President's Report

Holding a truly psychoanalytic perspective, one that resonates deeply with the unconscious of those with whom we work, is an act of courage, grounded intuition, and great thoughtfulness. The Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology (NCSPP) provides its members the opportunity to learn, and to continue to learn, how to do such work, whether in the consulting room as psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists, or in further-afield venues of community mental health, groups, and organizations. Even in this ongoing era of managed care and cognitive behavioral therapies, and in the context of a culture at large that is consumed with superficialities, NCSPP continues to thrive.

We currently have more than 400 licensed mental health members and more than 150 associate members. We present three separate year-long Intensive Study Groups with a fall Introductory Lecture, four or five Scientific Meetings, a spring Annual Lecture, and any number of other courses, workshops, and symposia.

Aside from a paid administrative assistant, all of these programs are produced by a volunteer board, committee chairs, and members. An impressive endeavor, indeed! And one that makes me quite honored to be NCSPP's 14th President. In an era of increased competition of educational programs for psychotherapists, the NCSPP Board and I are appreciative of our members who so enthusiastically support our programs. I think our programs meet the challenge of providing a learning experience that helps each of us to think more deeply about our patients, and supports us to creatively rethink how to approach our work with complexity and compassion.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the NCSPP Board and its various committees and committee members. Although you may feel that this “list” of people is pro forma, it is just one small way that I can acknowledge each individual mentioned here who has generously volunteered their free time to make sure that NCSPP gets its job done well. If