WHO WE ARE
ADMINISTRATION | SUPERVISORS | STAFF TESTIMONIALS
CIFC is a non-profit community service mental health agency that provides quality low-cost, outpatient counseling, and counseling training services to the San Fernando Valley community. We are the only non-emergency outpatient mental health facility that is open 7 days a week in the San Fernando Valley.
ADMINISTRATION
Sherry Brill, M.A., LMFT
Executive Director
Sherry began her career with CIFC in 1995 as a trainee for our agency while completing her master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. As a licensed clinician, she embarked in a career specializing in child and adolescent psychology in the Latino community. She spent five and a half years working at various elementary, middle and high schools in the North Hollywood area. She provided therapy to the students and their families as well as teaching parenting classes in the schools.
Through her experience in the Los Angeles Unified School District and teaching parenting classes, Sherry developed her own bi-lingual psychotherapeutic game Talk It Up!™. Talk It Up! was specifically designed as a therapeutic intervention for children, teens, and their families. Sherry also created and wrote a bi-lingual parenting workbook “Dynamic Families” which teaches parents mindful parenting perspective in raising their children and at the same time empowering themselves to become more effective parents in creating a stronger and emotionally healthier family.
Since 2006, Sherry has served as Executive Director of CIFC. She has been pivotal in the renovations and rejuvenation of our services, training and programs. Sherry's enthusiasm, experience and dedication to providing quality, low-cost mental health to the San Fernando Valley community keeps CIFC the thriving place it is today.
Grace Medina
Office Manager
Since 1996, Grace has been the keystone to the organizational structure of CIFC. As office manager, she is responsible for the daily operations of running CIFC, including; finances, maintaining industry compliance issues, processing of all client files. Grace's dedication to the inner workings of CIFC is felt on every level, every day.
SUPERVISORS
Rachel Bar, M.A., LMFT
Rachel has been a loyal supervisor at CIFC for over 20 years. Along with her work at CIFC, Rachel was the Clinical Director for 10 years at San Fernando Valley Counseling Center. Rachel's primary orientation is in Existential / Object Relations, but is also trained in hypnotherapy, EMDR and uses muscle testing as investigative tools throughout the therapeutic process. In her private practice in Encino, Rachel sees individuals, families and specializes in couples work.
Linda Seidman, M.A., LMFT
Linda has been a supervisor at CIFC since 2004. She received her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. Linda's experience in the mental health field is vast, and includes a 10-year position with the Janis Frankel Oral Exam Preparation Workshop as a teacher and coach. Linda has been a guest lecturer at Fuller Graduate Institute and was a monthly contributor to L.A. Parent magazine. She has a private practice in Encino, where she specializes in individual, couples and adolescents. Linda is also a provider of Employee Assistance Programs working within various work-place related crises.
Christi Taylor-Jones, M.A., LMFT
Christi is a former special education teacher, journalist and author, and received her M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. She specializes in working with children with special needs, offering individual and family counseling, as well as social skills training. Christi was editor of the San Fernando Valley CAMFT newsletter, Connections, for over a year and was a supervisor at Valley Therapy and the Personal Growth Institute. Christi has a private practice in Encino, and is a candidate in an analytic training program at the C.G. Jung Institute in Los Angeles.
Hannah Weinstein, M.A., LMFT
Hannah began her affiliation with CIFC as a paraprofessional therapist in 1994. She returned to school to complete her M.A. in Psychology from Ryokan College and became licensed in 1997. Hannah returned to CIFC as a supervisor in 1999, specializing in training new counselors. Her experience includes running groups for adolescent drug abusers, their families and at risk elementary students at Sulphur Springs elementary school. Hannah served as Treasurer of the SFV Chapter of CAMFT, and currently has a private practice in Encino, with specialties in anxiety, depression and aging issues. Her specialty in working with couples is achieving emotional intimacy.
Susan Chenault M.A., LMFT
Susan has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 1981, after earning her M.A. from Phillips Graduate Institute. Susan has been a valued supervisor at CIFC for over 20 years. She specializes in Family Systems theory, and has a private practice with a special emphasis on bereavement with parents who have lost children.
Ken Newelt, M.A., LMFT
Ken earned his M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute and started his career at CIFC as a staff counselor in 1997. He then moved to Hathaway Child and Family services, where he provided in-home therapy to at-risk youth. Ken returned to CIFC as a staff supervisor in 2006, and supports the growth and development of new Trainees and Interns. Ken has a private practice in Sherman Oaks, and specializes in the developmental stages and life transitions for men, including; adolescents, relationships, career issues and grief and loss.
STAFF TESTIMONIALS
"Here is what an intern should demand of their internship: variety of clinical experience; an executive director and supervisors dedicated to learning; rigorous attention to legal & ethical boundaries; and preparation for real-world practice, from client records to transference/countertransference issues. Now read that sentence again, because that is exactly the experience I've had at CIFC. And one more thing: It's a warm, supportive atmosphere. I feel lucky."
- Kirby Tepper, MFT Intern
"As I enter into my third year as a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern at CIFC I am proud to be part of a rich, 30-year history of service to a broad community. CIFC's ongoing commitment to serving a diverse population, both on site and off, has provided me with a broad range of clinical learning as well as opportunities to specialize. Supervision, one of the most valuable aspects of prelicensing experience, is of the highest quality. The peer support and comfort level at CIFC make it a "home away from home."
- Grace Valenti, MFT Intern
"As I come to the end of my 3,000 hours, all of which I did at the Center, my memories are of, a warm and supportive environment. I have made many friends and enjoyed my time here, so much so that leaving will be difficult, but necessary. Working with a diverse population has created an opportunity for me to become a better Therapist and Art Therapist."
- Deborah Lakeman, MFT Intern & Art Therapist
ADMINISTRATION | SUPERVISORS | STAFF TESTIMONIALS
CIFC is a non-profit community service mental health agency that provides quality low-cost, outpatient counseling, and counseling training services to the San Fernando Valley community. We are the only non-emergency outpatient mental health facility that is open 7 days a week in the San Fernando Valley.
ADMINISTRATION
Sherry Brill, M.A., LMFT
Executive Director
Sherry began her career with CIFC in 1995 as a trainee for our agency while completing her master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. As a licensed clinician, she embarked in a career specializing in child and adolescent psychology in the Latino community. She spent five and a half years working at various elementary, middle and high schools in the North Hollywood area. She provided therapy to the students and their families as well as teaching parenting classes in the schools.
Through her experience in the Los Angeles Unified School District and teaching parenting classes, Sherry developed her own bi-lingual psychotherapeutic game Talk It Up!™. Talk It Up! was specifically designed as a therapeutic intervention for children, teens, and their families. Sherry also created and wrote a bi-lingual parenting workbook “Dynamic Families” which teaches parents mindful parenting perspective in raising their children and at the same time empowering themselves to become more effective parents in creating a stronger and emotionally healthier family.
Since 2006, Sherry has served as Executive Director of CIFC. She has been pivotal in the renovations and rejuvenation of our services, training and programs. Sherry's enthusiasm, experience and dedication to providing quality, low-cost mental health to the San Fernando Valley community keeps CIFC the thriving place it is today.
Grace Medina
Office Manager
Since 1996, Grace has been the keystone to the organizational structure of CIFC. As office manager, she is responsible for the daily operations of running CIFC, including; finances, maintaining industry compliance issues, processing of all client files. Grace's dedication to the inner workings of CIFC is felt on every level, every day.
SUPERVISORS
Rachel Bar, M.A., LMFT
Rachel has been a loyal supervisor at CIFC for over 20 years. Along with her work at CIFC, Rachel was the Clinical Director for 10 years at San Fernando Valley Counseling Center. Rachel's primary orientation is in Existential / Object Relations, but is also trained in hypnotherapy, EMDR and uses muscle testing as investigative tools throughout the therapeutic process. In her private practice in Encino, Rachel sees individuals, families and specializes in couples work.
Linda Seidman, M.A., LMFT
Linda has been a supervisor at CIFC since 2004. She received her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. Linda's experience in the mental health field is vast, and includes a 10-year position with the Janis Frankel Oral Exam Preparation Workshop as a teacher and coach. Linda has been a guest lecturer at Fuller Graduate Institute and was a monthly contributor to L.A. Parent magazine. She has a private practice in Encino, where she specializes in individual, couples and adolescents. Linda is also a provider of Employee Assistance Programs working within various work-place related crises.
Christi Taylor-Jones, M.A., LMFT
Christi is a former special education teacher, journalist and author, and received her M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. She specializes in working with children with special needs, offering individual and family counseling, as well as social skills training. Christi was editor of the San Fernando Valley CAMFT newsletter, Connections, for over a year and was a supervisor at Valley Therapy and the Personal Growth Institute. Christi has a private practice in Encino, and is a candidate in an analytic training program at the C.G. Jung Institute in Los Angeles.
Hannah Weinstein, M.A., LMFT
Hannah began her affiliation with CIFC as a paraprofessional therapist in 1994. She returned to school to complete her M.A. in Psychology from Ryokan College and became licensed in 1997. Hannah returned to CIFC as a supervisor in 1999, specializing in training new counselors. Her experience includes running groups for adolescent drug abusers, their families and at risk elementary students at Sulphur Springs elementary school. Hannah served as Treasurer of the SFV Chapter of CAMFT, and currently has a private practice in Encino, with specialties in anxiety, depression and aging issues. Her specialty in working with couples is achieving emotional intimacy.
Susan Chenault M.A., LMFT
Susan has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 1981, after earning her M.A. from Phillips Graduate Institute. Susan has been a valued supervisor at CIFC for over 20 years. She specializes in Family Systems theory, and has a private practice with a special emphasis on bereavement with parents who have lost children.
Ken Newelt, M.A., LMFT
Ken earned his M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute and started his career at CIFC as a staff counselor in 1997. He then moved to Hathaway Child and Family services, where he provided in-home therapy to at-risk youth. Ken returned to CIFC as a staff supervisor in 2006, and supports the growth and development of new Trainees and Interns. Ken has a private practice in Sherman Oaks, and specializes in the developmental stages and life transitions for men, including; adolescents, relationships, career issues and grief and loss.
STAFF TESTIMONIALS
"Here is what an intern should demand of their internship: variety of clinical experience; an executive director and supervisors dedicated to learning; rigorous attention to legal & ethical boundaries; and preparation for real-world practice, from client records to transference/countertransference issues. Now read that sentence again, because that is exactly the experience I've had at CIFC. And one more thing: It's a warm, supportive atmosphere. I feel lucky."
- Kirby Tepper, MFT Intern
"As I enter into my third year as a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern at CIFC I am proud to be part of a rich, 30-year history of service to a broad community. CIFC's ongoing commitment to serving a diverse population, both on site and off, has provided me with a broad range of clinical learning as well as opportunities to specialize. Supervision, one of the most valuable aspects of prelicensing experience, is of the highest quality. The peer support and comfort level at CIFC make it a "home away from home."
- Grace Valenti, MFT Intern
"As I come to the end of my 3,000 hours, all of which I did at the Center, my memories are of, a warm and supportive environment. I have made many friends and enjoyed my time here, so much so that leaving will be difficult, but necessary. Working with a diverse population has created an opportunity for me to become a better Therapist and Art Therapist."
- Deborah Lakeman, MFT Intern & Art Therapist
Call: 818-761-2227 Email: info@cifc1.org