President's Message — Nikki Gabriel, LMFT

Looking Forward

Summer has finally arrived, and with it the realization that my term as president for the chapter has only six months more to go! It has been a terrific year so far, and I look forward to what is yet to come. As chapter president I get the privilege of taking chapter members out to lunch. At each monthly meeting, and some of our other events as well, we offer an opportunity raffle and one of the prizes is lunch with the president. This has been an amazing treat for me because I have been able to get to meet with and connect with members one on one. I can tell you that lunch with a fellow therapist is one of the best experiences. Any time networking and getting to know another therapist is wonderfully enjoyable. If you do not get together regularly with others in the field already, I definitely recommend.

Another aspect of being president that has been enjoyable so far is working with and getting to know each of the chapter volunteers and leaders that make our chapter function in the robust and dynamic way that it does. Yes, the board meetings are long, but we also tackle important topics related to the chapter and our profession and have a little fun along the way. We are currently recruiting chapter members for the 2020 board of directors. The term is for one year, and it is a great way to get to know your fellow chapter members and gain some insight into the workings of the chapter and learn about the profession. If you are even a little bit interested, please consider contacting me or another board member to discuss. Any one on the board members will be happy to let you know why they joined, what they are getting out of it, and answer any questions about the time commitment involved.

In May, we had a very successful New Member Lunch. It was an intimate gathering of chapter members new and old, and a chance to get to know one another a little better. If you missed it there is another event in August when we hold our annual Social Networking Event, which is open to both members and non-members. The event is free and will be held on Sunday, August 11 from 10am to 12pm at the home of a chapter member. Address will be sent by email once you have registered. This is an opportunity to show what the chapter has to offer, so bring a friend that is not yet a member!

There is one question that keeps surfacing over the years, and many boards have had to consider. Should the chapter move the monthly meetings from Sunday to another day? Well, the answer for now is that we are not moving the meetings to another day. I am sure that response, as it does when the chapter leaders discuss it, is met with mixed reviews and emotions. The one thing I can tell you about our chapter is that we are so much more than monthly membership meetings. I would encourage members to check the website and keep tabs on both the event calendar (https://www.sfvcamft.org/Calendar-of-events) and the special interest group page (https://www.sfvcamft.org/sig). The chapter has many events and not all of them are on a Sunday. The chapter currently has the following individual groups that have events: Experiential Process, Hiking, Pre-Licensed (3000 Club), Somatic Practices, and Supervisors.

I look forward to the second half of 2019! 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.