Santa Cruz CAMFT

03/30/2026

Meet the Board Member: Ellen Garfield, LMFT 👋

Ellen has been practicing psychotherapy since 2014 and is a graduate of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. She works with adults and teens in both English and Spanish, specializing in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and LGBTQIA affirming care. Her approach integrates EMDR, IFS, mindfulness, and inner child work with a direct, results-oriented style that helps clients move toward healing.

Outside the therapy room, Ellen is a martial artist, a super fan of the Golden State Valkyries 🏀, and a passionate local organizer advocating for workers' rights.

We're grateful for Ellen's leadership, dedication, and the heart she brings to our community! 💚

Interested in getting involved with SC-CAMFT? We're always looking for passionate members to join committees and board initiatives. DM us to learn more!

03/27/2026

Thinking about joining SC-CAMFT? Here's what membership includes! 👆
Whether you're a licensed clinician, associate, student, or allied professional, there's a place for you in our Santa Cruz community.

For as little as $25/year (associates & students) or $50-60/year (clinical & affilFor as little as $25/year (associates & students) or $50-60/year (clinical & affil members), you get:
💫 FREE networking events every month
💫 Discounted CE trainings with local & national experts
💫 Connection to 100+ local mental health professionals
💫 Professional development & leadership opportunities
💫 Therapist Finder listings to build your referral base
💫 Monthly newsletters, practice-building resources, and more

But here's what members tell us matters most: the community. A space to connect, learn, share resources, and feel less isolated in this work we do. Private practice can feel lonely. Agency work can feel overwhelming. The path to licensure can feel endless. You don't have to do it alone.

Swipe through to see all membership levels, benefits, and what SC-CAMFT is all about ➡️

Ready to join? Link in bio! Questions? Drop them below or DM us. 💚

Must be a CAMFT member in good standing. Not a CAMFT member yet? Visit www.camft.org to join statewide, then come join your local chapter!

03/27/2026

Join us for our April CE training 🌻

Deepening Trauma Awareness in Practice: Combining
IFS and EMDR for Effective Pacing with Holly Hughes,
LCSW—a seasoned clinician with 20+ years of
experience in trauma-focused therapy.

This 3-hour workshop explores how Internal Family
Systems (IFS) and EMDR can work together to support
safe, effective pacing in trauma work. Whether you’re
familiar with both modalities, just one, or neither, you’ll
gain practical skills for integrating a parts-informed
approach into resourcing, target setting, reprocessing,
and installation. Walk away with actionable strategies
for strengthening readiness, safety, and collaborative
care planning.

📅 Friday, April 24th
⏰ 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
📍 Simpkins Community Center, Room B (979 17th
Ave, Santa Cruz)
🎓 2 CE Credits
Limited spots available—register now!
https://www.santacruztherapist.org/event-6504499

02/27/2026

Our March Networking event is less than a month away!

RSVP here: https://www.santacruztherapist.org/event-6459872

01/24/2026

✨ This past Wednesday marked our first Santa Cruz CAMFT networking event of 2026! ✨

From intention-setting to meaningful networking, we’re so grateful for everyone who showed up—for yourselves and for one another. The resounding takeaway from the evening was just how important it is to build community among us, so we can not only show up fully for our clients, but also for ourselves, our families, our friends, and the broader community we’re part of.

Thank you for being part of this space. We’re looking forward to many more moments of connection this year 💙

01/24/2026

🕯️Did you miss our January networking event? 🕯️

We’ve got another opportunity to connect coming up in February—and you won’t want to miss this one!

🕯️ Heartfelt Connections: A Cozy Candle-Making Mixer
📅 Tuesday, February 10, 2026
⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 The Camp Recovery Center | Scotts Valley

What to expect:
• Guided candle-making workshop
• Create a personalized aromatherapy candle
• Meaningful small-group conversations
• Focus on wellness, self-care, and professional growth
• A warm, relaxed space to connect with fellow clinicians

Whether you’re coming for the creativity, the connection, or a little mid-winter self-care, we’d love to have you join us.

🔗 Registration required | Link in bio

01/04/2026

🧠 Enhancing Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD
Understanding Mechanisms

Join the Santa Cruz CAMFT Chapter for a morning CE workshop with Dr. Jennifer Park, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and expert in CBT and OCD treatment. This training will explore how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)—the gold-standard intervention for OCD—works, with a focus on strengthening effectiveness, understanding mechanisms of change, and avoiding common implementation pitfalls.

✨ 2 CE Credits
📅 Friday, February 27, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Paradox Hotel | Santa Cruz
☕ Breakfast & networking included

Open to MFTs and mental health professionals.
🎟 Registration required | Space may be limited

🔗 Register link: https://www.santacruztherapist.org/event-6459866

12/20/2025

✨ Start 2026 with intention and connection ✨

Join the Santa Cruz CAMFT Chapter on January 21 | 5:30–7:30 PM for an evening of meaningful connection, reflection, and purposeful networking. This January gathering is designed to help clinicians set intentions for the year ahead while building supportive professional relationships in a grounded, welcoming space.

Whether you’re looking to reconnect with community, gain clarity in your work, or simply slow down and be intentional, we’d love to have you with us.

💙 Non-MFT mental health professionals are welcome and may attend by registering as a non-member.

📍 The Camp Recovery Center | Scotts Valley
💻 https://www.santacruztherapist.org/event-6459850/Registration

12/17/2025

Hey there Santa Cruz CAMFT community! 👋

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to stay up to date on upcoming networking events, trainings, and learning opportunities. We’re excited to share all the great things we have planned for 2026, and we can’t wait to connect with you throughout the year.

Stay tuned—more to come soon!

https://www.instagram.com/camftsantacruz?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

08/19/2025

Pharmacological Approaches to Managing and Treating ADHD with Carrie Ritsema RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC. Wednesday September 3rd 9-11:30. 2 CE Credits.

04/16/2025

**LOCATION CHANGE**
This Friday’s event, The Neurobiology of Trauma, will now be held at The Resource Center for Nonviolence, rather than Simpkins Swim Center, which will be reflected shortly on our website!

Kara Bowman is a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in grief and trauma with a part-time practice in Santa Cruz. She also volunteers for Hospice of Santa Cruz County. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Certified Grief Counselor, Certified Non-violent Communication Trainer and C...

02/25/2025

We are excited about hosting this on March 21st at our old stomping grounds!
Here's the registration link! https://www.santacruztherapist.org/event-6084213