NorCATA, President

Amy Rogers

 

Hello NorCATA Members!

 

We hope that 2010 is treating you well and that with the new year has come new possibilities.  The fantastic members of the new Board of Directors for NorCATA feel the possibilities are endless!  We have a new website that is constantly improving, we are one of the largest and strongest local chapters under AATA, the LPCC bill has passed, and we are hosting the AATA 2010 Conference, Art Therapy: Awakening Awareness!  I think this is a pinnacle year for NorCATA and we are glad that you are a part of it.

 

On behalf of the board, I would like to take a moment to thank our resigning board members, Beth VanDusen, Lisa Cresson and the outgoing President, Cheryl Feldman.  The NorCATA Board is in a great place and has made some huge gains in the world of art therapy locally in part to their dedication to the board these past few years.  Join us in thanking them for their commitment to NorCATA.

 

As you may have noticed, we also have a new logo.  AATA has designed a new image and would like to create uniformity amongst its local chapters.  Each chapter has a similar logo, which includes their region.  AATA is working toward branding the American Art Therapy Association and the logo is a symbol of art therapy.  The mark is symbolic of the initial strokes in the art process.  The colors in the logo are symbolic of creativity and compassion for the process, and the colors reinforce health and well-being.  A member survey was conducted to create the logo and the results can be seen on the masthead of our newsletter and on the AATA website.

 

You may have also noticed additional changes with AATA recently.  Besides the new logo, they have a new Executive Director, Susan Corrigan, and some new and exciting benefits for members.  We strongly encourage all NorCATA members to also join AATA and check out their website, www.arttherapy.org .  It is a great time join and in the next few months, take advantage of the member discount for the conference, in Sacramento! 

 

In January we conducted our annual board meeting in conjunction with a presentation by Laury Rappaport on Focusing Oriented Art Therapy.  There were more than 35 participants, including two International therapists who happened to be walking by Fort Mason and asked to join us.  Laury’s presentation provided incredibly useful information on using the technique of focusing with accompanying art interventions. 

 

Arrangements and plans for this year’s conference are in full swing.  The members of the Local Arrangements Committee have been hard at work to create a fantastic experience, from Day Trip to Napa State Hospital, our Night on the Town Art Walk, and our Service Project benefitting the Sacramento Food Bank.  More details to follow……..Be sure to mark your calendars for November 3^rd through the 7^th to join us in beautiful Sacramento and experience all the hidden gems that the capitol city has to offer.

 

I look forward to leading NorCATA into the exciting changes and events coming in the next few years.  We encourage all of you to do your homework, get involved and join us for the innovative opportunities coming our way.

 

Amy Rogers, MFT, ATR-BC

President

 

 

Sacramento, it’s cooler than you think!  

 

The Second Saturday Art Walk

 

The AATA Conference will be held in Sacramento this year.  Although Sacramento is in Northern California, many of us, including myself, don’t know a lot about the city of Sacramento and the cool aspects of this city.

 

A few weeks ago I attended the Second Saturday Art Walk in downtown Sacramento.  On the second Saturday of every month, galleries and other businesses, open their doors from 6pm to 9pm to show their art.  The galleries also offer free food, wine, and special events.  A few blocks of downtown are also blocked off with live music, an art marketplace, roller derby skaters and lots of cool locals. 

 

Walking around the downtown grid with the music playing, art hanging from trees and people walking around from gallery to gallery and coffee shop to realtor, was a great experience.  The Local Arrangements Committee for the conference is working on creating an Art Walk for our conference.  We encourage you to make a visit to Sacramento and check out their Second Saturday Art Walk.  For more information, check this website http://sacramento.downtowngrid.com/directory/view/entry/20608

 

 

NorCATA, Director of Legislative Affairs

Sarah Kremer

 

 

Many of you are eagerly (or maybe not so eagerly) anticipating what will happen this year with the new LPCC. In this email, you'll see the latest update from the CCCL (if you're not already getting these emails directly from them, go to www.caccl.org and click on Register with Us). Please note where it says that the CCCL cannot speak for the BBS but can clarify the language. I am in a similar position - I am unable to look through anyone's transcript and make recommendations. It may look complicated, but figuring out where you're at can be done!

 

NorCATA was considering hosting special workshops to help explain the grandfathering and reciprocity processes; however, the CCCL is now going to be hosting several webinars in May, so we've decided to not offer anything outside of this. When the dates are announced, I will send out the schedule - anyone can sign up and there will be recorded versions to view if you are unable to make the date and time scheduled.

 

I feel like I say it all the time, but if you haven't heard this before, I am going through the same process! I will be working on making sure my grandfathering application is ready to go next January, so I'll be busy for the remainder of the year with extra coursework and studying for the three exams. Wish me luck!

 

If you have any general questions, please don't hesitate to email me.

 

Thanks for all your support!

Sarah Kremer

 

 

 

Programs Report:

Deborah Sharpe

 

HAPPY SPRING!!! Here’s the latest about NorCATA programs!

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, NorCATA is committed to providing a 3-credit workshop on ethics each year to comply with part of the Art Therapy Credential Board’s re-certification requirements for the ATR-BC. We offered our first workshop last April with Dr. Richard Carolan. Dr. Carolan has generously agreed to facilitate this year’s workshop on Sunday, May 16, 2010, from 10am to 1pm. The workshop will be held in Taube Hall on the Notre Dame de Namur University campus (directions to NDNU are at www.norcata.org). The workshop will cover all the important basics for those of you who will be attending for the first time and will have a slightly different emphasis for returning attendees. You can find all the information you need online at www.norcata.org and a paper flyer should have found its way to your mailbox.

An exciting new aspect to registering for this workshop is that you can now (and should) do it online! If you have renewed your NorCATA membership, workshops are still free for you, and you can register and pay for CEUs. If you have not renewed your membership, you can do it in a few easy steps at www.norcata.org, and then sign up for the workshop. We are moving step-by-step towards a leaner, greener chapter, which will serve members more efficiently, while helping keep our carbon footprint more “petite.”

Once the workshop is over, you will receive an email prompting you to download and print your certificate of attendance. Voila, instant CEUs! You will also receive notices about the summer workshop and important information about the American Art Therapy Association annual conference in Sacramento in November. Please remember that the NorCATA yahoo group will be shut down in December, so you must renew your membership online before then to continue receiving updates and information. Your final yahoo email will contain details for the annual business meeting scheduled for the end of January 2011.

Thank you to all of you for bearing with NorCATA during our “growing pains.” It will all be worth it when you receive all the vital information much more quickly online, and can access and download everything you need. We’re moving together as a professional community towards a brighter, greener tomorrow!

Cordially,
Deborah Sharpe

 

 

 

Treasury Report:

Lina Assad Cates

 

Greetings NorCATA members!

 

Thank you so much for welcoming me as your new board treasurer.  I am thrilled to serve the needs of the association and greater art therapy community!  I would like to include a special thanks to Lisa Cresson, the outgoing treasurer, for her hard work and support in helping me transition to the new position.

 

 I would also like to give a quick update regarding the check fraud issue from last year.  Unfortunately the decision in small claims court was not made in our favor.  However, we will be following up with probation to collect restitution from the thief.

 

 

Public Relations Report:

Stacey Thompson

 

Hello NorCATA Members! 

 

Website Improvements Still Underway

If you have visited www.norcata.org recently you have probably seen evidence of a major transformation!  Not only are we making steady progress toward becoming a completely paperless organization, but we are also undergoing a makeover in compliance with the American Art Therapy Association’s plan to visually unify all local chapters.  Please visit the site today, test the latest features, and experience our new look.  Send your feedback to public.relations@norcata.org.

 

Online Gallery

With the 2010 American Art Therapy Association conference rapidly approaching, we can expect increasing national attention on the art therapy endeavors of our community.  The online gallery at www.norcata.org is a place where we can share the richness of our local work with people around the globe.  Email your digital images to public.relations@norcata.org today!  Please include a description of artwork and process to provide context for your images.   

 

Special Thanks

We are committed to modernizing the practices of NorCATA, which has been an exciting and labor-intensive challenge thus far.  We give SPECIAL THANKS for your expressions of support, encouragement, and continued membership! 

 

Thank you!

 

Stacey Thompson (DeForrest)

Director of Public Relations

 

 

Special Membership Update

Lisa Giovannetti, Director of Membership 

 

 

Thanks to all of you, our chapter is one of the strongest in the nation! The size of both the Northern California region and our membership has resulted in a need for a new web based system, which uses current technology, to help us communicate and maintain information.  For all of us learning a new system might initially take a little more effort, but the NorCATA board is confident that this will lead to a more satisfying membership experience in the long run.

 

As expected during our time of transition, our current 2010 membership numbers are low. Renewal reminders with be going out via mail and our soon-to-be-extinct Yahoo! Group to invite each of our valued members to join us for this momentous conference year.

 

 

 

 

 

Many of you may wonder why we have switched to an all on-line system. The quick answer is that it will reduce paper, costs, inefficiency, and our carbon footprint. The new web-based system will stream line our membership process and communication, which I have illustrated here:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now compare that to our New On-Line System…

 

 

 

Would you like to be in the membership directory?

Please renew on line and then create a profile.  You will be given an option to have your information appear in our on-line directory.  Great news is that you will be able to edit and maintain what is seen by others. This directory will be in the members only section and will be searchable for easy access.