Many questions have been raised about the desirability of the American Psychoanalytic Association holding two national meetings each year. These include competition every second years with the International Meetings as well as an annual overlap with the meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. With costs of transportation and services soaring for each member and with the risk of very high expenditures to the organization, the problems raised by twice yearly meetings have become acute. Nonetheless, the decision that has been made to cancel the annual meetings in the year of the International has aroused apprehension. At a time when a strong interest in post-graduate education exists, reducing the frequency of our scientific meeting seems to many members an undesirable sacrifice. Regardless of these factors, the arguments for establishing and promoting regional scientific meetings stand on their own merits.
The broadening of the base of participation by psychoanalysis.
While national meetings have been generally successful, the site chosen must of necessity be at a considerable distance from a large body of the members. The program, however broad, must be limited to a selected group of presentations, usually by the more experienced members. If there were six to eight regional meetings and each had a program as extensive as one-third of a national meeting, the number of psychoanalysts involved in the presentation of papers, of participation in panels, discussion groups, and colloquia would be doubled at a minimum. Broadened opportunity for participation would encourage newer members to become active contributors earlier in their careers, giving a boost to their enthusiasm and creativity.
The broadening of the base of participation by members of allied disciplines.
The viability of psychoanalytic practice, as many of our older members have known it, lies basically in our maintaining our high standards of training and scientific excellence. But in an age of competing theories, mass communication of psychological “insight,” and the constant proliferation of alternative “quicker” less demanding modes of treatment, our ability to engage in an effective exchange of information with allied disciplines is imperative. Regional meetings are apt to be more inviting to far more members of allied disciplines, especially if their participation is encouraged. The existing interdisciplinary colloquium format can easily serve as a model for specific dialogues. In the relatively lower expenditure of time and money, regional meetings would be more attractive than a distant national meeting and the chance to attend along with familiar members of their own community would lessen feelings of being an “outsider.”
The lessening of intra-regional enmities.
Many disagreements exist that have origins that predate the membership of many of the psychoanalysts in a city or region. Regional meetings where members come together, plan, and talk can serve a useful purpose in identifying those controversies that by now have become anachronistic. Alternatively, those controversies, old or new, that deal with cogent issues can be discussed as a means of sharpening the focus on substantive scientific questions. In the potentially convivial atmosphere of a meeting of people who live and work together in the same area of the country, dissensions that too often divert the energies of psychoanalysts can be converted into an open airing that can vitalize the forward movement of our research and understanding.
An undiluted focus on the scientific aspects of the meeting.
Regional psychoanalytic meetings are new; they can be set up with a clear focus on their scientific purpose. Administrative functions now compete at our national meetings for the time and attention of the most experienced members of the Association. Since these administrative functions would continue to be executed on the national level, the regional meetings could focus more directly on scientific and educational issues. Administrative functioning on the regional level could be restricted to the arranging of the most productive and interesting scientific programs. To reduce the danger of regional isolation, speakers from other areas could be invited.
Overall as an adjunct to an annual national meeting, regional psychoanalytic scientific meetings offer a broadened base of participation by both psychoanalysts and members of allied disciplines, the lessening of intraregional enmities, and the concentration of focus on scientific activities—a maximally effective sharing of information among colleagues.
J. D. Lichtenberg
Washington