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CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF

MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS 

CENTRAL COAST CHAPTER

Central Coast Therapists

To strengthen the Marriage & Family therapy
profession & better serve 
our Central Coast community.


Events - List View


Upcoming events

    • Fri, July 18, 2025
    • 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Via Zoom
    Register

    Central Coast–CAMFT

    presents:

    Neurodivergence Unveiled: Reframing Trauma,
    Identity, and Care for the Neurodivergent Client

    Presented By:
    Stephanie Kollar, MA, LMFT

    Friday, July 18th, 2025
    9:30 am - 11:30 am

    2 CE Credits
    Via Zoom

    * This event will be recorded and distributed to registrants so if you cannot make the event live, but want the recorded version, please register here*

    Overview of Presentation

    This presentation, led by an autistic mental health therapist, will guide clinicians through a deep exploration of neurodivergence, trauma, and the challenges in understanding and identifying neurodivergent clients. Drawing from lived and professional experience, this course will provide clinicians with a framework to reduce ableist perspectives, enhance therapeutic rapport, and apply an anti-ableist, affirming worldview to their practice. The presentation will delve into the nuances of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and Complex PTSD (CPTSD), highlighting how these conditions intersect and how therapists can more accurately identify and support neurodivergent clients. Participants will leave with practical tools to navigate sensory processing needs, adapt existing evidence-based practices, and reframe their approach to neurodivergence for more inclusive, effective care.

    Presentation Goals: 
    This course is designed to help therapists identify and understand the lived experience of neurodivergence, while reducing ableist identification of neurodivergence. By reframing neurodivergence through an anti-ableist, affirming worldview, clinicians will be equipped to enhance their approach to trauma-informed care and adapt their practices to better serve neurodivergent clients.

    Measurable objectives: 

    1. Participants will be able to differentiate 3 differences between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Complex PTSD (CPTSD), identifying the key similarities and differences between these conditions.
    2. Participants will be able to recognize and address 3 common areas of misdiagnosis, especially in clients of color, and understand the implications of such misdiagnoses.
    3. Participants will explore 3 strategies for adapting existing evidence-based practices to meet the unique needs of neurodivergent clients.

    Speaker Bio:

    Stephanie Kollar, MA, LMFT has a diverse background in mental health work, including field-based family therapy with families living in poverty and navigating high levels of intersectional identities. Specializing in neurodivergence, trauma, anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges, Stephanie developed a keen ability to differentiate between subtle diagnostic distinctions and recognized the importance of honoring neurodivergent differences. She has also provided short-term, evidence-based care for adults and now runs a private practice focused on anti-ableist, affirming care for neurodivergent individuals. As a professor in the Master’s of Clinical Psychology program at Antioch University Santa Barbara, her alma mater, Stephanie specializes in the intersection of neuroscience and anti-ableist mental health care. Identifying as both autistic and ADHD (AUDHD), she integrates her lived experience into her work, helping students and colleagues better understand and engage with the neurodivergent experience.

    CE Qualifications: 

    Unless otherwise specified, our courses meet the qualifications for 2 hours of continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPs as required by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Participants will receive an evaluation via email and upon completion of the eval, will get a downloadable CE certificate.

    The Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for MFTs, Associates and students, MSWs, LEPs and LPCCs. The Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.

    Grievance:

    While the Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT makes every effort to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there may be occasional issues with regard to presentations/workshops which will require intervention and/or action on the part of the board. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

    When a participant files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken:

    1. The participant(s) will be asked to put concerns in writing (this can be in electronic form, such as an email).
    2. If the grievance concerns a presenter, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put their comments in written format. The Board will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual.
    3. If the grievance concerns a presentation/workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Board will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the Board will:
    • provide a credit for a subsequent presentation/workshop or
    • provide a partial or full refund of the presentation/workshop fee

    Refund policy: registrants must cancel their registration within 10 days of the event to receive a refund minus a $5 administrative fee.  Exceptions can be made for 48-hour notices in case of an emergency.  If you need to cancel, please contact Event Chair, Kim Richards: richardskimlmft@gmail.com

    Special Accommodations
    If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any of our events, please contact Event Chair Kim Richards within 10 days of the upcoming event at 805.458.8063 or email Kim Richards at richardskimlmft@gmail.com.

    • Fri, August 22, 2025
    • 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Via Zoom
    Register

    Central Coast–CAMFT

    presents:

    Nature as Co-Therapist:
    An Introduction to Ecotherapy

    Presented By:

    Rev. Connie L. Habash, LMFT
    Friday, August 22, 2025
    9:30 am - 11:30 am


    2 CE Credits
    Via Zoom

    * This event will be recorded and distributed to registrants so if you cannot make the event live, but want the recorded version, please register here*

    Overview of Presentation


    Nature immersion is a deeply healing, transformative experience for many of us. Recent studies affirm this, showing that mindful time spent outdoors can profoundly increase our well-being. There are physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual benefits to time spent in nature. It slows us down, returns us to the present moment, soothes our nervous system, shifts our perspective, and connects us to something larger than our individual selves.

    Ecotherapy is a process of healing and transformation through connection with the natural world. Although it is usually done outdoors, Ecotherapy can also be brought inside the counseling office in a variety of ways. Through experiential, metaphorical, and conceptual ways, nature can inform and guide therapy sessions, sometimes with surprising synchronicities. Being outdoors in nature offers us unique insights, growth, and renewal that aren’t available inside the four walls of our offices or online.

    Join us in an afternoon of Ecotherapy, where you will experience these gifts of “nature as the co-therapist”, supporting your journey of healing and growth, and learn applications for clients in your own therapy practice, both indoors and outside.


    Presentation Goals:
     

    The goal of this program is for participants to be able to understand what Ecotherapy is, its benefits to clients, appropriate client populations to practice ecotherapy with, how to create a meaningful Ecotherapy experience, safety and legal concerns with Ecotherapy, and practical applications of Ecotherapy techniques indoors and outdoors. Experiential exercises in nature (from each participant’s remote location) will be the focal point of this workshop.

      Speaker Bio: 

      Rev. Connie L. Habash, MA, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, ecotherapist, yoga & meditation teacher, interfaith minister, and author of Awakening from Anxiety: A Spiritual Guide to Living a More Calm, Confident, and Courageous Life.

      Over the last 31 years, she has helped thousands of students and clients overcome stress, anxiety, depression, and spiritually awaken. Rev. Connie is passionate about deepening personal growth and spirituality through nature. She creates a safe, heart-centered, nurturing space to awaken, grow, and serve the planet in her online community, Awakening Women of the Earth (AWE), as well as her other online programs, in-person retreats, workshops, private practice, and ecotherapy sessions in the San Francisco Bay Area. Discover more at her website: https://www.AwakeningSelf.com/

      CE Qualifications: 

      Unless otherwise specified, our courses meet the qualifications for 2 hours of continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPs as required by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Participants will receive an evaluation via email and upon completion of the eval, will get a downloadable CE certificate.

      The Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for MFTs, Associates and students, MSWs, LEPs and LPCCs. The Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.

      Grievance:

      While the Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT makes every effort to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there may be occasional issues with regard to presentations/workshops which will require intervention and/or action on the part of the board. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

      When a participant files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken:

      1. The participant(s) will be asked to put concerns in writing (this can be in electronic form, such as an email).
      2. If the grievance concerns a presenter, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put their comments in written format. The Board will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual.
      3. If the grievance concerns a presentation/workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Board will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the Board will:
      • provide a credit for a subsequent presentation/workshop or
      • provide a partial or full refund of the presentation/workshop fee

      Refund policy: registrants must cancel their registration within 10 days of the event to receive a refund minus a $5 administrative fee.  Exceptions can be made for 48-hour notices in case of an emergency.  If you need to cancel, please contact Event Chair, Kim Richards: richardskimlmft@gmail.com

      Special Accommodations
      If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any of our events, please contact Event Chair Kim Richards within 10 days of the upcoming event at 805.458.8063 or email Kim Richards at richardskimlmft@gmail.com.

      • Sat, September 13, 2025
      • Sun, September 14, 2025
      • Arroyo Grande, CA
      • 91
      Register


      Accomodations: Seacrest Hotel in Shell Beach established a room block in the system under “Central Coast CAMFT” for September 12th-14th obtaining (5) Oceanview King rooms and (5) Standard Non-View King rooms. If anyone would like to extend their reservation to stay through Monday, September 15th please let them know and they will open a room up in the system for that Sunday night.

      Saturday Keynote Speaker:  
      Understanding Your Parts: Leading a Self-Led Life as a Therapist *2 CEs*

      Presented by: Dr. Maddisen Espeseth, PsyD
      CA Licensed Psychologist (32949)
      Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist
      IFS Institute Approved Clinical Consultant (IFS-I ACC)
      Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor (RPT-S)
      Certified Sandplay Therapist (CST)

      Workshop Description:
      The intent of this workshop is to introduce participants to Internal Family Systems (IFS) with a heavy emphasis on self-application and self-exploration. The workshop will start with psychoeducation about basic IFS tenets underlying the model philosophy. Discussion of how to identify parts and the concept of Self will be explored. Application of some of the learned tenets will then proceed via experiential meditation and mapping, focusing on Self-to-part witnessing of therapist (and personal) parts. The concepts of legacy and cultural burdens will be introduced with the aim of exploring the systemic influences impacting therapist parts’ expectations, values, beliefs, etc. (as in, exploring the influence of varying external systems impacting how one expects a therapist should act). 

      This course is designed to help therapists acknowledge the parallel process unfolding in the therapy room, recognizing some of the nuances of one's own system on both clinical and personal levels. Such self-reflection is aimed at improving self-awareness and mindful treatment decision-making with the intent of providing higher quality support to clients while conscientiously tending to one's own system. The dual nurturance of both clinical and personal parts is intended to support a Self-led life and career longevity. 

      Objectives:

      1) Participants will be able to describe at least 3 basic assumptions of the IFS model.

      2) Participants will be able to identify at least 2 IFS methods used to enhance the Self-to-part relationship.

      3) Participants will be able to discuss at least 1 strategy utilized to identify a target part.

      4) Participants will be able to describe at least 2 types of burdens in IFS.

      About our Presenter:
      Dr. Maddisen Espeseth is a licensed psychologist with a private practice in Anaheim Hills, California. She is a Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist, IFS Institute Approved Clinical Consultant (IFS-I ACC), Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor (RPT-S), and Certified Sandplay Therapist (CST). Dr. Espeseth practices from an attachment-heavy, neurosequential lens, and specializes in trauma-related disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In addition to psychotherapy, Dr. Espeseth also provides neurodiversity affirming psychodiagnostic testing services with a speciality in autism. She loves consulting and supervising fellow clinicians, and is passionate about assisting providers with recognizing and supporting the parallel process inherent to clinical work. 


      Grievance:

      While the Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT makes every effort to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there may be occasional issues with regard to presentations/workshops which will require intervention and/or action on the part of the board. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

      When a participant files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken:

      1. The participant(s) will be asked to put concerns in writing (this can be in electronic form, such as an email).
      2. If the grievance concerns a presenter, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put their comments in written format. The Board will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual.
      3. If the grievance concerns a presentation/workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Board will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the Board will:
      • provide a credit for a subsequent presentation/workshop or
      • provide a partial or full refund of the presentation/workshop fee

      Refund policy: registrants must cancel their registration within 10 days of the event to receive a refund minus a $20 administrative fee.  Exceptions can be made for 48-hour notices in case of an emergency.  If you need to cancel, please contact Event Chair, Kim Richards: richardskimlmft@gmail.com

      Special Accommodations
      If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any of our events, please contact Event Chair Kim Richards within 10 days of the upcoming event at 805.458.8063 or email Kim Richards at richardskimlmft@gmail.com.

      • Fri, September 26, 2025
      • 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
      • Virtual

      Central Coast–CAMFT

      • Fri, October 24, 2025
      • 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
      • Virtual

      Central Coast–CAMFT

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