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See below or go to our Events page for the latest information on our upcoming events. Upcoming events
 OUR HOLIDAY PARTY IS HERE (almost!!) We are looking forward to another great gathering of therapists to end the year in community and gratitude. As always, we will be holding the self-care basket drawing. See below for details on how to donate!
Event Policies, Protocols & Grievance Procedures can all be viewed any time by clicking HERE or by following the path via the 'Events' tab on our website. Events on the Horizon from LBSB CAMFT (subject to change) Friday, October 30th - LBSB CAMFT & Fusion Academy South Bay present, "Disconnected: Why Today's Adolescents Feel More Alone Than Ever," with Debbie Murad. (In-person, Hermosa Beach) Register HERE! Friday, December 11th - 11:00am - 3:00pm - LBSB CAMFT Annual Holiday Party (Torrance Cultural Arts Center - George Nakano Theater). Register HERE! For the most up-to-date information, we provide access our annual calendar (all events are subject to change). Click HERE to access our 2026 calendar of events.
Support Our Chapter’s Success! We’re excited to offer diverse sponsorship opportunities for our chapter. Whether you're interested in making a Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Diamond-level contribution, your support will play a crucial role in advancing our mission. Sponsorship Levels: Silver: $200+ Gold: $450+ Platinum: $750+ Diamond: $1,500+ Your involvement not only helps fund our member events but also connects you with a dedicated community of professionals. For more details on how to become a sponsor and the benefits of each level of sponsorship, please reach out to our President at President@lbsbcamft.org. | What to watch out for in M2M this week:
Letter from the President Dear Friends, Members, and Subscribers, Wow! How is everyone doing with this weather? I went out tonight for my one-hour walk, and it was gray and gloomy, yet 70 degrees outside. So strange! I imagine many of you are dealing with colds, the flu, and what some doctors are saying are COVID symptoms! If that is you, please take time to rest, hydrate, take care of yourself, and see a doctor to rule out anything serious. Remember, to serve others, we must first take care of ourselves and be healthy enough to take care of others. That includes physical and emotional health! October is here, and forgive me, but I, too, got sick, and it has really dragged on for me. I guess that's what happens when we age. We take a bit longer to heal. That is why I did not send out letters for the last 2 weeks. But you're not getting rid of me that easily. I really enjoy writing these letters. It makes me feel more connected to all of you on some level. I hope they have helped you feel more involved with the Chapter as well! We are all here to help you! I hope that you all know this. 2027 brings many changes to the Chapter leadership and how we will be operating internally. Jennifer Seidner will be the President. I will be called Past President and will assist on an as-needed basis. I have served for six years in the LBSB leadership, so I have been investing in this Chapter for quite some time. I live in San Diego County, and I want to invest locally. I have one more year left. I will still show up here and there to networking events and even Chapter events if my time allows it. Long Beach South Bay is my home! All my family is still there! As you know, the end of the year is fast approaching. We have entered the holiday season, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and many other celebrations ahead. We have only one CE Event coming up on October 30th: “Disconnected: Supporting Lonely Adolescents in a Hyperconnected World.” Presented by Debbie Murad, LCSW. This event is exclusively in person. I hope to see many of you attend this 1 CE Event and share some breakfast, networking, and a great topic with all of us! In November, we will email ballots only to members. Check the box for the new leaders choosing to volunteer to serve the Chapter in 2027. Many of them are currently being trained in their roles. The Chapter is required by our parent organization, CAMFT, to hold a formal vote. Please check the boxes accordingly and consider it your way of confirming that you received the ballot and are aware that the Chapter leaders have been nominated to serve in these roles. We realize there is only one candidate for each role. If you want to connect a face to a name, then I urge you to go on the website and click on the tab "ABOUT US." Then select "LEADERS" and take a look at all their beautiful faces. It is not quite up to date now, just because we have so many new leaders joining us. Give us a couple of weeks! Once the ballots are out, the photos will be up! And don't forget to join us for our Holiday Event on December 11th at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center! We look forward to celebrating the season with all of you! Let me introduce you to the Chapter Leadership, which consists of three teams: Executive Team: President: Chris McKnight, LMFT; Vice President: Jennifer Seidner, LMFT, LPCC; Secretary: Toni Binns, LMFT (will not serve in 2027; position OPEN for 2027); CFO: Melissa Gabon, AMFT; Executive Assistant: OPEN position. Events Team: CE Events: Cherie Harper, LMFT; Pre-Licensed: Matt Butler, AMFT (will not be serving in 2027); Hospitality: OPEN position; Photographer: Raymond Easmon, LMFT; Clinical/DEI: Karen Wilson, PsyD (New); Events Assistant: Sabina Farr, AMFT (New). Promotions Team: Marketing: Claire Morrison, LMFT, LPCC (will not be serving in 2027); Digital Communications: Makaela Abundez, LMFT; Marketing & Content: Angelise Williams, AMFT (New); Operations: Anahy Diaz, LMFT (New); Membership: Wendy Rodriguez, LMFT (will not be serving in 2027); Stepping into Membership position: Clairre Ceylon, Affiliate (New); Sponsorships: Hasti Moradi, AMFT, APCC; Promotions Assistant: Tiara Wright, AMFT (New). As you can see, lots of new folks, right? We are making sure they are trained well for the start of a new year! Keep in mind that each of these roles/positions takes approximately five hours per month of volunteer time. So we are excited to bring you practically a whole new team of folks for 2027. When you see the ballot go out, at least you can say you have seen these names beforehand. If you want a description of what they are responsible for, look on the website under "ABOUT US," then select "CONTACT US." If you have 5 hours per month to volunteer in one of these roles, we are still seeking a Secretary and an Executive Assistant to support the Executive Team. It would be much appreciated! That is all for now, folks. Stay dry and healthy in this crazy weather we are having! Warm Regards, Chris McKnight, M.A., LMFT President, LBSB Chapter of CAMFT
Why Update Your Profile?
Member Benefits New to your member benefits: The LBSB Job Board! Are you a member with a job opening to offer at your practice, facility or organization? We want to connect you with community members seeking traineeships, associate or licensed positions. Click here to add your job listing!
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The September Newsletter is up! Click HERE to learn the latest from CAMFT.
Click the Logo for Past State CAMFT Newsletters
You can attend both the Fall Symposium, Oct 17 and the Supervision Workshop, Oct 16. Simply add the Supervision Workshop to the Fall Symposium registration as an optional add-on when you check out. It's a great way to expand your learning and make the most of your event experience.
THE AMFTRB NATIONAL EXAM IN CALIFORNIA
CAMFT continues to advocate for California's transition to the AMFTRB National Exam, a key strategic priority intended to support licensure portability and align California with most other states. While the BBS has postponed discussion of a potential transition until its November 2026 Board meeting, the current California LMFT Clinical Exam remains in effect, and no immediate changes to the licensure examination process are expected.
Below are answers to some of the most common questions we've received.
Is California transitioning to the AMFTRB National Exam?
The BBS has delayed discussion of a potential transition to the AMFTRB National Exam until its November 2026 Board meeting. Despite the revised timeline, adoption of the AMFTRB National Exam remains one of CAMFT’s strategic priorities, and CAMFT will continue advocating for the transition.
For those currently pursuing MFT licensure, it is important to know that the existing California LMFT clinical exam remains in place. At this time, no changes to the exam process are anticipated in the near future.
When will we know more about the potential transition to the AMFTRB National Exam?
We anticipate that the BBS will discuss this potential transition to the AMFTRB National Exam during its November 2026 Board meeting. CAMFT will continue to closely monitor developments and will share any new information with membership as soon as updates become available following the meeting in late November.
What is CAMFT doing to advocate for the AMFTRB National Exam?
CAMFT continues to advocate with the BBS for a transition to the AMFTRB National Exam and has requested that any concerns contributing to the delay be discussed publicly with stakeholders at the November 2026 Board meeting.
In addition, CAMFT is exploring all possible pathways to advance the implementation of the AMFTRB National Exam and will continue to engage with decision-makers and stakeholders throughout the process.
While the timeline has shifted, CAMFT's commitment has not. We will continue to advocate for the adoption of the AMFTRB National Exam and will keep members informed as discussions progress and new information becomes available. In the meantime, candidates should continue preparing for and taking the California LMFT Clinical Exam as required, as no immediate changes to the examination process are anticipated.
ATTN: PRE-LICENSED MEMBERS!!! There are sections specifically for you in the current issue of the BBS Newsletter. Take a peek starting on page 10! | Click the image below to view the latest issue of the CA BBS Newsletter |
Sponsor Annoucements
More sponsors coming soon!
Considering becoming a sponsor? Click HERE to learn more!
Disclaimer: Sponsor announcements have been reviewed and approved for posting by the LBSB CAMFT Leadership Team. However, it does not represent the official views, positions, or endorsements of the Chapter.
TIME FOR OUR NEXT SOUTH BAY THERAPISTS PARTY! We're confirmed for 4 - 7 PM on FRIDAY, OCT. 23 at Hennessey's Tavern (Hermosa Beach Pier). This will be our 9TH party - the last 8 parties were tons of fun so hopefully many of you can join us for this one (either as a 1st timer or as one of our regular attendees). No RSVP necessary - just show up and have a great time hanging out with your friends & colleagues. If there are others you would like to invite, please feel free to let them know - the more, the merrier! We will have our own space on the patio & bar area reserved just like last time so there's room for everyone. Once again, I’m going to cover all the appetizers so everyone only needs to be responsible for their own drinks. https://davismediation.com/south-bay-therapist-party/ Barry Davis Mediator/Trainer Davis Mediation (310) 483-3373 bdavis@davismediation.com
RSVP @ https://luma.com/2e2v6pye
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If you are an actively registered Member of LBSB CAMFT, you have the opportunity to market yourself, your events, your space, and positions you are hiring for or seeking for FREE!
To submit an ad to be posted in M2M, send an email to our Marketing Director, Claire Morrison, at marketing@lbsbcamft.org with a photo and/or brief text and any links to be shared and it will be posted in our next two M2M emails. To apply for membership, click here.
If you would like to have an email sent out specifically dedicated to your ad/business, please email our President, Chris McKnight, about setting up a sponsored e-blast. She can be reached via email at president@lbsbcamft.org. This is a great way to further LBSB CAMFT's mission of supporting local therapists by providing learning and community-building opportunities.
M2M & Sponsored e-blasts are sent out to over 1,100 people! Contact us today to set up your advertisement.
Announcements from Members are approved for posting by the Board but do not constitute endorsement and may not reflect the opinions of LBSB CAMFT.
How to Submit to M2M
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