SLAMFT

For those looking to get connected with a MOKAN interest network in St. Louis, we encourage you to join SLAMFT.

What is SLAMFT?

We are the St. Louis Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a Saint Louis chapter of the Missouri/Kansas City Association of Marriage and Family Therapy MOKAN (formerly MOAMFT). We are a group of dedicated and friendly professional therapists that have been meeting consistently for over 20 years.

Connecting with SLAMFT is a great way to:

Network with other Clinicians (bring your business cards!).

Earn Continuing Education Units.

Receive low-cost specialized trainings from expert practitioners in the field.

Learn about local resources for Child, Couple, Family Therapy, and individual therapy that considers the impact of the family system.

Let other professionals know about trainings, office space, supervision, or job opportunities in the field.

Receive support and guidance.

Be informed of key changes and innovations in our field.

When/Where:
Meetings are 11:00 am-12:30pm the second Tuesday of every month at the McKnight Road Church of Christ (2515 S. McKnight Rd. St. Louis, MO 63124) with a half hour brown bag lunch/networking followed by a one hour presentation.

Who Can Be a Part of SLAMFT?
All licensed providers (LMFT, LPC, LCSW, PHD) trainees, and community partners are encouraged to attend. We usually have 10-20 attendees at every event.

We offer a variety of membership opportunities for a nominal fee:

AAMFT Members (automatically MOKAN Members) pay $35. This covers all presentations for the year. This includes 1 CEUs for presentations (certificate provided) and inclusion in the SLAMFT email list serve. Checks are still made payable to MOAMFT and can be paid at our monthly meeting.

Non-AAMFT Members pay $50. This covers all presentations for the year, and the 1 CEUs for presentations (certificate provided).

As a guest of SLAMFT, you can pay $10 per presentation and receive the 1 CEU certificate.

MFT Graduate students and interns are free! (No CEUs provided)

For additional questions, contact Megan Garza at megangarza@email.com

For more info on MO/KAN Family Therapy networks and AAMFT updates, visit the SLAMFT St. Louis facebook group.

Current Board Members

President: Megan Garza, MA, LMFT
Megan Garza, MA, LMFT is President of the St. Louis Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Trauma Care Supervisor, and American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) Clinical member and approved supervisor with 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She is a graduate of Pepperdine University with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy and University of Missouri St. Louis with a second Master’s degree in Psychology. She works as Lead individual and group therapist treating sexual trauma survivors at YWCA Metro St. Louis. Megan also works for Behavioral Health Response as a Mobile Outreach Crisis Counselor. She is on the Advisory Board of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence (NPEIV) and is former Co-Chair of the Practice action Team. Megan has spoken at national conferences on sexual trauma, trauma informed care, and PTSD and has published research in the area of sexual trauma, weight, and sexual behaviors. Her specialty areas include: sexual violence, PTSD, women’s issues, crisis intervention, and children & adolescents. Megan is active in grassroots advocacy, is a 10 year Humane Society volunteer and she received the 2018 award for “Big Sister of the Year” from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. Contact: megangarza@email.com Www.HopeHealReflect.com

Treasurer Valentina Penalba, PhD, LMFT
Valentina is trained in couple and family therapy. She obtained a Ph.D. in Medical Family Therapy from Saint Louis University with extensive training in working with families with diverse types of illness including diabetes and cancer. She currently leads support groups at the Cancer Support Community and is adjunct faculty at Washington University in St. Louis. Valentina is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French. Her own experience as an immigrant in various places has helped her understand the multiple stress factors that arise when living abroad

Treasurer Jenna Kruse, MA, LMFT
Jenna is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science with specialization in Marital and Family Therapy from Oklahoma State University. During her graduate program in Oklahoma, she served as student representative of the Oklahoma Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. Jenna specializes in individual trauma therapy for adults using Prolonged Exposure Therapy, EMDR, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She also specializes in couples therapy, primarily using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Jenna has worked in the past with adolescents and adults as a member of a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy team. In her free time, Jenna enjoys baking, crafting, and exploring new activities and events around the city with her family.