CAPS East Conference

The Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) East Region Conference is this weekend. I am taking a van full of students up to the Rhodes Grove Conference Center in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The conference theme is Marriage and Family: Christian Integration in the 21st Century. The schedule is available here. What is particularly fun about this conference is that my colleague, Dr. Jen Ripley, is giving the main plenary addresses, and I am giving the other plenary address. Her talks are titled “Research in couples Reflections from a Christian psychologist” and “Relationship counseling Hope for the future.”

My plenary address is titled “Christian integration in family therapy: Functioning, relationship, and identity.” I’ll be talking about the themes from the integrative Christian family therapy chapter from the Family Therapies book that came out this past winter.

I am also providing a presentation with two doctoral students and ISSI team members on the topic of multicultural competence for working with sexual minority clients.

CAPS East is usually a smaller venue. It provides students with a good opportunity to give a professional talk – a paper or poster presentation – without it being a really large audience. Also, those who attend tend to be really supportive of students who are beginning to form their own professional identity. It is usually a very positive experience for everyone involved, and I’m looking forward to the time with students and colleagues.