Let’s Get Together
Below, you’ll find all upcoming NJAMFT events open to members/nonmembers. Become a member to get exclusive access to additional events.
Patterns of Connection and Conflict: Structural and Ecological Approaches to Relational Change
IN-PERSON TRAINING!!!! TIME TO RE-CONNECT!
Register HERE and be sure you are logged into your membership portal to view member pricing!
Pricing for 6 CEUs
Non-member: $175
Member: $150
Pre-Clinical/Retiree: $125
Student: $75
Board member: $75
This full-day experience integrates ecological and structural family therapy approaches to understanding connection, conflict, and repair. Through discussion, reflection, and video examples, participants will learn how therapist authenticity, co-therapy, and relational awareness can create meaningful shifts in high-conflict family systems and support long-term relational growth.
First Workshop Title:
How to Improve and Sustain Relationships: An Ecological Approach
9am - 12pm
Program Description: This interactive session on “How to Sustain Relationships and Address Ruptures” invites participants to discus, reflect, and share. The workshop is grounded in mutual learning and analog (non digital) communication—how we connect, respond, consider what is in-between us and make meaning with one another beyond just words. Together, we will explore the interrelationship contexts of our lives—the situations that influence one another—and focus on what continues to take shape there. Using an ecological systemic approach, we will discuss ways of creating and sustaining relational possibilities, with particular attention to navigating conflict and repairing ruptures in ways that support interdependency and ongoing growth
About the Presenters
Kenneth Silvestri received his Doctorate in Family Cultural Studies from Columbia University. He has been in private practice as a family therapist for 40 years. Dr. Silvestri has taught at the graduate school level for over twenty-five years and also serves as a Clinical Professor at Daybreak University and Clinical Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the New York Medical College. He is the author of ” A Wider Lens: How to See Your Life Differently” and a monthly Psychology Today Blog in addition to being a Black Belt student of Aikido and a Tai chi practitioner. (www.drkennethsilvestri.com)
Brielle Silvestri is an educator, performer, and collaborator who utilizes theatre outside of traditional spaces to foster learning and productive dialogue. Brielle has been a teaching artist with The Moth Community and Education Programs, The NYC Children’s Theater, The People’s Theatre Project, and The Creative Arts Team. She is a co-founder of Theatre in Tandem, which offers experiential and active learning through theatre in higher education. Brielle received her Master of Arts in Applied Theatre at CUNY School of Professional Studies and has completed a Higher Education Teaching Certificate through Harvard's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning and a Certificate in Instructional Design through Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.
Second Workshop Title:
The Use of Self in Structural Family Therapy
1:30p - 4:30p
Program description: This presentation explored how therapists can use their authentic selves within a structural family therapy framework to create meaningful change in high conflict family systems. It highlighted the importance of self awareness, congruence, and co therapy as active interventions, showing how a therapist’s presence and relational style can shift family dynamics in real time. The session also introduced an ecological approach to improving and sustaining relationships, emphasizing how individual, relational, and environmental factors interact to support long term connection, resilience, and healthy patterns of interaction.
Join us for a dynamic three-hour presentation on using a structural family therapy approach to navigate high-conflict family dynamics. Through video examples and interactive discussion, you’ll learn how co-therapists can use their authentic selves as agents of change to create meaningful shifts in families. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your skills, gain fresh insights, and engage in a collaborative learning experience! This three-hour presentation will examine the application of structural family therapy in working with families experiencing intense conflict between parents and children. The program will emphasize how co-therapists can use their authentic selves as agents of change, highlighting the value of self-reflection and therapeutic congruence. Participants will explore how bringing one’s full humanness into the therapeutic space can serve as a meaningful intervention to promote change. Throughout the session, participants will be invited to engage in discussion, sharing their reactions, questions, and reflections related to the family, the therapists, and selected video segments. This interactive format is designed to deepen understanding of how co-therapy and therapist authenticity can be effectively integrated within a structural framework to address high-conflict family dynamics.
About the Presenters
Veronica Jaochico, MA, LAMFT, received her degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Kean University and has worked at Family Service League since 2023. Her clinical work is grounded in systemic and relational therapy, with a strong emphasis on emotional attunement and strengthening connection within families. The work she copresents today reflects a year-long process of building safety, understanding emotional experiences, and supporting more responsive and attuned family relationships over time.
Wally Weikert, LMFT and LCSW, received his MA and MSW from Columbia University. He is currently the Clinical Director at Family Service League in Bloomfield, New Jersey. During his many years of practice, he has been devoted to applying the ideas of FAMILY THERAPY to the amelioration of pain created by the dilemmas and tragedies that people experience.Throughout his career, Wally has supervised, trained, and taught many students and mental health professionals. His presence has played a significant role in ensuring that anyone who walks through the front door of FSL , whether couples, individuals, or families, will receive meaningful and compassionate care. His many years of dedicated work reflects his longstanding commitment to clinical excellence, professional development and personal integrity.
Non-Medical Opioid Use in Clinical Context: What Therapists Need to Know
Presentation Title:
Non-Medical Opioid Use in Clinical Context: What Therapists Need to Know
This workshop offers 1 CEU and will be held virtually on:
Thursday, April 30th, 2026, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm (click HERE to register)
*See workshop pricing below.
Presenter:
Christine Hubbard is a LCSW and LCADC in NJ. She has been working with the SUD population for her entire professional career. She has been the director of an ambulatory SUD treatment center, and has most recently shifted to private practice.
Abstract & Workshop Overview:
Learn the basics about prescription opioids including those most available, general intoxication symptoms, related health risks, DSM 5 criteria of Opioid Use Disorders, brief summary of ASAM placement criteria, treatment implications, and overdose prevention including harm reduction and access to SUD treatment.
1 CEU Workshop Pricing
Non-members - $40
Clinical Members - $30
Preclinical Members - $25
Student/Retirees/Board Members - $15
Both Sides of the Leash: Therapist’s Guide to Emotional Support Animals
This training is virtual and will offer 6 CEUs. Register HERE. Be sure you are logged into your membership portal to see member prices!!!
Pricing -
Clinical Member: $150
Non-Member: $180
Pre-Clinical Member: $130
Student/Retiree Member: $90
Board Volunteers: $80
Presenter: Sarah Newcomer, MS IMFT, LMFT, CST is a former animal trainer turned therapist with expertise in the human-animal bond. With experience at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program, Miami Seaquarium, and multiple zoos, she transitioned to Marriage and Family Therapy, earning her degree from Friends University. Sarah now trains therapists on ethical ESA integration while running her private practice in Columbus, OH, specializing in relationships. A member of the Pet Professionals Guild and IIAAPT, she continues advancing her knowledge in animal behavior and training. Her goal is to help therapists using ESA letters understand that clinical decisions impact both sides of the leash. She lives in central Ohio, where she owns her own practice, and enjoys her time with her husband and two cats, Teddy and Finn.
Workshop Summary: This six-hour continuing education course provides mental health professionals with a comprehensive framework for ethically and effectively assessing and documenting Emotional Support Animal (ESA) accommodations. Designed for therapists, particularly Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), the course covers the legal, ethical, and clinical considerations necessary for integrating ESAs into a client’s treatment plan while maintaining professional scope. The course also emphasizes maintaining therapeutic boundaries, preventing liability risks, and fostering a holistic, research-based approach to incorporating ESAs within a systemic treatment framework. Participants will learn to evaluate ESA intervention appropriateness, understand federal and state laws, and navigate ethical dilemmas associated with ESA letter writing.
Workshop objectives include:
Compare the classifications of Service Animals, Therapy Animals, and Emotional Support Animals.
Identify one (1) Federal law that impacts Emotional Support Animals.
Integrate the FHA requirements into an Emotional Support Animal Letter
Summarize the limits of clinician’s scope of practice when writing ESA letters.
Apply at least three (3) best practice approaches to crafting Emotional Support Animal letters.
Evaluate potential risks of an ESA letter that can impact clients and the clinician’s practice
Consider the client's functioning in disability determination for an ESA accommodation.
Apply FHA standards to understand what can disqualify an ESA accommodation.
Working with Divorce Ambivalent Clients: Clinical Skills for Support Clients on the Brink
This training is virtual and will offer 3 CEUs. Register HERE. Be sure you are logged into your membership portal to see member prices!!!
Pricing -
Clinical Member: $75
Non-Member: $90
Pre-Clinical Member: $65
Student/Retiree Member: $45
Board Volunteers: $35
Lyn Martin, LMFT — (she/her) is a Discernment Counseling practitioner-in-residency who helps therapists hold the line (and their own nervous systems) when couples are on the brink. Specializing in trauma, early attachment wounds, and culturally responsive, neurodivergent-affirming care, Lyn blends structure, sarcasm, and soul in everything from consultation to clinical training.
When a client is unsure about leaving their relationship, therapy can stall. You’ll either feel stuck in their internal tug-of-war or be faced with a couple where one partner is checked out before therapy even begins. This training explores how to work with individual clients experiencing divorce ambivalence, and introduces Discernment Counseling—a brief, structured model specifically designed for mixed-agenda couples. Learn what makes Discernment Counseling effective, why it's not couples therapy, and how to refer clients in a way that protects autonomy, reduces burnout, and keeps therapy on track. Includes a live case consult with real-world takeaways.
Learning objectives include: Define divorce ambivalence in clients, identify the main challenges for working with divorce-ambivalent clients in individual therapy, discuss the principle clinical strategies and skills for treating divorce-ambivalent clients, and describe skills for referring these clients for couples’ work.
Pathway to Licensure 2025
Register HERE (please be sure you are logged in to see member prices).
Member: $25
Non-Member: $35
How do you get from a degree to a license? Pathway to Licensure 2025 is the result of a multitude of complaints that students, both current and graduate, have been facing for many years. Students consistently report of struggles resulting from limited knowledge of the mechanics of obtaining their LAMFT and what preparations are needed for full licensure. This workshop is designed to assist students, graduates and supervisors with forming a clear path to licensure.
Learning objectives for the workshop include:
Associate License (LAMFT)
LAMFT holders' responsibilities
Licensure requirements
Breakdown of licensure hours
Exam Information including preparation and resources
Information regarding legislation and how it impacts our profession
About our Speakers:
Vanessa Da Silveira, LMFT
Vanessa is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and School Supervisor for Newark Public Schools at YDC schools Program. She has been involved in NJAMFT since she was an intern and now serves as the Chair of the Lifeline Campaign for NJAMFT, where she volunteers her time to help clinicians navigate their journey toward licensure, including preparing for exams. As part of her commitment to supporting the next generation of therapists, Vanessa leads the PreLicensure Group every second Monday of the month, providing guidance and mentorship to those working toward their clinical goals.
In addition to her supervisory role, Vanessa works as an IIC, providing services to Portuguese, Spanish, and English speaking urban communities. With her clinical experience, she specializes in working with couples, families, and individuals across the lifespan, with particular expertise in Parenting Coaching, ADHD, Infertility and Sexual Abuse. Passionate about helping children and adolescents, Vanessa integrates parents into the therapeutic process to ensure lasting, meaningful change. Vanessa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Kean University.
Jaime Gilmore MA, LMFT
Jaime is a graduate of Kean University's Marriage and Family Therapy Post Graduate program, with a Master's degree in Behavioral Science, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Rutgers University. She has extensive psychotherapy training in individual, family, and couples' therapy from The Minuchin Center for the Family in NYC and The New England Center for Couples and Families in Arlington, MA for training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). She has also completed advanced training with the Emotionally Focused Therapy Center of NJ, as well as the AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) Institute with Diana Fosha. Ms. Gilmore presently splits her professional life working in private practice at Essex Counseling Associates in Montclair, NJ, with a primary focus on EFT, and as an adjunct professor in the Kean University MFT graduate program. Jaime is a founding member of the new, independent New Jersey Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (NJAMFT), presently serving as the Interim President, and is a founding member of the NJAMFT Lifeline Campaign (LLC) with a continued focus on the needs of student and pre-clinical members. Jaime maintains a strong presence in the field of advocacy for MFTs in NJ.