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.
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.
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.
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.
Preparing Clients for the Fourth Trimester: Identification of PMADS and Prevention Planning
This course equips therapists with the essential skills to effectively support expectant parents in preparing for the fourth trimester, fostering resilience, and promoting mental health during the postpartum period. Participants will develop advanced competencies in assessing for risk factors associated with postpartum mood disorders, implementing evidence-based prevention strategies, and guiding parents in recognizing potential challenges.
Therapists will learn practical techniques for helping clients identify and address their anticipated needs, build a strong support network or “village,” and create comprehensive postpartum plans tailored to their unique circumstances. The course emphasizes strategies for empowering parents to confidently navigate postpartum transitions while maintaining their emotional well-being.
By the end of the training, therapists will leave with a clear framework for preparing parents to thrive, including tools for risk assessment, prevention planning, and enhancing family systems. This course ensures that therapists can confidently support clients in reducing postpartum risks and fostering long-term well-being for both parents and their families.
Jerusha Hull, LCSW, PMH-C, is a recognized subject matter expert in maternal mental health with over 13 years of experience empowering women to thrive. Specializing in perinatal mental health, infertility and loss, trauma, and attachment issues, she has made significant contributions to the field through her private practice, which serves clients across Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Texas, and New Jersey.
Jerusha has launched an online workshop designed to prepare intended parents for postpartum mood challenges, along with a train-the-trainer session aimed at equipping mental health providers with enhanced skills for supporting clients in the fourth trimester. Her practice also includes individual therapy, continuing education programs, and consultation for providers.
A passionate advocate for maternal mental health, Jerusha has completed extensive postgraduate training and certifications, including fertility counseling and maternal mental health. She is deeply committed to her clients' transformations, working collaboratively to develop personalized action plans grounded in their strengths and values.
Jerusha's work has been recognized for its impact, and she has been invited to share this passion at conferences, sharing her insights and expertise. As well as recently being nominated for Best Mental Health Provider for New Moms in the D.C. area by Washington Parent magazine. Her dedication to the field is driven by a personal commitment to seeing women not just survive, but truly thrive in their journeys to motherhood.
For more information about Jerusha and her services, visit virtuecounseling.com or contact her at jerusha@virtuecounseling.com.