President's Message — Jennifer Calderon, LMFT, LPCC

The Choice That Remains:
Finding Agency in Therapy and in Ourselves

The world has felt heavier and increasingly more unsafe in the past few years. Viewing atrocities on the local, national & global stage and the anguish it has caused has diminished my capacity to seek out the world’s potential for promise and peace. At times, it’s difficult to hold light for myself and others when the world seems so dark. However, my belief in the power of choice has continued to provide me with perspective. The reflection below is my attempt to articulate a core belief that guides both my clinical work and my life. I hope it resonates with you and provides a new perspective.

In my clinical work, I often sit with individuals whose circumstances feel immovable, such as chronic illness, systemic barriers, deep loss, or ongoing despair. In those moments, it can feel like there’s very little that I can “fix.” But as Viktor Frankl reminded us, even when nearly everything is taken away, one thing remains: the ability to choose how we respond. This idea, at the heart of Logotherapy, gives me a way to help clients reconnect with a sense of agency, even in the hardest situations.

When I think about Frankl’s idea of choosing one’s attitude, I don’t hear it as a push toward forced positivity or minimizing pain. Instead, it helps me make space for suffering while still holding onto a client’s dignity. I’m mindful that many clients already feel pressure to “handle things better” or “stay positive.” This approach allows me to shift the focus. Rather than trying to eliminate suffering, I explore with them how they relate to it.

I also notice how much this framework applies to me as a therapist. I’m not separate from the stressors shaping the world. At times, I’m holding my clients’ pain while managing my own uncertainty, stress, or fatigue. Over time, that kind of layered exposure can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, or a deeper sense of exhaustion if I’m not paying attention.

In those moments, Frankl’s perspective becomes more than theory for me. It becomes something I actively practice. I often can’t change the larger systems I’m working in or the level of need around me. But I can shift the question from “How do I fix all of this?” to “How do I want to meet this?” That shift helps me regain a sense of steadiness, even when nothing externally has changed.

In my day-to-day work, this shows up in small but meaningful ways. I try to set clear boundaries—not just to protect myself, but to stay aligned with what matters to me. I come back to my “why,” especially when the work starts to feel overwhelming or routine. I also pay attention to my internal responses - moments when I feel cynical, numb, or discouraged - and gently redirect toward curiosity, compassion, or grounded realism. These choices aren’t superficial, but are ongoing ways I try to stay connected to my values.

I also hold that this perspective doesn’t replace the need for systemic change. Advocacy still matters, and broader change is necessary. But grounding myself in the ability to choose how I show up means I’m not relying entirely on external shifts to feel effective or purposeful. In a world that often feels uncertain, that’s something I can return to—both for myself and in the work I do.

Jennifer Calderon, LMFT, LPCC Jennifer joined SFV-CAMFT in 2022 and served as Vice President of Programs from 2023–2025. She brings over 26 years of experience in community mental health and private practice, is a CAMFT Certified Supervisor and AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona, as well as a Professional Clinical Counselor in California. She currently serves as Chair of the CAMFT Certified Supervisor Program Committee, and offers both clinical supervision & clinical consultation services regarding highly traumatized populations, family systems, foster care & adoption experiences, and clinical burnout.