The Office of Nancy Locke Capers, MFT#41057 and Connections Consulting

The Office of Nancy Locke Capers, MFT#41057 Marriage and Family Therapist ~ Connections Consulting Psychotherapist  La Jolla, California. Contact: 858 232-9697 e-mail: info@nancycapers.com Aside from working with individuals, couples, and families, I have also worked as a corporate consultant with United Health Care, Great West, Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, Vodafone, and other companies both domestically and internationally.     SPECIALITIES Anger Management   High-Demand Group Recovery Individual Psychotherapy   Relationships   Stepfamily Issues   Anxiety Depression    Life Transitions  Business coach (certified trainer in PCM or PTM)

My professional life is committed to understanding the depths of loss, possible unconscious motivations, and the nuances of human behavior by working in collaboration with my client.  My belief is that change occurs in a profound acceptance from one individual to another within the context of clear therapeutic boundaries.   Specific training is mandated in this profession. This includes practicum work, internships, personal therapy as well as continued education in the field. Rigorous exams are mandated as well as years of supervision.  I feel that the richness of one's personal experience is also extremely valuable as a therapist, leading to wisdom, knowledge, and respect for others choices.  Aside from doing the academic, clinical, state-mandated work towards CA licensure, I have also learned more from my many clients over the years.  It is an honor to be in this field.   You are the expert on you...     A joint venture is built between therapist and client to foster growth through time, care, respect, and compassion.  The client learns to employ his or her own inner resources to become better equipt to cope with life's inevitable problems.       CERTIFIED: Stepfamily Association of America,  Process Communication Model,  Process Therapy Model Seminars for Clinicians, Domestic Violence           See clip: KUSI's GOOD MORNING SAN DIEGO, video segment of Ms. Capers on "Tips for Handling Holiday Stress." http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/11818206.html   Book Reviews The Therapist September/October 2004   Reviewed by Nancy Locke Capers, M.A.   Widows and Divorcees in Later Life: On Their Own Again Carol L. Jenkins, PhD, Editor 202 pp., ISBN: 0-7890-2192-7 Published by The Haworth Press, Inc., 2004   In the introduction, Carol Jenkins notes that both youth and physical attractiveness, which are greatly valued in our culture, are lost to older women. On the other hand, this wonderful compilation of research articles regarding the death of, or divorce from, a spouse, is packed with interesting and insightful data. It is a text useful for academic purposes or for the reader who is interested in the repercussions of loss late in life. A wide range of issues are addressed including economic security, loss of social status, patriarchal views, mental and physical health, and the role of a support system.   Along with research involving white women, this text includes a cross-cultural perspective from Africa to Wales, Mexico to the South Pacific. Reading about how other cultures treat widows and divorcees (or women who had "retired from marriage") is fascinating. It presents a great variety of women's experiences, widening the bandwidth of knowledge, and therefore, the options for all women.   Historically, minority groups and divorced women have experienced double-digit poverty rates in retirement. A section of the book which addresses "Projected Retirement Income of Divorced Women in the Baby Boom" cohort suggests policy options to address the retirement needs of divorced women. This study points out that most baby boomers will enjoy higher incomes in retirement than did their parents, however, some subgroups such as unmarried women and less educated individuals will fall behind.   Policy-makers are called upon to consider community based alternatives to family caregivers as the challenges of providing long-term care for disabled minority populations increases. Factors other than lack of kin availability, such as inferior local long-term care infrastructure and non-culturally competent service providers are elements at play in minority (in this case, Mexican) populations.   One study from Kings College in London, studied the marked decline in intergenerational co-residence that has led to apprehension that family support for the elderly is diminishing in Great Britain.   One particularly interesting study by Jenkins examines how care arrangement choices are made for older widows, which included family members and professional service providers. The major theme was maintaining the older woman's independence, noting that often decisions are made without consulting the older person. Concerns about safety, the flexible meanings of continuing independence, responsibility, and caregiving reciprocity are explored. Once again, the findings have implications for service providers and policymakers, as well as individuals finding themselves in a position of helping to make decisions for a parent or relative.   One particularly interesting piece examines bereavement patterns for widows, which show a high correlation between the first two years of bereavement and a 40 percent higher risk of hospitalization than women not recently widowed. The opposing experience is also mentioned regarding women who had been married to dominant spouses and may feel a newfound sense of autonomy when their husbands pass away. I was surprised to learn about (in the U.S.) the Older Americans Act which provides states with additional funding to provide support and guidance for caregivers.   Widows and Divorcees in Later Life ameliorated some of my own anxiety about the future. As a middle-aged woman who will be facing these issues, I found this an absorbing and engaging text that was informative and stimulating. I was struck by the varied opportunities that diverge from the typical concept of widows and divorcees being on their own again.