I am honored to serve as your president elect and look forward to a productive 2006. After reading the exchanges in our listserv, I identified the need to explore more opportunities for independent practitioners as a priority and established the Task Force on Expanding the Business of Practice for Practitioners. Dr. Tamara (Tammy) Martin–Causey, agreed to chair this effort. Her group is charged with examining alternative avenues of career activities for practitioners. The group will study how we can expand the role and definition of practice beyond health care. To achieve this task force members will conduct a survey research to study marketing strategies used by psychologists. After compiling the data, the efficacy of various strategies will made be available to members. Please feel free to contact Tammy Martin-Causey (tammymc@cox.net) or me (cultural@starpwoer.net) with your ideas.

I am committed to helping independent practitioners adapt to our increasingly global community. As part of Jeff Barnett’s 2005 presidential activities on diversity, I co-authored with Toy Caldwell-Colbert, president elect of APA division 45 (Ethnic Minority Psychology), an online course to help practitioners apply the APA Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice and Organizational Change for Psychologists to their practice. A companion primer will be available shortly. This effort places our division at the vanguard, since the Council of Representatives approved the establishment of a Task Force charged with implementing the Multicultural Guidelines throughout APA at its August 2005 meeting.

A group of energetic psychologists—many not previously active in Division 42-- have joined me in these efforts. Some of these practitioners include Laura S. Brown (2006 Continuing Education chair), Beverly Greene (Fellows chair and recently elected Council Representative), Linda Campbell (Publications and Communications Committee member), John Norcross (Publications and Communications Committee member), Arlene Noriega (42 representative to APA Committee on Relations in Psychology), to name a few. These psychologists join the cadre of hard working Board of Directors and other committee members in advancing the agenda of independent practice. Jeff Barnett has done a stellar job as president. Indeed, he has raised the standard for division leadership. I thank him for his generosity of mind and spirit.

The energy of our successful 2005 convention reinforced our ongoing preparations for 2006. As I write this column I listen to the news of the devastation Hurricane Katrina left in the Gulf area. My thoughts and best wishes are with those suffering from the effects of this tragedy. Anabel Bejarano will chair the convention program in New Orleans. Judith Steward, a past president of 42, recently moved to New Orleans and is assisting us with programming and local preparations. I am fortunate to have Alan Entin, Mary Gregerson, Miguel Gallardo and others helping me with the planning. My presidential convention theme, “Expanding your Practice: Diversity, Creativity and Spirituality” will help independent psychologists to work with diverse populations and incorporate creative approaches into their practices. Sessions on spirituality will introduce practitioners to a variety of healing traditions and help them incorporate some techniques into their practices. These sessions will have practical applications to independent practitioners. I hope that you will plan to attend the convention next year. Let’s make sure that our convention in New Orleans will aid in its full recovery!

Earlier this year I joined several colleagues in planning a national conference: the APA Expert Summit on Immigration (see notice in this IP, Ed.) . Gerry Koocher, APA president elect, identified this project as one of his presidential initiatives. The event will emphasize practice, research and policy issues regarding immigration in the United States. Mary Pipher, psychologist and author of the bestseller “Reviving Ophelia”, will be a plenary speaker. She will present her work with refugees based on her book “The Middle of Everywhere: The World’s Refugees Come to Our Town”. The conference will be held in San Antonio Texas, on February 2, 2006 and will be followed by our midwinter Board of Directors meeting. Several APA divisions will hold their mid winter meetings at that time, giving us an opportunity for exchange and collaboration.

I place my accent on 42. The experience of established members and the vitality of new ones enrich our division. Our community benefits from your involvement. Please feel free to participate in any of our activities--and to suggest alternatives. I welcome your input and WILL continue to work to keep division 42 a vibrant and sustaining community.

Gracias,

Lillian

Return to Top