence of past success. I like to read the testimonials I’ve saved over the years from people who were happy with what they received from my class or one of my books or a private consultation. It refreshes me and gives me a lift for the coming day.
I aspire to help people master their money and have fun doing it! And I have succeeded often in doing just that – haven’t you? Remember to dwell on your successes, that you are a great soul, that you care and are cared for.
And this morning I receive this beautiful testimonial that one of my clients put in her newsletter about affirmations:
“Living my passion, which is how I refer to my work, actually manifested from an experience I had back in the early 2000’s. I took a class with Chellie Campbell called “Financial Stress Reduction” because I was totally frustrated with my life and my career. It was a pivotal time in my life and one of the most important transformative classes I EVER attended. It literally changed the direction of my life and gave me a purpose for something I needed to fulfill and had no idea until I was sitting in Chellie’s class. I will be forever grateful to Chellie! She makes transformation fun and exciting! Just don’t ever be late for class, she charges you. Back then it was a dollar, but because of inflation I’m not sure if she’s increased the penalty. Success doesn’t always come exactly like we think it will but, if we are open….It comes!”–Sandy Smith
Thanks, Sandy–I needed that!
Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert, is the author of bestselling books The Wealthy Spirit, Zero to Zillionaire, and From Worry to Wealthy: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Success Without the Stress. She has been treating Money Disorders like Spending Bulimia and Income Anorexia in her Financial Stress Reduction® Workshops for over 25 years and is still speaking, writing, and teaching workshops—now as Zoom classes and The Wealthy Spirit Group on Facebook—with participants from all over the world. Website: www.chellie.com
LA-CAMFT Diversity Committee
presents
White Therapists Fighting Racism (WTFR)
Third Sunday of Every Month
Next Meeting: Sunday, February 15, 2026 3:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
The goal of White Therapists Fighting Racism (WTFR) is for white-identified therapists to become effective allies in support of decolonization and racial justice in our clinical practice, therapy association, and community. Recognizing that racism is maintained when whiteness is invisible to white people, WTFR provides a forum for white-identified therapists to explore what it means to be white. While this process includes learning about structural racism and deconstructing the false narrative about race, a primary focus in the group is on doing inner work.
How Do I Join? To join this group, please click here to complete our online submission form. Once submitted, a group facilitator will reach out to you for next steps.
For more information or if you have additional questions, please send all inquiries to the facilitators WTFR@lacamft.org.
When: Sunday, February 15, 2026 from 3:00pm-5:00pm (PT)
Where: Online Via Zoom (Once you complete the online submission process, you will be emailed a monthly Zoom link.)
Facilitator(s): Estelle, Randi, Hazel, and Stephen
https://lacamft.org/event-6513170
6 Tips to Help Parents of Adult Kids Build Strong and Satisfying Relationships
Kim Scott, LMFT
Many of my clients come to therapy seeking support around their relationships with their adult children. They often express sadness when family visits are infrequent, frustration over limited time with their grandchildren, or concerns about the life choices their adult children are making. Tensions may arise from differing values, political beliefs, or simply conflicting desires for closeness or space. These complex emotions are a natural part of evolving family dynamics.
Here are some tips that may help your clients nurture loving, close relationships with their grown children:
1. Embrace a New Relationship Dynamic
Adult children are no longer kids, so building a new kind of relationship is essential. It can be challenging for parents to accept their changing role in their children’s lives. This shift often involves grieving the loss of day-to-day contact or the feeling of not being needed as much as they once were.
Parents may long for daily chats, shared holidays, or being present for key life events like the birth of a grandchild. However, adult children may have different expectations for contact and involvement. They might deeply love their parents but still desire more independence or space, which can be healthy and necessary for their personal growth.
Just as friendships vary in closeness and frequency of contact, relationships with adult children also take different forms. Some adult children may want regular interaction, while others might prefer occasional check-ins. Recognizing and adapting to their child’s preferences while sharing their own fosters mutual respect and stronger connections.
It’s common for parents to have opinions and concerns about their adult children’s parenting style, eating habits, life partners, or lifestyle choices. I remind my clients that these are their children’s choices, not theirs, and staying in their own lane is essential for maintaining a healthy relationship.
When children are younger, the parent’s role is clear: setting rules, establishing values, and guiding behavior. With adult children, the role changes—you move from being the boss to being a consultant. As a consultant, unsolicited advice is often viewed as criticism. Instead of freely offering opinions, take a step back. Listen to your child and seek to understand their thoughts, needs, and experiences—just as you would with a friend.
Some of my clients worry that this approach requires them to “walk on eggshells.” I offer a reframe: In all meaningful relationships, choosing our words with care and consideration is a sign of respect, not restriction.
3. Notice Your Expectations and Keep Them in Check
Unspoken expectations often lead to disappointment, resentment, and guilt in family relationships. For example, your client may assume that their adult child will call weekly, have dinner with them every Sunday night, or care for them when they are older. If your client does not express and discuss these expectations with their children, your client may feel hurt or frustrated when their expectations are not met.
Encourage your clients to take time to identify and reflect on their expectations. They may also benefit from asking themselves if they have clearly communicated their expectations and desires to their children. Making implicit expectations explicit is key to co-creating a healthy relationship with their children. Open, honest conversations about needs and boundaries can reduce tension and build greater understanding.
4. Let Go of Past Narratives
It’s natural for parents to hold onto old narratives about their children—like viewing a once-forgetful son as someone who always loses his keys or a once-shy daughter as someone who struggles socially. However, these outdated perspectives can prevent your client from seeing and appreciating who their child has become, which will hurt their relationship.
I encourage my clients to let go of old stories, resentments, and even unfulfilled dreams they once held for their children. When parents release the past, they allow their adult children to show up as their true selves, creating space for a more authentic, fulfilling relationship.
5. Offer the Support Your Child Wants (Not Just What You Want to Give)
One of the most important questions to consider is: What kind of support is your child asking for? I often ask my clients to reflect on this in therapy. Sometimes, adult children want advice; other times, they just want to be heard.
For example, simply teaching our clients to resist the urge to jump in with solutions when their child shares a problem, unless they specifically ask for help, can be very helpful. Instead, we should teach our clients to offer empathy and acknowledgment: “That sounds really hard. I’m here for you.” We can also coach our clients to ask their children how they can be of help. Adult children often need to feel seen, heard, and trusted to navigate their own lives.
6. Make Time to Have Fun Together
It can also be helpful to remind our clients that the old saying, “The family that plays together stays together,” holds a lot of truth. Shared joy and laughter can strengthen bonds and create lasting memories. Explore what activities both your client and their adult child enjoy and work with them on incorporating more play into their relationship.
These moments of connection remind us that relationships don’t have to be all about resolving conflicts or serious discussions. Simply enjoying each other’s company can go a long way toward building a strong, satisfying relationship.
As therapists, we are in an excellent position to help our clients navigate this time of change in their families. Building and maintaining healthy relationships with adult children is a journey that requires patience, flexibility, and self-reflection. By embracing change, setting healthy boundaries, and focusing on connection, you can help your clients create a meaningful bond with their children that evolves and grows over the years.
Kim Scott, LMFT is a licensed marriage, family and child therapist. She has a private practice in Granada Hills where she works with couples and individuals, in-person and via Telehealth. Kim has been licensed for 30 years and has expertise in working with older adults and women issues. To learn more about Kim's practice and to read more of her articles visit her website: www.kimscottmft.com.
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