Welcome to our newsletter!

Stay in touch with VCCC and find out what's been going on!

We worked with designer Sherry Hodge along with volunteers and generous donors to renew the clinic. Take a look at our before and after pics!

"I can enthusiastically say that it is really exciting to open up students' perceptions and realizations about the possibilities of treatment. You can influence their perceptions and sensitivities to what really matters and what to pay attention to. The process of new learning can be very exciting."

Dr. Diane Fletcher has been supervising for VCCC since 2014. Her first supervisee, Marsha Nimmer, now sits on the on VCCC board!

"My passion for psychology began with my love for modern dancing. My dance teacher told me about a Dance program at the University of Wisconsin, so off I went to Wisconsin. But it turned out that her information was stale. The dance program was old and outdated. I transferred to the UCLA Dance Department. I took every class I could, including extra ballet classes in Hollywood where I slipped and fell when the strap on my ballet slipper broke and I broke my wrist. Now I couldn't do anything. but I heard about a dance movement therapist Mary Whitehouse, from whom I learned to move expressively, guided by my own inner feeling. Everything psychological proceeded from there. I got my masters degree in choreography from the UCLA Department of Dance which brought Mary Whitehouse into their program. This ultimately led to my teaching classes in Los Angeles: "Your body in motion; finding yourself through movement."  

Eventually I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Social-Clinical Studies at the Wright Institute. From my friends I learned about the Object Relations Psychoanalysts in Los Angeles. I learned of the well-known Psychoanalysts Wilfred Bion, Albert Mason and Susan Isaacs who relocated from England to Los Angeles. I sought years of supervision from those who had studied With Dr. Bion: Dr. James Grotstein, Dr. Yvonne Hansen and Dr. James Gooch M.D.  who were all either analyzed by or supervised by Dr. Bion. 

I have been immersed in these studies and continue to find this work the most rewarding I could ever want."

We are proud to welcome Joshua Durban to the VCCC team! Joshua Durban is a Clinical Psychologist and a Training and Supervising Child and Adult Psychoanalyst at the Israeli Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, Jerusalem, and faculty member of Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, The Psychotherapy Program. He works in private psychoanalytic practice in Tel Aviv and now in Los Angeles with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and psychotic children and adults. He is the founder of the Israeli Psychoanalytic Inter-Disciplinary Forum for the study of ASD.

This book, from the Tavistock Clinic Series, is about what follows the breakdown in functioning, either short- or longer-term, provoked by a traumatic event. The authors offer a psychoanalytical understanding of the meaning of the trauma for an individual, illuminating theory with detailed clinical illustration and case histories. A range of therapeutic procedures is described.

We want to catch up with a VCCC alum every month and see what they are up to! Melissa Dellens (they/she) works with teens and young adults with intersectional identities as an associate marriage and family therapist in private practice. They offer their understanding of collective trauma, community stressors, and political advocacy through publications and education. Melissa is the Chief Operations Officer at The Affirmative Couch and is adjunct faculty at Antioch University Los Angeles and Alliant International University Los Angeles. Melissa earned their Master of Arts in Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles with an emphasis in Applied Community Psychology and fulfilled their practicum requirements at Valley Community Counseling Clinic. During their associateship, they worked with fourth through sixth graders on the Social Emotional Learning Team at Walden School in Pasadena. They completed the one year Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Certificate at the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies, and Level 1 of The Trauma Resilience Model. Prior to working in mental health, Melissa spent 12 years supervising a community integration program for Autistic transition age youth. When they aren’t working, Melissa enjoys trail running, reading historical fiction, and knitting.

Our Ever-Expanding Community

Its been our tradition for a few years now to gather for a potluck at Dr. Walcott-Rounds' home to welcome our new cohorts. For our first gathering of 2023 we had an easter egg hunt (blindfolded!) and attempted campfire songs. Space was made for the new interns to share their vulnerabilities about starting at the clinic and more seasoned interns shared thoughtful advice.

Earth Day

VCCC staff and interns gathered to support FoLar's Earth Day actions and picked up trash along the LA River at the Sepulveda Basin.

What we're grateful for...

We're grateful for so many things at VCCC. Our clinic remodel was spearheaded by designer Sherry Hodge. Her ability to hold, organize and implement a vision created a more beautiful, aesthetically clean and cozy atmosphere for folks to heal and learn in. We have an amazing Administrative team, wonderful supervisors, dedicated interns and a special community that supports us in our ongoing mission to serve the public and nurture future healers.

Are you interested in supervising for VCCC? Get in touch!