Ronald Mah
Candidate Statement

CAMFT is California's leader in the mental health profession, and prominent nationally. CAMFT remains a dynamic force advocating for both MFTs and the  profession. I have association experiences including prior service as a Board of Directors, long-time member of CAMFT, and decades of other voluntary service to the association. My historical and organizational memory/experience beginning in 1998 when I first presented a workshop at the CAMFT annual conference.

 In four years (2008-2012), plus two more years (2021-present) on the CAMFT Board of Directors, I believe I have strived to advocate for members. I have spoken up honestly, pointedly, and appropriately and collegially and professionally, including on issues  about diversity and multi-culturalism both among clients and regarding therapist competence to serve non-majority clients, especially traditionally disempowered, marginalized, and disenfranchised people. Of particular importance to me is addressing of social justice issues (BLM, MeToo movement, response to anti-Asian Pacific Islander hate, sexual orientation, and more)- to assist and help voice to CAMFT and from CAMFT policies that serve individual, couples, family, community, professional, and national health. As a child of a Chinese immigrant working class family who has traversed a diversity of communities in my personal and professional life, I’ve lived and been involved in DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) before it was ever called that!

I also have professional credibility as a therapist (licensed in 1994), as a clinical supervisor and trainer, as department head of MFT (and LPCC) masters of psychology program, as a successful private-practice practitioner- shifting to full-time telehealth work due to the COVID quarantine, non-profit agency experience, prior small business success, and as an author/writer in psychotherapy- particularly couple therapy,  and also child development and behavior.

MFT related experiences help me stay in tune with the spectrum of issues for MFTs: marketing and private practice, support to working in agencies (including exclusionary hiring practices), as teachers, pre-licensure complexities, struggle with managed care challenges (including low fees and reimbursement problems), and so on. All such member concerns require the attention and support of the Board.  I also  served six years on the CAMFT Ethics Committee where I saw a variety of founded and unfounded ethics complaints against CAMFT members, facilitating deeper understanding of member challenges and of challenging members. These experiences have enhanced my appreciation of CAMFT's foundational documents: the mission statement, strategic plan, bylaws, and ethical standards. The core values, guidelines, and boundaries expressed in these documents rather than any member's (including my own) personal beliefs direct the decisions of the Board of Directors.

At this point in my career, I had not anticipated serving again on CAMFT’s Board of Directors, but then had frequent conversations with clients about stepping up and doing what they can do based on resources, aptitude, credentials, experience, and so on to contribute to a better society during these difficult times.  So here I am, in my professional community- CAMFT seeking to walk my talk… not just a talk therapist, but also a walk therapist!

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