2009 Annual Letter to the Membership 

June 25, 2009

Dear Fellow Academy Members,

With the spring season upon us, I truly feel that the past several months have been like a "spring" for the Academy as well, and I feel honored to be a part of it's unfolding in the capacity of your newly elected President.  As indicated in the letter reporting our election results, we have two other newly elected Academy members (Drs. Gordon MacKinnon and David St. John) whose enthusiastic contributions to their respective positions on the board add significantly to the recent infusion of new and creative ideas being considered in support of the Academy's mission of rethinking psychoanalysis and psychotherapy outside of a medical model. The ongoing contribution made by Dr. Hitchcock, our astute and re-elected Treasurer, places our financial resources in good order.

This is the Academy's fourteenth year, and it is a very exciting time for our organization, as the renewed energy that our board and committee members are breathing into our dynamic group has more than recharged us - - it has been taking us in exciting directions that could open doors to enhanced levels of communication that we hope will lead to more efficient accomplishment of our objectives.  

For example, we are exploring web-based educational opportunities to serve our own needs for self-structured continuing professional development, and for the purpose of providing a broader opportunity to present our ideas to the academic, professional, and lay communities as outlined in our mission statement. Discussions are underway for beginning a new online discussion forum where interested people could participate.  Dr. Egan, Chair of Website Issues, has been working very hard to improve the functionality, interactivity and aesthetics of our website. Drs. MacKinnon and St. John are carefully researching ideas for expanding the website in ways that might allow us to offer more interactive collegial study options.  The possible use of webinars and the promotion of round table discussions organized around featured papers are just a few of the ideas being considered by the board as a whole as we attempt  to move our objectives forward with improved efficiency.  
I invite you to visit www.academyanalyticarts.org to peruse our extensive libraries and some of our newly published papers. And I encourage you to participate in a discussion of Dr. Christopher Bollas' paper entitled "ON THE LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN PSYCHOANALYSIS" currently featured on the Round Table page of the Academy's Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues section.  The link for the Round Table is www.academyprojects.org/roundtable.htm. 

All proposals under consideration are explored and evaluated within the context of the Academy's mission statement and bylaws. The Academy's ongoing commitment and central focus continues to be the legitimization and preservation of a space for the practice of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis outside of a medically based mental health system.  Increasing our communications with like-minded individuals and groups by further developing and increasing our web presence is crucial to this end. Papers submitted for publication to our website, and other communications that we receive from people in other states and countries demonstrates that there is ongoing support for our mission well beyond this immediate professional community.  

There are countless possibilities for involvement in the leadership of the Academy including outreach efforts to the lay public, serving on the board's various committees, and working with other like-minded professional groups to support our mission.  I invite you to contact me if you are interested in serving on one of the committees for which we are currently in need of assistance. 

As always, the Academy welcomes member input and participation.  There is always room for someone to become more active in any number of ways in our organization.  Please contact me at Bethann933@aol.com if you are interested.

My warmest wishes to you all,

Bethann Kalt, Ph.D., President