CEU Committee Co-Chair Joanne Davis is the subject of this month’s column. She has been an EB-CAMFT member since 2004, shortly after moving to Berkeley from Los Angeles where she obtained her M.A. in Counseling Psychology from The University of Santa Monica (USM), a small transpersonal school with an experiential orientation.

Her move to the Bay Area came after “a little soul searching around a major birthday,” when she realized there was no time to waste in living the life she truly desired with a community of kindred spirits. This dream was heavily influenced by Gandhi’s statement, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Says Joanne, “ I took this to mean, for myself, that I could create real change through my work and living authentically.”

“I have always been pretty open, and not very judgmental; people have sought me out as a confidant for most of my life. Since therapy was so effective in my own life, becoming a therapist seemed like a natural next step.”

Now this seven-year veteran has opened her own private practice, a longstanding dream which she has worked hard to pursue. “Trying to live authentically means, to me, making my dreams come alive if at all possible.”

Joanne’s theoretical orientation, which she terms “eclectic with a humanistic relational foundation,” developed out of three years of study at the Gestalt Training Institute of Los Angeles (now PGI). “Gestalt allowed me to bring more of myself into the relationship, and exercise more creativity.” She has also been influenced by Intersubjectivity, Family Systems, and Virginia Satir’s work with couples and families, and utilizes Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral approaches as needed.

As co-chair of the East Bay CAMFT’s CEU committee, Joanne helps select presenters for the chapter’s monthly talks, and manages the logistics of the presentations from setting up the venues to sending out email blasts. “I have made lovely connections with a lot of wonderful people I would not have otherwise met, including some of the leaders in our field. Being part of the Board has also been fun, and a way to make a meaningful contribution to my community.”

The desire to make a meaningful contribution has motivated much of Joanne’s life: “I try to live my beliefs, making choices throughout the day like eating vegetarian, shopping locally, and leaving as small an environmental footprint as possible.” She keeps up with current events and takes part in political action whenever possible.

For fun, she has danced improvisationally since childhood and finds this form of selfexpression particularly liberating. “I carry this sense of freedom into other areas of my life. I am quite moved by music. I meditate, do yoga, and walk/hike for inspiration and relaxation. I am a social animal, and love meeting colleagues and friends for meals.”

She offers this advice to MFT interns and others looking to develop their practice and professional identity: “Follow your passions and keep your dreams alive. I believe, if we are clear about what we desire, things will move in that direction even if we are not quite sure of how we will get there. It has worked for me innumerable times. Remember, persistence pays. And don’t forget to have fun!”