By Mary O’KEEFE and Charly SHELTON

The Crescenta Valley Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition/CV Cares continues its impactful Summer Speaker Series, aimed at shedding light on crucial topics like mental health and substance misuse. The series, which kicked off in June, has already featured discussions on a variety of important issues and the next installment promises to be equally enlightening.

On Aug. 27, Dr. Annie Varvaryan, a licensed clinical psychologist and co-owner of Couch Conversations Psychotherapy and Counseling, Inc., will lead a discussion titled, “Do Your Thoughts Affect Your Life? A Psychologist’s Take on How to Overcome Unhelpful Thoughts.” The event, which will take place at St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church’s Sadler Hall, is open to all and is designed to help participants recognize and challenge unhelpful thought patterns using techniques rooted in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).

“This discussion will provide information on how core beliefs develop from an early age, are reinforced through messaging from our caregivers and society, and continue to impact our decision-making, behaviors and emotions,” Dr. Varvaryan said. She emphasized that unhelpful thinking patterns, such as thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never get that job promotion,” can significantly impact one’s life. The discussion will explore strategies to challenge these patterns and promote a healthier mindset.

Dr. Varvaryan underscored the importance of addressing unhelpful thoughts early on noting, “The sooner we get into the practice of building self-awareness, the sooner we can practice a new way of managing our unhelpful thoughts.” She explained that by recognizing these patterns and actively working to change them, individuals can create new pathways in their brains that lead to more positive outcomes.

During the talk, Dr. Varvaryan will provide practical examples of how to avoid negative thoughts from taking over a person. She highlighted the practice of gratitude as a particularly effective tool.

“Practicing gratitude daily has been shown to assist people in focusing on the positive aspects of their lives,” she said.

While the content is geared toward adults, Dr. Varvaryan welcomes participants of all ages, noting that it’s never too early to start forming helpful thinking patterns.

The ongoing Summer Speaker Series is part of the Crescenta Valley Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition, aka CV Cares, a project under the Chace Taylor Malone Impact Foundation LA (IFLA). The foundation was established by Chace’s mother, Victoria Malone, and his friends after Chace tragically lost his life to an accidental fentanyl overdose. Through the foundation, Malone seeks to honor her son’s memory and provide resources to help other families avoid similar heartbreak.

        “The speaker series offers professionals who are speaking on topics that are important to understand and be informed about,” Malone said. “We hope that the community gets answers to questions they may have for these very serious topics. Most importantly they get answers and guidance from legitimate resource professionals.”

The Summer Speaker Series is free and open to the public. The event featuring Dr. Varvaryan will begin at 6 p.m. on Aug. 27 at St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church, located at 2563 Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta. Parking is available on the street or in the church parking lot, accessible off Cross Street.

Looking ahead, the series will continue on Sept. 24 with a presentation by Kristen Gilliland, Ph.D. titled “The Impact of Stress on Substance Use on the Developing Brain.” These events serve as a valuable resource for the community, offering insights and strategies from experts in the field.

For more information, visit TheImpactFoundationLA.org/CVcares.