Executive Director

Mark Fairfield, LCSW, BCD (Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work), is the Founder and Executive Director of The Relational Center. He is the former Clinical Director of Common Ground – The Westside HIV Community Center in Santa Monica, California, and is a former Faculty member of the Pacific Gestalt Institute. Mark is a Past President of the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Los Angeles. In addition to his work with The Relational Center, he maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice in Los Angeles, and continues his work to improve the quality of mental health care for people of diverse cultural backgrounds and for those who are multiply diagnosed. He has considerable experience working with substance users from a harm-reduction perspective. In his practice, Mark also provides technical assistance and capacity building services to non-profit organizations. Mark has over 10 years of experience in mental health care and organizational management and supervision and continues to focus his organizational consulting work in the areas of strategic planning, leadership development, and participatory decision-making models of governance. Mark has been building on Gestalt theory to support dialogue in groups and large systems, working to develop the relational emphasis in Gestalt practice specifically with organizations and communities.

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Director of Clinical Training

Jami Winkel, LMFT, is the former Director of Care Services at Common Ground - The Westside HIV Community Center in Santa Monica, California, where she oversaw mental health, treatment, and case management services to multiply diagnosed, actively substance using, high-risk communities infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. Jami relies upon Gestalt therapy theory as a support for integrating the harm reduction approach into mental health care. She is particularly interested in using the Gestalt model to promote greater levels of participation in decision-making and expanded community supports for her vulnerable clients. Jami has completed four years of training with the Pacific Gestalt Institute and also maintains a private practice in Los Angeles.

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Administrator

Ariel Yabek, MA, is currently eligible for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist. In addition to her work at The Relational Center, Ariel works in a private practice setting where she sees families, couples and individuals. Ariel has experience working as both an administrator and clinician in intensive outpatient, inpatient and non-profit mental health organizations. She has extensive experience working with multiply-diagnosed adolescents and adults as well as HIV/AIDS and LGBT communities. Ariel has a unique sensitivity towards diverse client populations and is committed to providing high quality services to clients who would normally not have access to such services. She combines her administrative and organizational skills with her clinical skills to fulfill a complex role at The Relational Center. Currently Ariel oversees intake, outreach, development, finance and administrative functions of The Relational Center. In addition, she also provides mentoring and clinical support to trainees and interns when needed. Ariel is committed to the relational Gestalt model and participates in ongoing training programs and workshops. 

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