CAMFT Political Action Committees

 

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Image: camft.org

Since 1993, Miriam Galindo, PsyD, has helped children as a social worker and psychologist, first at Olive Crest and more recently at Families in Transition. Dr. Miriam Galindo maintains active membership with the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), which sustains those who support families through advocacy and professional development.

CAMFT assists California marriage and family therapists through the CAMFT PAC and CAMFT Federal PAC, organizations that pool the resources of members of the profession to elect and re-elect candidates who sanction marriage and family therapy providers and the legislation that will best serve them. Many of the issues the CAMFT PACs consider to be policy priorities recur annually rather than being settled in a single legislative session.

The types of not only elections they support, but also donations they can accept separate CAMFT’s two PACs. The CAMFT PAC focuses exclusively on state-level elections, while the CAMFT Federal PAC handles federal elections. The CAMFT Federal PAC cannot accept contributions from corporations, though the CAMFT PAC can use such funding for state elections.

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Uses for Play Therapy

Play Therapy
Image: playtherapy.org

Dr. Miriam Galindo works in child psychology in a private practice in Irvine, California. One area of child psychology in which Dr. Miriam Galindo specializes is play therapy, a process for children to express complex emotions and explore their psychological wellness through play.

In play therapy, mental health practitioners watch children play in a controlled setting and observe their skills and behaviors. By mastering social, coping, and problem-solving skills in the play context, children can learn broadly applicable skills that may help them deal with unresolved issues. While play therapy can be appropriate for patients of any age, it is mostly used for young children.

One area in which play therapy excels, whether as a primary intervention method or a form of adjunctive therapy, is the management of social, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Issues such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and compulsive disorders have been treated with play therapy. Play therapy can also assist young people who are in the midst of a crisis or who have undergone a traumatic event such as a divorce or a death in the family.

How to Become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner

 

Dr. Miriam Galindo
Image: galindopsychology.com

As a licensed psychologist and social worker, Dr. Miriam Galindo has dedicated her career to assisting at-risk children and families. Dr. Marian Galindo completed training as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and obtained practical experience at Parents United/Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program.

A registered or advanced practice nurse can complete specific clinical preparation and education to become a medical professional who cares for victims of abuse and sexual assault. Nurses who want to take SANE training should have at least two years of experience in an area such as critical care or emergency, which demand advanced skills for conducting physical assessments.

Recognized SANE training must comply with the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) SANE education guidelines and typically involves clinical and classroom components. However, local requirements for SANE training vary among states, provinces, and countries.

Nurses who receive SANE training and complete the clinical practice component have the option to take board-certified exams offered by IAFN. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Pediatric (SANE-P) and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Adult/Adolescent (SANE-A) exams are generally taken by nurses who provide services to these specific groups of patients.

ourt Agrees That Children and Reality Shows Don’t Mix

 

Dr. Miriam Galindo
Image: galindopsychology.com

Miriam Galindo has built a two-decade career based in reaching out to help individuals and families heal from challenging and traumatic life experiences. Formerly a professional social worker in Santa Ana, California, she now directs her own private practice as a licensed psychologist. Based in Irvine, Miriam Galindo additionally provides the Orange County Superior Court with expert advice in family court cases.

In a notable case in 2014, Dr. Galindo served the court by providing a 730 evaluation of the parenting practices and mental health of Tamra Barney, known to TV viewers for her participation in the reality show The Real Housewives of Orange County. Ms. Barney was at the time involved in a custody dispute with her ex-husband, Simon, and planned to put the couple’s three children in front of the cameras for the series.

Based on Dr. Galindo’s recommendation, a judge ruled that the Barneys’ children should not be permitted to appear on the show. Ms. Barney did not contest the court’s decision.

The participation of children in reality shows has become a controversial issue. Many experts and members of the public have commented that the associated stress and the pressures to perform in front of an audience are detrimental to children’s mental health. Professionals have additionally noted that the sudden fame that comes with being on a reality show can just as suddenly evaporate, leaving children frustrated, depressed, and with little other means of defining their self-worth.

For Parents – What Not to Do during Child Custody Evaluations

 

Dr. Miriam Galindo
Image: galindopsychology.com

The holder of a doctorate in psychology, Dr. Miriam Galindo is a licensed clinical psychologist and social worker. Since 2005, Dr. Miriam Galindo has been an approved child custody evaluator for the Orange County Superior Court.

Child custody evaluations are performed by qualified mental health professionals to help the court determine the best interests of the child in custody cases. During the evaluation, the mental health professional conducts several meetings, including with parents. Here are a couple of actions that harm a parent’s case for custody:

i) Dishonesty
During an evaluation, parents should maintain honesty with the evaluator. They should not lie about material things such as when the relationship with the other parent became serious, the parent’s availability for outside work, and any negative history. The evaluator is trained to recognize lies.

ii) Bad-mouthing the other parent
Do not bad-mouth the other parent and even worse, do not coach the children to bad-mouth your partner. Issues with the other parent should be phrased as concerns, not blatant attacks, and they should be backed by evidence. In fact, a parent can demonstrate he or she is looking out for the best interests of the child by acknowledging the positive traits of the other parent.

iii) Being uncooperative
It is important to cooperate with the evaluator fully. Make sure to attend interviews, answer all questions truthfully, and avail school and medical records where needed.

iv) Focusing on marital issues rather than the child’s best interests
Do not mix marital issues with parenting issues. The evaluation process does not seek to apportion blame. Rather, evaluators want to determine the best interests of the child. Just because a partner is a poor spouse does not mean he or she is a poor parent.

Three Essential Steps to Planning a Fundraising Event

 

Planning a Fundraising Event
Image: mobilecause.com

A licensed clinical psychologist who frequently undertakes child custody evaluations for Orange County Superior Court, Dr. Miriam Galindo previously served as a social worker at Olive Crest in Santa Clara, California. In this position, Dr. Miriam Galindo was in charge of fundraising to support care programs for children who had experienced neglect and abuse.

Planning a fundraising event involves consideration of numerous factors. First, you have to decide why you are holding the event. Are you doing it just to raise funds or do you also want to raise awareness, advocate for a cause, grow your membership count, or network? Your purpose for the event will play a major role in deciding details and defining your priorities.

Next, come up with concrete goals to match your purpose. For example, if you’re strictly fundraising, you can set your goal to $10,000. If you want to grow membership, set your goal to 30 new members. Having a quantifiable goal will help you measure the success of your event afterward.

Finally, plan out a budget that will fit into your goals. Your budget includes elements such as space rental, invitations, catering, entertainment, and security. All these expenses will ultimately reduce the donations you get to keep. Go through every cost detail to ensure you are getting the best deal. Call the event hosts to figure out unforeseen costs and be ready to negotiate pricing. You also may be able to solicit donations of supplies and services and leverage volunteer support to staff an event.

How Family Therapy can Help Children with Behavioral Disorders

 

Family Therapy
Image: psychiatry.org

A private practice psychologist and licensed clinical social worker based in Irvine, California, Dr. Miriam Galindo has a private practice working with children and families dealing with the aftermath of high-conflict divorce. Well-versed in the psychology of young children, Miriam Galindo has trained in counseling special needs children as well as their families.

It is estimated that by age 18, one-third of children will have some type of disability. While the child may struggle to live with a diagnosis, the entire family is affected. Many families benefit greatly from counseling during this difficult time, as the parents are the primary caregivers and need to be trained in how to properly handle the needs of their child.

Children diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or any other behavioral disorder can be helped greatly by parents who take an active role in their life and healing. Often in therapy, parents can become co-therapists or teachers of new skills, using techniques to promote better behavior in children. Reducing family stress can put a stop to a child’s disruptive behavior.

What Is Forensic Interviewing?

 

Dr. Miriam Galindo
Image: galindopsychology.com

Dr. Miriam Galindo, a licensed clinical psychologist, collaborates with the court system to provide assessment and counseling to children and families involved in divorce. A registered child forensic interviewer, Dr. Miriam Galindo stands out as a diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Social Workers and the American College of Forensic Examiners.

When the safety of a child is in question, a protective services organization may conduct an interview of the child. These sensitive proceedings require not only an unbiased viewpoint but also an interviewer specially trained in asking the types of questions most likely to produce honest responses.

A basic forensic interview comprises a single conversation with an interviewer, though law enforcement and social work professionals may observe the session from a remote location. If a child is struggling to communicate his or her experiences in the single-session format, whether due to emotional or developmental challenges, the interview may take place over up to four sessions, depending on the child’s needs.

The forensic interview requires that the interviewer meet with the child alone. The parent does not have the opportunity to participate, although a family advocate, friend, or other support may be present while the parent waits for the child.

How Art Can Overcome Trauma

Overcome Trauma
Image: traumaabusetreatment.com

A licensed psychologist and social worker, Dr. Miriam Galindo maintains a private practice in Irvine, California, where she typically assists families going through high-stress divorce and child custody cases. Dr. Miriam Galindo focuses on play and art therapy, which holds enormous potential to help not only children working through family crises, but also those around the world who have experienced traumas associated with war, persecution, and forced migration.

Many psychologists and laypeople formerly believed that encouraging children to remember and draw their recollections of extreme traumas did more harm than good. Today, experts know better, and often use art as a means of personal catharsis and one of the first steps in emotional recovery.

Humanitarian aid workers in Darfur were astonished in 2005 when young victims of the tiny East African country’s violent militant group began creating paintings and drawings associated with their traumas. Even professional news photographers had been unable to capture some of the images the children were creating. Many of the pieces were so accurate that they were offered into evidence before the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

Psychologists also have written moving accounts of how art helped other young victims of civil wars in the developing world. In one example, a young girl who had witnessed the massacre of her family and the burning of their home drew her way through the agonizing details. The process helped her to release her fear and anguish. She went on to attend high school and work toward her dream of becoming a teacher.

Co-Parenting Versus Parallel Parenting

Parenting
Image: divorcemag.com

Dr. Miriam Galindo is a social worker and psychologist in Irvine, California. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Miriam Galindo serves on an approved panel of experts for Orange County Superior Court, where she offers child, family, and co-parenting counseling to clients involved in divorce.

Co-parenting is a situation in which divorced or separated parents provide equal care to their children. Co-parenting promotes the creation and maintenance of positive bonds between children and both of their parents and plays a key role in the academic performance and psychological adjustment of children whose parents are divorcing.

However, co-parenting requires a great deal of verbal communication and coordination between parents and is best used by parents who have a low risk of conflict. Parents with a high risk of conflict may be better suited for parallel parenting, in which the parents provide equal care for their children but remain disengaged from one another and have only limited direct contact, such as brief interactions during drop-offs.