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Message from our Executive Director
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The Couples Center of Alaska has been working with couples and individuals for the past 3 years. Over these years we have slowly but surely increased the number of folks we have had the privilege to serve. Over the last twelve months alone, we have increased the number of client sessions by nearly 10%. So far in 2016 we have nearly surpassed the number of client sessions for the entire year of 2015. We have sponsored 7 trainings and offered a community workshop for couples. The board and staff are exploding with ideas for supporting and strengthening couple relationships for Alaskans. It has been exciting to implement these ideas and we are excited to expand our options in the future. We are all aware of the difficult economic situation in our state, and continuing to offer affordable services in Alaska is challenging. We need the help of every one of you to help fulfill our mission. We have several options for giving: check our website, attend one of our fundraisers or trainings, and watch for Pick. Click. Give. when you sign up for your PFD in 2017.
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Date Night Tips
- Go to Point Woronzof to watch the sun set over the ocean.
- Drive out to Potters Marsh for a stroll along the boardwalk. Enjoy the fall colors and keep an eye out for swans.
- Stop in at McGinley’s at 8 pm on a Thursday for some great Irish music.
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Our Associate Executive Director is a third generation Alaskan, proud to call Anchorage her home. Meet Karen Cunningham, LMFT. Prior to pursuing MFT she was an International Sports Science Association certified personal fitness trainer. Karen joined our team after finishing her MFT graduate degree at Saybrook University and completed her MFT licensing requirements while working with clients at the CCAK and in her private practice.
Karen has extensive training in The Gottman Method of Couples Therapy and in Relational Life Therapy. She supports her clients in challenging their physical, mental, cognitive and emotional selves in such a manner that the opportunity for incredible growth and development follows.
Karen's many hours of work with the Center has played a significant role in our growth over the past 3 years. Karen continues to work as a clinician and as the Associate Executive Director. She also sees clients in her own private practice and works part time at Special Olympics, Alaska.
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Relational Fitness
Recent research found women in unsatisfying marriages can be heartbroken in more ways than one. Compared with women in satisfying marriages, women in unsatisfying marriages suffer higher blood pressure, higher cholesterol, and they tend to carry more body fat around the belly. These women also suffer from higher rates of depression, anxiety and anger. Do your heart a favor and combine physical fitness goals with relational fitness goals. Take your partner for a walk, start a weight loss challenge with your partner, or even hire a personal fitness trainer at your local gym to work with you both. With your heart, love yourself and your partner enough to live a healthy lifestyle!
Reference:
American Psychological Association. Marriage appears to be beneficial to women's health, but only when marital satisfaction is high, new research shows. September 2003.
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Community
On a beautiful day this summer, CCAK had the opportunity to set up an information booth at Alaska Pride Fest along with several other community organizations. Thank you to our Board of Directors and volunteers who staffed the event and to everyone who stopped by to say, "hi"!
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Trivia Contest
Who said "Why fool around with hamburger when you have steak at home?" about his beloved wife
and
who was the wife?
The first person to email the CCAK with the correct answer will receive a Couples Center mug and coffee coupons!
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Ashley Winslow is a vibrant and energetic addition to The Couples Center of Alaska. Ashley, her husband, and their two daughters came to Anchorage with the Air Force in 2014. Ashley and her family has lived in many different cities and countries around the world and brings a broad range of both personal and professional experiences to the CCAK. In therapy, Ashley works to find and enhance the strengths each individual and relationship enjoys. Having training in The Gottman Marital Therapy Model and Emotionally Focused Therapy, Ashley is skilled at setting an emotional tone in the sessions that allows for honest, genuine, heartfelt emotional connections to develop between family members. She also can facilitate the learning of important relationship skills as identified through John Gottman’s research. Please read Ashley’s full bio on our
website
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We are proud to announce that Ashley recently passed, with flying colors, the National Marital and Family Therapist Examination and will very soon be fully licensed! It is an understatement that we are thrilled to have Ashley working with the CCAK.
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We couldn't do it without you!
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We couldn't do it without our donors!
Thank you Alaska CHARR (Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Association) for offering their training room for CCAK trainings over the past two years.
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- Ashley M Barrera,LMFT: President
- Ryan Roley, JD: Vice President
- Beth Przywojski,CPA: Treasurer
- Sally Goble,LMFT: Secretary
- Hillary Walker,M.S., Chair of Marketing Committee
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The Couples Center of Alaska | 907.222.3699| 907.258.6613| info@thecouplescenteralaska.org www.thecouplescenteralaska.org
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