Starting in the summer of 2024 prior to assuming the role of the President on January 1, I had the opportunity to write President-Elect columns for our e-Newsletter. My first columnopens in new window set the foundation for the use of my four Presidential Initiatives to serve as a framework for the work of the leadership of the Society:
“It is an honor to be President-Elect for the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. The goal of this column is to share my four Presidential Initiatives for 2025 and ask you to collaborate with me to co-create their fulfillment. I hope you will share my excitement about them, as they have the capacity to propel us, as a unique Division within APAopens in new window, to thrive now and in the future.
The SAP Board has approved that our focus will center on these four overlapping and synergistic priorities:
- furthering the deepening of the understanding and incorporation of identity and culture in the science, practice, and education of psychotherapy and psychotherapy supervision,
- increasing the global cross-fertilization of psychotherapy research, education, practice, and application,
- retaining SAP members through their entire professional lifespan by enhancing the perceived value of and engagement in our efforts to make significant contributions to SAP and externally in the field, and
- having SAP function as the authoritative voice in advancing psychotherapy science, practice, education, and application.
The first two and last of these initiatives are external in focus while the third initiative is internally oriented. We are a mature division in need of new membership revitalization. I would be delighted to hear your thoughts, recommendations, or reactions to these initiatives. You can backchannel me. More importantly, I invite you to consider actively contributing to our goals. There will be many opportunities for you to do so.”
Much of the work done in the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy is through its various Domain/Committee areas including in alphabetic order Diversity, Early Career, Education and Training, International, Membership, Professional Practice, Science, and Student as well as our Publications and Communications area. Each of these areas developed plans for the year with discussions with me either via a remote meeting or asynchronous communication. Specific plans were shared in preparation for our in-person leadership meeting held at the end of January.
Each quarter, one of these four initiatives is highlighted in the quarterly e-Bulletin. The article includes what each of the above areas has accomplished or is currently working on relevant to that initiative.
The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy has a well-developed Mission Statementopens in new window which is in the process of being revised. The initiatives help concretize our Strategic Goals and provide more specific focus.
