NOVEMBER 2020 E-NEWSLETTER

Dear Members,

November is typically the month when we start thinking about Thanksgiving and what we have to be grateful for. As we enter our 10^th month of the pandemic, and most members continue to provide services via telehealth, it may be difficult to think about gratitude at this time. I have heard from numerous members that they are starting to feel bored or burned out dealing with their own stress and the substantial stresses that their patients are facing. CAMFT staff, including myself, can relate to these simultaneous feelings of boredom and burnout. To add to the stress we’re all feeling, with a contentious election cycle and COVID rates increasing across California and the country, many of us will not have the usual comfort and routine of holiday gatherings with family and friends.

It is easy to be grateful when things are going easy. Perhaps, in these challenging circumstances, this is the time to place our focus on gratitude. Undoubtedly, this Thanksgiving will be different from past holidays. But when I start thinking about it, CAMFT and I have a lot to be grateful for: 

• I am especially grateful that CAMFT staff have been able to safely work from home for 10 months now. And I am grateful that most of you have been able to do that as well.
• I am full of gratitude for the recent success of CAMFT’s Virtual Experience. We were able to provide over 1,800 members with quality education and CEs! And this was the first paid virtual event that was profitable for CAMFT.
• I am thankful to work for an organization that values self-care as an important element for mental health and overall well-being.

I am also incredibly grateful for all of the work that each of you do. Marriage and Family Therapists are the backbone of mental health services in California; LMFTs make up the majority of therapists in the state. The services that you provide support your communities in substantial and meaningful ways. When I think about the valuable work that you do every day, I hope you give yourself the grace suggested in a street art piece by my favorite street artist, @WRDSMTH.

It is a privilege and an honor to support thousands of MFTs. I hope that during this unprecedented time, you are able to find gratitude in your life and your service.

Wishing each of you a healthy and safe Thanksgiving!

Nabil El-Ghoroury, Ph.D., CAE
Executive Director
nel-ghoroury@camft.org | Twitter: @drnabil

GO GREEN WITH CAMFT

CAMFT is continuing to ask members to Go Green to receive electronic ballots and electronic official member communications! If you have already said YES to Going Green—Thank You!

For those who have not yet opted to Go Green, you can find more information about our Go Green campaign, spearheaded by CAMFT President Cathryn Leff, here. (NOTE: The Go Green campaign does Not impact how you receive The Therapist magazine.)

How can you Go Green? CAMFT will be sending another email soon titled “GO GREEN with CAMFT.” Please opt-in by selecting “YES” for electronic communications (like the Annual Business Meeting Notice) and “YES” for electronic voting. Saying YES to GOING GREEN means that:

• We will reduce the amount of paper that CAMFT delivers to your home or office.
• Voting will be easier with an electronic ballot—and research shows more members will vote!
• We’ll help CAMFT staff and CAMFT members stay safer by not handling so much snail-mail.
• We’ll save and protect both money and trees.

Thank you for helping us with the Go Green initiative!