Hi everyone, my name is Jim Michael. I am honored to be one of your Co-Presidents this year. While many of you know Bonnie, many dont know me so I thought Id touch base with you. I graduated from the University of Santa Monica in 2001 and I am closing in on bringing my intern hours to completion. I did internships at Southern California Counseling Center and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian. I currently work as an MFT Intern in private practice in West Hollywood. In my private practice I work with people experiencing issues around anxiety, intimacy, existential (some might say spiritual) questions, and people who have sexual concerns and questions. Im also the person who sends out the email blasts to you (you may actually know me by my email name of infinitejim).

As an intern, having a pre licensed club which provides interns some type of support via educational and networking opportunities with other interns is important to me. Based on my experiences with Los Angeles CAMFT this year, I created the LAGPA pre licensed club and on Saturday the 15th of January, LAGPA had its first ever pre licensed club event. At the event Dr. Jan Aura presented on neurofeedback as an adjunct to psychotherapy. It was a casual, educational, and experiential presentation. Dr. Aura had one of the participants hook up to her neurofeedback machine and discussed how neurofeedback works with clients. While the initial turn out was small, the event was successful!

The pre licensed club will be having its next presentation in March, 2005, when Joni Lavick, MFT will be presenting on Attachment Theory and Sexual Compulsion. As with the neurofeedback presentation this looks to be educational and fun (look for the email blast that Ill be sending out). If you have a particular gift in a particular area of psychotherapy and think that it would be of service to the interns of LAGPA, or have questions about the pre licensed club please email me.

Last year I was the Secretary for LAGPA, this year a Co-President. Over the past year and a half, Ive seen the board grow closer, become more efficient and even have more fun. As an example of the fun the board, spearheaded by Beatrice Gandara, organized the Winter Holiday Party. There were Mariachis, dancing and other lively merriments we also had a really strong turn out. The board meetings, themselves, have become more cohesive and functional as well. We now have our board meetings at local area restaurants to promote our organization, to connect more with each other as board members and to connect with other just as people. What a wonderful experience. I encourage you, YES YOU, to participate in LAGPA. Come to a board meeting and/or attend one of our Educational Events youre invited!