Candidates for APA President
Larry E. Beutler, PhD is distinguished professor, chair and director of training for the Clinical Psychology Program at Pacific Graduate School of Psychology. He is also the co-director of the newly formed National Center for Disaster Psychology and Terrorism in Palo Alto, Calif. He obtained his PhD from the University of Nebraska in 1970 and subsequently served on the faculties of Duke University Medical School, Stephen F. Austin State University, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Arizona and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Beutler is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology, a two-term past international president of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, past-president of APA's Div. 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology), and a former president of APA's Div. 29 (Psychotherapy). He is a recipient of the Gold Medal Award from the American Psychological Foundation, the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the California Psychological Association, the Distinguished Research Career Award from the Society for Psychotherapy Research (International) and a Presidential Citation from the president of APA.
Beutler is the editor of the Journal of Clinical Psychology and a former editor of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. He is a fellow of APA, the American Psychological Society and the International Fellowship of Eclectic Psycho-therapists. He is the author of approximately 350 scientific papers and chapters and is the author, editor or co-author of 15 books on psychotherapy, assessment and psychopathology. His most recent books include, "Rethinking the DSM" (with M. Malik), "Guidelines for the Systematic Treatment of the Depressed Patient" (with J.F. Clarkin and B. Bongar), "Prescriptive Psychotherapy" (with T.M. Harwood), "Am I Crazy, or Is It My Shrink?" (with B. Bongar and J. Shurkin, Oxford University, 1998), "Integrative Assessment of Adult Personality," (second edition with G. Groth-Marnat, 2003) and "Comprehensive Textbook of Psychotherapy" (with B. Bongar, Oxford University, 1995).
Beutler's current research is developing and testing a decisional model for matching specific psychotherapy procedures and formats with identified patient qualities. His recent work has successfully defined empirically supported and cross-theoretical guidelines for treating depression, matching interventions to various extradiagnostic patient qualities. His method of systematic treatment selection has been applied to the treatment of depression, anxiety, sexual aggression, chemical abuse and chronic pain. Research based on this model has resulted in a software program, Systematic Treatment Selection (with O. Williams), that will shortly be available for use by managed health care and individual clinicians to plan the use of empirically derived treatment programs.
Beutler is currently the co-chair (with Louis G. Castonguay) of a Presidential Task Force for Div. 12, which is aimed at defining principles of therapeutic change that cut across theoretical positions and disorders. This task force report, which is scheduled for completion in December 2003, will be published as a book and is co-sponsored by the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research.
Beutler's candidate statement
"Embracing our differences through discourse and knowledge" is a theme that is central to how I believe organizations best function, autonomy and personal integrity are preserved, and collective freedom is maintained. I have a deep commitment to the entire range of psychology, and I am convinced that there is a place at the APA table for all the various aspects of this science and all of the ethical and beneficial practices within psychology.
The integration of our field is not easy, but our differences of viewpoints are much more complex and important than a simple dichotomy between science and practice would indicate. Harnessing the potential growth and benefits of our differences requires dialogue. Yet, dialogue does not automatically precipitate growth and benefit. Dialogue must be reasonable and informed; it should buttress our rich differences, promote open discourse, advance knowledge and encourage the expression of unique and distinctive points of view.
Accordingly, the following are my key platform points:
I support formalizing the application of the principles of cultural competence to training programs, research agendas, curricula and practice.
I favor increasing the meaningfulness of science to practice by creating formal dialogues among our best minds, who represent diverse opinions about the roles of science and practice as applied to health care and effective treatment.
I favor the application of computer-assisted technologies to facilitate personal and social change on a broad scale. I endorse ways that these technologies can be applied to terrorism and the identification of those who perpetuate and are vulnerable to various forms of violence.
To extend the reach of APA among psychologists, I favor bringing together representatives of the established membership, those who have left APA, and those who never joined APA to discuss ways of broadening our impact.
