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Message from Eden
At Thanksgiving Time, Let's Remember Those Less Fortunate
Next week, many of us will gather with our families, indulge in too much turkey and give thanks for all that we have. But around many of those tables will be friends and family members struggling with depression, anxiety or some form of mental illness.
In fact, one in four individuals will suffer during their lifetime from some form of mental illness. Depression and anxiety are the leading cause of lost work time. But AMCS is helping.
Our
doors are open seven days a week, and we offer on-site, low cost counseling and off-site services at local schools and youth centers. AMCS provides counseling sessions to children, teenagers, families, couples and individuals to help develop skills for a healthier and more productive life.
But while AMCS is busy helping our community, we need your help, too.
On Giving Tuesday, please consider donating to AMCS. Or simply click
here to donate today.
Your gift goes a long way in providing the kind of mental health services that truly change people's lives. Now, that's something to give thanks for!
Wishing you nothing but good vibrations,
Eden
Eden Garcia-Balis, LMFT
Chief Executive Officer
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Off to A Strong Start
AMCS's New Cohort is Already
Knee-Deep Into Their Training
In September, 2018, we welcomed a cohort of 30 new trainees/associates into our AMCS family, giving us a total of 65 therapists available for services. With Step-by-Step (a clinical counseling class) scheduled to end in just a few short weeks, this enthusiastic group has been participating in the Immediate Intervention Track, learning how to conduct an Initial Consultation, running groups and have helped staff the LGBT Affirmative Therapy Center! As we approach the end of the training class and schedules change, they will be soon diversifying their experiences by changing tracks, which means learning to work with a different population such as couples or families and shifting their schedules. Before too long (in March), they will soon be mentors to a new group of training therapists!
Thank you to everyone at AMCS for such a welcoming environment for new people to train!
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AMCS Profile: Meet Jessica Dye, AMFT
Jessica is Making the Most of Her Training Time at AMCS
Jessica started her training at AMCS in February 2017 and has been serving as a source of support to colleagues ever since. Her positive contributions to the AMCS culture were evident from the beginning. Grounded in skills from her prior work, with an eagerness to learn, Jessica served as an example in the Step-by-Step Counseling Class on how to throw yourself into experiences.
Jessica has worked hard to schedule as many training opportunities as possible into her time here; she has run groups for adults and for youth, she participated in providing individual and family therapy to youth at Orville Wright Middle School and also participated in the Initial Consultation (I/C) Track which is a 12 week course on honing your clinical interviewing and diagnosing skills. Given her strong writing and diagnostic skills, Jessica has also been dedicating time to reviewing I/C reports in the interest of decreasing the time from a client's initial phone call to therapist assignment.
Jessica's future goals include starting a private practice that targets young adults interested in exploring their identity and help to build a well-rounded sense of self. Her life goal in this field is to one day establish a community center that is not unlike a recreation center, however instead of athletic programs, it would offer classes and groups aimed at facilitating mindfulness, coping skills, and psychoeducation, as well as encouraging communities to speak openly with one another about mental health.
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Spring Into Well-Being Celebration
Mark Your Calendar Now for AMCS's Annual Fundraiser
on Thursday, April 11, 2019
Airport Marina Counseling Service's (AMCS) 15th annual "Spring into Well-Being" Celebration will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2019, from 6-9 p.m. at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Ballroom.
Join us as we celebrate the success of our 2019 Champion of Mental Health Jane St. John. Jane has been instrumental in helping AMCS become an indispensable part of the county's mental health care safety net.
We plan to attract more than 300 key local community and business leaders, with our goal of raising more than $250,000 to help continue providing much-needed affordable, community-based mental health services and to support the training of our more than 65 mental health therapists per year.
Please consider providing a Sponsorship to this amazing event. Your company will be promoted in several ways including a listing in one of our monthly e-newsletters and in other ways throughout the area.
If you have questions or would like to sponsor the event, please call Eden Garcia-Balis at (310) 670-1410 or email
ebalis@airportmarina.org. Our Tax ID number is 95-2224149.
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