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Junko Yamauchi, LMFT, Director of Support Groups

Our chapter currently runs four support groups. Pre-Covid time, we had two groups in the north locations and another two groups in the south locations. Since the pandemic, we have been offering all-online support groups, which allows us to serve more people, some even outside Santa Clara County.


I am the Director of the Newly and Pre-Licensed Member Support Groups. I was also one of the facilitators of the support groups, until recently. I really enjoyed meeting with pre-licensed therapists and was inspired by them in person and online for the last 2.5 years. I am excited that we now have two new leaders starting in June.

In the June issue, I introduced our two long-standing Support Group leaders, Jim Arjani and Della Fernandes. In this issue, you will meet our new Support Group leaders: Natasha Kazmi, LMFT and Saru Sivanesan, LMFT. I am very excited that they have come onboard. In order to get to know them better, I came up with fun questions for them hoping you would get a sense of who they are. I wrote the questions and the leaders answered via email.

Natasha Kazmi, LMFT leads our Pre-Licensed Support Groups on the first Friday of the month from 11:00 am -1:00 pm.

Who are your clients and are you accepting new clients at this point?
I work with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. I have a group practice, www.trustmentalhealth.com. We are accepting new clients.
 
What books/movies/podcasts do you recommend for fellow therapists?
I enjoyed reading Relationship Rx by Stan Tatkin for couples therapy. I love how he brings in neurobiology and attachment as his foundation. This book has helpful tips and I sometimes recommend it to clients.

Which non-therapy related books/movies/podcasts do you enjoy?
Forty Rules of love by Elif Shafak. The Forty Rules of Love unfolds two tantalizing parallel narratives—one contemporary and the other set in the thirteenth century, when Rumi encounters his spiritual mentor, the whirling dervish known as Shams of Tabriz—that together explore the enduring power of Rumi's work.

What are quotes, phrases, or sayings that you often use in session?
“Courage comes from support.” I encourage my clients to develop a support system, if they don’t already have one.

What do you do to take care of yourself?
I love spending time with family and friends, personal physical training and taking vacation.

If you were not a therapist, what would you like to do for a living?
I would have liked to be an OB-GYN—delivering babies, as I feel it brings joy to the world.

What would you do if you won 1 million dollars?
Open a non-profit in a developing area close to us or in a developing country.

Describe your dream vacation.
A house on the beach or travel around the world.

Which theoretical orientation do you use the most?
CBT/psychodynamic.

Why did you become a therapist?
My passion for helping people and instilling hope in their lives.

How has the pandemic changed your professional life?
The pandemic has redefined the mental health delivery model through Telehealth, where both therapists and clients have benefitted from its convenience.

Anything else to share about yourself with the readers?
I value diversity, varied cultures and languages; therefore, my group practice is comprised of BIPOC therapists who collectively offer services in 8 different languages.  

Sarangan "Saru" Sivanesan, MA, LMFT leads the Newly Licensed Support Group on the second Friday of the month, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. 

Who are your clients and are you accepting new clients at this point?
Most of my clients are from tech and as a former software engineer, I understand their mindset very well. Yes, I am accepting new clients.

Which theoretical orientation do you use the most?
I am trauma trained (EMDR certified and Hakomi trained) and use this training to inform my treatment planning. I find EMDR is a very efficient way to help clients heal from trauma. But that does not mean it's a quick fix. It requires good assessment and treatment planning. Hakomi is an efficient way to bypass the conscious mind and get into the subconscious beliefs, memories, etc. I use that to help clients realize that there is more to what's happening than what they are able to see. Usually it works well with my tech clients.

What books/movies/podcasts do you recommend for fellow therapists?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
Groundhog Day
Spanglish

Which non-therapy related books/movies/podcasts do you enjoy?
I like comedies and light-hearted movies. I also enjoy self-help and spiritual books.

What are the quotes, phrases, or sayings that you often use in session?
I don't have one or two particular quotes, but I do use a lot of metaphors to help clients, bypassing their thinking mind and helping them gain clarity.

What do you do to take care of yourself?
Meditation, exercising, cooking, spending time with my wife, gardening and being by the ocean or in nature.

If you were not a therapist, what would you like to do for a living?
I’m not sure! I love my job. I was a software engineer for 20+ years and changed my career to become a  therapist.

Describe your dream vacation.
Ocean walks, meditation and healthy food.

How did you become a therapist?
I was a software engineer for 20+ years. My bachelors is in Mathematics & Computer Science. But the job was not fulfilling and I wanted something more meaningful. So I took a break from work and went on a soul searching trip traveling through parts of New Mexico and South America (Santiago, Rio, Machu Picchu & other parts of Peru). On my return, I started exploring psychology schools as I was called to it. When I walked into my alma mater, Sofia University (formerly Institute of Transpersonal Psychology), I knew it was the right place and joined there soon after.

How has the pandemic changed your professional life?
Learning the importance of self care and connections.

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by Dominique Yarritu, PhD, LMFT
President-Elect

The results of the one question May survey Getting to Know You are (finally) in! DOWNLOAD the results. Shall we start with the numbers?  55% of our membership viewed the survey; of these members, 65% took the time to answer, and less than 1% opened it and did not respond. These are encouraging numbers for us! We are delighted and grateful to you for taking the time out of what we know is a busy schedule to tell us a little about you.  If these basic categories help us to have a clearer view of the kaleidoscopic makeup of our membership, we also hope they will allow us in the future to provide you with a better support in terms of offerings: workshops, luncheons, and other activities. The majority of the membership is in private practice and we hope to reach out further to those of our colleagues who work in agencies or other mental health institutions in the next few months.

We were equally delighted to read what some of you shared with us, whether it was about your practice or just something you wanted us to know. Here’s a condensed version of it:

Practice: after a year full of covid-related transformations, some of you have decided to switch totally telehealth stating that you’re enjoying it more than you expected, while others are eager to see things open up in order to do more networking in person.  Many of you are planning on practicing "hybrid", that is some online and some in-person. However, the need to connect in-person is clearly present and articulated in various ways.

Personal: we learned that some of you speak more uncommon languages, grow roses, are close to retirement, love connecting with your clients, but also feel uncomfortable being the only person of color in attendance of our (past) in-person events. This is very important for us and something that we would like to address in the future. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an important endeavor of this chapter.

We wanted you to access the results in a raw format and browse yourself, see what is of interest to you. You can download the spreadsheet below. And as usual, we welcome any feedback at president-elect@scv-camft.org.  Have a wonderful quarter.

Download survey Results Here

Back to Summer 2021 Newsletter
by Junko Yamauchi, LMFT, Director of Support Groups

Our chapter currently runs four support groups. Pre-Covid time, we had two groups in the north locations and another two groups in the south locations. Since the pandemic, we have been offering all-online support groups, which allows us to serve more people, some even outside Santa Clara County.

I am the Director of the Newly and Pre-Licensed Members Support Groups. I was also one of the facilitators of the support groups, until recently. I really enjoyed meeting with pre-licensed therapists and was inspired by them in person and online for the last 2.5 years. I am excited that we now have two new leaders starting in June.

Before introducing two of our long-running leaders, I would like to recognize Barbara Pannoni who led her newly-licensed group from October 2019 to April 2021. Here is her message:

“I loved facilitating SCV-CAMFT's South Bay Newly Licensed Clinician Support group! It has always been important to me to support other clinicians through all phases of their development. Seeing members support each other, exchange ideas, create alliances and refer to each other was wonderful. Members of the group gained confidence in themselves and got crucial information from each other to support them in this professional chapter.”

Now I’d like to introduce our amazing and passionate group of leaders. I came up with fun questions for them hoping you would get a sense of who they are.  I wrote the questions and the leaders answered via email.

Our current leaders are Jim Arjani and Della Fernandes.  In this issue, you will learn a little bit more about each of them through the interviews that follow.  The two new leaders who have just come on board, Natasha Kazmi and Sarangan “Saru” Sivanesan will be featured in our September issue. Stay tuned!

Jim Arjani has been leading the pre-licensed group since June 2018. His group meets on the 1st Friday of the month 11am-1pm.

Who are your clients and are you accepting new clients at this point?
I work with adolescents, adults, couples and families. I have a group practice, Mountain View Therapy, and get the opportunity to work with some wonderful therapists. Currently, I am not accepting new clients.
 
What books/movies/podcasts do you recommend for fellow therapists?
One Second Ahead, by Rasmus Houggard is a book I would highly recommend for therapists. It has great practical advice on how to be mindful throughout the workday.  

Which non-therapy related books/movies/podcasts do you enjoy?
I really enjoy watching Saturday Night Live, especially the political satire.  
 
What are the quotes, phrases, and sayings that you often use in session?
When working with couples, I often find myself reminding them that being right is not more important than the relationship.  

What do you do to take care of yourself?
I try to take care of myself by going on walks, daily meditation, and talking to my friends and loved ones.  
 
If you were not a therapist, what would you like to do for a living?
I would probably be a writer if I was not a therapist.  

Describe your dream vacation.
My dream vacation would be to go on an around-the-world cruise and stay in one of the luxury suites.  

Which theoretical orientation do you use the most?
I use EMDR a lot and have found it to be very effective with most of my clients.

How has the pandemic changed your professional life?
The good thing is I can stand while doing telehealth sessions, so it has really helped me to reduce my lower back pain. I spend more time on self-care and take on fewer clients as a result of the pandemic.  

Anything else you would like to share about yourself with our readers?
I have really enjoyed being the facilitator for the pre-licensed support group for the past three years.

Della Fernandes has been facilitating the newly-licensed group since January 2019. Her group meets on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 1pm to 3pm.

Who are your clients and are you accepting new clients at this point?
Yes, I am accepting new clients.  I enjoy working with couples who want to keep their marriage together and individuals navigating career challenges and transitions.  I especially enjoy working with high functioning Asperger’s (ASD) partners who pair up with neurotypical partners.  I also enjoy working with men, c-suite professionals, tech, and legal professionals.  My Masters in Personnel Management and prior work experience in Human Resources and Organizational Development, have helped me work with my clients collaboratively, in navigating relationships and overcoming stress, anxiety and other workplace challenges.

What books/movies/podcasts do you recommend for fellow therapists?
I recommend The Therapist’s Guide to Clinical Intervention by Sharon L. Johnson. If you’re working with clients on the autism spectrum, The Science of Evil on Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty by Simon Baron-Cohen and The Journal of Best Practices by David Finch are really good books.  

As for movies, I'd like to recommend in particular season 1/episode 5 of the Netflix series Wanderlust, which demonstrates the technique the therapist uses to help the client unravel grief from her past that continues to haunt her present. The podcast I listen to and recommend is Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam.

Which non-therapy related books/movies/podcasts do you enjoy?
Non-therapy books that are on my night stand now are: Amazing Possibilities by Matthew Kelly, Making Peace with Change by Gina Brenna Butz, and The MIT Technology Review.  The Netflix series I am currently enjoying is Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father, Rita, Schitts Creek. The podcasts I enjoy are NPR news, Marketplace, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, and Fresh Air.

What are the quotes, phrases, and sayings that you often use in session?
The quote I go back to a lot in session is Robert Frost's poetry line:
“We dance around in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.”

What do you do to take care of yourself?
I enjoy long walks, hikes, drives to new trails and places, good food, light conversation, and time with family and friends.

If you were not a therapist, what would you like to do for a living?
I'd love to sing, act, dance, design clothes, and paint.

What would you do if you won one million dollars?
I would start a therapy teaching and practicum institution in Goa, India, and travel.   

Describe your dream vacation.
I’d like to have a series of experiences living in unusual hotels, like the Ice hotel, the Manta Resort at Pemba Island, Zanzibar, The Levin Iglut in Finland and so on.

Which theoretical orientation do you use the most?
I primarily lean into CBT techniques, but customize treatment plans using Object Relations, Erickson's theories, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Imago, and Gottman. I also use Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Transactional Analysis.

How did you become a therapist?
People always intrigued me.  My favorite place to go to as a child was the receiving lounge of an airport. I would be fascinated to observe the body language of people at airports and watch them communicate when they welcomed or said farewell to their loved ones. This curiosity opened the door to the study of psychology. At the time I was launching my career in India, therapy was associated with a fair amount of stigma, so being a therapist would not have been a wise choice. So I opted for a related subject, Human Resources and Organization Development, which is also a passion. I returned to Psychotherapy, which was my first love, after coming to the United States.

How has the pandemic changed your professional life?
It has given me more time for contemplation and learning. I have a better appreciation for technology. However, I find myself more exhausted than when I saw clients in person.  The pandemic has also opened a window into my personal life. I have begun to realize that the faith foundations laid by my family and teaching institutions as well as the discipline of daily prayer and reflection has helped me stay content during the difficult times.  In one of my night prayer reflections, I came across Colin Brady’s statement regarding his individual skiing trek in Antarctica on that long arduous journey by himself – he says and I quote “I was locked in a deep flow state (fully immersed in the endeavor) the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey”. It left me with food for thought in exploring my experiences through the lens of resilience and how I could help my clients reframe this year’s experiences through the same lens.

Anything else you would like to share about yourself with our readers?

I come from Goa in India, which is a prior Portuguese colony and has a blend of western and eastern cultures. I grew up partly in Bahrain (in the Middle-East) and partly in India.  The diversity that life exposed me to has allowed me to appreciate and understand various cultures.  It has also allowed me to learn how to create an eclectic life from the wisdom of many cultures and this influences my therapy techniques and strategies with cross-cultural marriages, teams, and clients.

Back to Summer 2021 Newsletter

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Dominique Yarritu, LMFT
President-Elect

Dominique has been a member of SCV-CAMFT since 2013 during her first year of graduate school at Palo Alto University in Counseling Psychology. She volunteered on a couple of occasions for luncheon write-ups; after a hiatus during which she pursued a Ph.D. in Depth Psychology with an emphasis in somatic studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute, she found her way back to the Chapter as the Editorial Chair in 2020. Dominique is delighted to have been nominated President Elect and is looking forward to collaborating with her colleagues on the Board and committee members to provide our diverse and rich community at large with a thriving Chapter. In her newly-launched private practice, Dominique draws from mindfulness, humanistic, psychodynamic, Jungian, and integrative theories to address mood and anxiety disorders. She has a particular interest in individuation, major life transitions, cross-cultural concerns, relationship issues, divorce and infidelity, and reproductive choices, especially third party procreation. Dominique sees adults and young adults, providing online therapy in English and French to individuals and couples. In her free time, Dominique enjoys spending time with her family, friends, pets, running, biking, dreaming, and being.

Evelyn Lomio, AMFT
Secretary

Evelyn Lomio is pleased to join the SCV-CAMFT Board of Directors as Secretary. What initially drew Evelyn to join SCV-CAMFT was the offering of the pre-licensed support groups in which she found a place to foster her professional development and create new relationships. Evelyn brings a wide breath of experience, from working for Silicon Valley high-tech companies to earning her Juris Doctorate working in the field of immigration. A career break to spend time with her children presented the opportunity to discover that counseling psychology offered the best way for her to channel her passion for helping others. Evelyn is employed at Thrive Family Therapy and Almaden Valley Counseling Services.  Evelyn works with a wide variety of clients, but is especially drawn to working with those in the LGBTQ community and those who have experienced emotional abuse from narcissistic relationships. She is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and also experienced with CBT and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Her humanistic approach takes the whole individual into consideration.  Evelyn is an avid hiker and uses photography as her creative outlet.

Brandon Hoshiko, LMFT
Director of Communications and Technology

Ahoy all! I’m Brandon Hoshiko, he.his.him, and excited to join the SCV-CAMFT board. This year, 2021, is my first rodeo with our SCV Chapter. I earned a master's degree from Santa Clara University in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Corrections. Prior to that, I taught elementary school and studied classroom interventions; my life also remembers brief opportunities employed at a flower store, in a medical lab, and on a fresh-cut tree lot. Right now, my life prioritizes practicing yoga, exercise, and meditation while volunteering, exploring, indulging in chocolates, and enjoying time with my family. I nurture a small private practice and volunteer with our local suicide and crisis services. I have experience with Brainspotting, CBT, crisis & suicide intervention, hypnotherapy, and other techniques, but I'm open to work with most anyone interested in learning about themselves. I’ve been told that I’m seen as a warm therapist who is accepting and affirming. I think I see myself as an integrative clinician who practices collaboratively to create a space safe enough for people to heal themselves. It’s a privilege for me to serve on the SCV-CAMFT board. I aim to serve us all and our profession dutifully.

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Michael worked with SCV-CAMFT for many years as our webmaster, and he was instrumental in bringing our chapter into the 21st century! He was a gentle, caring, funny and creative man, who will be missed by all who knew him. Many of our chapter members knew him and know his great contributions to SCV-CAMFT.

Please visit his obituary page to learn more about Michael's life and work, read his loved ones' memories, and share your own memories.

Back to Spring 2021 Newsletter
Merrilee Esther Stucke was a long time member of the SCV-CAMFT chapter and she will be greatly missed. She was a musical child and studied at San Francisco State College (now University), and became a professional singer at Calvary Presbyterian Church. She also worked as a secretary and then as an analyst for the Civil Service Commission of the City of San Francisco. She married Tom Nolan and moved to San Jose, making her living as a piano teacher. After Tom died, she met and married Warren Gibson in 1984 and they lived in a house he built in Belmont until her death in 2021.

After the tragic loss of her mother in 1993, Merrilee was inspired to begin a career as a psychotherapist.  She earned an MA degree in counseling psychology from the College of Notre Dame in Belmont.  She added a Psy.D. degree from Ryokan College in 2011 and in recent years had contracted with San Mateo County to provide therapy services.  In the months leading up to her death, she held sessions entirely online, continuing until just one week before her death.

Merrilee fought a number of illnesses with aplomb. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, at home.  Merrilee is survived by her husband Warren Gibson, her brother John Stucke of Pacheco, two nieces and one nephew.

No services are planned.  You may contribute to your favorite charity in her memory.

Merrilee Nolan Gibson, LMFT, Psy.D.
April 18, 1941 – January 23, 2021

Back to Spring 2021 Newsletter

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by Cathy Haur, LMFT

Cathy Hauer, LMFT, has been in private practice since 1990. She served on the SCV Board 20 years ago, and then was a part of the Committee on Therapist Well-Being for several years after that, editing the Committee's newsletter column.  Cathy is currently a Board member of CoastPride, an organization she helped found for the LGBTQ Community on the Coast of San Mateo County.  Although she continues to work part time with clients, she recently closed down her office suite, inspiring this creative piece, and acknowledges how familiar this unexpected change has become for so many therapists.

Not just the four walls                     
Not just the rooms                            The trees, the sky

The sense of place                  
The sense of home                            The heart, the soul

……. 

Letting go of this,
My professional oasis                        Honor the serenity

The world I built,
To heal and to hold

Precious lives,
Precarious psyches                            Release the need for permanence            

Lives were touched
Insights gained

Pain expunged
Love renewed                                    Remember all the good

Fold it up
Like an origami dream

Tuck it tightly

Into my broken heart                         This will be enough

By Cathy Hauer, October 2020

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Stephanie Iles, LMFT

I graduated from Western Seminary in 2018.  I will continue to work at Counseling Dynamics in South San Jose.  It is a small private practice and I am still accepting new clients.  I meet in person with clients of all ages, but specialize in working with teens and young adults. I work with both individuals and families.  I have worked a lot with anger, grief, anxiety and OCD.  Some areas of my personal life that influence my practice are I successfully homeschooled my kids, I've been married 26 years, and I mentored teens at my church for 12 years before getting my degree. Our website is counselingdynamics.com

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Moitreyee Chowdhury, LMFT

Hello Friends, I have enjoyed being part of this wonderful community of therapists in our community for a while. I have been working as a therapist in the intensive outpatient program for children and youth at Gardner Health Services. I recently moved to a new position as a supervisor for the Cal WORKS program. Soon I will be joining Jim Arjani, LMFT at https://www.mtnviewtherapy.com/. My therapeutic belief is grounded in helping my client find their self-determination and their underlying strengths. I am interested in integrating in my practice the intersection of the cultural and familial dynamics, the stories of immigration, grief, loss, and self-worth, with a trauma-centered lens. I use TF-CBT, CBT, feminist theories, strength-based therapy, and family systems work. I provide services in additional languages of Bengali and Hindi. 

Kevin Cornelius, LMFT

I’m in private practice at The Feeling Good Institute, currently doing all sessions with online video sessions. I work with teens and adults on healing from Depression, Anxiety, Relationship Problems and Habits/Addictions. I’m a Level 3 Certified TEAM-CBT Therapist. My website is www.Tools4Change.me. I can be reached at kevin@feelinggoodinstitute.com and 650-206-9049. Thank you!

Liliana Ramos, LMFT

I am proud to join this amazing group of licensed healers. I am a bilingual (Spanish and English) marriage and family therapist, who is an immigrant and a military veteran. During the past three years, I have worked at school-based, community health, and private clinic settings. Today, I offer an integrated therapy to adults, children, couples, and families, who are experiencing trauma, grief, acculturation challenges, anxiety, depression, and other mental health needs. As part of the therapy, I explore with clients their emotional, physical, and spiritual parts through a culturally-sensitive lens. I continue to train in trauma treatment, sensorimotor psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy, military psychology, and play therapy. In the future, I hope to train in immigration evaluation. If you would like to connect, I can be reached at llramosmft@gmail.com.

Claire V. Thomas, MA, LMFT

I opened my practice, Claire Thomas Psychotherapy, in Los Altos in July 2020. I enjoy working with children, teens, and adults with a focus on healing from losses of all kinds and trauma. I am a strength-based therapist. I believe that each one of us has the potential to change, heal, and grow, no matter what we have endured. I take a collaborative and nurturing approach to help people reconnect with their innate resilience, develop new coping skills and find more meaning and joy in their lives. I am currently offering both teletherapy and in-person services. I can be reached at clairethomastherapy@gmail.com. 

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On Saturday, November 14, 2020, Carol Hadlock died peacefully holding her daughter’s hand. Carol was a founder of Process Therapy Institute along with her husband Don Hadlock who passed earlier this year in January. She was a major influence on the San Francisco Bay Area therapy world and ran Process Therapy Institute (PTI) for over 30 years. Carol and Don were groundbreakers in their approach to therapy. She brought an ability to be whatever the client needed at any moment that was charming and so simple in appearance, and yet brilliant when you witnessed the depth of her vision.  

Carol’s approach benefitted clients and other therapists alike in that she fundamentally changed their view of their world and relationships in them. Hundreds of clients and therapists are forever touched and changed because of Carol’s vision of healing.  

The Board at Process Therapy wants to acknowledge that we lost not only an integral part of PTI, but a giant in her own right in the therapy world. Carol and Don both shunned the limelight, but rather worked on creating their own army of Process Oriented therapists and in that they both succeeded. We wish to extend our condolences to their daughter Danyle, son-in-law Peter Johansson, as well as her son David and her three grandchildren, AnaLisse, David, and Linnae.

Memorial Ceremony to be named at a later time.

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