CAMFT Board Votes to Adopt a Strong Statement Against SOCE

Currently, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) allows its members to practice sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) in attempts to change lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals' sexual orientations and/or gender identifications or expressions. Master's student Beth Greivel has spearheaded a campaign directed at CAMFT, asking them to denounce SOCE tactics like conversion or reparative treatments.

On September 20, 2014, the CAMFT Board voted 10-2 to adopt a strong statement against SOCE. With CAMFT's public denouncement of SOCE, it has now established best practices with LGBTQIQA clients. Beth's proposal to make SOCE specifically unethical in CAMFT's Code of Ethics is still under consideration by CAMFT's Ethics Committee.

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley presents: Self-Compassion & the Cultivation of Happiness with Dr. Kristin Neff

November 7, 2014

UC Berkeley Campus

6 CE hours available for health professionals

$125-$149

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu

This day-long seminar led by self-compassion pioneer Kristin Neff, will offer strategies for cultivating self-compassion, boosting happiness, and reducing stress in yourself and others.

Drawing on a decade of her trailblazing research, Dr. Neff will provide simple tools for giving ourselves the support we need whenever we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate. She will provide an introductory overview of self-compassion, weaving together lecture, scientific research, video presentations, small group exercises, and discussion.

Her seminar will offer valuable resources for mental health professionals, but her emphasis on personal practice makes this seminar appropriate for the general public as well.

Margery Wang Discusses Long Distance Relationships on "Insights with Dick Goldberg" Radio Show

Margery Wang, Psy.D. candidate, was recently featured on the radio program, "Insights with Dick Goldberg: Interviews with Experts of Self Improvement, Business and Society." She discussed the challenges and advantages of long distance relationships. Margery completed her dissertation entitled "The iHuman Experience: Redefining What it Means to Be Connected at a Distance."

Margery stated that the trend in long distance relationships is growing rapidly; as of April, the total number of couples in long distance relationships is 14 million. She explained that the increase is partly due to many couples who graduate from high school and don't want to end their relationship. They use technology to stay connected via text, Skype, and messaging. She pointed out that online dating also facilitates access to more long distance relationships. Margery said couples assume that "eventually one of us can move closer together."

Dr. Alicia del Prado Co-chairs Asian American Psychological Association Division on Filipino Americans

Full-time Wright Institute faculty member Alicia del Prado, Ph.D., is the current co-chair of the Asian American Psychological Association's (AAPA) Division on Filipino Americans (DoFA). The AAPA is a national organization committed to advocating for all Asian Americans, the advancement of Asian American psychology, and the training and collaboration of Asian American mental health professionals.

Adam Blum Wins 2014 Mitchell Award

We are pleased to announce that Adam Blum, Psy.D. (2012) is the winner of the 2014 Mitchell Award. Dr. Blum's paper, "This Must Be the Place: Thinking Psychical Life with Music" explores the use of music in clinical work with a specific patient, and how music illuminates clinical processes in general. Established by Psychoanalytic Psychology and the APA Board of the Division of Psychoanalysis, the Mitchell Award honors an esteemed colleague as well as a graduate student whose paper is deemed exemplary by a panel of judges. Dr. Blum presented his paper at the Spring Meeting of Division 39 in April 2014, and the paper will be published in Psychoanalytic Psychology.

Dr. Blum completed his pre- and post-doctoral hours at California Pacific Medical Center, where he started working as a staff psychologist in July. He is in private practice in Berkeley and San Francisco.

Professor Terry Kupers, M.D. in Time.com

Dr. Kupers recently appeared in Time.com: What 28-Years of Solitary Confinement Does to the Mind

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workshop to be Offered by Faculty Member Matthew McKay, PhD, and Alumna, Patricia E. Zurita Ona, PsyD

Wright Institute faculty member Matthew McKay, PhD, and alumna Patricia E. Zurita Ona, PsyD, will offer a two-day professional workshop on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Los Angeles on October 11 and 12, 2014. The hands-on workshop will present a comprehensive overview of ACT, and provides 13 continuing education credit hours.

ACT is a form of clinical behavior analysis used in psychotherapy. It is an empirically-based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies combined with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility.

The ACT workshop will be held at BLANKSPACES, 5404 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. Early bird cost: $295 - until September 9.

For more information and student discounts, click here or paste the link below in your browser: https://www.praxiscet.com

Four Wright Institute Students Elected to California Psychological Association of Graduate Students Executive Council

The following four Wright Institute students have been elected to serve on the 2014/2015 California Psychological Association of Graduate Students (CPAGS) Executive Council:

• Munn Saechao (3rd year) Convention Chair
• Sarah Schubmehl (2nd year) Secretary
• Jennifer Fowler (2nd year) Division III Representative
• Lyndsay Dell (2nd year) Division V Representative

As Convention Chair, Munn will coordinate CPAGS's programming at the 2015 CPA Convention in San Diego. As Secretary, Sarah takes minutes at, and coordinates all meetings of the Executive Council. Division Representatives Jennifer and Lyndsay serve as CPAGS's representative to CPA Division III (Industrial/Organizational Psychology) and CPA Division V (Psychopharmacology).

Wright Institute Student Gigi Pagani Appointed Student Board Representative for Marin County Psychological Association

Gigi Pagani, third-year student in the Wright Institute PsyD program, has been appointed Student Board Representative for the Marin County Psychological Association (MCPA), effective July 1, 2014. MCPA aims to promote human welfare through the diffusion and utilization of psychological knowledge. Its intentions are also to increase public understanding of psychology as a science and a profession, to promote and maintain high standards of professional ethics, conduct, education and training of psychologists, and to promote fellowship among psychologists in Marin County

Gigi says she is "looking forward to contributing, in my small way, to my local psychological association, to the broader Bay Area student community, and to the populations we serve."

Daniela Kantorova to Present at 2014 APA Convention in August

Wright Institute student Daniela Kantorova will present at two roundtables at the hospitality suite of the Division 48 (Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence) at the American Psychological 2014 Convention in Washington, D.C., August 22-26. This program is co-sponsored by Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PsySR) where Daniela is a steering committee member.

The two presentations are: Neuroethics, Drones, and Killer Robots in which Daniela will discuss the PsySR Neuroethics project, and the second presentation focuses on The Process of Racial Justice Work related to PsySR's emerging racial justice project.