Mental Health Counselors Association of Palm Beach News

MHCAPB Call for Speakers – Share Your Expertise!

Tom Linley — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:15:46 GMT

MHCAPB Call for Speakers - Share Your Expertise!

The Mental Health Counselor’s Association of Palm Beach is excited to announce that our 2026-27 Workshop Submission Form is now open!

We are looking for engaging, professional, and dynamic speakers to lead workshops at our upcoming CEU events. This opportunity is not limited to members. If you (or someone you know) has expertise to share, we encourage you to apply.

Submit your proposal easily by scanning the QR code or clicking the *Submit Now* link in the flyer.

Know a powerful speaker who inspires you? Please share this opportunity with them so our community can benefit from a wide range of voices and perspectives.

Questions? Contact Dr. Clara Bossie at GetClarafied@WiselyWellness.com or call 561-486-5525.

Thank you for helping us connect with professionals who can bring fresh ideas and meaningful learning experiences to our community!

New Workshop Season Kicksoff!

Tom Linley — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 13:35:29 GMT

Our new 2023-2024 workshop season kicks off on September 22nd at the Farmer's Table in Boca Raton with a remarkable presentation from Boca Raton therapist Phil Treiber, LMHC (Dude Breathe Counseling) on the subject of masculinity and vulnerability for men in therapy.

We would like to thank our sponsors for this upcoming year including the Hanley Center (Fran Marcone), Bruce Law Firm (Chris Bruce), Family First Adolescent Services (Vanina Hochman), Joe Considine Law (Joe Considine), GIA Miami (Terry Shapiro), Full Life Comprehensive Care (John Puls), Treatment Placement Specialists of Acadia (Marina Ocksengorn and Alisa Fliss), John Davis Counseling (John Davis), Coral Shores Behavioral Health (Carla Newman), Kinder in the Keys Treatment Center (Ansley Elfmon), and the Caron Foundation (Amanda Bassos).

It truly takes a community effort to drive the kind of organization that we have. Thank you for being a supporter along the way.

Our 2023-2024 CEU Workshop season has some returning speakers and new ones too. We appreciate our sponsors who support our efforts.

Fish Out of Water: Exploring the Disconnect between Masculinity and Vulnerability – 9/22/23

Healing Adolescent Heartbreak: Addressing the Core of Complex Trauma and Addiction - 10/13/23

Assertive Community Treatment: A Paradigm Shift in Treating Severe Mental Illness - 11/17/23

Whose Story is it Anyway? Individual Development across Family Systems - 12/8/23

Many Thanks to our Volunteer and Support Team

Tom Linley — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 13:34:34 GMT

It takes a lot of effort, resources, and coordination to run an organization like ours that serves the community as we do, and it would not be possible without a capable team. We would like to thank our wonderful volunteers who helped tirelessly during this very successful past season.

It would not be possible without the generous efforts of our new President, Ara Mascarenas and her team of excellent volunteers including John Puls, Carol Lazarus, Allen Schwartz, Sonia Pozzi, and Phil Treiber, (Suggest thumbnail photos of each here). We’d also like to thank our website and membership coordinator, Tom Linley, as well as Sean Williams of West Palm Accounting.

Our new season begins in September. If you and your colleagues would like to volunteer next year please send an e-mail to John Davis LMHC. When you volunteer you get to attend the workshop for free while enjoying lunch and CEUs on us!

MHCAPB - Giving Back to Support Our Community!

Tom Linley — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 19:35:00 GMT

Giving back to those less fortunate than ourselves is one of the core values of our organization here at the Mental Health Counselors Association of Palm Beach. To that end, we'd like to let everyone know of our generous donation to Vita Nova, a homeless shelter for disadvantaged adolescents in West Palm Beach. A check was presented at our May workshop at the Hanley Center. Membership and workshop fees and sponsorships make up our operating budget. It is with great pride that we've managed to keep our expenses low during the year and can offer help like this to Vita Nova.

We are especially grateful to Vita Nova board member Dr. Vasilia Binensztok, owner of Juno Counseling for bringing her team to the event for everyone to meet. Thank you also to Christopher and Ashley Bruce of Bruce Law Firm in West Palm Beach, our sponsor for the month of May.

We have an exciting 2023-2024 CEU Workshop season planned and hope you'll join us. We have some returning speakers and some new ones too. We appreciate our sponsors who support our efforts.

A Warm Welcome to Our New President for the 2023-2024 Cycle

Tom Linley — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 20:07:15 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Ara Mascarenas, a well-respected colleague, and passionate mental health professional, will be our President for the 2023-2024 term.

Currently working as a registered mental health counseling intern at the Home for Balance Psychotherapy Group, Ara helps kids, teenagers, and young adults dealing with issues such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, behavior issues, self-esteem, and trauma. She enjoys incorporating elements from art therapy, somatic experiencing, and internal family systems into her counseling sessions.

Her journey in mental health services spans over five years and has taken her through various roles in diverse clinical settings, including schools, clinics, and outpatient services. Recently, Ara was a school counselor at NSU University School, where she provided individual and group counseling to students on academic, social, and personal issues. She was also a university lecturer where she developed and taught undergraduate courses in Abnormal Psychology for Spanish speakers. Lastly, she has also contributed to the research field with her presentations at conferences and publication on digital media, teen mental health, and relationships.

Ara’s educational background includes a master’s degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University where she is a part of both the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Psi Chi Honor Society. Ara completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of British Columbia.

In the past, Ara served as Vice President and Secretary of the organization. In her new role, she is eager to provide a supportive environment for members, increase opportunities for professional development, and heighten public awareness about the significant role of mental health counselors in our society.

Despite her professional commitments, Ara believes in the importance of a balanced life. When not immersed in her work, she loves spending time with her family, playing tennis, exploring new places, and diving into a good book.

Before we look forward to this exciting new chapter, we would like to take a moment to express our deep appreciation for our outgoing President, John Davis, LMHC. His tireless dedication and exceptional leadership have significantly shaped our organization. John will remain on the board as Vice President. Our executive team is further supported by Tom Linley, our membership coordinator and webmaster as well as Sean Williams of West Palm Accounting our CPA. We’d also like to extend our gratitude to our amazing volunteers that make this all possible.

If you’d like to learn about us further, feel free to click on the links below:

Ara Mascarenas risingstrongercounseling.com

John Davis Counseling johndaviscounseling.com

W. Palm Accounting westpalmaccounting.com

Best Regards,

Mental Health Counselors Association of Palm Beach

New Premier Monthly Sponsor - Kinder in the Keys

Tom Linley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 23:46:48 GMT

We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to our newest Premier Monthly sponsor, Kinder in the Keys (www.kinderinthekeys.com), a distinguished residential women's psychiatric facility located in the scenic Florida Keys. This exceptional facility offers a range of cutting-edge treatments, including the unique experience of swimming with live dolphins. We encourage you to take a moment to explore their website and acquaint yourself with the comprehensive services they provide.

We are pleased to acknowledge that several of our members have already recommended clients to Kinder, resulting in excellent outcomes. We are particularly grateful to Tracy Potter, one of Kinder's exceptional coaches, who has been our primary liaison for a number of years and consistently attends our events.

Looking ahead, we are excited about our collaboration with Kinder, and we eagerly anticipate their presentation for us in June next year. For any inquiries or further information, please feel free to reach out to our designated contact at Kinder, Ansley Elfmont.

Thank you Dr. Lissette Cortez

Tom Linley — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 21:24:49 GMT

We would like to say thank you to Dr. Lissette Cortez for rising to a special occasion on the last workshop event of our season,

Our speaker, Dr. Porter, was unable to come down from North Carolina due to egregious flight problems. She sat on Raleigh runway all day and still failed to depart. But we were in luck, that during a dinner in Boca honoring, the missing, Dr. Porter, hosted by Acadia Healthcare, we re-connected with some old friends, and our challenge was solved. We are especially grateful to our sponsors Treatment Placement Specialists at Acadia Healthcare led by Marina Ocksengorn and Alisa Fliss

We are grateful to Dr. Lissette Cortes who volunteered to present for Dr Porter in her absence. You may remember Dr. Cortes from her excellent presentation on OCD at the Hanley Center last year. She is an expert on eating disorders and did an outstanding job.

It was an excellent and selfless display of professionalism and passion for a subject. Thank you once again Dr. Cortez!

Governor DeSantis has vetoed HB 385

Tom Linley — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:42:28 GMT

The Florida Mental Health Counselors Association’s (FMHCA) Government Relations Committee (GRC) has received inquiries from members regarding recent news reports stating that Governor DeSantis has vetoed HB 385. This bill aimed to enable counselors from other states to apply for the opportunity to practice in Florida by paying fees. Some members are uncertain whether this veto indicates that Governor DeSantis no longer endorses the Counseling Compact or if Florida is no longer part of it.

FMHCA’s GRC has consulted their lobbyist, who informed them that Governor DeSantis is fulfilling his promise to veto all fee-related bills. The veto does not indicate a lack of support for the compact, which the governor had previously signed into law on April 6, 2022. This historic action made Florida one of the first ten states to join the compact. Additionally, the 491 Board has confirmed that the bill was not necessary for Florida to remain a part of the Counseling Compact.

The 491 Board has assured us that individuals seeking permission to practice in Florida will be funded through the board's trust fund, and they are actively working towards implementing the compact. The compact is expected to take effect in early 2024.

We hope this clarification alleviates any concerns members may have regarding the veto. Rest assured that the FMHCA remains fully committed to supporting the Counseling Compact in Florida.

Thank you to Dr. Anna Owens and Erinn Beck LMHC

Tom Linley — Sun, 22 May 2022 19:43:06 GMT

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank two very important people in our organization who have worked tirelessly to make things possible for us. Dr. Anna Owens and Erinn Beck LMHC have been with us for years. Sadly both of them will be leaving our board this summer to pursue other interests. We, of course, wish them well in all endeavors and of course, leave our doors open for them to return at any time. In the meantime, we are in capable hands with our secretary/ Treasurer Ara Mascarenas, webmaster Tom Linley, accountant Sean Williams, and Social Media Director Christy Granzotto.

Ara will be assuming the role of vice president this fall which will open up her role for someone new. We are creating a new paid position of “host/hostess” who will greet guests at events and handle CEU registration for us

If you know of anyone interested in helping us in the association by putting on events and networking let us know. I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

John Davis, LMHC

President

It's Great to Be Meeting In-Person Again!

Tom Linley — Sat, 21 May 2022 19:39:11 GMT

We are so excited to be back live and in person with our meetings. Thanks to everyone who attended an awesome meeting yesterday at the Hanley Center sponsored by our friends at Family First thanks especially to Ben Cecil and Vanessa Hochman, as well as Erin Beatty our wonderful presenter for the day. Thanks for all your doing for the troubled teens among us. Join us on June 17 at the Hanley Center live again for lunch and a couple of CE use for an outstanding presentation on obsessive compulsive disorder that’ll be sponsored by our friends at Coral shores behavioral health. Thank you Carla Newman for being there for us. See all of you soon. John Davis

Photo Caption: This is a photo of Erinn Beck our vice president on the left and

Anna Owens our treasurer on the right. These are our departing board members.

June Statewide Newsletter

John Davis — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Take a look at what our state organization is doing right now. Thank you especially to Laura Giraldo, LMHC for helping us get our workshops running online statewide. A giant shout out goes to Aaron Norton, LMHC our current president for an awesome workshop just now on tele-health.

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November FMHCA Newsletter

John Davis — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 12:00:00 GMT

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October FMHCA Newsletter

John Davis — Sun, 27 Oct 2019 12:00:00 GMT

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Critical Legislative Update

John Davis — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

MICHAEL G . HOLLER, MA, NCC, CFMHE, CCCE, CCMHC, LMHC

Many, if not all of us received a notice on or about June 28th of this year regarding the legislative update on SB 1418, informing us that a we now are required, as persons licensed or certified under chapter 491, F.S., to notify law enforcement if a patient or client communicates a specific threat to cause serious bodily injury or death to an identified or a readily available person .

394.4615 F.S. has been amended as follows:

Clinical records; confidentiality.—

(3) Information from the clinical record may be released in the following circumstances:

(a) When a patient has communicated to a service provider a specific threat to cause serious bodily injury or death to an identified or a readily available person, if the service provider reasonably believes, or should reasonably believe according to the standards of his or her profession, that the patient has the apparent intent and ability to imminently or immediately carry out such threat . When such communication has been made, the administrator may authorize the release of sufficient information to provide adequate warning to the person threatened with harm by the patient . states “When a patient has communicated to a service provider a specific threat to cause serious bodily injury or death to an identified or a readily available person, if the service provider reasonably believes, or should reasonably believe according to the standards of his or her profession, that the patient has the apparent intent and ability to imminently or immediately carry out such threat . When such communication has been made, the administrator may authorize the release of sufficient information to provide adequate warning to the person threatened with harm by the patient.”

Additionally, 491.0147 states that any communication between any person licensed or certified under this chapter and her or his patient or client is confidential. However, this statute has been amended as follows:

491.0147 (1) (c) Confidentiality and privileged communications .

(1) This privilege may be waived under the following conditions:

(c) When a patient or client has communicated to the person licensed or certified under this chapter a specific threat to cause serious bodily injury or death to an identified or readily available person, and the person licensed or certified under this chapter makes a clinical judgment that the patient or client has the apparent intent and ability to imminently or immediately carry out such threat, and the person licensed or certified under this chapter communicates the information to the potential victim . A disclosure of confidential communications by a person licensed or certified under this chapter when communicating a threat pursuant to this subsection may not be the basis of any legal action or criminal or civil liability against such person .

So F.S. 491.0147 (1) (c) gives us permission to waive confidentiality under these circumstances. But F.S. 394.4615 (3) (a) requires us to do so. Most of us are aware of the famous case of Tarasoff v . Regents of University of California. Essentially, this our own version of Tarasoff.

MICHAEL G. HOLLER, MA, NCC, CFMHE, CCCE, CCMHC, LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor #3670, State of Florida
National Certified Counselor #29912
Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor #476234
Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator, #000049
Florida Supreme Court Certified Family & County Mediator, #15533CF
Certified Child Custody Evaluator #618
Qualified Parenting Coordinator
Qualified Clinical Supervisor
Past President & Ethics Committee Chair, Florida Mental Health Counselors Association (FMHCA)
michaelholler.com
305-393-1230

FMHCA Newsletter for July

John Davis — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:00:00 GMT

There is a lot going on at the state level and beyond. Welcome to Aaron Norton, LMHC our incoming president of FMHCA. He’s already doing a great job and has an aggressive agenda. Check out the July Newsletter .

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FMHCA Newsletter

John Davis — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Much is happening at the state level, including legislation that will soon affect your practice. Check out the April newsletter here.

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March 2019 FMHCA Newsletter

John Davis — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 12:00:00 GMT

Check out the latest news and information from the state level! Here’s the latest:

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December Newsletter FMHCA

John Davis — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 14:06:35 GMT

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October Newsletter FMHCA

John Davis — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 15:08:53 GMT

Stay current with news from Florida Mental Health Counselor’s Assn! Join us at the Orlando convention in 2019. Details are in this edition !

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July Newsletter from FMHCA

John Davis — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 15:10:27 GMT

Check out the latest news from Florida Mental Health Counselor’s Association’s July newsletter!

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May Newsletter from FMHCA

John Davis — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:11:57 GMT

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Staying in the Present

John Davis — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:13:02 GMT

The Best Laid Plans

Our last meeting was a barrel of laughs! Thanks, Melissa Kornhaus our presenter for reminding us of the importance of presence and equanimity. Much went “wrong” from the start. After my 11:00 client walked out the door, I picked up my phone to notice a crazy bunch of messages, mostly trying to tell me that our regular venue, The Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach in Boynton did not have a room for us. OMG ! Someone’s mistake! After a breathless few minutes, I got back on the phone and located a room nearby. We were graciously hosted by The Holiday Inn Express off Congress in Boynton. Everyone in attendance headed over the the new space, only to experience a long and hungry delay for lunch to be delivered. Seems our caterer placed our order in the hands of a new guy…and you know the rest !

Staying Present

No one missed the irony of the day’s topic: “Mindfulness” and it’s immediate relevance to all our experience that day. Everyone stayed cool and kept their sense of humor. ( I mostly did!) and we got to enjoy a great presentation by Melissa to a small group of die hard fans. My favorite set of ideas from that morning remain with me: point of view is everything! How we look at and interpret events unfolding, especially adversity, will create our entire experience. It’s not just sometimes that way. It’s always that way !

Come Back Soon!

We see a lot of presenters and they all do a great job. This one was special for so many reasons, most important, the gracious and thoughtful way Melissa helped us through it! See you again soon !

March Newsletter from FMHCA Statewide

John Davis — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 14:13:55 GMT

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November Newsletter from FMHCA

John Davis — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 14:14:59 GMT

Check out the latest news from Florida Mental Health Counselor's Association. Get involved.

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FMHCA Newsletter - October 2017

John Davis — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 14:16:06 GMT

President’s Message

I wish to take a few sentences to give a shout out to all the sturdy and resilient FMHCA members who took to the front lines and made themselves available to all who were in need of comfort, connection, and care to evacuees, first responders, and other volunteers while Irma was making her way into Florida. And to the many who have friends and family in Puerto Rico, may comfort, peace, and resilience arrive in the greatest abundance.

That Mental Health Counselors remain excluded from Medicare all the more reason to continue hammering the dire need for FMHCA members to get involved in all efforts to get Florida’s congressmen on board with HR 3032, the one bill that when passed will place MHC’s on the roles of Mental Health providers for Medicare. Let me emphasize a most cogent point:

Among the 24 co-sponsors of HR 3032, not one of those is a Florida Congressman. You have to scratch your head and ask why. Why, when Florida has the 14th highest suicide rate among elders in the country. We are 49th in what is spent on Mental Health Services. And of the total number of mental health providers in this state, Medicare recipients have access to less than a third of that total. This is unacceptable.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Spend half your time comforting the afflicted, and the other half afflicting the comfortable. A week ago, I posted a letter template with these numbers on the FMHCA Facebook page, requesting each constituent to contact your congressman to co-sponsor HR3032. The membership has been provided with contact information of each congressman. This is serious stuff, folks and if we expect to be included in Medicare, then we need to do more than just complain about it.

Imprint HR3032 in your consciousness. Think Medicare. Think about the underserved. Get on the phone, talk to people.

Get the word out there. Grass Roots Gets It Done!

And speaking of Grass Roots, a big fat shout out to Regional Director Joe Skelly and the huge waves he is generating with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Read about his correspondence, and moreover, his strategy to deploy counter measures to their efforts to reduce reimbursement on the meat and potatoes services we provide.

Also, a shout out to Dr. Tania Diaz who bagged a sponsor for the FMHCA Conference in February. Huahh!

And while we’re at it, we would be highly remiss if we did not acknowledge with great pride Ellsworth “Tony” Williams, who is head of FMHCA Military Service Committee. While balancing his separate roles as committee chair and that of President and CEO of Veterans Counseling Veterans, Tony and his VCV volunteers continue to make inroads among key Veteran Organizations and the VA through providing expertise on suicide prevention and support for survivors of Warrior Suicide. We cannot thank you enough, Tony, for your inspiring work.

Remember to get yourselves signed up for the February, 2018 Conference. We need sponsors. Surely each and every one of us is connected to a potential donor.

Louise Sutherland-Hoyt, LMHC, CCMHC, NCC, MAC

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FMHCA Newsletter - August 2017

John Davis — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 21:11:35 GMT

Welcome, FMHCA members to a brand-new year. While FMHCA remains a constant, FMHCA also exists in a state of flux as we identify new directions, the means of travel, and what we will look like a year from now. Our newly elected Board of Directors has sanctioned several key objectives for this year, all of which, when implemented, will see opportunities for cooperation, coordination, and most certainly, an overlapping of contributions from FMHCA’s special Committees, the meat and potatoes of this organization.

About Special Committees
Each of our FMHCA committees serves a very specific purpose. Each meets monthly, has a chairman, and members, all of whom contribute energy and insight to achieve the committees’ objectives. In mid-July, each committee outlined its goals, objectives, and tasks, all of which will serve to advance our organization, our profession, and our standing in the Mental Health Community. Here is a list of FMHCA’s Special Committees:

Government Relations Committee
Educational, Training Standards and Continuing Education Committee
Regional/Chapter Relations Committee
Membership Committee
Registered Intern and Graduate Student Committee
Research Committee
Military Service Committee

If you are a student and enjoying the perks of FMHCA membership, no time better than this year to begin to get your feet wet in learning the ins and outs of maintaining and advancing your profession. We want your talent and energy to help prepare you for your roles as leaders in the future. Think about ways in which you can receive valuable guidance and mentorship that you might otherwise not get from the classroom.

If you are enjoying the benefits of your clinical membership there are numerous ways to contribute to the growth of FMHCA and establishing ourselves in our communities. There are committee opportunities just waiting for your presence, ideas, and commitment. Ask yourself today, “what can I give to FMHCA for just one year that could increase its value to my profession, as a whole?”

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Sharpen the Saw

John Davis — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 21:13:05 GMT

Roles and Goals

The late author and philosopher Stephen Covey made a compelling case for clearly identifying the roles that are important in each person's life. Developing a mission statement to keep close by as a "true North" for our lives is based on illuminating the unique relationships we want to have with ourselves and others and making commitments to invest in them. Dad, student, husband, sibling, professional, musician...were among the many possibilities. How much time in our daily planner devoted to each says a lot about us. How strongly we protect the boundaries around those roles and time commitments indicates the quality of our character. Ever make a plan for a special date with your child only to have work come crashing into it? What now?

Sharpening Ourselves Daily

Covey said we all have one role in common: "sharpening the saw" Each day on average we should devote some time to caring for ourselves whether physically, intellectually, social-emotionally or spiritually. Reading the books that you'll need five years from now? Working out? Eating right? With friends and loved ones often enough? Spending time contemplating the universe in prayer or meditation? Are the time slots for these activities written down in your planner, or calendar? Do you defend them well enough?

A Full Cup

The late Virginia Satir, genius psychotherapist and author of "Peoplemaking" and other great works spoke metaphorically of the leaking "pot" inside all of us that is always to some degree full or empty and serves as a barometer of our well-being. Placing her hand on her heart, she explained that when we feel "low pot", or melancholy, it's likely that we've neglected ourselves in some important way. Overworked, underloved...failing to ask for our needs to be met. Saying yes to too many requests, getting overwhelmed. Forgetting to shut down our brains and cell phones often enough. Failing to take time to "sharpen the saw".

We are much needed by those who seek our counsel. it's important that we show up at our best and rise to the occasion of helping. It's heavy lifting work to hear and absorb the complaint and discomfort of others.

Be all you can be.

John

Thinking, Feeling and Catharsis

John Davis — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 21:13:34 GMT

What is the connection? What are the differences between thought and feeling? Is catharsis real? How can our clinical skills grow stronger by weaving these possibilities in the therapeutic setting?

All of us have had the experience of being fully present with a client who's going through an "arc" of thinking, feeling and catharsis and felt the resolve and the relief they experience when traveling this path with our help. I've compared it to a gathering thunderstorm and the stages of anticipation, turbulence and resolution that come in the "afterglow" of such liberating experiences. The feeling in the air after a storm is palpable because of changes in the "ionic valence" of the atmosphere. Likewise, changes in emotion bring changes to our brain chemistry. Grief, especially, is a very beautiful and powerful "presence" that often comes to us and our clients. It arrives unbidden and often misunderstood. Though not always defined by a linear sequence of events, this arc of "thinking, feeling and catharsis" often plays out in moderately predictable fashion. Knowing and sensing this with clients can make us more aware and more connected and more valuable as guides to their experience. I know of no emotional experience more than grief that brings people seeking help.

Thinking is our natural state. Our minds are busy. As our thoughts appear, then bounce and travel and land on memories and interpretations and observations and judgments of past/future, we have feelings from these thoughts, and judgments that are powerful. For example, thinking of a lost loved in early stages of grief triggers profoundly tender memories. Feelings, quite naturally, rise within our bodies. Pulses quicken, breathing shifts to shallow, temperatures rise, tears appear and fall. We can help our clients at moments like this by normalizing the experience and giving them permission to follow their feelings, honoring them and allowing them to come and go. A mentor encouraged me to "let it come through", as if we were welcoming a sacred experience of healing. Aristotle was the first to use the medical term "catharsis" from the Greek word "to cleanse" or "to purify" and apply it to emotion. Whatever the scientific threads of explanation, if you've felt the relief that comes from a good cry, you'll be more able to offer guidance and support to those who seek help.

Teens, Emotions and Anxiety

John Davis — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 21:13:57 GMT

"Sometimes, you're hard to talk to..." says my 14 year old daughter this week as we discuss some poor performance with grades. Hard to hear, especially from a therapist's kid! But we both got through the moment and she's doing better at school, at least for now. And, we've talked through some of the barriers that had lain between us during tough conversations. It brought to me some thoughts about what works for us, and I wanted to share with you:

Take time - Seems simple. Isn't. We've made a regular routine of un-winding with each other on the driveway under the basketball net. Some days are longer, better than others. But it gives us a chance to laugh and breathe some, taking the tensions away.
Start where they are - Another deceptively simple idea. Isn't. At fourteen, my daughter's tackling a range of developmental hurdles including self-care, emotional awareness, growing spirituality and social connection...to name just a few. (For more on this, see Lisa Damour's excellent book "Un-tangled".
Go the 20% in their direction on emotions - Most teens don't discuss emotions easily. We can give permission by disclosing some of our own in gentle ways of storytelling. "I'll never forget the embarrassment of the low test scores when I was entering high school. Maybe you've felt this way..." Then shut up. Go where your kid takes you. We can learn so much about the "veiled" world they live in.
Take extra care of yourself - Therapists experience a lot of burnout. We care too much. We work too long hours and "over-help" our clients. Make sure you are managing the inevitable fatigue that comes with our profession, or you'll never be a good parent.

President's Message - February 2017

John Davis — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 20:14:19 GMT

Upcoming Workshop

Join us April 21st for a special presentation: "Treating the Un-treatable: Borderlines" Hanna McGoey, LMHC, seasoned professional in Boca Raton private practice will share with us strategies for helping this ultra-difficult population in ways that leave us strong and centered. Personality disorders can be baffling and leave us discouraged and confused. There are reasons why. Come and sharpen your skills around this important topic.

Website's now LIVE!

Our new website, in development for a while, is up and running for everyone NOW. It is a very robust, comprehensive site that is managing all activity for our organization, including professional listings with photos for our members, and a self-management portal that will take the guessing out of all aspects of participation. You should have gotten an email by now with instructions for setting up your profile. If not, let me know immediately.

Facebook Page...Join Us There with a "Like"

Like us on Facebook!

We now have an awesome page where you can see what's current and tell us what's on your mind. Please go there and "like us". It makes all of us and the Mental Health Counselor's Association of Palm Beach more visible on the web!

Come. Join us. Grow. Learn. Build your business. Get to know some powerful people like yourself!

Sincerely,
John Davis, LMHC
Chapter President