The title of an article by TAP editor Arnold Richards in the 1992 Health and Medicine Annual of The Encyclopedia Brittanica expresses rather well the current state of our profession: “Psychoanalysis: Beleaguered and Burgeoning.”
Our beleaguerment includes the difficulty of developing and maintaining a psychoanalytic practice, a problem I have addressed numerous times in this column. The new Standing Committee on Practice Issues (formerly the Task Force on Practice Issues) will continue to study and seek solutions for this problem, a chief concern of my term as President. My successor, Bernard Pacella, has invited me to continue as chair of this Joint Committee, and I welcome his support in what should continue to be a major thrust of the organization in the coming years. In addition to the intensification of activity by committees of The American concerning practice issues, the fostering of local workshops on these questions proceeds well under Joyce Root. Norman (Drew) Clemens has been especially busy helping us seek redress of governmental actions, especially the injurious Medicare fee scale that will be the basis for any future national health insurance. The idea of a national leadership conference on practice issues is also still alive, and we envision one or more conferences open to the entire membership.
During my term as President, Marvin Margolis and I have looked for ways to open The American and its activities to younger people and to seek a broader and more balanced geographical representation. At least in part as a result of this, committees of both Board and Council appear to be prospering. Credit must be given the Joint Committee on Appointments, whose co-chairs are Owen Renik for the Board and Allan Rosenblatt for the Executive Council. I wish to convey to members who have made themselves available for committee work, but have not yet received appointments, that we will call upon them as openings occur.
Relations with other organizations have of late received special attention. In February we had a very successful meeting in Cancun, jointly sponsored by FEPAL, involving small clinical conference groups with Latin American colleagues; a similar meeting was held with colleagues from the European Psychoanalytic Federation in Cork, Ireland, in the summer of 1990, and we are planning yet another with EPF representatives this coming summer. Not surprisingly, we often share similar problems and points of view in the treatment of patients, whatever our theoretical differences. Besides these contacts with FEPAL and the EPF, which are coalitions of IPA societies abroad, we have initiated meetings with the heads of IPA institutes in the U.S. currently outside The American. There are now two of these in New York and two in Southern California. It seems conceivable and desirable to consider an eventual coalition with them, and with others yet to gain approval. Meanwhile the advisability of liaison in areas of mutual concern—external credentialing, the prospect of national health insurance, managed care intrusions in our work, needed empirical research—is evident. Consultation is also being sought in these matters with representatives of the Academy of Psychoanalysis and Division 39. In this regard, I urge you to read the article by Jonathan Slavin in the last issue of TAP, “What Do Psychologists Want?” There may be disagreement with his views, from all sides, but they are important to consider and digest as fully as possible. Finally, we have had a series of meetings with the Division of Psychoanalysis of the Federation of Clinical Social Workers about areas of mutual concern, especially our continuing requirement of a CNMCT process for institute applicants not in possession of a clinical doctorate. Cordial relations with these groups makes sense for all concerned and can only serve the advancement of psychoanalytic knowledge.
As this is my final column, I wish again to express my deep appreciation to my hardworking colleagues who serve on The Americans committees and who participate in its programs. Enthusiasm, energy, and willingness to work for the organization, as well as for psychoanalysis as a science and profession, is today more evident than ever. Scarcely a day goes by that I don't hear of some new project or development with potential to strengthen the organization and broaden its reach. A recent example is a proposed study of the feasibility of a new comprehensive index and the texts contained on a CD cassette that could be played on a home computer screen, of the entire psychoanalytic literature in English. A bibliographical quantum leap past our present resources, CD-ROM, as it is called, would be of inestimable value to scholars. Paul Mosher, author of the proposal, is being joined in it by Vann Sprueill and others under the aegis of the Committee on Scientific Activities chaired by Alvin Frank.
TAP itself, under Arnold Richards's very capable and creative direction, is another good example, and I could cite many others. Wishing Dr. Pacella and his leadership group every success in their endeavors on our behalf, I remain enthusiastic about our long-term future.