Mississippi Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Issue #1, July 28, 2016

Miss

What’s Inside… Conference ReCap Meet Your Board

Looking Forward

Congratulations Dr. Jamie Osby Williams Dr. Jamie Osby Williams received the award for “Outstanding Contribution to the Field and Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy” at MAMFT’S 2016 Annual Conference “Therapy for a Changing World” March 4, 2016. This award recognizes someone in the Mississippi field of Marriage and Family Therapy who exhibits dedication, honor, and tremendous amounts of time and effort in representing and giving back to the field in our state. Dr. Williams is the epitome of giving back and just a quick glance at her resume signifies her immense dedication to the field. She has held various positions both clinically and academically, from school-based clinical services for Gulf Coast Mental Health, Family Counselor for Youth Villages, to her current positions as a Clinical Counselor providing clinical services to our active duty service members and dependents and adjunct instructor for USM’s master program for MFT’s. She can also be found presenting at conferences to educate others regarding the field and serving on the Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapy where she helps to maintain the integrity for the field of Marriage Family Therapy in the state. These are just a few ways Dr. Williams gives back. So, thank you Dr. Williams for all you do in representing the field of Marriage and Family Therapy in the state of Mississippi!

Dr. Pat Sims was awarded the Past President Gavel, for the second time, for her active involvement over the years in MAMFT. She has served not once but twice over the years in the president position on the board which of course means additional years as president-elect and past president. pg. 1

MAMFT Conference Re-Cap On March 3 – 4, 216, Mississippi’s Association for Marriage Family Therapy held the annual conference in Hattiesburg, MS. The keynote speaker was Dr. Scott Sells who presented on his book Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager which provided concrete interventions and directives to be used in family therapy sessions with adolescents. This session felt more like a workshop as each participant left with a copy of his book as well as the knowledge on how and when to use particular interventions or where to find them in the book. Breakout sessions consisted of

Autism in the Family, Treating Sex Addiction in the Digital World, Ethical Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy Supervision. Each of these sessions received rave reviews and participants left feeling as if they had new tools and skills to bring back to their current professions. The Ethics speaker was Dr. Canfield who shared his 2 decades worth of experience on how to ethically work with high-risk couples and families. After a long day of sessions on Thursday, many gathered in the main hall to enjoy heavy hour

‘devours, drinks, and a talented pianist who set the pace for a calm and relaxing evening. Each year our Board attempts to ad something new. This year’s “something new” was the Leadership Luncheon, which allowed conference attendees to participate in an informal, needs assessment to share with the MAMFT Board their current needs around the state. Three needs were identified: equal parity regarding insurance coverage for MFT services in the state, increased communication between the association and its membership, and increasing membership.

National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana September 15-18,2016

If you are interested in attending the National AAMFT Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana September 15-18, 2016, and you are a first time attendant, AAMFT will allot MAMFT a $50 stipend for each first time attendant that attends. National Conference is a great opportunity to network, catch up with old colleagues, and experience well-known authors, clinicians, and presenters. If interested, be sure to register by July 31 to save $50.

2

AAMFT’S 2016 Ballot for Positions and “NonControversial” Bylaw Changes By now you should have received a ballot in the mail for the upcoming elections for AAMFT. You will have an opportunity to vote for a President/President-Elect, a Treasurer, two (2) Board Members, and two (2) Elections Council Members. You will also find mentioning of voting for an acceptance of changes in bylaws. AAMFT states the purpose for these changes are as follows: “Because the 2015 Bylaws vote did not receive the required two-thirds approval of votes cast by eligible members, the usual and customary changes were not approved. These important technical changes are unrelated to restructuring AAMFT and, in most cases, are necessary to bring the Bylaws into compliance with

today’s association best practices environment and nonprofit laws.” According to AAMFT’s ballot, these bylaw changes are highly recommended but do not create any restructuring changes to the organization. Be sure to read the bylaws carefully so you are aware of the changes, which are being recommended. Remember being an active member of MAMFT and MAMFT is also being a conscientious member who is informed and knowledgeable about the organization he or she is a part of.

3

Meet Your MAMFT Board Members!

Pictured from Left: (Front) Ashley Rainey, Stacie Frey, Courtney Denton, Susan Davidson, Casey Keith, Shan’Terrica Barnes (Back Left) Matt Quin, Dr. Pat Sims, Olivia Estrade, Stephen Southern. Not Pictured: Jessi Robertson Meet your board members who are all volunteers who are elected to represent YOU and THE PROFESSION in the state. Many of the jobs of the MAMFT Board is to keep you, the membership, abreast of changes in the state, represent the profession throughout the state, legislative efforts, offer continuing education opportunities, and planning the annual conference each year. The MAMFT Board is NOT responsible

for ethic violations, CEU approvals, We have approximately 140 MAMFT members currently, and would like to grow this number to be representative of the number of Licensed MFT’s in our state which is 237. With more members comes more representation around our state and their individual interests. And like all systems, this increase in membership creates mutual influence effects in various areas. This increase in our voices, will

also create financial advantages to pursue large legislative efforts, such as equal parody in insurance coverage, creating a more equitable environment for therapists around the state. Making more of a name for Marriage and Family Therapists and the unique set of skills we bring to our current careers only serves to increase awareness for marriages, families, and individuals around the state while also fostering the profession for years to come!

4

Let Your Voice Be Heard! Be on the lookout for a call for those to fill positions on the board for 2017! We are looking to fill the following positions: - Treasurer - Secretary - A Director for the Board of Directors - Elections Committee - Student Associate

In the Works: Insurance Parity Many of you addressed a shared concern for Insurance Parity in the State of Mississippi. Currently, the board is working towards creating an Insurance Parity Committee to begin working towards this significant need for MFT’s in our state.

This is YOUR opportunity to get involved! If you have been a Clinical Member for 5 years of AAMFT, have a passion to promote the profession, a desire to represent other clinicians like yourself, and help progress the field of Marriage and Family Therapy in the state of Mississippi then you might be exactly what we are looking for! If you are interested in running for a particular position and need more information on qualifications, please email the Elections Committee Chair, Shan’Terrica Barnes, at [email protected].

5

Mark Your Calendars for Conference 2017!!! Jackson, MS Here We Come!! Every year Marita Harris, our Executive Director, takes inventory of where our membership would like to host our annual conference, and each year this location is overwhelmingly Hattiesburg, MS. This year the voice for Jackson, MS was almost just as loud, with Hattiesburg still in the lead. Despite this lead, we felt the call to Jackson, so mark your calendars folks for March 30-31, 2016 at the Jackson Hilton for 2017 MAMFT’s Annual Conference! There will be more info to come so keep close watch on email, Facebook, and www.mamft.com.

Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Marita Harris, Executive Director 118 College Drive Box 5035 Hattiesburg, MS 39406 (601) 288-4851 (Office)

You can also find us on… http://www.mamft.com OR