Month: February 2019
Private Practice Visit – Ashleigh Louis February 17, 2019
We had a great response from students showing interest in the Private Practice Visit hosted by Ashleigh Louis, LMFT and Pepperdine professor, located in her office in Laguna Beach.
We had a great number of student show interest in attending this event! Ashleigh came with bagels and spread and had students in the waiting room of her office where she sometimes facilitates group therapy.
Students had a great dialogue with her as she went through her topics for the full amount of time and even a little more! Students remained engaged for the duration of the time. Students came prepared with questions in regards to the path she took to her current career, the population she works with, what it is like working in a private practice, her thoughts on practicum, and how she practices self care, and so much more.
Ashleigh was very open and honest, which many of the students appreciated. Students again reported that holding a private practice visit on a weekend day versus a weekday was much better for them as many of them work during the week and attend classes.
2019 MFT Trainee and Associate Job Faire
The 4th annual OC-CAMFT & MFT Consortium MFT Trainee and Associate Job Faire was another success! In total, there were roughly 40 Pepperdine attendees that had signed in, and 26 community mental health agencies at their fingertips. It was a great opportunity for students to come regardless of their place in the MFT program as they are able to meet with various agencies in Orange County and gain insight into what’s available to them and where they might want to go for a traineeship position or an associate position.
In student feedback it was noted that many students used their time to network and lay the foundation for their future career in the mental health field. The Board of Behavioral Sciences was also in attendance which provided students with a clear understanding of rules and procedures; it created an awareness for many students that the BBS is not only for procedure but can be used as a resource throughout their career. Our students found this really valuable and utilized their time efficiently, even until the agencies were packing up tables!
Coffee Talk January 14, 2019
Coffee Talk with Kathleen Wenger is a great opportunity for students to stop by and ask any questions regarding the program, classes, practicum sites, and to learn about any opportunities available within the community.
During this coffee talk, Kathleen placed a lot of emphasis on making sure students were familiar with the student handbook which can be found online at all times. We found that students came prepared with questions that were geared towards finding a practicum site and clarification of Pepperdine’s requirement of hours and the Board of Behavioral Sciences requirement of hours. Students are to reference Handshake when looking for a practicum site as they must be approved by Pepperdine University in order to count towards the 300 hour requirement for the practicum courses.
Students were also curious about out of state licenses and dual licenses. It is important to remember that each state has different requirements and regardless of being licensed in the state of California, you must check with the sate you intend on working in on their requirements as they may be different. The program here at Pepperdine allows students to work towards their Marriage and Family Therapy license as well was their Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor license. Kathleen encouraged students to take advantage of both licenses as it can be helpful in your future career.
Kathleen also placed an emphasis on attending workshops within the community as they are a great way to network and connect with others in the field. As a reminder, some workshops may not count towards your hours, but they are insightful and a great way to help you find your place in this field.
Private Practice Visit – Ann Goldman December 8, 2018
We had a great response from students showing interest in the Private Practice Visit hosted by Ann Goldman, LMFT and Pepperdine alumna, located in her office in Orange.
We were permitted to have 10 students total, we ended up having 21 students respond with interest, 11 students on the wait-list, and all 10 confirmed students in attendance showed up! Ann came fully prepared with topics to go over and even made cookies!
Students sat in her office in chairs and on couches and had a great dialogue with her as she went through her topics for the full hour and a half. Students remained engaged for the duration of the time. Students came prepared with questions in regards to having clients that have Borderline Personality Disorder, supervision, and how to manage clients that are suicidal and not cross boundaries.
Ann was very open and shared she was previously a supervisor and really enjoyed having students back in her office! Students reported that holding a private practice visit on a weekend day versus a weekday was much better for them as many of them work during the week and attend classes.
Mentor Meet & Greet October 11, 2018
The Mentor Meet & Greet was attended by students between the two evening class time periods. This was an opportunity for pre-practicum students to meet with current practicum students and gain insight into what it’s like being in practicum, find out more information about various sites, and have any additional questions answered.
We have practicum instructor Susan Read-Weil present as well to answer any questions the students may have. Though a quick event, this was an immensely beneficial opportunity for students to connect with one another and learn from each other about the practicum process.
OC-CAMFT – Taking the Exams September 28, 2018
Graduate Assistants Lindsey Peters and Kelly Cooper attended the OC-CAMFT – Taking the Exams event where there was a panel of individuals in various stages of obtaining their Marriage and Family Therapy Licenses. The stages included the exam-taking process, either having not taken the exam, currently preparing, or have completed the exam process.
It was a great way for students to connect with the panelists and see in real-time what it takes to prepare and succeed when it comes to exam-taking time. Panelists were spent and honest about their experience which provided an array of different perspectives and lessons each individual had been through thus far.
This was also a great opportunity for students to connect with various individuals in the community and work on their networking. It was a very encouraging and supportive environment full of good food and people eager to learn about the various resources available to them and what has worked, and what hasn’t worked for others.
This event was hosted at Fireside Tavern at the Crown Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA.
Focus on Psychology 