Oregon Counseling Association News

Re: ORCA Board Message on Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Thu, 16 May 2024 18:26:22 GMT

We thank the many voices who have reached out to us regarding the May ORCA statement on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. We had previously made a statement to our community at our Fall Conference following the devastating events in early fall as well as the violence that occurred on October 7th, but see and acknowledge that this initial statement was not posted publicly on our website or social media. We apologize that this message was not available to our members and have sought to rectify this - it is now visible on our website blog.

We followed up with our May 8th statement after considerable feedback from our members regarding our lack of communication after the initial statement, especially following the changing landscape in this conflict since the October conference.

The purpose of ORCA's statement made on May 8th, 2024 are as follows:

• Awareness of Hostility: ORCA acknowledges the increase in hostility between Israel and Palestine.

• Impact Statement: The most recent statement indicates a strong stance on the part of ORCA regarding the current nature of the conflict. This is following our statement, made in October of 2024, where we condemned violence from all parties - including violence against Israel as a result of the attacks of Hamas.

• Concern for Safety: ORCA has expressed again concerns for the safety of Palestinians and Israelis alike, particularly those with direct ties to individuals living in the areas of conflict.

• Call for Peace: ORCA has expressed a desire for an end to violence and persecution based on ethnic and religious identities, both locally and internationally, underscoring our position as a helping organization committed to peace and the wellbeing of all communities.

• Role of Helping Professionals: The statement describes our organization’s stance against war and violence, emphasizing our role as counselors in addressing and mitigating trauma, including that caused by the conflict.

• Personal and Professional Call to Action: The statement encourages its members and the broader community to support victims of the conflict, either directly or through humanitarian efforts, while also taking care of themselves and their loved ones.

We hope this message provides clarity on the intentions of the statement. We want to acknowledge that posts to our Instagram and Facebook pages regarding our statement were removed. As a volunteer led organization, we lack capacity to moderate our members on these forums, and were compelled to remove these posts due to some of the comments that were posted, both by members and the community at large. As therapists, we appreciate opportunities for supportive and constructive discourse, and hope that our members contribute on these platforms with respect and consideration to all community members.

We would like to share our support of our Jewish members and those who have reached out to us with fear and anxiety following the statement. We hope all members of our community can consider the historical and intergenerational trauma that affect all who are connected to the current conflict. Denouncing actions that cause harm or violate human rights, such as genocide, is a principled stance that seeks justice and accountability. Criticizing specific actions or policies of the Israeli government, like any other government, does not speak to how ORCA feels about our Jewish community members. ORCA aims to protecting the dignity and respect of all, including our Palestinian, Israeli, and Jewish community members, which we believe is crucial in advocating for human rights and peace.

We would also like to refer you to ACA’s general position statement regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which, in addition, ORCA fully stands with and supports:

"As an organization that advocates for the emotional needs of all people and holds close our commitment to social justice, the American Counseling Association (ACA) condemns the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict — including the violent attack on Israel that took place on October 7, 2023 — and the violence, displacement, deprivation and loss of life that pre-dated and has ensued since October 7. We acknowledge the collective trauma of the Israeli and Palestinian communities following decades of conflict and condemn the rise of anti-Jewish and anti-Arab rhetoric due to this current war.

Unfortunately, we live in a time with no shortage of violent conflict — both large and small scale — at home and abroad. The mental health effects are profound for those living in areas under the constant threat of violence. But the effects also ripple to those with direct connections to a region in conflict and even those who witness and absorb war-related death and destruction from a distance via the news and social media. ACA has curated trauma-informed resources to assist counselors who are part of or who serve conflict-affected populations.

We believe that mental health is a human right and that citizens of this region deserve to live in an environment free of fear and violence. ACA appeals to leaders on both sides of this war to take immediate steps to end the violence and work toward sustainable peace and collective healing.”

We continue to stand in solidarity with all affected by this conflict. We hope that this clarity is helpful to you in understanding ORCA’s position and statements made by our organization. We encourage all members to reach out to our Human Rights Chair (humanrights@or-counseling.org) with any concerns that may affect the safety and well-being of our members.

ORCA Board Message on Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Tue, 07 May 2024 15:19:13 GMT

ORCA has been aware of the increasing hostility between Israel and Palestine since this fall and has made efforts to address this within our community. We recognize the impact that the genocide of Palestinian communities has on the international community and here locally in Oregon. College campuses across the nation are demonstrating a cease-fire. Palestinians and Israelis, and those with loved ones who live in Palestine worry for their loved ones' safety. ORCA wishes for an end to violence and an end to hostility and persecution of people based on ethnic and religious identity.

During the Fall conference, ORCA provided a statement against the hostility and sought to stand as helping professionals against war, violence, and the continuation of generational and acute trauma. We shared this message with our community and wish to share now our updated statement calling for an end to hostility, violence, and occupation.

As helping professionals, we strive to mitigate and address the trauma our clients experience. The increased violence of the Israeli occupation of Palestine is causing loss of life, home, and well-being to Palestinian and Israeli families and impacting our global and local neighbors who care deeply about their well-being. The trauma of war can only create and magnify our differences as people rather than centering us as neighbors on this shared earth. The discord and pain of ideological difference, which leads to the murder of neighbors, friends, and family, is at play across the globe and is a reminder that the communities we live in may be at risk at any time to violence. Each of us experiences this tragedy in our own unique way. As you strive to support the victims of this conflict, whether it be directly or through humanitarian organizations endeavoring to uphold human rights, may each of you take the time to care for yourself, as well as love and care for the people close to you.

ORCA Conference Statement on Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 15:00:00 GMT

As helping professionals, we strive to mitigate and address the trauma our clients experience. The increased violence of the conflict between Israel and Hamas is causing loss of life, home, and well-being to Palestinian and Israeli families and impacting our global and local neighbors who care deeply about their well-being. The trauma of war can only create and magnify our differences as people rather than centering us as neighbors on this shared earth. The discord and pain of ideological difference, which leads to the murder of neighbors, friends, and family, is at play across the globe and is a reminder that the communities we live in may be at risk at any time to violence. Each of us experiences this tragedy in our own unique way. May each of you take the time to care for yourself and love and care for the people close to you as you want to and can.

Call for Speakers for 2023 Fall Conference

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 22:01:38 GMT

Nominations are now open for ORCA Board Leadership!

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 15:28:22 GMT

The Oregon Counseling Association is seeking nominations for the elected positions of President-Elect! This is your chance to get involved with professional development decisions and activities impacting counselors and therapists in Oregon. ORCA is dedicated to promoting the counseling profession by being responsive to our members needs, fostering collaboration and collegiality across counseling degrees and specialties, nurturing a common purpose and a sense of unity within the counseling profession and advocating for counselors and their clients.

If you are interested, you may self-nominate or encourage a colleague to nominate you. To be eligible, you must have attended a minimum of one ORCA Board meeting prior to the elections.

Please complete the nomination form: Here

Nominations are due April 21, 2023 by 5pm PST

Voting will take place between April 24 and May 1, 2023, with the announcement of election results the week of May 8. New board officers are sworn in at the ORCA May 20, 2023 board meeting and retreat. The leadership position begins July 2023.

Both positions are required to join ORCA and the American Counseling Association. The President-Elect position requires you to be licensed as an LPC or LMFT (or will license during your Pres-Elect term).

You can learn more about the Oregon Counseling Association at:www.or-counseling.org.

Board Positions open for election

PRESIDENT-ELECT - We are looking for licensed LPCs or LMFTs (or soon to be licensed) that are passionate about leadership in this field and our organization. You must be a member of ORCA & ACA, or plan to be. This person must commit to a 3-year term on the ORCA Executive Council and attend Board meetings every other month. The 3-year Presidential term is fulfilled by serving consecutively 1 year as President-Elect, 1 year as President and 1 year as Past-President.

MEMBERSHIP CHAIR - The scope of the Chair’s responsibilities includes all matters relating to membership in ORCA. This Chair’s functions include encouraging professional counselors, interns and students to hold membership in the state and national associations, participating in ongoing membership recruitment and retention, maintaining a current membership database, cooperating with Divisions regarding mutual members, corresponding with members and responding to inquiries, and providing information about ORCA and its services to the membership. This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Membership Committee Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

HUMAN RIGHTS CHAIR - The Human Rights Chair seeks to educate and inform the membership, as well as the general Oregon professional counseling community, regarding human rights and cultural diversity issues within the profession, as well as within the Oregon community of mental health. Additionally, the Chair shall, when possible and appropriate, be alert to and seek to proactively address societal trends and social issues that act as barriers to human rights and cultural

This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Human Rights Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR - The scope of the Chair’s responsibilities includes maintaining and expanding the ORCA publications and social media outlets (eNewsletter, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and ORCA members listserv). This position presides over the Communications Committee which may include a Webmaster, eNewsletter Editor, and others. Coordinates communication with the Fall Conference Chair; manages updates to the ORCA website; promotes board events and activities to the membership; and promotes public awareness of and support for the counseling profession. This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Communications Committee Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

Thank you for your support of the Oregon Counseling Association!

Apply for the 2023/24 Emerging Leader (EL) Program!

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 22:56:06 GMT

OREGON COUNSELING ASSOCIATION is pleased to announce the

2023/2024 EMERGING LEADER (EL) PROGRAM

Through a competitive application process, ORCA will select one outstanding newly licensed LPC or LMFT (eligible up to the first five years of licensure) to participate in the EL Program. The selected individual will enhance leadership skills to support ORCA’s state-wide efforts promoting the counseling profession.

APPLY HERE

As an Emerging Leader, you will engage in leadership development, and opportunities focused on fostering collaboration and collegiality across counseling degrees and specialties, nurturing a common purpose and a sense of unity within the counseling profession, and advocating for counselors and their clients.

The year-long program equips you to seek nomination for ORCA’s 3-year term of President-Elect, President, and Past-President. Only licensed counselors and therapists may be elected to this leadership term by ORCA's bylaws. ORCA seeks to promote the development of effective leaders who feel prepared to assume this executive board position.

Emerging Leaders should demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities such as excellence in counseling, service, and professional leadership. EL awardees must commit to the one-year EL program. As an EL participant, you will receive comprehensive benefits, including complimentary ORCA membership, CE trainings, and mentorship by another board member.

To Apply:

The EL program is focused on early-career licensed counselors & therapists. To be eligible, you must be newly licensed up to the first five years of licensure. Both LPCs and LMFTs are eligible to apply. If selected, you must fulfill the one-year EL program commitment. ORCA encourages individuals who identify with marginalized communities to apply.

After completing the program, EL awardees are then eligible for nomination to the ORCA President-Elect position and future service with the ORCA Board

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

You will be asked to submit the following:

1-page professional statement addressing how your professional experiences and future goals are aligned with the ORCA Mission. Please include proposed initiatives you would like to develop as a leader of ORCA that would positively support the counseling profession and mental health advocacy in our state.
Professional resume or CV highlighting experiences in leadership, counseling, and service.
License date, type, and license number

EL Program Benefits

The ORCA Emerging Leaders Program connects early-career professionals with leaders and board members from ORCA. The EL awardee will also be awarded the following:

Complimentary 1-year membership to ORCA. ($111 value)
Complimentary registration to the Annual ORCA Conference (over $250 value)
Complimentary registration to ORCA CE events such as Lobby Week and Ethics CE trainings (up to $200 value)
Recognition in ORCA Newsletter
ORCA Board mentorship, along with ORCA Board voting ability
Opportunity to help the EL committee with the development and execution of subsequent year’s Emerging Leader Programs.

Requirements of EL Awardee

ORCA Emerging Leader Awardees will commit to a one-year program and will be required to attend the following:

a minimum 3 ORCA meetings within the fiscal year
a minimum of 1 COPACT meeting within the fiscal year.

EL Awardee will be assigned to work on an ORCA project and/or committee to provide service to ORCA.

Timeline for EL Program selection and participation

The following outline is the timeline for the successful development and execution of the ORCA Emerging Leaders Program.

February 1, 2023: Call for applicants
March 1, 2023: The application window closes, and the review of applicants begins.
April 1, 2023: Committee Meets to decide an EL awardee
April 30, 2023: ORCA Emerging Leader awardee is notified, an announcement of the Emerging Leader awardee, EL invited to May Retreat.
May 20, 2023: At ORCA Retreat, the EL awardee’s one-year term begins.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Questions? Please contact: pastpresident@or-counseling.org

In Support of HB2458: Ban on Conversion Therapy

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 14:30:00 GMT

Dear colleagues,

Conversion therapy (also known as reparative therapy, reorientation therapy, sexual orientation change efforts, or gender identity change efforts) is the discredited practice of using "therapy" or "counseling" to "treat" same-gender/sex attraction, gender non-conformity, and those identifying as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or another sexual or gender minority. The Oregon Counseling Association opposes conversion therapy: It does not work, it causes harm, and it violates the ACA and AAMFT Codes of Ethics. It is an attempt to treat something that is not a mental illness; something that does not need treatment.

Please see the information below on this momentous bill and follow ORSAIGE and ORCA for updates.

Thank you for your support.

Dr. Kaj Kayij-Wint, LMFT, ORCA President

ORCA Expresses Opposition to Overturn of Roe v. Wade

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 03:39:17 GMT

Hello ORCA and COPACT members,

We at the Oregon Counseling Association (ORCA) and the Coalition of Professional Associations of Counselors and Therapists (COPACT), the legislative and advocacy arm of ORCA, are deeply saddened and concerned about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. No matter what each of our individual politics are, human and constitutional rights have been stripped from many persons living in the United States. The effects of overturning Roe v. Wade will disproportionately harm marginalized members of our communities who already face systemic issues in healthcare, housing, education, and more.

ORCA and COPACT stand with people who no longer have the right to make their own healthcare decisions for their bodies and lives. In our own ACA Code of Ethics, we value the autonomy of our clients and their ability to make informed decisions for their healthcare. Along with the ACA, we recognize there will be serious repercussions for members of our communities affected by this decision and their families in regards to education, employment, economic security, and physical and mental health.

While access to safe and legal abortions and reproductive care are still available in Oregon, that is not the case for our colleagues, friends, and family in other states. We seek to provide you with resources for yourselves, your clients, your students, and our community—please see below.

ORCA and COPACT are holding space for all of you. Our mission is to empower counselors and therapists, as well as those we advocate with and for every day. We will continue to do this important work, not just of improving access to quality mental healthcare, but also striving to support the basic human rights of our clients and community members.

Please take care of yourselves and each other,

Gianna Russo-Mitma, LMFT, COPACT President

Dr. Jeffrey Christensen, LPC, ORCA President

Dr. Kaj Kayij-Wint, LMFT, ORCA President Elect

Tever Nickerson, LPC, COPACT Treasurer & ORCA Past President

Greg Peterson, LPC, ORCA Pres Elect Elect

Oregon Resources:

Ethics consultation for clinicians:

https://or-counseling.org/Ethics-Consultation-Request

Forward Together: Rights, Recognition, and Resources For All Families supporting political action in Oregon:

https://forwardtogether.org

Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-columbia-willamette

Oregon Abortion Access Fund

https://nwaafund.org/info/oregon

OHSU Center for Women’s Health

https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/abortion

National Supports:

Ethics support for clinicians:

https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics

Planned Parenthood:

https://www.plannedparenthood.org

Resources for Teens:

Teen Source:

https://www.teensource.org/

Planned Parenthood - Info for Teens:

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens

Center for Young Women’s Health:

https://youngwomenshealth.org/

Power to Decide:

https://powertodecide.org/teen-talk

Announcing ORCA's Emerging Leader Program

Support Coordinator — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 17:16:34 GMT

We are pleased to announce the

2022/2023 EMERGING LEADER (EL) PROGRAM

Through a competitive application process, ORCA will select one outstanding newly licensed LPC or LMFT (eligible up to the first 5 years of licensure) to participate in the EL Program. The selected individual will gain leadership skills to support ORCA’s state-wide efforts promoting the counseling profession.

As an Emerging Leader you will engage in leadership development and opportunities focused on fostering collaboration and collegiality across counseling degrees and specialties, nurturing a common purpose and a sense of unity within the counseling profession and advocating for counselors and their clients.

The year-long program equips you to seek nomination for ORCA’s 3-year term of President-Elect, President, and Past-President. By ORCA’s bylaws only licensed counselors and therapists may be elected to this leadership term. ORCA seeks to promote the development of effective leaders who feel prepared to assume this executive board position.

Emerging Leaders should demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities such as excellence in counseling, service, and leadership in the profession. EL awardees must commit to the one year EL program. As an EL participant you will receive comprehensive benefits including complimentary ORCA membership, CE trainings and mentorship by another board member.

To Apply:

The EL program is focused on early-career licensed counselors & therapists. To be eligible, you must be newly licensed up to the first 5 years of licensure. Both LPCs and LMFTs are eligible to apply. If selected, you must fulfill the one year EL program commitment. ORCA encourages individuals who identify with marginalized communities to apply.

After completing the program, EL awardees are then eligible for nomination to the ORCA President-Elect position and future service with the ORCA Board

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

You will be asked to submit:

1-page professional statement addressing how your professional experiences and future goals are aligned with the ORCA Mission. Please include proposed initiatives you would like to develop as a leader of ORCA that would positively support the counseling profession and mental health advocacy in our state.
Professional resume or CV highlighting experiences in leadership, counseling, and service.
License date, type and license number

EL Program Benefits

The ORCA Emerging Leaders Program connects early-career professionals with leaders and board members from ORCA. The EL awardee will also be awarded:

Complimentary 1-year membership to ORCA. ($111 value)
Complimentary registration to the Annual ORCA Conference (over $250 value)
Complimentary registration to ORCA CE events such as Lobby Week and Ethics CE trainings (up to $200 value)
Recognition in ORCA Newsletter
ORCA Board mentorship
Opportunity to help EL committee with the development and execution of subsequent year’s Emerging Leader Programs.

Requirements of EL Awardee

ORCA Emerging Leader Awardees will commit to a one-year program and will be required to attend:

a minimum 3 ORCA meetings within the fiscal year
a minimum of 1 COPACT meeting within the fiscal year.

EL Awardee will be assigned to work on an ORCA project and/or committee to provide service to ORCA.

Timeline for EL Program selection and participation

The following outline is the timeline for successful development and execution of the ORCA Emerging leaders Program.

April 4, 2022: Call for applicants
May 1, 2022: Application window closes, and review of applicants begins.
June 6, 2022: ORCA Emerging Leader awardee is notified.
July 2022: ORCA’s announcement of the Emerging Leader awardee and beginning of ORCA’s fiscal year. The EL awardee’s one year term begins.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Questions? Please contact: pastpresident@or-counseling.org

https://www.or-counseling.org

ORCA Board Nominations for President-Elect & Treasurer Open Now! Deadline to Nominate 3/31

Support Coordinator — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 15:52:39 GMT

Nominations are now open for ORCA board leadership!

The Oregon Counseling Association is seeking nominations for the elected positions of President-Elect and Treasurer!

This is your chance to get involved with professional development decisions and activities impacting counselors and therapists in Oregon. ORCA is dedicated to promoting the counseling profession by being responsive to our members needs, fostering collaboration and collegiality across counseling degrees and specialties, nurturing a common purpose and a sense of unity within the counseling profession and advocating for counselors and their clients.

Board Positions open for election

PRESIDENT-ELECT
We are looking for licensed LPCs or LMFTs (or soon to be licensed) who are passionate about leadership in this field and our organization. You must be a member of ORCA & ACA, or plan to be. This person must commit to a 3-year term on the ORCA Executive Council and attend Board meetings every other month. The 3-year Presidential term is fulfilled by serving consecutively 1 year as President-Elect, 1 year as President and 1 year as Past-President.

TREASURER
The scope of this elected office includes the primary responsibility of overseeing the management and reporting of the Association’s finances. The Treasurer presides over the Finance Committee (which includes, at a minimum, the Executive Council). The Treasurer must be knowledgeable with the use of Quickbooks. This is a 2-year Board term. This person must commit to attending the ORCA Executive Council meetings and ORCA Board meetings every other month.

If you are interested, you may self-nominate or encourage a colleague to nominate you. To be eligible, you must have attended a minimum of one ORCA Board meeting prior to the elections. The next ORCA Board meeting is scheduled for March 12, 2022.

Nominations are due by March 31, 2022 by 5pm PST. You can complete the nomination form: Here

Voting will take place between April 4 and April 11, 2022, with the announcement of election results the week of April 18. New board officers are sworn in at the ORCA May retreat. The leadership positions begin July 2022.

Both positions are required to join ORCA and the American Counseling Association. The President-Elect position requires you be licensed as an LPC or LMFT (or will license during your Pres-Elect term).

Update from COPACT on No Surprises Act

Support Coordinator — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 21:56:21 GMT

Hello all,

Please see the below information on the No Surprises Act from the COPACT Board.

COPACT: Info on the No Surprises Act & Good Faith Estimate

NOTE: This is NOT legal advice. This is information from an ethics CE that COPACT is relaying to Oregon clinicians. There seems to be new/more information everyday, so be aware that this information may be updated. The forms from HHS/CMS are "models" or "templates" to be used and are subject to change. These are not definitive answers at this time, rather a guide on how to start understanding and implementing this law into your practices. As clinicians, we are currently attempting to make a good faith effort and there is no perfect answer.

Yes, this is meant for LMFTs, LPCs, LMFT Associates, LPC Associates, etc., and not just Psychologists.

If the No Surprises Act is news to you, please catch up here.

All of our info below came from a training by Becky Beaton-York, PhD & Ethicist from The Knowledge Tree and her malpractice insurer The Trust, who is not affiliated or partnered with COPACT or ORCA.

AAMFT has a blog post here.

First and foremost, the biggest issue:

We know that we cannot ethically predict how long treatment for a client will take. The Good Faith Estimate (GFE) is just a fee structure for a year of sessions to give clients an idea of what they’re about to spend, so they’re not hit with surprise medical or mental health bills that they cannot afford (hence, No Surprise Act). It’s a way to be more transparent about your fees with clients (yes, even though it’s probably already on your Informed Consent & Fee Agreements).

Acronyms to know before reading this:

OMB = Office of Management & Budget

HHS = U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services

GFE = Good Faith Estimate

Takeaway & things to know:

So far (and this could absolutely change, even in the days ahead) this is meant for clients who are uninsured or using cash pay/out of pocket (whether they are insured or not)

Just because there is a grace period and it won’t likely be enforced until July 1, 2022, we need to start complying with the law and ethics of this ASAP

If you don’t have a Tax ID number (EIN), it’s a good idea to get one now

Ask each client if they have insurance or plan to use it for your sessions

Your Good Faith Estimate (GFE) must be a separate document from your Informed Consent

You must give any new clients and existing clients this GFE within 3 days of their next appointment/ASAP

You do not need to give a diagnosis or diagnosis code on this GFE document

If we don’t provide this form, we can potentially be fined by a licensing board

Clients sign this even though it’s not a contract, and you’ll keep it in their file for 7 years just like clinical records

You must also go over the GFE verbally with clients

Use the existing forms from HHS to avoid pitfalls and fill it out specifically to your practice/work (OMB Control Number 0938-1401, per HHS)

Your GFE with your client will include:

- A letter and 2 main forms:

- Letter: Model Disclosure Notice Regarding Patient Protections Against Surprise Billing

- Forms: Standard Notice & Consent Document with 1) Surprise Billing & Protection Form and 2) Good Faith Estimate

- Various CPT codes and their cost per session

- Estimate for 1 full year of sessions - do this GFE annually - if a client plans to attend monthly, create a specific GFE for them

- The estimate amount must be within $400 of the actual cost (cannot exceed it)

- Any time you increase your fees, you must create a new GFE for each client

You will need to post this form to your website and/or in your office physically:

Form: Model Disclosure Notice Regarding Patient Protections Against Surprise Billing

Forms in other languages?

The HHS has not uploaded forms in anything other than English unfortunately.

What is next?

There may be a Part 2 rolling out after March 31, 2022 from HHS and OMB.

Resources:

Training by Becky Beaton-York, PhD & Ethicist from The Knowledge Tree and her malpractice insurer The Trust

AAMFT Blog Post

Click here for a template for a Good Faith Estimate form *note that this document may have formatting issues

Click here for a template for a Standard Notice and Consent form

Click here for a template for a Letter to Clients

Click here for a Website Office Disclosure Notice form

If you have further questions or comments, please Contact COPACT.

Following the New "No Surprises Act" Requirements for Counselors & Therapists

Support Coordinator — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 02:28:32 GMT

Happy 2022, members!

Many of us were surprised when, towards the end of 2021, we learned about provisions of the No Surprises Act (passed in Oct 2021) which took effect on Jan 1, 2022. The Act requires health care providers to supply any uninsured, out-of-network, or self-paying clients with a written Good Faith Estimate for health care services, either when scheduling care or when the client requests an estimate.

Our professional code of ethics already stipulates that we must inform clients about fees and billing practices. How this new federal requirement will apply in Oregon has yet to be fully explained. ORCA and COPACT are working diligently to clarify how this will play out for our profession in Oregon.

Stay tuned!

In the meantime, the ACA has released a brief statement on the impact of the No Surprises Act on behavioral health providers, as has the AAMFT.

Remembering Roy Huggins

Support Coordinator — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 01:27:35 GMT

It is with the greatest sadness that the Oregon Counseling Association announces the passing of longtime friend and former board member Roy Huggins. Roy served for 5 years on the board of the Oregon Mental Health Counselors Association (a precursor to ORCA) and then as the Oregon Counseling Association's Technology Committee Chair.

The company he founded, Person-Centered Tech, is a partner of ORCA and frequently sponsors our events, often presented by Roy. Roy had been been a regular presenter for our CE trainings and workshops focused on Ethics, Telehealth and the effective use of technology in counseling. He consulted on these issues both with ORCA and counselors and therapists nation-wide.

A memorial page for the counseling community to share and read memories, share and view pictures, and listen to Spotify playlists of music Roy loved and a GoFundMe supporting Roy's wife are linked below.

https://royhuggins.wixsite.com/remembering-roy/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/surviving-the-loss-of-roy-huggins

2021 ORCA Awards Winners!

Support Coordinator — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 01:23:53 GMT

The 2021 ORCA Awards were presented at this year's annual conference in Ashland on November 12. Read more about this year's award winners below:

The Leona Tyler Award
Dr. Teresa McDowell

This award is designed to recognize counselors who have made outstanding contributions to the profession and whose work has had statewide implications for counseling. Dr. Leona E. Tyler was Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Oregon. Her many contributions to our profession, including research, writing, teaching and supervision of graduate students, attained both national and international acclaim. The award was established in 1967, and was initially presented to Dr. Tyler, announcing that in her honor an annual award was being established by the Association. It is ORCA’s highest award.

Distinguished Service Award

Tever Nickerson

This award recognizes persons or groups who have contributed substantially to the Association and the counseling profession. This award is traditionally presented to Association members. However, non-members such as legislators, school officials, agency administrators, or others in the larger community may also receive the award for outstanding contributions to the Association.

The Human Rights Award
Keely Helmick

Dr. David Capuzzi, former counselor educator at Portland State University, established this award in 1986-87, during his year as President of the American Association for Counseling and Development (now the American Counseling Association–ACA). As a state branch of ACA, the Oregon Counseling Association believes this award is one opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to respecting and fostering human dignity. The award is presented to members who have demonstrated an exemplary level of professional and personal commitment in the areas of human rights and the advancement of human dignity.

Larry S. Conner Distinguished Public Advocate Award

Charmagne Westcott

This award honors those who have made outstanding contributions to ORCA’s public policy and advocacy efforts on behalf of LPCs, LMFTs, and all of the people we serve. This award may honor those who have worked to pass an important piece of legislation that advanced access to quality mental health care for all Oregonians, or who have effectively protected LPCs and LMFTs in the legislature, or who have successfully worked with government agencies on the state or federal level to enhance professional counseling and marriage and family therapy.

2021 ORCA Awards Nominations are Now Open!

Support Coordinator — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 03:33:21 GMT

Every year, the Oregon Counseling Association takes time to recognize individuals in our state who have made outstanding contributions to our Association and/or our profession. The ORCA Board is actively seeking your nominations for the following awards: the Leona Tyler Award, the Human Rights Award, the Distinguished Service Award, and the Distinguished Public Advocate Award.

The Oregon Counseling Association is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2021 Annual Counseling Awards are open now through Sept. 24!

To nominate an award recipient or to learn more about the awards, please click here.

Save the Date! Fall Conference 2021: Focus on Family Systems Nov 11-13 in Ashland

Support Coordinator — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 21:19:47 GMT

ORCA's 2021 Annual Conference, Focus on Family Systems, will be held this Nov 11-13 at the Ashland Springs Hotel in Ashland, Oregon!

We'll be hosting an in-person conference this year along with a hybrid Zoom option.

Go Rogue with Us as we hear from speakers on systems supervision, queer relationships, working with high conflict couples, coparenting after divorce, generational trauma, and more!

Keep an eye on our website and social media for more details soon about registration, hotel discounts, and networking events!

Mark your calendars—we look forward to seeing you in Ashland!

2021 ORCA CONFERENCE COVID-19 POLICY: SAFETY FIRST

Please bring proof of vaccination.

For the safety of everyone—you, us, our loved ones, and our clients—safety first. If you'd like to attend the conference in person, we will be requiring you show your vaccine card, which we'll check as proof of vaccination at the door and for which we will give wristbands.

If you'd prefer to not show your card or you're not vaccinated, you are welcome to watch the conference live streamed on Zoom.

If you test positive for COVID-19, please do not attend this event in-person; you may attend the conference remotely.

We highly encourage wearing a mask at the event.

Conference registration is non-refundable, but is transferrable to another attendee via email (continuinged@or-counseling.org) in advance of the event.

If an instance such as a COVID-19 breakout or devastating forest fire occurs, ORCA will cancel the in-person event and will transfer registration to the 2021 virtual conference.

OAMCD's Decolonizing Counseling Series: Using a Disability Justice Lens in Counseling

Support Coordinator — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 16:49:50 GMT

The Oregon Association for Multicultural Counseling & Development (OAMCD) is pleased to host the next webinar in our Decolonizing Counseling Series! July's topic is "Using a Disability Justice Lens in Counseling." We will be awarding 1 free NBCC-approved CE to attendees who complete an evaluation. Pre-registration is required. We hope you'll join us!

OAMCD Decolonizing Counseling Webinar: Using a Disability Justice Lens in Counseling, by Aarynn Cypher, MS, CRC and Nathaniel Brown, Ph.D., CSW-A
Friday, July 30^th at 1pm
To register and view learning objectives and presenter bios, please visit: https://bit.ly/OAMCDwebinarJuly21

ORCA Welcomes Former OAMFT Members!

Support Coordinator — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 15:33:53 GMT

Dear LMFTs, OAMFT members, and other LMFT professionals,

The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) decided to restructure their organization and no longer offer state-wide interest networks. Because of this, the Oregon Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (OAMFT) needed to dissolve and could no longer offer membership benefits.

The Oregon Counseling Association (ORCA) has represented the interests of LPCs and LMFTs through lobbying efforts, networking events, and CE opportunities. LPCs and LMFTs both represent the board and have served on the executive council for many years.

Last month, a unanimous and enthusiastic decision was reached by the ORCA board to announce efforts to welcome our colleagues. We are pleased to announce that in recognition of already paid, non-refundable dues to AAMFT, LMFTs, OAMFT members, and other LMFT professionals will be able to join ORCA for $1 for a one year membership! In addition, our Fall conference will focus on Family Systems Theory (dates & location TBD).

Being an ORCA member comes with many benefits. This includes advocacy and legislation efforts by the Coalition of Oregon Professional Associations for Counseling and Therapy (COPACT), discounts on CE events and our annual conference, free networking opportunities, access to a members-only listserv to help find referrals and resources, a free 30-minute consultation with mental health attorney Paul Cooney, and a wonderful quarterly newsletter with pieces written by Oregon clinicians.

Since 2010, COPACT has acted as the political arm of ORCA and OAMFT by retaining lobbyists in order to advance access to quality mental health care for all Oregonians. On a funding level, COPACT has been dependent on ORCA, OAMFT, and direct contributions from members and non-members.

As more LMFTs join ORCA, we can continue our legislative efforts to support Oregon counselors, therapists, and our clients. This year COPACT reviewed 120 bills and was very influential in drafting HB 3046, which enforces parity, reimbursement rates, and network adequacy that will have long-lasting benefits to providers and clients. You can visit COPACT’s website to see some of the work COPACT has done and to make a contribution.

We encourage our LMFT, LMFT Intern, and LMFT student colleagues to join ORCA for just $1! The offer expires on December 31, 2021 so join us now for this low rate while also receiving all the benefits of ORCA membership! Your membership will resume to the normal ORCA rate after 1 full year of membership. Our membership levels are: Students and Retiree $53. Pre-licensed interns $82. Associates/Professionals $111, and $106 for that level’s auto-renewal.

To all AAMFT members—while OAMFT is no longer a part of AAMFT, we know many members will want to continue their membership with AAMFT, and we applaud that. Family Team is the advocacy aspect of AAMFT, and if you wish to work on legislative issues through AAMFT, we encourage you to email Steve Rodgers, at stephen.rodgers57@gmail.com and let him know.

You can also join ORCA on Facebook and Instagram!

Thank you and welcome to ORCA.

Jeffrey Christensen, LPC | ORCA President-Elect

Steve Rodgers, LMFT | Past OAMFT Chair

Tever Nickerson, LPC | ORCA President

Gianna Russo-Mitma, LMFT | OACES President, ORCA Past President

Larry Conner, LPC | COPACT President

AndreaWright Johnston, LMFT | COPACT President Elect

In response to the shootings in Atlanta

Support Coordinator — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 16:10:00 GMT

The Oregon Counseling Association is deeply heartbroken by the hate crimes committed against Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities, which have risen drastically during the last year and which were called into sharp focus this week by the murders in Atlanta.

ORCA and our affiliated divisions mourn this tragedy—and we unequivocally denounce these acts of white supremacy.

We stand in solidarity with our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities and colleagues who continue to experience senseless acts of racism, oppression, and trauma.

ORCA and our divisions will continue to confront racism by challenging social injustices in our communities and profession, practicing anti-racism inside and outside of sessions, continuing to fight oppression on all system levels, and working toward sustainable change with our educational events and advocacy work.

We hope you join this fight as well-- here are some helpful resources to start or continue your anti-racism work and advocacy to stop Asian hate:

Boston College Racial Trauma Toolkit

The Racial Healing Handbook by Anneliese A. Singh, PhD, LPC

Stop AAPI Hate

Asian Law Caucus

Powell’s Books reading recommendations

Here are some helpful resources for folks within the AAPI community:

Asian Mental Health Collective

Subtle Asian Mental Health Facebook group

Please provide support, empowerment, healing, and a listening ear to what folks are going through.

We see you and we stand with you. Please take good care of yourselves and each other.

Covid-19 Information

Support Coordinator — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:42:50 GMT

ORCA is committed to sharing the latest information about the COVID-19 pandemic—particularly around access to vaccinations for counselors and therapists. To that end, please see Copact's dedicated vaccination webpage for the latest info.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer's office has compiled an extensive list of resources to help people affected by COVID-19. The resources include ones for food access/resources, shelter, utilities/rent, businesses/workers, tenants/landlords, college students, resources in Spanish, and more. We are grateful to Rep. Blumenauer and his staff for generously sharing this resource list.

It is a viewable/downloadable Google Sheet and updated frequently. Click this link or the image below to view the resource list.

Resources:

OHA COVID-19 Vaccine website: https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov/
General Questions: COVID19.vaccine@dhsoha.state.or.us
COVID-19 FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine in Oregon
Oregon’s Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan and COVID-19 Phase 1a Sequencing Update
COVID-19 Phase 1a Sequencing FAQ: Oregon’s Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan: Frequently Asked Questions
Provider COVID-19 Vaccine Planning https://www.oregon.gov/oha/covid19/Pages/Healthcare-Partners.aspx
Provider Vaccine Enrollment Site: https://immalert.oha.oregon.gov/

We stand with Black Lives Matter.

Support Coordinator — Fri, 29 May 2020 16:12:42 GMT

The Oregon Counseling Association stands with the Black community.

We stand with the Black Lives Matter movement and denounce the pervasive targeting and murder of Black people by police, as well as the systemic racism that condones such actions rather than condemning them.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of victims of police and racial violence, and our solidarity with those who fight against it.

We recognize the physical and psychological trauma perpetrated on the Black community by repeated acts of violence and the generations of oppression that continue to enable such acts. We are committed to fighting systemic oppression in Oregon and across the country. We recognize the physical and psychological trauma perpetrated on the Black community by repeated acts of violence and the generations of oppression that continue to enable such acts.

To our Black, Indigenous, and POC counselors and communities—we stand with you.

To our White counselors—we have work to do. It is not enough to say we support our colleagues, our friends, our clients, and our fellow humans in these times. It is imperative that we use our privilege to usher in real change.

The day we will not need riots to call attention to the system of inequality will be the day we are already listening, learning, and enacting our solidarity.

It is all of our work to undo anti-Blackness, dismantle White supremacy, and advance racial justice.

It is our deepest hope that all of us will recognize the unique position we hold as mental health professionals. We are the most qualified to help our clients, our neighbors, our friends, and ourselves deconstruct the narrative of hate that perpetuates this violence.

We urge White counselors and allies to explore these resources:

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

103 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism

Please also consider exploring more resources at Anti-racism: Activism Resources, Education, and Stories by Minna Lee.

It is also imperative that government officials in Oregon understand the position they must take in response to these atrocities. Contacting your representatives to voice your concerns and to demand that the appropriate actions be taken is a vital part of this fight. Please visit Oregon Legislator Lookup and search with your home address to find your representatives’ contact information.

In response to the recent mass shootings

Support Coordinator — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:25:02 GMT

We at the Oregon Counseling Association want to express our deepest condolences to the community, families and friends of those killed in these horrendous shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

As we move through the devastation of gun violence in our nation once again, it is inevitable that mental health and issues of access to mental health care will be drawn into the conversation. Often mental health is represented as the largest cause of such violence, when it is in fact often driven by racism, fear and hate. This violence has its roots in white nationalism and the divisiveness of white supremacy--not mental illness.

As mental health professionals, we cannot stand by and allow this to be misrepresented as an issue of mental health. We believe that it is important, especially in times of overwhelming tragedy, that we advocate for those with mental health needs. Individuals with mental illness cannot continue to be the scapegoat for these kinds of hateful acts. The characterization of this violence as a mental health issue will only further stigmatize mental health care and further discourage those who need resources to seek them out. While we recognize that there is a small percentage of violence that stems from issues of mental health, these were deliberate acts of hate and divisiveness. We are clear on where we stand. We must speak out against hate and stand in our determination to advocate for equity and justice.

One of our greatest strengths as a nation is our ability to unite in ways that show our hearts, our strengths, and our deep capacity for compassion. This requires us to have deep conversations about the reality of our country and the misinformation and fear that continues to drive the conversation around gun violence, immigration and terrorism. Such conversations require vulnerability, openness and a willingness to come to the table to discuss how to heal and create change. They require honesty about the roots of racism, white supremacy and fear. They require our best efforts in moving forward. We must take the values that help us in this field out into the world.

The Oregon Counseling Association seeks to support the communities impacted by these horrendous acts of hate and gun violence. For anyone affected by gun violence- we encourage you to seek help. The following resources are available:

https://everytown.org/momentsthatsurvive/resources/

https://everytownresearch.org/impact-gun-violence-american-children-teens/

https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/mental-health-resources/gun-violence-trauma-resources

Sincerely, on behalf of the ORCA board,

Alana Ogilvie, president

Kimberlee Harrison: When the Grief Counselor is Grieving

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 07:03:27 GMT

I’m a Certified Grief Counselor (GC-C), and at any given time I have at least two clients who are experiencing grief. Loss can come in many forms: loss of a relationship, a family, a job, a home, a way of life, and, of course, loss through death. I support people on their journey through processing the losses in their lives. What happens, though, when the grief counselor is grieving?

To read more, click here.

Roger McKeever: The Lost Art of NOT Trying to Make Everything Better

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 07:02:05 GMT

To be perfectly honest, the last few weeks have been difficult. I’ve been edgy, agitated, grumpy, and just not myself. I’ve mostly felt like a deflated balloon. As the darkness has intensified so has my need to hibernate. More accurately, isolate. I’ve tried to use all of my coping tools, but nothing really worked. There’s just been this underlying anxiety that has been vibrating at the core of my body. I know a lot of you can relate to that feeling of anxiety that doesn’t really have a name or words, and yet it just doesn’t go away. It’s real. I kind of dropped off of social media, and I stopped spending time with my friends.

To read more, click here.

Moira Ryan: On Authenticity

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 07:01:05 GMT

A lot of the time, this field is akin to detective work. We worry that our helpees are not being honest with us, or we wonder about which parts they’re hiding. “I’m smelling underlying trauma,” we say to one another, or, “Maybe a talk with the department head?” or, “I have to wonder if he’s using more often than he’s telling me.” This search for what’s real makes so much sense. We know how much of ourselves we’re concealing. We hide most of our unpleasant, nutso thoughts and our weird, compulsive behaviors because we know that if the world saw us as we really are, the world would reject us. We conceal ourselves in shawls of mindful, positive gratitude because the world is largely not a safe place. We strive to create a safe place in which our clients can actually access their experience and move toward ever-increasing congruence. We watch our clients for signs of dishonesty because we want to do all that we can to help them move into their authentic selves.

To read more, click here.

Larry Conner: Can We Call Ourselves Psychotherapists?

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 06:59:52 GMT

Recently I was asked to join a listserv debate about whether it is legal for anyone other than a licensed psychologist to use the title “psychotherapist.” There were some psychologists, LCSWs, LPCs and LMFTs on the listserv who were honestly confused because the psychology statute in Oregon explicitly states that only psychologists can use the term “psychotherapist.” This kind of thing pops up on the Oregon Psychological Association listserv every few years and typically a great deal of confusion and hurt feelings arise.

To read more, click here.

Roy Huggins: Roy's Top 5 Social Media Ethics Issues

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 06:58:31 GMT

Given the developments we saw in the world of social media in 2018, it’s a wonder we’re still using the big networks like Facebook and Instagram. Not only are people all over the world just as active as ever in posting dinner pics and political memes, however, but more and more therapists are using social networks to enhance and assist their practices.

To read more, click here.

Anonymous: A Christmas Memory

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 06:56:39 GMT

My father and stepmother sat at one end of the table, my grandma beside them and my siblings, our significant others and I had claimed the benches and nooks and crannies around the remaining edges of the dining room table. We had a pretty amazing feast laid out for Christmas dinner, everyone having done their part to ensure that all, including the gluten-intolerant, vegans and vegetarians among us, would not go unsatisfied over the holiday. We opened Christmas crackers and wore the paper crowns as we ate, shared stories, took jabs, and laughed at times gone by and exciting things for the future...

To read more, click here.

Ally Anliker: New Year's Reflections from a Single Mom

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 06:48:16 GMT

It’s the New Year. It’s a perfect time to reflect on events in the old year; what to let go of and what to bring forward into 2019...

To read more, click here.

Sofia Jasani: Celebrating Diversity + Offering a Seat at the Table

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 06:45:59 GMT

On Friday, January 18th, ORCA hosted the first ever Counselors of Color Reception. More than 50 counselors, social workers, psychologists, counseling students and counselor educators who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) gathered for an evening of community, celebration, and support...

To read more about this event, click here.

Statement by the Oregon Counseling Association Against Trans Exclusion at the National Level

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 19:30:51 GMT

Regarding the 2018 Election - An Open Letter from ORCA's President

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 07:23:47 GMT

Hello ORCA members,

As you know, it’s an election year and November is quickly approaching. As a non-profit organization, it is the Oregon Counseling Association’s choice (and duty) to fight for the well-being of all Oregonians, whether they be counselors, clients, both, or neither.

The three measures on the ballot this November that we, as a Board, voted to take a stance on through COPACT. COPACT (The Coalition of Professional Associations for Counseling and Therapy) is the organization that works with our lobbyist to ensure that we are protected as counselors and therapists, as well as making sure that our clients and their mental health is protected, and allowing ethical policies to progress. This November, you will see COPACT’s name in the Voter’s Pamphlet.

Ballot Measure 102

COPACT publicly supports a YES vote. This is something that affects many folks in Oregon, especially low income folks and families. This measure would allow local governments to fund and construct more affordable housing, which is desperately needed across Oregon. It passed the legislature with bipartisan support and requires voter approval.

Ballot Measure 105
COPACT publicly supports a NO vote. Measure 105 would throw out Oregon’s existing “sanctuary” law. This law passed with broad support from Republicans and Democrats and has been protecting Oregonians from unfair racial profiling for more than 30 years. If Measure 105 passes, it could open the door to racial profiling and families being separated, simply because someone is perceived to be an undocumented immigrant. As counselors, we know how deeply harmful and traumatic such family separations are to children. A “no” vote on Measure 105 will keep the existing law in place, ensuring that local police resources are not used to pursue and detain people based solely on suspicion about their immigration status, while also ensuring that local police can continue to hold anyone--regardless of their immigration status--accountable who commits a crime.

Ballot Measure 106
COPACT publicly supports a NO vote. This measure targets and disproportionately harms low-income women and public employees, by prohibiting any public funds for abortion, with narrow exceptions. This means that those Oregonians who access health care through OHP, and those who are public sector workers— such as teachers, nurses, and firefighters— would have their reproductive health care options limited. In cherry-picking and prohibiting certain aspects of health care based on ideology, Measure 106 sets a dangerous precedent that could open the door to limiting other types of care, such as coverage for gender affirming care, for example. It is our ethical obligation to stand up for all Oregonians, and this measure disproportionately targets women and low income folks, contradicting who we are as healers.

If you would like to know more about ORCA and our Advocacy efforts, please visit our website. If you would like to donate to COPACT, please visit their website.

Get out there in November and VOTE! Vote like your life depends on it, because it does. And if your life doesn’t depend on it, please use that privilege and power to help other folks!

Let’s continue to empower not only this profession, but the folks we stand up for everyday. Thank you.

Gianna Russo-Mitma, M.S.,LMFT

President, Oregon Counseling Association

Katie Playfair: Working with Chronic Mystery Illnesses

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 04:41:16 GMT

Nearly every person highlighted in Afflictedhad suffered significant financial losses as a result of pursuing treatments for their chronic mystery illnesses. Certainly, some ethical healthcare practitioners were featured on the series but in many cases, as we listened to the assessments, diagnoses, and treatments doled out by (sometimes) licensed medical practitioners to these patients, we were in shock. The basic “science” they presented to support their care was often patently false and the treatments cost thousands of dollars of out of pocket expenses. We were literally shouting at the TV as we watched some scenes, saying “No no please don’t do it! That’s not going to work… They’re stealing your money!! No!!!”

Click here to read more.

Larry Connor: On Unionizing

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 04:36:41 GMT

My career as a professional counselor started 31 years ago. My first jobs were in two chemical dependency treatment programs and on a crisis team in a community mental health program. I happen to believe it is a good idea to work in various areas of the mental health system when you are early in your career, finding your path into the field. Registered interns need clinical hours and supervision, and historically both were available in agencies. Registered interns also need experience with various types of clients with different types of mental illness...

Click here to read more.

Statement by Oregon Counseling Association Regarding the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance Policy and the Detainment of Immigrant Children

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 23:05:44 GMT

June 27^th, 2018

Statement by Oregon Counseling Association Regarding the Trump Administration’sZero Tolerance Policy and the Detainment of Immigrant Children

Oregon Counseling Association is shocked and saddened for the thousands of immigrants, including over 2,000 children, who have been detained and separated from their family members as a result of the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance Policy. Even in this time of extraordinary political divide in our country, the policy and its resulting practices have been widely condemned by individuals and organizations across the political spectrum. While President Trump last week signed an Executive Order formally ending the practice of separating families the border, there is still no timetable for reuniting separated families, and multiple news outlets are reporting that detained migrants are being offered reunification with their children only if they agree to withdraw their asylum cases and be voluntarily deported. Some current and former U.S. government officials believe that many of the separated families will never be reunited.

As counseling professionals, we possess an intimate knowledge through our training and clinical experiences of the harmful consequences of adverse childhood experiences, as well as the trauma that results from forced separation of any duration from parents and caregivers. Separating and detaining children and families indefinitely is a clear catalyst for trauma, and there have been disturbing reports of the treatment children have received while detained, including being forcibly given psychotropic drugs without patient or parental consent in response to behaviors that counseling professionals can easily identify as trauma responses.

The actions sanctioned by our federal government’s policy represent clear risk factors for future mental health and substance abuse challenges. As such, our profession’s values, as well as our roles as advocates for positive change, compel all counselors to condemn this inhumane policy in the strongest possible terms. The American Counseling Association has called on the Trump Administration to immediately and permanently end family separations and the zero tolerance policy, present a clear plan with a timeline for reuniting detained children with the parents or legal guardians who brought them to the U.S. border, and present a clear plan for providing treatment of the trauma inflicted on all family members impacted by this policy.

We urge ORCA members and the broader counseling community to take action. Call or write letters to your congressional representatives urging them to demand that the Trump Administration promptly reunite and provide treatment to the thousands of individuals harmed by the Zero Tolerance Policy. While we recognize that the counseling profession is comprised of both critics and supporters of the current administration, it is also true that our training and knowledge related to human growth and development knows no political ideology. Please join us in standing up in support of detained immigrants and in opposition to government-sanctioned trauma.

Joel A. Lane, PhD LPC NCC
President, Oregon Counseling Association
president@or-counseling.org

It's official: ORCA is now partnered with Person Centered Tech!

Wed, 09 May 2018 22:03:28 GMT

We are delighted to announce a new benefit for ORCA members stemming from an exciting new partnership between ORCA and Person Centered Tech—a Portland-based company providing mental health professionals with guidance and consultation regarding technology security. Person Centered Tech (PCT) demystifies the legal and technical topics that are required of counselors by providing education, tools, and resources required to help make your business successful.

As part of their partnership with ORCA, PCT has agreed to provide ORCA members with quarterly ORCA-members-only webcast “office hours,” where you can get your burning tech and ethics questions answered by the experts at PCT. Reserve your spot and submit your questions today for the first ORCA/PCT office hours Thursday, May 31st at 10am! And if you're not yet an ORCA member, join up now so you don't miss out on this great resource. You'll be able to watch the webcasts live online, or later on the ORCA website by logging into your members-only page.

We are ecstatic about this opportunity for our members, as this benefit will assist you in ensuring that your policies and practices related to technology are HIPAA-compliant and in line with the laws and ethics of our profession.

See you Thursday, May 31st at 10am for the first ORCA/PCT office hours. Reserve your spot and submit your questions today!

Harry C. Dudley: Death with Dignity

Wed, 02 May 2018 04:18:24 GMT

From the Spring 2018 issue of The Counselor:

As a clinician treating a client suffering a terminal illness, it is possible that your client may request from their attending physician a prescription for a lethal dose of medication consistent with the Death With Dignity (DWD) statutes of Oregon, and for those of us practicing on the border, Washington State or California. It is conceivable that the attending physician may have concerns about whether your client is competent or capable of making such a decision, and while you would not be asked to render the ultimate opinion on the matter, which is akin to a forensic opinion, you would no doubt be consulted with concerning your observations and clinical opinion.

The intent of this article is to provide a basic orientation for counselors in Oregon of a few of the relevant statutory factors so that they are better able to consult with other professionals involved in evaluating the client’s competence or capacity to proceed with DWD...

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Sasha Strong: Grieving Gendered Selves

Wed, 02 May 2018 03:50:34 GMT

From the Spring 2018 issue of The Counselor:

Finding out who I am as a person is an unfolding journey that has taken me through the uncharted waters of gender, identity, sex, power, and privilege (Bornstein, 2013). During this process, I have felt trapped, stuck, confused, angry, overwhelmed, powerless, ashamed, despairing, and joyful. Similarly, my trans* clients have experienced waves of confusion, disorientation, anger, grief, sadness, loss, and the discovery of something new. These emotions accompany different chapters of the journey of gender, as my clients and I have moved from a received/socialized gender identity into expanding vistas of gender possibility and freedom. As counselors and therapists, we can help people in their journeys of becoming their unique selves, by midwifing people through the process of becoming a new self, recognizing that self, growing into it, giving it up, and grieving the self—then beginning the cycle anew...

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Kris Fant: No Platitudes, Please

Wed, 02 May 2018 03:45:23 GMT

From the Spring 2018 issue of The Counselor:

The most well-meaning person may still occasionally find themselves saying “time heals all wounds” or “it was meant to be.” As mental health counselors, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We must recognize the grief that accompanies life, and hold space as clients experience the various dimensions of grief, allowing them to find their way through...

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Eliza Alvarez McBride: Culture and Grieving "Well"

Wed, 02 May 2018 03:36:50 GMT

From the Spring 2018 issue of The Counselor:

When I was 12 years old, my family and I flew from America to Southeast Asia to visit my ailing grandfather. To my relief, my grandfather made a recovery, and surprisingly, it was my great-grand uncle who passed away suddenly. After learning of his death, relatives immediately began reciting prayers and weeping openly. I recall how my parents, siblings and I sat there awkwardly, feeling out of place. The only other funeral I had attended at that point was at an American church; the service was subdued, and the following day everyone went back to work. On the other hand, when my great-grand uncle passed away, relatives took time off, made several tables worth of food, and spent days eating and sharing stories. I would remember that time again nearly ten years later, after getting a message that my grandfather had passed away. I read that message alone in my college dorm room, aware that I had work and class early the next day. I had to schedule time to cry. I told a classmate about my grandfather’s passing, and her reply was, “You seem to be grieving well.” What did that mean?

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Ronda Gallawa-Foyt: When Death Makes No Sense

Wed, 02 May 2018 03:35:01 GMT

From the Spring 2018 issue of The Counselor:

When my father died by suicide I was brought to my knees by overwhelming feelings of shock, disbelief, confusion, pain, guilt, anger, and love for him.

If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide, you share something profound with others who have experienced this life-shattering event. You are forever a member of a group you never wanted to belong to...

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Larry Conner: Don't Take It for Granted

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:13:01 GMT

At the ORCA Fall Conference, COPACT distributed a written history that explained how there was a fifteen year challenging journey for LPCs and LMFTs to receive insurance reimbursement, which was finally achieved in 2009 with the passage of our Practice Act. During the Conference, I was amazed by how many people told me they had no idea there was a time when LPCs on Oregon could not receive insurance reimbursement.

Yes, for most of my career, I worked primarily on a cash basis. I chose to get a Masters in Counseling Psychology because I wanted the strongest clinical training I could find. I knew I would not receive insurance payments, but I assumed we would fix that later. It turned out to be much later. Please never take for granted how challenging it was for LPCs and LMFTs to practice on a cash basis, and how hard we had to work to achieve insurance equality with other providers.

Earlier this year, I received a call from the President and President-elect of the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association. They wanted to talk with me about my experience as the President of the Oregon Mental Health Counselors Association when we merged with the Oregon Counseling Association in 2013, which we did to cement stronger funding to pay for COPACT’s lobbyist. They told me that, after 20 years, WAMHCA had lost the ability to pay for a lobbyist. They said they were deeply worried about the future of Mental Health Counseling in Washington. I was surprised by what they said because WAMHCA had been a powerhouse in the Washington Legislature for a long time. For example, Washington Mental Health Counselors achieved the right to receive insurance payments long before we gained that in Oregon.

After I hung up the phone, I was worried. If it could happen in Washington, it could happen here. Once a professional organization becomes aware of how a state legislature works, it is a terrifying prospect to not have a lobbyist in the state capitol. All kinds of bad things can happen if we do not have a lobbyist protecting us.

Why did WAMHCA lose its ability to pay for a lobbyist? Simply because Washington Mental Health Counselors became complacent and stopped being members of WAMHCA. Their funding base shrunk and eventually they could not pay their lobbyist.

I fear we may be heading in the same direction in Oregon. There are just over 3000 LPCs in Oregon. Only 331 are paying members of ORCA. There are just over 1000 LPC interns. Only 126 are members of ORCA. The way things are currently, only about 11% of potential members are in ORCA.

Thanks to you for your commitment to ORCA. You are the ones who keep the train moving. Where are the rest? I fear they are lost in complacency. They must assume somebody else will cover for them.

Psychologists and Social Workers are loyal to their professional organizations. The vast majority of them belong to their professional organizations, so their funding base for lobbying is secure. That makes them safe and effective in the legislature. They know how much their lobbyists do for them and their clients, and they sustain them by paying organizational dues.

So, this is what I invite all ORCA members to do:

Please ask your colleagues if they are members of ORCA. If they are not, inform them what ORCA does for them and tell them they are hurting themselves and their futures by not becoming members. Show them the history of COPACT. Tell them COPACT’s lobbyist is paid out of ORCA dues. Without increasing the number of ORCA members, we may be facing the same issue WAMHCA is to our north.

Let’s nudge all of our friends to get out of complacency and into action. Let’s get out the word: we need more LPCs and LPC Interns in ORCA. Pass the word. Show them the COPACT History. Talk about the importance of attending the yearly Fall Conference and ORCA workshops like the upcoming Grief training. Keep passing the word…and don’t stop.

Bill Maier: How to Best Serve Those Who Served

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:11:44 GMT

Treatment of individuals and families affected by military experience requires a special set of sensitivities. The military provides an environment outside mainstream culture. Combat dramatically reduces the similarities to civilian life. During military involvement the veteran may have been at life-time peak of responsibilities with valuable resources and life and death situations.

Current combat settings have required most veterans and their families to survive multiple deployments. Families with children are separated during important developmental stages. The combatants return home to partners who have learned to take on increased responsibility for managing home and family. The veteran can begin to feel like a stranger and find themselves withdrawing and isolating from family and friends. Each military and combat setting is unique as is the environment here at home. The family and the veteran have unique, pre-existing coping strategies for dealing with change. Readjustment work needs to pay attention to who is readjusting to what.

Our job, as mental health workers, is to provide knowledgeable arenas for these people to explore the changing connections to one another. The veteran living alone may believe it is easier to never be understood again. The family member may begin to isolate. Anxiety, depression and panic attacks are the issues they face most often. Of course, even bigger problems will ensue when anger issues and/or chemical dependence problems develop.

Beginning trainings to help you treat veterans and family members are provided by the Returning Veteran Project as well as consultation groups and peer support are also provided for our volunteers. Our advanced and state of the art trainings help push your skills to take advantage of your unique approach to psychotherapy. We have training relations with some of the most knowledgeable presenters in the world, as well as experts from the local community and the Portland/Vancouver VA Medical Centers.

The Returning Veteran Project would love to have you on our team of mental health and somatic providers committed to our mission: To provide free health and wellness services to post-9/11 war zone veterans, service members and their families in our Oregon and Southwest Washington communities.
For more information please visit us at returningveterans.org.

Bill Maier, LCSW serves on the Board of Directors of the Returning Veterans Project and maintains a client-centered, developmentally informed private practice. He formerly created and supervised a program for the treatment of PTSD for the five tribes of the North Olympic Peninsula.

Gianna Russo-Mitma: Concrete Strategies for Creating Healthy, Assertive Youth

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:09:49 GMT

The year of 2018 is here, but somehow, everyday feels like it’s 1955. It has now been almost one whole year with a new administration, a new political climate, and new issues arising everyday. However, many of these issues have been all too familiar for many folks, and those issues are just coming to the surface for so many others. I’m talking about sexism.

With almost each day bringing “shocking” news of some male in power abusing women, folks are asking “Why didn’t she say anything for 10 years? Why does he have to lose his career? Do we even know if this is true?” (I write the word shocking in quotations because this news is nothing new for the folks who have experienced this.) It’s just another day of a man who happened to get in trouble. This is not the case for non-celebrities. Years and lifetimes go by without many women saying anything. And we wonder why. Maybe because we didn’t ask: “Is she ok? How can I help? What systemic and societal issues are at play with this? What am I doing to help or hinder this issue?”

This is also certainly not the case when women of color come forward. There is still an imbalance of power in society in which women of different races are believed in different degrees with their sexual assault allegations. Even with the #MeToo campaign, we lost sight as a society that this movement was actually created in 2007 by woman of color Tarana Burke, and not a white celebrity.

While there is controversy about the #MeToo campaign (feeling guilt if we don’t say something, feeling nervous that people will judge us if we come forward, wanting to stand up for women and share that it happens all too often, fear of normalizing and just “dealing with this part of society”), the helpful part was that the world realized that sexual harassment and sexism has happened to almost every woman unfortunately, and why it took so many disclosures to do so is not really progress, but this is the world we have for now, and progress can create change.

Many parents come into session and ask me questions from “Will this even harm them?” to “What can I do to protect my children from sexism in society?” As an advocate for youth in so many aspects of my career and life, I feel a duty and passion to work with youth on these topics because they are so impressionable with anything they hear, anything that is done or said to them, and they are aware of what is going on in society (more aware than many folks give them credit for).

Is this the world you want for your kids?

There are so many things that we can do as therapists, parents, and role models of youth today. We can teach (and model to) our clients the proper ways to communicate, discuss sexism in both subtle and overt ways, how to treat others respectfully, and how to spread the concept of equity. So, listen up, you awesome counselors! Below are some easy, useful ideas of what to talk to parents about, and what to model to your clients (of all genders, races, and ages). As we know, youth develop fast, so the sooner we start this, the better:

-Instead of “gendering” things like toys, clothes, jobs, and activities, let kids play with toys they want to, rather than restrict their play and imagination to just pink or just blue (or what section of the store you found the toy in)

-When asking kids what they want to be when they grow up, don’t start to give “gendered jobs” of the past, and start using terms like firefighter, instead of “fireman,” or flight attendant instead of “stewardess”, etc.

-Refrain from asking which “boys” or “girls” they think are cute in class because the language we use can send a heteronormative (non-accepting of non-straight couples) message

-Avoid making jokes (even if you think your kid is out of earshot) about genders that are actually harmful (i.e. women belong in the kitchen jokes) or enabling unhealthy behaviors because of gender (“that’s just what boys do”), or making any racial jokes as this shows races being above each other (why I have to say this in 2018 is beyond me); this is actually a part of rape culture (Rape Culture & Sexism)

-Teach that the word “no” is completely acceptable and they should use it when they want, especially when feeling uncomfortable. In fact, practice saying "no" more often because chances are, we sometimes don’t say “no” at the risk of hurting someone’s feelings or we want to be “polite”

-Teach and model healthy social boundaries: They don't have to hug people if they don't want to (and neither do you). Here is how to talk with kids about consent. Also, here is how to talk with older youth and adults about consent. Because unconscious does not mean consent, and sex is not to be expected for being nice or buying someone something

-Explain that we don’t need to be or say “sorry” for things that aren't our fault, and don’t be ”sorry" because you think you are a burden (Ask yourself “why am I sorry?”). Teach to apologize for wrong-doings that are actually their fault

-Understand and teach that it is completely acceptable for ALL humans to have feelings and express them (yes, I’m talking about crying — boys do it, too)

-Do not victim blame. Don't ask what anyone was wearing if they have been assaulted, or what a woman’s financial standing was, or what ethnicity she was. This also includes not slut shaming. A person’s value has absolutely nothing to do with the number of sex partners they have. If you are confused about any of this language, look at any comments section of a news story about a woman coming forward about a male in power sexually abusing her

-Do not body or fat shame (toward others, your kids, or yourself). Place value on other human characteristics and not just looks (intelligence, athleticism, musical talent, humor, goals, strengths, etc.). As therapists and parents, we also have to work on not shaming our own bodies either (kids and teens mimic what you do, not what you say)

-Sexting: So many clients have told me how violating this feels. Teach youth that sending pictures of privates parts or mentioning private parts is assaultive and violates folks’ boundaries

-Teach, model, and practice assertiveness— stand up for what you want, what you believe in, and what you will and will not accept from others

-Even though this one feels scary, work to correct others when they behave in an oppressive way (anything mentioned above). Your future self and your children will thank you

-Educate yourself and the youth around you on the Gender Wage Gap. Depending on when you read this article, for every $1.00 that white males make, white women are making about 77 cents, black women are making about 64 cents, and Latina women are making about 56 cents. Here is a video of kids explaining this concept— it so clearly shows that even with a wage gap, many of them think that women deserve this because that is what society has modeled

-And last, but MOST importantly: Understand your own privilege and power in society.

There are so many more ideas that we can utilize, but this article had to fit somehow! The main theme among these ideas is healthy modeling and starting it all right now. We can teach our kids 1,000,000 things, but what they learn comes from how they see us (and society) act and react.

If we work to better ourselves and strive for social justice and equity, our children will emulate this, and we can have hope for healthier generations to come. With powerful ideas, change can begin with people that believe in those ideas.

Now get out there and change the world!

Gianna Russo-Mitma, M.S., LMFT, is ORCA’s President Elect. She has a private practice in Portland working with teen girls and self-esteem, and co-parents after separation and divorce. She teaches various classes as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Portland and at Portland State University.

Harry Dudley, PhD: Adjunt Tx: Trauma-Informed Yoga?

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:07:59 GMT

When you think of yoga, you likely get a vision in your mind of difficult postures achieved via youth, strength, flexibility, and willpower. In many western yoga classes, yoga’s physical postures (asanas) are used as a means to get in a good work out or achieve some physical goal. Trauma Informed Yoga (TIY), also known as Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TSY), on the other hand, is an emerging practice that combines the centuries old traditional yogic practices with the findings of contemporary psychology and neuroscience. From my perspective, TIY is more consistent with the original definition of yoga, defined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (compiled around 400 CE): Yoga is that which stills the fluctuations of the mind.

Those who have experienced trauma can find health club yoga classes triggering, unsafe, or even rejecting. Indeed, I have heard many clients describe their previous experience of a standard yoga class as being very uncomfortable and as feeling that they “did not belong there” and “were not good enough to be doing yoga.” In a TIY class, on the other hand, the teacher creates an environment that is inclusive and welcoming of students as they are, however they show up at that moment. The language used for instruction provides options and possibilities for different practices and levels of engagement and participation.

A TIY class incorporates physical postures, works with the breath, and uses a variety of meditative approaches with the intention of enhancing the student’s self-knowledge, ability to self-regulate and tolerate uncomfortable affect. The emerging research is consistent with overall trends in the mindfulness domain – these practices cause changes in brain functioning. In addition to attenuating the symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, therapeutic yoga has also shown to have a beneficial impact on the management of chronic pain, diabetes, and insomnia, to name a few. Therefore, it is likely that some of your clients (maybe even you?) could benefit from TIY or a class that is taught from this perspective.

For the past ten years I have taught TIY classes, helped develop training and instructional materials, and have provided continuing education for Living Yoga, a wonderful non-profit that brings TIY into correctional settings, mental health facilities, drug treatment programs, etc. I have observed that a TIY class can appear very different than some of the fitness-oriented yoga classes. Students may each be manifesting the physical pose in very different ways, as the teacher gives many options (including doing nothing at all other than just being themselves and being there) and the language is much more invitational than offering specific directives. The pace is slower, and poses are held longer with an emphasis on taking the time to mindfully experience the sensation of the body in the moment. Attention to physical alignment comes from the perspective of safety and security, rather than striving to achieve the “perfect” pose. Attention to the breath is a consistent theme in a TIY class, and typically more time is spent in some form of meditation at the end of class. Indeed, I have taught classes that have been almost entirely pranayama and meditation. This meditation, such as yoga nidra, is carefully conducted in such a way as to enhance a sense of safety and integration rather than inadvertently reinforcing dissociation.

I would also point out that although I have used Sanskrit terminology in this piece, most of us who teach TIY classes minimize the use of such terms as it can be uncomfortable or intimidating for some, or simply irrelevant for others.

Some notable teachers have expressed concern about cultural appropriation and the need to decolonize yoga, and I value their contribution. I do find something illuminating about what these terms originally meant and how meaning has evolved, but on the other hand, the essential question is how to facilitate a healing experience for my student. So if simply saying “breath practice” is more beneficial than saying pranayama, then “breath practice” it is.

What should a counselor do when considering recommending that a client try yoga?

1) First, educate the client as to what TIY is and how it is different from a fitness-oriented yoga class. They may have had previous yoga experiences that were not empowering.

2) Next, if they are receptive, spend some time actually perusing websites of different studios that are convenient to them in order to find a studio and class that will maximize the chances for a successful experience. Encouraging them to try out a Level 2 vinyasa or hot yoga class, which may be great for some people, will likely be overwhelming for someone with complex trauma, and should be avoided if someone is in chronic pain. Even if a class is not explicitly labeled as TIY or TSY, descriptors can be helpful, particularly classes that are described as “restorative” or “gentle,” and beginners should always start with a Level 1 class. Most importantly, cultivate your own knowledge of studios and classes in your area. Many teachers offer private sessions, and I encourage clients to go for private sessions, particularly if they have a physical injury and chronic pain.

Living Yoga also offers public TIY drop in classes through these partner studios: Unfold Studio (Saturdays 8:00-9:00am), The People’s Yoga (Sundays 7:30-8:30am), Alano Club (specifically for people impacted by addictions and recovery, Sundays 2:00-3:00pm), Multnomah County’s North Portland Health Center (Thursdays 11:30-12:30), and Multnomah County’s Southeast Health Center (Fridays 10:30-11:30am). Donations are requested for studio space, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Harry Dudley, PsyD, has worked in the mental health field since 1982 in a variety of settings. Since 1990 he has specialized in the field of forensic psychology. In 1993 he relocated from Manhattan to the Pacific Northwest and established a private practice where he primarily focuses on providing forensic and clinical psychological evaluations. He also provides psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults. He is a Certified Integrative Restoration – iRest Yoga Nidra Teacher, and uses iRest with individual clients, groups, and yoga classes.

ORCA Conference Awards 2017

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:06:12 GMT

Larry Conner: Over the past two years, Chad Ernest has served admirably as the president of COPACT. He directed us through many complex political decisions, especially during the busy 2017 legislature. He brought insight, wisdom and energy to the work.

Chad lives out of his values. He works hard for his family and his clients, and he cares deeply about our world. He is the kind of person who has thoughtful opinions about current events all around the globe, and he operates from a perspective of social justice. He also has taken the time to understand how the many pieces of our mental health system work together. This award is a thanks to a worthy man who did hard work on behalf of all of you and all of your clients and made the world a better place over the last two years.

Compiled from *eight* nominations: Since 1991, Dr. Susan Bettis has served as the Clinical Director of William Temple House. She presides over the hands-on education of new counselors while maintaining her organization’s commitment to providing affordable therapy to Portlanders who need it most – without invoking shame. No one is turned away for lack of funds, and no one is asked to prove that they qualify for affordable counseling. Dr. Bettis contributes to the well being of so many in our community. Her streamlined internship program provides weekly seminars in concrete skills such as motivational interviewing, DBT, gerontology, psychopharmacology, and the neurobiology of addiction. She exhibits humane warmth, vast up-to-date scientific knowledge - and utter lack of ego - while gently supporting all who work with her toward being their best selves. Both in her position at WTH and during her 30 years of teaching (at just about every graduate counseling program in the region), Dr. Bettis has shaped and given confidence to generations of therapists. Imagine the ripple effect.

Lisa Aasheim: Gene Eakin has been in the counseling profession for over 40 years and in higher education for two decades. His advocacy and leadership hasn’t been limited to just school counseling, though. Those of you from the rural areas and far corners of Oregon, you should know that Gene Eakin has been busy reminding leaders & educators of your needs for access to quality services, continuing education opportunities, and professional support. He makes sure that the underrepresented are present in spirit, even when they aren’t present in person.

Lessons from Gene: Don’t wait for an invitation. Ask for one. Then show up. When your voice isn’t being heard, gather your to where the work is happening and be a part of it. Dr. Eakin is a leader who does the work. From the office of our state Representatives to the White House Convenings on Strengthening School Counseling, Gene shows up and does the work.

Jana DeCristofaro: The "You Poor Thing" Voice: How to Change Your Tone

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:03:50 GMT

At The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families, our peer support groups begin the same way every time. Each person is invited to say their name, age, who died in their life, and how that person died. I’m Jana, I’m 43, when I was 15 my grandmother was hit and killed by a subway train and we never found out if it was an accident, suicide, or if someone pushed her. I’m Caden, I’m 7, my dad died of cancer. I’m Amber, I’m 12, my brother hung himself. I’m Sadie, I’m 4, and my mommy died because she was really sick. In the everyday world, when we tell people someone in our life has died, the conversation usually takes an awkward turn. Even young children quickly learn to keep grief to themselves because it makes other people uncomfortable. As practitioners we can work to change this habitual silencing of grief.

One way to advocate for this is to create an environment of acceptance rather than sympathy. Almost every child I’ve met in my work is attuned to what they call the “You poor thing” tone of voice. Grieving people continually brace for gasps, platitudes, and people telling them how they should and shouldn’t feel. When met with these reactions and expectations, grievers can internalize them as evidence there is something wrong with them and how they are grieving. We can support clients to dismantle these beliefs and recognize they have a right to feel and express their grief. We can also help them identify what they need - and don’t need - from from family, friends, and school personnel.

With grieving children and teens, it’s vital to demonstrate we are not afraid of their stories and can withstand the intensity of emotions, thoughts, physical reactions, and questions they carry. To do this effectively, it’s important to connect with our own grief experiences. By exploring these, we can identify our often unspoken assumptions and anxiety about grief. We will be better advocates if we approach these stories with curiosity rather than fear and reactivity rooted in our unexamined grief.

Another area where we can advocate for children and teens is encouraging their adults to be honest about the death. When adults try to protect children from the truth, they fill in the gaps with guesses that can lead to confusion, pain, guilt, and shame. We can work with adults to help them find the right words to say. In general, it’s good to use clear, concrete language (Daddy’s heart stopped working, Mommy took too many pills) and let children’s questions guide what else to share. If children and teens trust they can ask questions and receive truthful responses, they are more likely to reach out to the adults in their lives for support.

Along with honesty, we also need to advocate for clients to be able to grieve in their own way. Grievers tend to be hard on themselves, whether for crying, not crying, being strong, being a mess, thinking about the person, or not thinking about the person. Grief is as unique as we are and even in the same family, we may grieve very differently. It’s helpful to let children and adults know there is no right or wrong way to grieve, but the belief that there is a right way can lead to misunderstandings and disappointment. As a therapist, you can help families to acknowledge, celebrate, and supporting each other’s individual ways of expressing grief.

As we delve into our personal grief experiences to uncover personal assumptions about how people should and shouldn’t grieve, we can engage in a similar process using a societal lens, taking into account how culture and systemic inequities influence how grief is defined and valued. Consider what might happen if we grappled with these questions each time a client entered our office: Who gets permission to grieve in our society and who doesn’t? Who is seen as grieving well/badly? Who gets access to resources and support? Who has the resources to care for themselves and others when someone has died? These questions don’t have simple answers, but there is power in keeping them close as we work with and advocate for those in grief.

Jana DeCristofaro, LCSW is the Volunteer and Children's Grief Services Coordinator at The Dougy Center for Grieving Children in Portland, Oregon, where she coordinates bereavement groups for children, teens, and young adults. Jana has presented at the National Alliance for Grieving Children and the Association for Death Education and Counseling conferences and is the co-author of a number of chapters. Jana is also the host and content manager of Dear Dougy, The Dougy Center's podcast. She’s also a speaker at ORCA’s upcoming Professional Development Event, “Death, Dying & Grief.” Register here.

Aaron Good: Advocacy & Confidentiality

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:02:32 GMT

Like many counselors, I’m on some Facebook groups and e-mail lists where counselors submit requests for referrals for clients who perhaps don’t fit into a counselor’s schedule or require a specific type of insurance that counselor doesn’t take. Many requests sound something like this: “I’m looking for a counselor for a 45-year old man dealing with grief over the death of his teenage daughter while also handling his high-stress job. Must have evening openings and be in-network with Providence and near his home in Sellwood or Woodstock area.”

Was all of that information truly necessary in order to find an appropriate referral? Was it necessary to share age, specific location, and the exact issue the client is dealing with?

The ACA’s rules for its own community forum contain a fairly restrictive interpretation of the ACA Code of Ethics: “It is not permissible to present aspects of a case on a counseling listserv or online forum even if the client’s name is not given. Information shared by a client and clinical impressions must be afforded the same level of confidentiality as the name of the client. Describing a client’s presenting problem, diagnosis, or clinical treatment approach through listservs or online forums – even if the client’s name is not given – is a violation of confidentiality.” (Click here for more info.)

There’s also the concept from HIPAA that we can apply here, that of “minimum necessary disclosure,” or, “what is the least amount of personal information I can share to achieve a goal.” If the goal is to find a counselor for the man described above, we can eliminate much of the details from the original request.

So how could that imaginary referral request above have been made in a manner that obscures the client's information better? How about this: “I’m looking for a counselor in Sellwood or Woodstock, in-network with Providence with evening hours available, who’s experienced with grief and loss in adults.”

Aaron Good, MS, CRC, LPC Registered Intern is a counselor in private practice, focusing on career, purpose, and identity. When he's not seeing clients he works for Roy Huggins, consults on marketing and advertising for counselors, and builds houses for immigrant and refugee families.

Kalindi Kapadia: A Full Circle: Thoughts on Working with Refugees

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:00:16 GMT

When I work with immigrants and refugees, I often think of my late aunt Pragna’s words: Human immigration is the basis of human evolution. It is how we evolve as a species. It is how life flows. I was in my early teens at the time and had scarce knowledge of global events, human psychology, or the capacity of our own species’ ability to persecute and consume its own soul. Twenty years later, those words feel heavy, laden with the pain, suffering, blood, and tears of millions who have escaped trauma and persecution. Some for being gay, some escaping the threat of honor killing for loving someone outside of their caste and religion, poverty, quality of life, political unrest, war and genocide.

My work with immigrant and refugee clients has come full circle back to myself. Little did I realize my own privilege of being born into an upper middle class Hindu family in the middle of Mumbai and how disconnected I really was from the challenges in rural India. Despite my own struggle of being a lesbian in India, I woke up to the rude shock of how privileged I was that my family unequivocally had accepted me. Sure, there was plenty of news about honor killings, and persecution of gays in India, but in my mind that happened elsewhere in those villages, far from me. I find it ironic that I have learned so much about my own identity and my own privilege here in Oregon. It would be fair to say I have learned more about India and myself here in Oregon than in India itself. What I have found is that there is a parallel process – while I grapple with the realities of being a woman of color here in Oregon, I also now walk with a new understanding of my own privilege back in India. Both of those realities can co-exist in an integrative fashion. It is true that all our stories – no matter how different – bind us together. Tightly and inexplicably, together. I feel honored to be the holder of the stories my clients have brought to me. I strongly believe that our role as counselors is to bear witness to the human story as a whole.

Almost every sixth adult in the United States is foreign born. Approximately 12 million immigrants are undocumented and approximately 60% have been in the United States for over 10 years (Baker & Rytina 2013). Working with this diverse population presents a unique set of legal, sociopolitical and clinical considerations (Sue & Sue 2016).

From a legal standpoint, laws governing immigration have been unfair. For example, until 1952 only White people were able to gain naturalized citizenship. This law changed in 1965 with credit going to the Civil Rights movement. Another policy called “Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program” (CARRP) makes it legal under certain circumstances (which the ACLU terms as over-broad criteria) to deny or delay citizenship and visas of people from Middle Eastern, Arab and Muslim countries. Some state laws specifically target immigrants, which essentially legalizes racial profiling. With regard to undocumented immigrants and the possible ending of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the implications for millions of immigrant families living in the United States are enormous. Adults who have been here since 2 or 3 years of age are facing the possibility of being deported to a home they have never known. The fear in this population is palpable. All of the above would need to be considered as part of the complex clinical landscape.

The role of a therapist while working with this population is somewhat adaptive and multifaceted in nature. The therapist may need to wear different hats. For one, it is important to stay abreast of current affairs and keep a keen eye on new laws that govern the legal status of. Partnering with legal professionals and coordinating client care can also be helpful. Taking the time to understand the current legal status of the individual will help immensely with building a therapeutic alliance so a clear understanding of the fear, anxiety and anticipation can be established. Counselors may find that providing psycho-education, advocacy and knowledge of community resources, such as agencies like Immigrant Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), resources for interpreters, and barriers to or ways of accessing institutional structures such healthcare, education and housing can be extremely helpful.

From a broader clinical standpoint, many immigrants and refugees find that seeking mental health treatment can be anxiety-provoking. What can be easily be misinterpreted by a therapist as noncompliant may be a lack of understanding of the process. Therefore, taking a lot of time to explain the process is key. When using interpreters, it’s important to keep in mind that most are not formally trained in mental health and translations in this context could be rife with bias or distress at hearing the information disclosed. On the other hand, interpreters are often a source of comfort and support for the client, especially with language barriers and feeling understood. Sometimes interpreters are the only constant person clients see since case managers and counselors change (if working in an agency). However, it is still recommended that interpreters are oriented to the nature of the work being done in order to adhere to best practices.

It’s important for therapists to consider that most immigrants come from countries that are collectivist in nature. This means that interdependency is valued over independence. Western capitalistic culture places an increased value on individualism, while collectivist cultures do not. This fundamental difference should be explored as it has far reaching implications for the quality of the therapeutic alliance between therapist and client. Extended family and community play a very important role in the health of many clients and involving family should be considered. In general, the practice of psychotherapy and counseling is primarily a Western philosophy and, therefore, inherently is influenced by Western thought. Having an operational understanding of that could prove beneficial for the counseling process. This area of practice can become rife with value-based conflicts, judgments, assumptions, and biases. Seeking regular supervision and consultation to clarify values-based questions that may come up for a therapist is highly recommended. In addition, many immigrants and refugees come from cultures with more defined gender roles and that is also a clinical consideration to be attended.

There are numerous special considerations for therapists working with refugees that have escaped persecution. The experience of trauma being the foremost. Refugees tend to experience more stress than immigrants due to the nature of their circumstances and the acute threat they experienced which led to them fleeing for their lives. Some may have witnessed their families being murdered or raped, or they themselves may have been beaten and had near death experiences. One of the clients I worked with was threatened to be killed by his own family for marrying outside his caste – a term called honor killing, a practice still active in the more rural parts of India. Another client was tortured and beaten up by corrupt law enforcement for being gay. His family and the police worked in tandem by threatening to kill both him and his partner.

They both escaped India together, but got separated in the jungles of Columbia and now months later, he has not yet seen his partner and does not know if he is alive or dead. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common in this population. However, not all suffer from PTSD and most can adapt well to their new home country given time and support. Complex grief and loss may be experienced due to abrupt separations and loss of their culture and homeland.

Coping with the level of trauma and grief could prove debilitating for some.

Establishing an understanding of the narrative and pre-migration story (Sue & Sue 2016) of the refugee – assessing how their life was before they fled, the circumstances that led up to them fleeing, and where they find themselves now is extremely important. Exploring how they perceive their story is also key to the assessment process. Inquiring about their life in their own country and getting a sense of how they lived, what they did on a daily basis, people they were attached to could prove helpful. For example, one of my clients was extremely close with his mother. His mother had accepted him being gay but was unable to speak up for him against her husband. As such, my client has not spoken to his mother for over a year.

Attachment trauma of such nature should be a part of the assessment as that experience will need to be woven into the larger experience of traumatic grief and loss. The initial process of developing a narrative of a client’s journey from their own homeland to the United States can help them develop a comprehensive view of their own story and landscape they have navigated and will be navigating. Exploring the client’s own understanding from the context of their own culture will likely lend itself to providing culturally competent services.

In our current contentious political environment, visceral fear of immigrants and refugees has at times reached fever pitches. Negative stereotyping has further marginalized an already marginalized population. While the counseling profession has made great strides to become culturally competent as a whole, there is still much work for all of us to do in this area through learning, challenging and overcoming our own assumptions and biases. This area of practice, especially in the Pacific Northwest, is still developmental in nature due to the demographics of the region. Therefore, it is increasingly important that we as a counseling community come together and share our knowledge, ideas and resources and support each other in this complex work.

Kalindi Kapadia, LPC, CADC III blends western as well as contemplative, insight-oriented Buddhist teachings into her work. With over 14 years in the field of mental health and addictions, she’s been fortunate to work with a very diverse population. She maintains a private practice specializing in working with dual diagnosis, LGBTQI, ethnic minorities, immigrants and refugees and people with cultural adjustment issues.

President's Letter: February 2018

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 18:59:00 GMT

Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who attended our Fall Conference in November! It was such a wonderful experience interacting and learning with our counseling community. I would like to thank Brenda Hanson and the rest of the Conference Committee for their extraordinary efforts in making the conference such a success. I am also deeply appreciative of Summer Brown and Dr. David Kaplan, who each provided challenging and informative keynote addresses.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to ORCA’s new Secretary, Sofia Jasani. Sofia is a student in the Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling program at Portland State University. She has previously worked for the Multnomah County chapter of NAMI as Education Program Director. Welcome Sofia! We are delighted to have you serving ORCA and the counseling profession.

The theme of this edition of The Counselor is Effective Advocacy Approaches. In this issue, you will find stories and guidance regarding client and professional advocacy. Advocacy is an essential component of our work as counselors, which is why advocacy is mandated in the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics. One tool that I have found to be invaluable is the ACA Advocacy Competencies, which remind us that advocacy necessarily takes place at the client, community, and legislative levels.

This special edition of The Counselor comes at a time of multiple important advocacy issues impacting mental health providers and consumers in our state. Recently, Oregonians participated in a special election on Measure 101, which would protect hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding, and potentially billions of dollars in federal funding, for the Oregon Health Plan. We need Measure 101 to pass in order to maintain stability of Medicaid and health insurance premiums in the state, not to mention the job security of counselors and other mental health providers. ORCA worked diligently to ensure the success of Measure 101, partnering with the Yes campaign and mobilizing members to recognize the gravity of the issue for our profession. [placeholder for sentence about whether or not 101 passed].

Concurrently, Oregonians have been grappling with the closure of FamilyCare. While the issue is complex and political, the closure resulted in the loss of over 300 jobs and the disruption of services of thousands of consumers. COPACT, the joint political advocacy group for ORCA and the Oregon Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, ensured that Oregon Health Authority has a viable plan in place for the transition of care for impacted consumers. We also disseminated information about the impact of the closure and shared advocacy opportunities with ORCA members.

I am grateful to the many ORCA members who got involved with these important issues. It is our hope that the articles in this issue will provide additional ideas regarding how counselors can support the success of our clients and our profession.

Sincerely,

Joel Lane, PhD, LPC NCC

President, Oregon Counseling Association

Deb Marinos: Counseling the Person with Legal Blindness

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:28:57 GMT

Counseling the Person with Legal Blindness

by Deb Marinos, CRC, LPC Intern

Imagine: your first consult with a new referral comes in, and they appear to be blind... but you can tell they’re not completely blind. You might feel uncomfortable asking questions or appearing to make assumptions about your new consult. I’m here to help.

First, legal blindness is defined by the Social Security Administration as a state in which vision is “20/200 or worse in the best eye.” With correction (usually glasses) a person with legal blindness’s vision is fuzzy and labeled Low Vision. They cannot recognize faces or read standard print. You might see a previous diagnosis of Macular Degeneration or Diabetes.

Some folks with slightly better vision can read and recognize faces; however they have great difficulty in moving around safely, finding objects and doorways. For these folks, you might find a previous diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa or Glaucoma.

I’ve spent several years helping clients with various degrees of sightedness, and as a person dealing with sensory disability myself, I’d like to offer my colleagues some specific tips to help the counseling room be more accessible and help folks feel more connected to you.

Transportation is by far the biggest challenge and frustration, especially for those who used to drive. For this reason, rigid policies about lateness and missed appointments will be problematic to the relationship if not managed compassionately. If folks need at the last minute to cancel their appointment because the bus is running late, a phone session might be something to consider.

First: ask them! Do not assume. Accept clients’ stories of their unique sensory disability and its impacts. Each person has a unique experience and may feel discounted if not feel heard. Appearances can be misleading.

Ask what makes them most comfortable in greetings. Do they want you to identify yourself? Can they find your door through the door verbally, or by handshake, or signs? What helps?

Ask, ask, ask! Can they see the clock? Is the lighting hurting their eyes? What are they hearing? (they might be hearing the stress in your voice!). Chuckle when you smile, and make sounds when you are listening or showing compassion. Consider other senses.

Consider describing the features of your office space. Consider where you place breakable objects – the holidays’ sudden onset of new items, often breakable, can be a minefield. What would it feel like to just give specific directions: “At your three o’clock, a small table sits two feet away from you.”

Consider: can the client get out to the door out on their own? Will the therapist help – no matter what?

Make it easy to request accommodations ongoing. Make forms accessible by sending by email or recording audio. You might consider getting a “Pen Friend” by RNIB – it’s an easy recording tool that lets you record to a sticker that can be played back by person with no sight with headphones. Print forms in larger fonts by request.

Make it ok to clarify as often as needed. Imagine keeping track of your life in your head if you couldn’t write notes. Offer to record sessions on their smart phone. Offer a wide marker and 3x5 cards for notes.

Thanks for your interest and concern for all of your clients.

Deb Marinos, MS, CRC, LPC intern has worked with many clients with varying degrees of vision loss for several years. Her practice: Adaptability for Life, LLC provides interactive training for professionals who want to understand how to make their workplace accessible. www.adaptabilityforlife.com

Joel Lane on Changing Campus Climate

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:27:16 GMT

OACES Corner: Changing Campus Climate

by Joel Lane, LPC, Ph.D, ORCA President

Photo by Gianna Russo-Mitma

Given the focus on intersectionality in this special edition of The Counselor, I wanted to devote this OACES Corner to sharing some of my observations working in higher education over the past few years. I work as an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at Portland State University, and in my four-plus years at PSU, I have witnessed some monumental shifts regarding campus climate and the overall university experience for students. There is a good chance you have heard about some of these shifts as well. There have been a multitude of think pieces in recent years about safe spaces, trigger warnings, and related concepts, with much of the coverage being negative (concerns generally involve free speech, coddling, etc.). I would like to take this opportunity to offer my perspective on why these changes are positive, important, and long overdue.

While there is considerable debate about campus climate trends, there is greater consensus about inequities in higher education on the basis of gender identity, race, sexual orientation, ability, and mental health status. There is a wealth of data demonstrating that some groups have historically enjoyed greater access to higher education, as well as higher retention rates once enrolled. It is my firm belief – and also the consensus among education researchers – that these inequities are self-perpetuating. That is, given that dominant cultures have been overrepresented among college attendees, we should expect this same overrepresentation to exist among those providing education to college students (which is unequivocally the case; for a clear example look no further than the demographics among counselors as a whole versus the demographics of counselor educators). This overrepresentation among educators means that we can also expect an overrepresentation of dominant culture perspectives in higher education curricula, which in turn makes it more likely for students with dominant cultural identities to thrive in higher education, perpetuating a cycle that makes it disproportionately difficult for individuals with minoritized identities to enjoy hte upward mobility that comes from a college education.

This brings us back to the topic of recent changes in the campus climate, which are being enacted in direct response to these inequalities. Providing safe spaces on campuses, for example, provides individuals with minoritized identities an opportunity to connect with their communities in an environment that is disproportionately comprised of non-minoritized individuals. It also makes it easier for these communities to organize and voice their experiences to the broader campus community. Similarly, despite the overwhelmingly negative public narrative around the issue of offering trigger warnings in class, doing so provides students with trauma histories or mental illnesses greater opportunity to learn and thrive in higher education.

These types of provisions are important even in a community like Portland (in fact, perhaps even more so), which prides itself on its openness and acceptance of alternative lifestyles. Many Portlanders would be shocked to know the number of times students have confided in me about being harassed on campus due to their transgender identity, ability status, race, and/or sexual orientation. Sadly, this harassment comes not only from other students, but sometimes from other campus faculty and personnel.

I see this issue as having implications for our counseling practice. Being a counselor has taught me time and again that all clients have different needs and perspectives, and part of what I love about our work is the creativity required of us to be responsive to diverse client perspectives. As an able-bodied, cisgender, heterosexual white man, it is especially important for me to be open to feedback and perspectives from individuals with non-dominant multicultural identities, as without such feedback I am likely limiting my effectiveness as a counselor and as a counselor educator to clients and students who share my identities. I implore all counselors and counselor educators (myself included), regardless of identity status, to strive to better understand how our identities and experiences have shaped our values and worldviews, and to continually learn about the values and worldviews of those who hold identities different from our own.

Joel Lane, Ph.D is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Portland State University. He provides supervision to registered interns and conducts research related to the mental health implications of emerging adulthood. He lives in Portland with his wife, Megan, son, Ari, and dog, Magglio.

Neil Panchmatia: Between Worlds and Identities

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:22:33 GMT

Between Worlds and Identities

by Neil Panchmatia

Immigration has been very much in the news recently. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are currently about 67.8 million forcibly displaced people around the world in need of immediate protection and assistance (UNHCR, 2017). Throughout the world, an unprecedented number of people continue to leave their home countries, either by choice (or degrees of choice) or by becoming forcibly displaced. Individuals and families are uprooted by social, political, and economic trauma – and too often, they are not well served by the current US system of mental health care.

Since the early 1990s Oregon has become home to an influx of migration due to economic and political turmoil. Most Oregon refugees initially resettle in the greater Portland metro area; Portland currently ranks eleventh in US cities that resettle international refugees. According to the Oregon DHS, refugees come here from all over the world, prominently from the former USSR (Russia, Ukraine, and Bosnia), South Asia (Bhutan), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Burma), the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia and Somalia), the Middle East (Iraq, Iran, and Syria), and Latin America (Cuba).

Research on displaced individuals has shown that a group’s proximity (in terms of outward appearance, language and culture) to the dominant culture of its host country largely determines its ease of acceptance and integration (Colic-Peisker 2005). Refugees who appear as “other” to the dominant racial/cultural group in a historically homogenous state such as Oregon often suffer a more negative experience around their resettlement. Displaced peoples from East Africa or the Middle East, for instance, live on the peripheries of society and are often segregated (physically as well as culturally). On the other hand, refugee groups such as Russians and Ukrainians that settle in Oregon can experience proximity in terms of skin color to the

dominant culture, and have therefore enjoyed a relatively easier integration.

The effects of displacement are well-understood: the trauma resulting from the loss of one’s home, loved ones, and community follows individuals and families all the way to one’s new life in a host country (Marlowe 2010). Such trauma often exacerbates the problematic expectations that you’ll adjust to life in the US as quickly as possible. Most support services here are discontinued within nine months. Refugees are expected to become self-sufficient almost immediately upon arrival by a capitalist system that mythologizes bootstrap-pulling at the expense of general well being (Tyson 2017). Other vital needs such as mental health care are ignored. A preponderance of refugees experience PTSD and similar effects of trauma which go undiagnosed and untreated due to the myriad barriers to accessible care. In Portland, a handful of immigrant and refugee support organizations (e.g., Lutheran Community Services) have stepped up to provide counseling services – yet barriers remain.

In working with forcibly displaced individuals, counselors may be tempted to prioritize one aspect of identity over more immediate concerns. While the experience of displacement is central, and the resulting trauma there is an important locus of concern in treatment planning, this limiting focus misses the mark in understanding the individual holistically. It is necessary to explore and include other salient components of these clients’ “hyphenated hybridities” toward creating a successful therapeutic alliance (Asghari-Fard & Hossain 2017).

Research shows that immigrants and refugees maneuvering arrival and adjustment in host cultures do so primarily by constructing and negotiating their identity (Asghari-Fard & Hossain 2017).

The result is a new, hybrid identity that consists of values, labels and roles that are emphasized differently in different settings. A Somali American would likely identify more as “Muslim” over “Somali” in a mosque setting, more as “Somali” within a community cultural organization, and more as “American” while engaging in civic activities such as voting or running for office. All three intersections of American, Muslim, and Somali are otherwise equally important intersections of identity: they are simply prioritized and performed as the situation demands. Adjustment to life in the US is an ongoing process, one without a finite end, and each individual experiences life between the currents of culture uniquely: constructing and negotiating her/ his/their identity independently and collectively with the larger community.

In Portland’s Somali community, for instance, identity intersections begin at the individual level and expand out to the societal level. For example, some intersections a Somali-American can have include: being female, black, African, immigrant, Muslim, queer, and differently abled. Identity is uniquely formed and negotiated by each individual. Identity, furthermore, informs the social roles an individual adopts. These social roles are an indication of which aspects of their identity are important to them and to what degree: a Somali woman, for instance, takes on the role of establishing an informal peer-counseling group within the local community in order to support women experiencing domestic violence (which trauma research shows is exacerbated as a result of the displacement experience). She hosts this group within the mosque, which has taken on the role of confronting domestic violence within the broader Muslim community, and so provides her necessary resources. She then may decide to go to graduate school and study counseling, so that she can continue to give back to her community by providing mental health services. She understands that Somali women prefer to work with other women when seeking mental health care. She also understands that needing and

seeking care carries a deeply embedded stigma within her community, and that individuals are hesitant to seek help. She understands that different sub- groups within her community have very different needs: the elders, youth, men, women, queer individuals, people with disabilities and people from different waves of immigration to Portland. She also understands that while she knows her culture and the experiences of her people best, her audience may be reluctant to see her for services because she is “too close to home” in a collectivistic community where reputations and social perceptions matter. Consequently, she decides to partner up with Lutheran Community Services as a “cultural broker” within the Somali community to start up a culturally responsive counseling program.

Take the pressure off the client to educate the counselor.

Mental health professionals should attempt to explore and understand the intersections of identity (or the hyphenated hybridities) of their clients while engaging in cultural humility. A respectful curiosity should be projected within counseling sessions, which creates a safe and brave space for exploration and expression of different intersections of identity. This space should also be designed to take the pressure off of the client to “educate” the counselor. Counselors should enter a session having done their homework and having some basic background information on the cultural and historical background of their clients (a quick Google search, for instance, can reveal so much about Somalia).

Displaying basic contextual knowledge about a client’s background in session (not cultural assumptions or stereotypes) can be an encouraging experience for clients and can facilitate a deeper exploration of identities.

The goal, within therapy, is to fully empower clients who have experienced the trauma of displacement and are maneuvering the additional stressors of culture shock, marginalization and other barriers to successful adjustment to life in the US. By creating and maintaining a therapeutic alliance and space that intentionally accommodates and celebrates all intersections of identity, mental health professionals will be able to cross cultural divides and provide the critical care and support needed. In today’s socio-political climate that “others” refugees and migrants and further pushes them to the fringes of society, this deliberate therapeutic intervention of culturally responsive care is nothing short of an act of much-needed social justice activism by helping professionals.

References

Asghari-Fard, M., & Hossain, S. Z. (2017). Identity construction of second- generation Iranians in Australia: influences and
perspectives. Social Identities, 23(2), 126–145.

Hardwick SW, & Meacham JE. “Placing” the refugee diaspora in Portland, Oregon: Suburban expansion and densification in a re-emerging gateway. In: Singer A, Hardwick S, Brettell C, editors. Twenty-first century gateways: Immigrant incorporation in suburban America. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press; 2008. pp. 225–256.

Colic-Peisker, V. (2005). “At Least You”re the Right Colour’: Identity and Social Inclusion of Bosnian Refugees in Australia. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 31(4), 615–638.

Marlowe, J. M. (2010). Beyond the Discourse of Trauma: Shifting the Focus on Sudanese Refugees. Journal of Refugee Studies, 23(2), 183-198.

Tyson, C. (2017). Towards a new framework for integration in the US, (February), 48-49.

Neil Panchmatia is a graduate student in counseling at PSU. He is from Kenya and wants to work with immigrant and refugee populations, and is also keen on continuing to work with other marginalized groups in Oregon, including racial/ ethnic and gender/sexual minorities as well as individuals with disabilities.

Gianna Russo-Mitma: It's Intimidating and Important... So Let's Talk About It

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:20:50 GMT

It’s Intimidating and Important... So Let’s Talk About It

by Gianna Russo-Mitma, MS, LMFT, ORCA President-Elect

Diversity and inclusivity have been in continual conversation within the Oregon Counseling Association, even more so since the change in our country within the last year. With our current President Joel Lane’s vision for our organization, ORCA’s critical goals have focused more on honoring diversity, connecting with more counselors of various backgrounds, and standing up for equity and equality (in small and large ways).

To get this started within ORCA, the organization’s newsletter, The Counselor (what you are reading right now), asked for articles on diversity, inclusivity, intersectionality, and advocacy. Articles poured in on so many amazing topics from people of all backgrounds – we were thrilled to hear from ORCA members who may have been less vocal in the past! We are so proud of you all for stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking the leap to write for us on such a major topic!

In my honest opinion, it's daunting to write about diversity as a white, cisgender female (as it should be, as I have admittedly faced much less oppression than other folks). While even trying to write this article, I've been nervously thinking, "What if people think I don't grasp what is happening?" Or wondering if people will say, "This white girl has no clue.” It’s scary to engage in discussions, because truly, I don't fully understand what it's like to be a person of color, or a member of the LGBTQIA community, or part of many marginalized groups; I can only empathize, listen, learn, and be the ally that I am. It is intimidating to engage in discussions like this, but in order to get anything accomplished for this important matter, we have to be uncomfortable, accept that we will make mistakes (then learn from them), pay attention to others’ experiences, and validate.

I’m thinking: What if people think I don’t grasp what is happening? Or wondering if people will say, This white girl has no clue.

Intersectionality is defined as the “complex way in which multiple forms of discrimination overlap in the experiences of marginalized folks” (Merriam-Webster). We talk about privilege with topics such as race, gender, citizenship status, and sexuality in mind. We easily forget that other privileges exist (i.e. ability, economic status, education, religion, genetics). With fall’s edition of The Counselor centered on intersectionality, I would like to talk about this topic from my personal experiences. I will preface my article with this: I cannot even fathom what it feels like to be in deeper marginalized groups.

I am a plus size female with asthma. When you read this, you may construct a quick judgment about me or the groups I belong to, you may have your own thoughts on it all, and you may even disagree that these attributes belong to “less privileged” groups. From my unique and individual experience (as these conversations are), I have faced challenges with these qualities, but probably nowhere near the challenges that others have faced for identities such as race, citizenship status, etc.

My first memory of being “different” because I had asthma was in elementary school during a (rare) snow day in Las Vegas. All the kids were allowed to go outside at recess and play it in, except the kids with asthma or other health conditions, who were required to stay in the multipurpose room. This marked the first time that I realized I was different from other kids, because until that point, I wasn’t. When P.E. became a required class, I was the kid that had to have a note from their parent that said I couldn't do certain things, and when the teachers forgot your letter from the first day of school, you'd have to mention it to them weekly.

Each time we had to run the mile, I was allowed to walk it, but then this created the "us and them" scenario, where I was one of the slow/fat/asthmatic/unhealthy/[enter any negative adjective here] kids. It always felt odd and uncomfortable.

My most recent experience of being told I could not do something due to this health issue was on vacation this summer. After planning for weeks, we decided to sign up for an underwater Caribbean Sea Trek. When we arrived, lo and behold, if you have anything on their medical list (asthma included) you are NOT allowed to do this activity. It is an awful feeling to be reduced to a label, told you’re not allowed. It is an oddly emotional experience. Aside from emotional stuff like this, having asthma (or any chronic health condition) is a huge nuisance. I have to use a Nebulizer (a really invasive machine with tubes and a mouthpiece), and I am always on the go with my inhalers (home, purse, car, etc).

Considering these turbulent political and societal times (and beyond these times): pause, take a step back, and listen to others' stories. Don't make assumptions. Keep an open mind. Ask questions. Mistakes are how we learn. I would much rather someone ask me questions than assume things about me. And if I, or others, don't feel like answering questions, we won't. Be open to constructive criticism and being educated on topics. Be aware that no one knows everything, including you. I learn things every single day from others, and it's beautiful.

In conjunction with ORCA's movement to honor diversity and create more discussions like this, our conference theme is “The Constant of Change: Ethical Counseling Embracing Diversity” which starts THIS WEEK on November 2-4 in Tigard. Register here.

We can, and we will, make society a better place – it just has to start with a conversation together.

Gianna Russo-Mitma, M.S., LMFT, is ORCA’s President Elect. She has a practice in Portland working with teen girls and self esteem, and co- parents after separation and divorce. Gianna also works with foster care youth, doing mental health assessments at DHS. She is also the lead counselor for Clear Transitions PDX and teaches at University of Portland and at Portland State University as an Adjunct Professor.

Hilary Kinavey on Weight-Inclusive Care

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:17:12 GMT

Weight-Inclusive Care by Hilary Kinavey, LPC

Body shame and dissatisfaction are a common concern in psychotherapy offices. Therapists are in a unique position to name and dispel myths regarding weight and body size with their clients. Unfortunately, many therapists do not feel adequately trained nor do they fully understand the impact of sizism on the lives of their clients.

Those of us who have worked in the disordered eating and body dissatisfaction corner of the mental health world know something that we wish everyone knew: there is no weight loss prescription, weight change suggestion or diet that is psychologically benign. Clinically and culturally, we fail to name and acknowledge the impact of weight stigma on us all. People large and small are often hustling for weight and body change and have their worthiness bound up in the pursuit. All too often, weight change is mistakenly seen as a possible and helpful intervention for clients who live in larger bodies or who feel dissatisfied with the bodies they are in.

It is very true that diets do not work. This is true for fad- diets, plans sold as “lifestyle changes”, and medically prescribed plans. In fact, 95% of diets fail, though often not initially. Typically, dieters regain weight at 2-5 years post diet. This is such a predictable occurrence that we must ask why it is we more commonly blame the individual than the diets or plans themselves? To avoid further harm, it is necessary to consider what could be possible in the lives and wellbeing of our clients if we located weight concern outside of the individual and named it as a cultural concern or mandate? When we critically evaluate the data, what we find is that the evidence that weight is even a risk factor is, at best, incomplete and contradictory. Here are the links to a few research articles critically evaluating weight science and offering data to support a weight-inclusive model of care:

Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm

The amount of weight bias in the literature (and therefore the medical community) is astounding. Health and mental health care providers must become critical reviewers of the research to provide safe and ethical services. Many studies finding a correlation between weight and health have not controlled for things like SES, weight cycling, fitness, stigma, oppression, trauma, and more. Correlation is different than causation.

Conversations about inclusion and social justice do not commonly include sizism and fatphobia. It is commonplace to believe that a little shame and public humiliation can provide catalyst for change – something we all know to be false about the change process. The truth? Fat people have always existed and will continue to. This is not an abomination or culture gone wrong. But it is an intersection. Fat people are less likely to be believed, trusted, treated (medically) and hired. Add intersections of race, ability, gender expression, and the injustice multiplies.

Consider who told you that people can and should lose weight.

Consider who taught you that people can and should lose weight. Check out the $60 billion+ industry that thrives on this and then research alternative approaches such at Health at Every Size® and Body Trust®. Look deeply into this. You will unearth more freedom for yourself perhaps. But do this for equity, truth and justice. Do this for your clients who expect you to collude with the problem of their body. Do this in the name of wellbeing and liberation.

Hilary Kinavey, LPC is the cofounder of Be Nourished, a revolutionary business that helps people heal body dissatisfaction and reclaim body trust. The Be Nourished Training Institute offers training for helping professionals who want to move towards weight-safe and inclusive care. You may also find them on Facebook.

Raina Hassan on Making It Visible

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:15:44 GMT

Making It Visible
by Raina Hassan, LPC, ORCA Past President

When I heard the upcoming issue of the ORCA newsletter was going to focus on intersectionality, I was both excited and frightened. I was excited because I knew I wanted to write about this topic; I was frightened because I’d never done so before and to embark on such a task—publicly—meant I would likely feel vulnerable in this new experience. But, as a therapist, I often encourage my clients to lean toward new experiences with courage and wholeheartedness, and since I try whenever possible to embody these attributes, I decided to volunteer to write about growing up a biracial woman. For clarity, let me explain that my mother is a white American and my father is a Lebanese-born Palestinian who emigrated to this country as a young man in the 1970s and later became a naturalized US citizen.

Prior to writing this article, most of what I’d come to understand about my experiences in the world relating to race and gender I’d seen as separate issues. I’ve thought quite a lot about how I’ve been challenged in the world as a woman, and I’ve thought quite a lot about my challenges as a mixed-race person. But, when I see the two together (which is the brilliant value of intersectionality), it shifts the frame of my experiences in a way that highlights the lived experience of these factors in concert. By the way, if you would like more clarity on what the term intersectionality means, Kimberlé Crenshaw, who created the term, offers an inspiring TED Talk (click here to view; trigger warning).

I’ll illustrate how I experience intersectionality by telling you about some of my experiences.

When I was in junior high, the first Gulf War was happening. We had televisions in the classrooms, and the name Saddam Hussein was frequently mentioned. Because I have had the immense privilege of being born with white skin, most people would only become aware I was mixed race when they would either inquire about my last name or when they would meet my father (or sometimes at the end of summer, after I’d gotten a lot of sun exposure). Prior to the first Gulf War, my name was difficult for most everyone in my small town to pronounce correctly, but suddenly, it became a target in a new way. A few of my classmates began to chide me with questions like, “Hey, is Saddam Hussein your uncle?” At other times, a specific racial epithet for Middle Eastern folks was uttered to me—in the guise of a joke, of course.

Sometimes, the racism was not at all disguised with humor. Like the time my family was picketing in front of a movie theater to protest the stereotyped depictions of Arabs in a movie that was showing, and a man in a truck drove by and yelled, “Go back to Saudi Arabia!” (My family is not from Saudi Arabia, by the way, but that’s beside the point.) Or the many prank calls we received over the years, ranging from “jokes” to outright threats. And I won’t even go into the hours upon hours my family and I have wasted being detained in airports.

So, how did I respond to these experiences? From the jokes to the threats and everything in between, I reacted in pretty much the same way: I got small. I went silent. In therapist speak, I went into a freeze response. Sometimes, as a kid, I would laugh in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort. But as I got older, I learned to go silent and wait it out. What I didn’t do was fight back. What I didn’t do was stand up for myself and call the behavior out—not even the perennial microaggression many biracial people hear: “What are you?”

Over time and with a lot of effort, I have been able to break out of the freeze response at times. But always, I can feel the familiar urge to get small and silent. Perhaps I can attribute my freeze response, at least in part, to nature or temperament.

But when seen through the lens of intersectionality, it becomes pretty clear to me that if I had been male, I would have been much more likely to speak up or fight back, as we know that by and large the fight response is often covertly and overtly encouraged in boys and men. As women, we often learn to keep ourselves safe by being quiet, invisible, non-threatening.

If I had fought back, the fallout from these experiences would likely have been much different than it has been for me. Perhaps I would have gotten into physical altercations at school and on the street. This, no doubt, would have negatively impacted my grades and academic standing. Maybe I would have attempted revenge on those I suspected of the prank calls. This may have gotten me in trouble with the law. Certainly, talking back to the TSA would have carried some hefty circumstances. If I had been a biracial man in these circumstances, perhaps the fallout would have been more visible, more external, mirroring my more externalized reactions to the racism. And when seen through the lens of intersectionality, I can see how my entire

life may have played out quite differently. But as a biracial woman, I have glided through the educational system—and many social systems—with ease. But the burden had to get absorbed somewhere, and there has been a fallout. But it has been invisible, internal, somatic.

It occurs to me that by writing about this intersecting experience of race and gender, I have made it visible. And it also occurs to me that writing is a form of fight and protest that I believe is healing. I was telling a friend about my process of writing this article and that it ended up being well over twice the target word count. “You must have had a lot to say,” she noted. Indeed.

Often, I will encourage my clients to write when they are angry or sad, or both. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to practice that suggestion here, in my own life, with all of you. Thank you for participating in it with me.

Raina Hassan, LPC, is the past president of the Oregon Counseling Association. She works in private practice in Portland.

Fall 2017 President's Message

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:13:41 GMT

President’s Message

ORCA leadership has been hard at work preparing for our annual conference, which is quickly approaching! This year’s conference theme is The Constant of Change: Ethical Counseling Embracing Diversity. We are delighted to welcome Summer Brown, LMFT, and Dr. David Kaplan as this year’s keynote speakers. Ms. Brown is a leader in providing LGBTQI+ mental health treatment, while Dr. Kaplan is the American Counseling Association’s Chief Professional Officer and an expert on ACA’s code of ethics for counseling professionals. We’re very excited to have the opportunity to share their wealth of knowledge with you.

As this is my first newsletter address as ORCA President, I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for electing me to lead this major rebranding effort that led to ORCA receiving the 2017 Best Innovative Practice Award from the ACA Western Region. I am thankful for Raina’s leadership and the mentorship she has provided to me in assuming the role of ORCA President.

In addition to the Innovative Practice award, this summer we received ACA's 5 Star Branch Award. Gianna Russo-Mitma accepted the award for ORCA while attending the ACA Institute for Leadership Training in Washington D.C. While in D.C., Gianna spent a day on Capitol Hill meeting with congressional leaders, advocating for issues important to the counseling profession, including legislation that would authorize counselors to be reimbursed through Medicare.

Recently, we hosted a networking picnic for ORCA members and their families. It was wonderful having the opportunity to meet some of you there and to introduce you to my wife Megan and newborn son Ari. I would like to thank our Networking Committee Chair, Sue Ujvary, and the rest of the Networking Committee for all of their work
in planning such a fun event. Thank you Networking Committee for all that you in planning such a fun event. Thank you Networking Committee for all that you do to help connect our counseling community!

This edition of The Counselor focuses on issues related to intersectionality in the counseling profession. This topic is deeply important to our work, as cultivating awareness of our own identities and values is an ongoing process all counselors can and should engage in to be more responsive to the identities and values of the clients we serve. I am passionate about addressing treatment disparities in mental health services. One of my primary goals as President is for ORCA to provide leadership and, ultimately, positive change for this issue. It is my hope that the articles in this issue of The Counselor will help us all think more about the dynamic relationships we have with power and privilege, and the work we can do both internally and externally to better respond to the needs of our clients, ourselves, and our community.

Sincerely,
Joel Lane, Ph.D, LPC, NCC

President, Oregon Counseling Association

Victor Chang on Intersectionality

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:10:11 GMT

All Perpetrators, All Victims: Some Reflections on Intersectionality

by Victor Chang, PhD, LPC

Intersectionality allows us to understand our various social identities, which are often associated with both privilege and oppression. Understanding this dynamic is crucial to informing our clinical and social justice work. We can start by acknowledging our own experience.

As a boy, I experienced the privilege that comes from being a straight, cisgender male. Growing up in the 1970s as a son of Korean immigrants, however, I also experienced both overt prejudice and, more frequently, microaggressions. The classic began with “Where are you from?” and continued towards the inevitable insinuation that I couldn’t be “from here” or “American.” Sometimes, to get along, I would appear to shrug off slights aimed at immigrants who others perceived as “fresh off the boat.” I quietly demonstrated that my English was flawless – I was one of them. I remember feeling ashamed when clerks “struggled” to understand my mother’s non-native English. The pride I felt in passing as an all-American kid with my Little League games, “American” friends and other “non-Korean” interests would be intermittently shattered when someone else treated me as “other” or a “foreigner.” It was my privilege alongside my oppressions, arising from my intersecting identities that got me through those difficult times.

In school, I experienced the positive stereotypes associated with being the “the model minority.” At the same time, I wondered what part of my success or personality was me and what was due to other influences. Was my dislike of math or science, my party animal persona really me or just my reaction against the stereotype? In college, I began to grasp my complex

multicultural upbringing and the number it had done on me... and I grew from shame towards self- acceptance. Simultaneously, I began to glimpse how removed my social identities were from the “enlightened liberal” stance I’d assimilated. There’s nothing wrong with my stances, except that my critical consciousness was not yet involved. My overlapping identities and my role as a counselor were not yet integrated.

As a mental health counselor on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, I thought I had a good biopsychosocial perspective on the traumas affecting my clients. I thought I understood Navajo culture and the historical effects of oppression on the Navajo. I also was participating in protests against the Black Mesa coal mine on tribal lands. Although the coalition was tribal members and (mostly white) environmentalists... I never connected my clinical work with my protesting. I must have had as clients some families whose lands were impacted. My clinical and social justice efforts could have been integrated and genuinely client- centered as my protesting would have been “work with” and not just “work on behalf of.”

With an intersectional lens, I can integrate my multiple social identities, their associated privileges and oppressions, and how they ebb and flow over time and contexts. In college, I wrestled incompletely with the words of Juan Moreno who said “when it comes to oppression, we’re all perpetrators and we’re all victims,” but now I understand more deeply and can act more consciously. Society has changed, even as it remains stagnant. I no longer hide my love of kimchi - now I get to relish Korean food’s momentary hipness!

Victor Chang, Ph.D, LPC is an assistant professor of psychology and clinical mental health counseling at Southern Oregon University. His clinical and research interests include: the therapeutic alliance (common factors), integrative approaches to psychotherapy, and trauma treatment. He can be reached at: changv@sou.edu.

Gianna Russo-Mitma is ORCA's next President Elect!

Support Coordinator — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 20:39:31 GMT

The special election period has ended, and the results are in. Gianna Russo-Mitma will be ORCA's next President Elect!

Thank you all for voting and we wish the best to Gianna in her new role. She's been an amazing member of ORCA's board for the past few years and so I'd like to think of it as not losing a Communications Chair, but gaining a President Elect.

The swearing in will happen on our July 22nd board meeting.

ORCA 2017 Election Results are in!

Support Coordinator — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 02:05:36 GMT

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Oregon Counseling Association (ORCA) Elections!

Drum roll please…..

President Elect: Chad Ernest

Chad Ernest in an LPC in Oregon and owner and main counselor for Sunny Sky Counseling, LLC. He is a member of Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) and the American Counselors Association (ACA). Before this position, Chad was on the board of Oregon Counseling Association (ORCA) as the Policy and Advocacy Chair and President of the Coalition of Oregon Professional Associations for Counseling and Therapy (COPACT). He holds a B.S. in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, received in 2000, an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling, and a Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University received in March 2011. Chad believes in a client/family centered approach with collaboration in treatment between the counselor and client/family. His goal of counseling overall is wellness and/or reconciliation with one’s self, family and the community, and he believes in incorporating various theories into his practice to suit the needs of clients.

Personally, Chad would like to add: I am married to a wonderful woman who is my main support in all my ventures. We have a ten-year-old son and have fostered other children. I have two dogs (Sunny and Sky) (ah! the name of my practice), two cats (Madison and Sherlock). I love to snowboard, read, write, camp, hike play video games, go for walks, watch anime, spend time with family and friends, and ride my motorcycle.

And….

Secretary: Mitch Elovitz

Mitch Elovitz has been an LPC in Oregon since 2004. He has been an outpatient therapist since 2001, post Masters degree, and he has a specialty in DBT and CBT. Mitch also has experience in administrative work and supervisory work. Mitch has served on two other boards as secretary and soon as president.

Personally from Mitch: I really enjoy being involved in organizations and working with people on projects. I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, watching baseball, walking my dogs, running, camping, eating, reading, getting massage, socializing, and just being involved and an active participant in life!

Please welcome them to their new positions and we look forward to having them serve!

Letter of Support and Solidarity

Support Coordinator — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 22:54:02 GMT

Dear Counseling Community, we drafted this letter to offer you our support and solidarity in our new political climate, no matter your viewpoint. We respect, value, and support all clients and practitioners in Oregon.

Letter of Support and Solidarity for download

Post-Election Press Release for download

Oregon Counseling Association News

Re: ORCA Board Message on Israel-Palestinian Conflict

ORCA Board Message on Israel-Palestinian Conflict

ORCA Conference Statement on Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Call for Speakers for 2023 Fall Conference

Nominations are now open for ORCA Board Leadership!

Apply for the 2023/24 Emerging Leader (EL) Program!

In Support of HB2458: Ban on Conversion Therapy

ORCA Expresses Opposition to Overturn of Roe v. Wade

Announcing ORCA's Emerging Leader Program

ORCA Board Nominations for President-Elect & Treasurer Open Now! Deadline to Nominate 3/31

Update from COPACT on No Surprises Act

Following the New "No Surprises Act" Requirements for Counselors & Therapists

Remembering Roy Huggins

2021 ORCA Awards Winners!

2021 ORCA Awards Nominations are Now Open!

Save the Date! Fall Conference 2021: Focus on Family Systems Nov 11-13 in Ashland

OAMCD's Decolonizing Counseling Series: Using a Disability Justice Lens in Counseling

ORCA Welcomes Former OAMFT Members!

In response to the shootings in Atlanta

Covid-19 Information

We stand with Black Lives Matter.

In response to the recent mass shootings

Kimberlee Harrison: When the Grief Counselor is Grieving

Roger McKeever: The Lost Art of NOT Trying to Make Everything Better

Moira Ryan: On Authenticity

Larry Conner: Can We Call Ourselves Psychotherapists?

Roy Huggins: Roy's Top 5 Social Media Ethics Issues

Anonymous: A Christmas Memory

Ally Anliker: New Year's Reflections from a Single Mom

Sofia Jasani: Celebrating Diversity + Offering a Seat at the Table

Statement by the Oregon Counseling Association Against Trans Exclusion at the National Level

Regarding the 2018 Election - An Open Letter from ORCA's President

Katie Playfair: Working with Chronic Mystery Illnesses

Larry Connor: On Unionizing

Statement by Oregon Counseling Association Regarding the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance Policy and the Detainment of Immigrant Children

It's official: ORCA is now partnered with Person Centered Tech!

Harry C. Dudley: Death with Dignity

Sasha Strong: Grieving Gendered Selves

Kris Fant: No Platitudes, Please

Eliza Alvarez McBride: Culture and Grieving "Well"

From the Spring 2018 issue of The Counselor:

Ronda Gallawa-Foyt: When Death Makes No Sense

Larry Conner: Don't Take It for Granted

Bill Maier: How to Best Serve Those Who Served

Gianna Russo-Mitma: Concrete Strategies for Creating Healthy, Assertive Youth

Harry Dudley, PhD: Adjunt Tx: Trauma-Informed Yoga?

ORCA Conference Awards 2017

Jana DeCristofaro: The "You Poor Thing" Voice: How to Change Your Tone

Aaron Good: Advocacy & Confidentiality

Kalindi Kapadia: A Full Circle: Thoughts on Working with Refugees

President's Letter: February 2018

Deb Marinos: Counseling the Person with Legal Blindness

Joel Lane on Changing Campus Climate

Neil Panchmatia: Between Worlds and Identities

Gianna Russo-Mitma: It's Intimidating and Important... So Let's Talk About It

Hilary Kinavey on Weight-Inclusive Care

Raina Hassan on Making It Visible

Fall 2017 President's Message

Victor Chang on Intersectionality

Gianna Russo-Mitma is ORCA's next President Elect!

ORCA 2017 Election Results are in!

Letter of Support and Solidarity