A short time back, the Executive Committee advised us that the matter of greatest interest to members of The American was psychoanalytic practice; an important function of TAP would therefore be to inform members on practice issues and what steps The American is taking to address them. Good advice.
TAP reports here on the meetings of Board and Council held at the May meeting in Chicago, at which practice issues predominated. The meeting of the Board on Professional Standards proved a watershed. Larry Chalfin, chair of BOPS, argued that to maintain high standards of training—the historic task of BOPS—psychoanalytic practice must thrive. Larry spoke to the need of The American to intensify its educational mission, and the Fellows of BOPS responded with enthusiasm. Emotions also ran high at the Executive Council, especially when president Judith Schachter announced that Daniel Leach, the organization's lobbyist, had resigned. The Council voted to continue a lobbying presence in Washington. Council and Board, sometimes at odds in the past, stand united in the call for intensified outreach. So, judging from affect at the May meeting, the Executive Committee was accurate in charting this course for TAP.
Judy Schachter, in her president's column, focuses on one special effort to publicize The American. At the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, once a stronghold of psychoanalysis, The American maintained a booth to remind attendees of the important role that analysis and its practitioners continue to play within psychiatry. In his regular column, From the Chair of BOPS, Larry Chalfin's thoughts on educating the public, touched on in our coverage of the BOPS meeting in May, are amplified in an interview by Don Rosenblitt.
For further evidence of the sea change in The American, read the programs and policy statements of those running for president-elect, treasurer, and councilor-at-large in this fall's election. A generation ago their positions would likely have appeared far too radical for analysts. Now, as one reads the nominees' statements, they seem to accord with the mainstream concerns and wishes of the membership.
The individual winners of the 1994 Sigourney Awards were featured earlier this year, in TAP 29/1. This issue features the two institutional winners—the Library of Congress and The American's Committee on Scientific Activities. Harold Blum, director of the Freud Archives of the Library, writes about the exciting and informative Freud exhibit planned by the Library for the fall of 1996. Robert Galatzer-Levy, replacing Stuart Hauser as chair of CSA, writes about the committee's important work of funding and promoting analytic research. To both winners, congratulations for excellence. Significantly, each addresses a major need of The American in revitalizing psychoanalytic practice—public education and research.
In the forefront of The American's outreach initiative has been the Committee on Foundations, chaired by Harvey Rich. Nadine Levinson writes about its annual meeting and of the success of local foundations. The development of the Affiliates Council representing analytic candidates is yet another initiative—“inreach,” if you will. Council president Dave Orbison recounts his warm reception attending various committee meetings in Chicago last May. Leslie Brown, correspondent from the Council, writes about candidate experiences in Washington, Southern California, Boston, and San Francisco. It should be mentioned that a new project of the Affiliates Council is to contact candidates not yet affiliated with The American and to encourage their membership.
Almost lost in this plethora of activity reports is the page one article by Jack Miller about this December's meeting in New York. The raison d'etre of The American, it must be remembered, is scientific exploration and the exchange of knowledge. Unfortunately, because of a necessary division of labor with our sister publication, JAPA, this basic function of The American is at times obscured in the pages of TAP. For creating another edifying and exciting meeting, chair Owen Renik and the hard-working Program Committee deserve a resounding thank you.
Also a thanks to Bruce Sklarew for initiating the Special Series on Psychoanalysis and the Inner City, which will be an ongoing feature. The series leads off with two reports on how analytic ideas can have an impact on problems not reported from the couch. Moving from the inner sanctum of the consulting room to the inner city, Joy Osofsky of New Orleans and Steven Marans of New Haven work to help individuals, community, and police cope with the effects of urban violence. In the worthwhile programs they report on here, they use their knowledge and skills as analysts to assist and educate.
We are fortunate to have two stimulating interviews. Barbara McSwain interviews Judy Wallerstein, who has become a highly visible psychoanalytic educator, with best-selling books on the effects of divorce and, more recently, the good marriage. Bernie Pacella is interviewed by his longtime friend, Mort Ostow. Bernie reflects on his distinguished and diverse career, which has ranged from pioneering efforts with ECT to being president of The American.
Congratulations to members of The American who won office in the recent elections of the International Psychoanalytical Association: president-elect Otto Kernberg, treasurer Steve Firestein, and vice-presidents for North America Ethel Person, Harold Blum, and David Sachs.
TAP is now on the Internet. It can be reached at the address of http://apsa.org. Selected articles previewing upcoming issues of TAP will appear. Some articles will be of particular importance to members of The American, while others are intended to grab the interest of “net surfers.”
William D. Jeffrey