CFT Appreciation Week

Kent School of Social Work


CFT Appreciation Week Schedule of Events

 


 

Friday - February 14, 2025

CEU Event for Alumni and the Community

Title: Ethical Dilemmas in Telehealth and Neuro-Technology for MFTs

Presenter: Michael Taylor, LMFT

Location: University of Louisville Shelby Campus, Burhans Hall, 440 N. Whittington Pkwy., Louisville, KY 40222

Alumni Business Meeting

Friday, Feb. 14 | 8:30-9 a.m.

CEU Ethics Training

Friday, Feb. 14 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Cost: This is a free event. A $50 tax-deductible gift to the CFT Scholarship Fund is encouraged but not required.

Description- Kick off CFT Week with an engaging Alumni Business Meeting, followed by a CEU Ethics Training for MFTs on Friday, Feb. 14, from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at the University of Louisville Shelby Campus. This event will feature Michael Taylor, LMFT, an esteemed adjunct faculty member at the Kent School, who will lead an insightful session covering critical ethical considerations for marriage and family therapy professionals.

Earn valuable CEU credits while enhancing your understanding of ethical frameworks in a collaborative and professional setting. This training is an excellent opportunity to network, deepen your expertise, and set the tone for a meaningful CFT Week celebration. Reserve your spot today and take the next step in advancing your professional development!

*This training is designed to cover both the 3-hour ethics and 2-hour telehealth refresher CEU requirements that are required by the MFT Board.

Click HERE to register

 


Monday - February 17, 2025

information about the workshop

Survivor Link Workshop with Dr. Heather Storer and Kent Students

Time 12pm-1:30pm EST.

Presenters:  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Heather Storer, Associate Professor and Kent Student Team Members

Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, teen dating violence, and sexual assault, is a significant public health and social justice issue. The purpose of SurvivorLink is to build capacity within community-based agencies by training staff to appropriately identify and respond to intimate partner violence within the scope of their practice. The University of Louisville is one of thirteen sites nationally that has been selected to pilot this innovative approach to preventing and responding to intersecting forms of violence.

This training will offer insight into the various forms of intimate partner violence (IPV), cycles of abuse, power and control and strategies for supporting survivors of IPV.

 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Heather Storer, Associate Professor

 Student Presenters: Bobbie Zaring, Isabel Godspeed, Ericka Buchanan and Katie Melton

DV is a community-wide issue that cuts across systems and institutions. Thus, we all play a role in dismantling the interlocking systems of oppression that perpetuate violence against women and children. One of the first steps to ending DV is to challenge social norms that are permissive to violence and to provide survivor-centered education on the dynamics of DV. One of the most common misconceptions, for example, is that DV is bi-directional or that abuse survivors play a role in perpetuating the abuse (something called victim-blaming). This kind of victim-blaming is reinforced by questioning why people experience stay in abusive relationships or holding survivors responsible for protecting themselves against abuse.

Register HERE for zoom link for Training


Tuesday - February 18, 2025 -Virtual

Title: CFT Program Alumni Panel: Deciding whether to Pursue a Doctorate Degree:

Time:  12pm to 1pm EST

ModeratorEmma M. Sterrett-Hong, Ph.D., LMFT Program Description:

  • Have you ever considered whether to pursue a doctoral degree in a related field after your master’slevel MFT/CFT training?
  • Are you wondering what an MFT/CFT can do with a doctoral degree?
  • Interested in being exposed to different options for pursuing a doctoral degree for MFT/CFTs? 

Come and hear 5 Alumni of the Kent School CFT program who are pursuing or have doctorate degrees from various disciplines and institutions discuss their experiences. They will describe their career pathways since graduating from the CFT program, their decision to pursue a doctoral degree, and their research, teaching, and/or supervision experiences.

Click HERE to register.

Panelist:

 picture of Dr. Brown

Dr. Amanda Dishon Brown graduated with her PhD in 2015 from the Kent School of Social Work and Family Sciences, after completing her MSSW with a specialization in

Marriage and Family Therapy in 2011. Utilizing trauma-informed research, practice, and pedagogy, Dr. Brown was tenured and served as the MSW Program Director at the Northern Kentucky University from 2015 until 2021. Currently, she serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. In this position, she engages in practice-informed research, teaching, and leadership utilizing trauma-informed practices, particularly teaching students trauma-responsive practice skills through the graduate certificate program she launched at UK in 2023. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for Life

Adventure Center in Versailles, KY, an organization committed to building resilience among trauma-involved youth using outdoor and nature-based experiences.

 

picture of Dr. DoubDeShara C. Doub is a dedicated leader, public speaker, and mental health professional dedicated to social justice and advocating for marginalized communities. As the founder and CEO of Vision of Promise LLC, DeShara empowers individuals by recognizing them as experts in their own lives. DeShara's professional expertise spans multicultural issues, grief, racial trauma, and spirituality.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication, a Master of Science in Social Work, Couple & Family Therapy specialization, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work focusing on intergenerational trauma in historically Black institutions. An ordained minister with certifications in Clinical Pastoral Education and Pre-Marital and Couples enrichment, DeShara has numerous honors including a United States Special Congressional Recognition, Kentucky Senate Recognition, and the 2024 University of Louisville Emerging Leader award. She is actively involved in her community, serving on several boards, while engaging in culture, history, and travel.

 

picture of Rujeko Machinga-AsaoluRujeko "Rue" Machinga-Asaolu, a certified social worker, is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Kentucky, College of Social Work. Holding Master's degrees in Social Work, Couple and Family Therapy (U of L 2021), and Community Health Education, she is an interdisciplinary scholar. Her research focuses on post-traumatic growth among intimate partner violence survivors, with numerous peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, and research awards. Fellowships include the Gerontological Society of America Diversity Award, AGESW Predissertation Fellowship, Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship, and UNITE Predoctoral Fellowship. An elected Board member for AGESW and a Mayor- appointed Board Member for the Lexington Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition, her accolades feature the 2023 AGESW Doctoral Student Leadership Award, University of Kentucky College of Social Work 2023 Lyman T. Johnson Torch Bearer Award, and the 2024 MLK Graduate Leadership Legacy Award. Rue will begin her tenure-track Assistant Professor role in Fall 2025.

 

picture of Dr. ReedDr. Brittany Reed received her Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. In addition, she received her Master’s in Social Work with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisville. Dr. Reed is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who lives in Louisville, KY. Over the past 10 years, she has experience in providing clinical services, specializing in working with children and families, within the child welfare and protection system, residential and psychiatric hospitals, clinical practice (individual and family therapy), behavioral health, clinical case management, and clinical practice within the school system. She is very family-oriented who loves being an aunt and foster sister to the countless foster children taken in by her mother. She believes that the success of our children depends on the success of the adults in that child's life. Therefore, her goal is to be the voice and uplift the voices of children, especially Black children, in a world where their voices are often silenced while simultaneously providing education and advocating for the de-stigmatization of mental health within the Black community.

picture of Enrica ThomasEnrica Thomas is a United States Marine Corps veteran, 2009 alumni of the University of Louisville and PhD candidate at National University with a research focus on infidelity repair. She is dually licensed as an LMFT and LCSW holding active licenses in Kentucky, Indiana and Texas.  Enrica began her private practice, MaeDay Consulting Services in 2016 where she specializes in couples, family and individual therapy offering virtual and in-person therapy in Jeffersontown, Kentucky.

Enrica has over 16 years of experience as a family therapist working primarily with high conflict couples and families. Enrica incorporates Attachment Based Therapies, Trauma Focused Therapy, EMDR, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy along with other systemic forms of therapy in her provision of mental health services. Enrica reports her most common clients arrive seeking relief from family discord, marital/couple concerns, PTSD, relationship issues, trauma, and a myriad of other problematic behaviors. Enrica says her goal when working with any client is to help Families Find their Missing PEACE.

 


Wednesday - February 19, 2025 

Kent Alumni Volunteer Day

Sponsored by Kent School Alumni Council

Join the Kent School Alumni Council on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, as we celebrate Couple & Family Therapy Week through meaningful service to the community! Whether you're an alum, student, faculty, staff, or a CFT supporter, this event will bring together passionate individuals to make a difference, while promoting mental health awareness.

 Please see below for volunteer options:

St. Vincent de Paul Time: 11am-1pm

Location will be shared once registration closes on 2/10/25

Description: The Open Hand Kitchen is open 365 days/year, rain or shine, and serve around 200 people a day! The lunch serves groups of shelter residents and veterans. Volunteer capacity: 5


Wellspring Time: TBA

Location will be shared once registration closes on 2/10/25

Description: Help beautify one of Wellspring's Crisis Stabilization Unit properties that helps adults with serious mental illness during times of psychiatric crisis. Utilizing a calming outdoor space is part of the recovery process, and this opportunity will assist with this mission. Duties include trimming bushes, pulling weeds, mulching, raking, etc. Volunteer capacity: 10

Family Scholar House

Description: Write encouraging notes to the single parents and Foster Alumni! As participants juggle a lot of responsibilities, it's always nice to be reminded you're doing a good job! Volunteer capacity: unlimited

Note: Link to submit encouraging notes will be shared once registration closes on 2/10/25 To Register: 

Click HERE by Monday, February 10th.


Thursday - February 20, 2025

Building Stronger Connections: A Relationship Workshop 

Time:   5:30PM-7:00PM 

Location:  U of L Sheblyhurst Campus, Burhans Hall Room LL22. 

Join us for a relationship workshop hosted by graduate students and their faculty supervisors from UofL's Couple & Family Therapy Program! Whether you're in a relationship or single and bringing a friend, this engaging workshop will equip you with essential skills for building meaningful connections. Learn how to practice active listening, affirm your partner, tackle challenges collaboratively, and much more. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your relationships and communication in a fun, supportive environment!

Please submit your payment here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-stronger-connections-a-relationship-workshop-tickets-1232883430529?aff=oddtdtcreator

The cost is $10 per couple, per dyad, etc. to attend the workshop. All funds will go to support the Relationship Solutions Clinic initiatives.


Friday - February 21, 2025

CFT Interview Day for Prospective Students- Invite Only

The CFT Interview Day offers a comprehensive look at the program through a series of events for students that have already submitted their application by the January 31st deadline. The day begins with a Welcome & Overview session, followed by faculty interviews with prospective students and presentations on CFT Practice.

Attendees will receive lunch which includes an engaging Alumni Panel allowing participants to hear from program graduates. The afternoon features a Live Couple Consultation. The day concludes with a Social Hour for networking with current students. This program provides a thorough introduction to the CFT experience.

Time: 9am-5:30pm

For questions regarding these events, please contact Danette Baker at: danette.baker@louisville.edu