The Fall Meeting will mark three years since Gerald Melchiode, Richard Fox, and David Hurst met in a crowded room at the Waldorf with affiliates from around the country, and invited them to organize and to propose a formal relationship to The American. This meeting followed numerous attempts by candidates of American institutes over recent decades to organize, all of which eventually failed because of lack of formal relationship with The American. This welcoming gesture was being extended to affiliate members as a result of efforts of current President Margolis, and other members of the Executive Committee represented in that meeting by Secretary Hurst, by the Committee on Affiliate Membership chaired by Melchiode, and by the Board Committee on Membership chaired by Fox. One year later, affiliate member delegates representing affiliate members from twenty-four institutes met at the Fall Meeting and overwhelmingly passed amendment proposals to The American's bylaws, which were to serve as the governing document for the Affiliate Council in the interim. If the Affiliate Council is to become a permanent functioning body, it will be necessary at some point for the membership to vote on some variation of these amendments.
The passing of bylaws at the December 1994 meeting allowed for election of officers and the appointment of committees, which released new energies and made possible new efforts by affiliate members. For example, the Affiliate Council has launched a membership drive, chaired by Nancy Brehm, which resulted in sixty-nine candidates becoming affiliate members during the first six months (January to June 1996), in comparison to thirteen new members in the same period the previous year. The Council has also developed a mentorship program, chaired by John Gilkey, whereby affiliate members can meet one-on-one with training analysts from other institutes during the Fall and Annual Meetings. So far, over forty training analysts from around the country have graciously participated in what is becoming a very popular program. In addition, as a result of the Affiliate Council's efforts to recruit candidates with special skills for committee work, several dozen additional affiliate members have been placed on Board and Council committees. This enables affiliate members to genuinely participate in the organization. Other accomplishments of special importance to candidates are the discussion groups sponsored by the Affiliate Council, including several panels, chaired by Stephanie Smith and Karen Strupp, where candidates from contrasting training backgrounds compare notes on how they listen to clinical process material, and discussion groups where, with the organizing leadership of Joseph Schachter, candidates have the opportunity, in small groups, to hear training analysts discuss their own clinical work. Also in this issue of TAP for the first time is a four-page insert for affiliate members edited by President-elect Hinda Simon. In addition, there are a number of other important activities that are currently sponsored by affiliates, some of which have been discussed in this column in previous issues of TAP.
The success of the Affiliate Council would not be possible, however, without the gracious, overwhelming support from the officers and committee chairs of The American. Past President Judith Schachter never let her busy schedule interfere with her availability and helpfulness to affiliates. David Hurst, the Executive Committee liaison to the Affiliate Council, always adds a sense of dignity, respect, and support when he is present at affiliate meetings. It is a pleasure to work with the new treasurer, Newell Fischer, and President-elect Robert Pyles, who has come to have a very special role with the affiliates. Board officers Larry Chalfin and Don Rosenblitt have been very helpful and supportive in including affiliate members in meetings and on committees. More than anyone else, however, the current president of The American, Marvin Margolis, has been the advocate behind increased involvement of candidates in the organization. Without his friendship and leadership, the Affiliate Council might not have come into being.
The Affiliate Council, like any organization, is not developing without its problems along the way, such as tensions over committee chair appointments, length of term of committee chairs, and perceived competing responsibilities of various committees. These tensions, while unpleasant at times for everyone, have served as an opportunity for delegates to be students of typical organizational processes as well as to experience some of the unique pressures of psychoanalytic organizations. Affiliates are most fortunate to have access to a most distinguished and skilled organizational consultant and senior analyst Robert Pyles, who has become an invaluable resource and friend of the Affiliate Council. At the May business meeting of the Affiliate Council, Pyles addressed some of the unique challenges and rewards of participating in psychoanalytic organizations. In spite of tensions at the beginning of the meeting, the group formulated motions to deal with its problems, all of which received unanimous support.
What seems to be the most important outcome from the first two years is that the existence of an Affiliate Council appears to contribute to candidate development in a number of significant ways. First, it provides unique opportunity for candidates to broaden their clinical and theoretical thinking. The opportunity to interact over clinical material with candidates from contrasting training backgrounds makes it more possible to step outside of one's theoretical and clinical comfort zone, and consider ways of thinking and listening. Secondly, it allows for opportunities to develop an identification with the national organization during the most formative years of the development of a candidate's professional identity. This is facilitated by a more functional, meaningful definition of affiliate membership, by more involvement with the political functioning of the organization, and by richer opportunities to develop meaningful relationships with both fellow candidates and senior analysts from around the country. Third, the existence of the Affiliate Council provides opportunities for candidates to become educated about organizational functioning, and in particular about the workings of The American. Observing the Affiliate Council Treasurer
Ahron Freidberg, who also sits on The American's Finance Committee, thoughtfully struggle to stretch limited funds as fairly and efficiently as possible—a thankless and impossible task—is an educational experience for all of us. Finally, the Affiliate Council provides opportunity for firsthand experience of typical organizational dynamics, as well as some of the unique pressures of working in a psychoanalytic organization while still having the benefit of personal analysis and training.
In brief, the concept of an Affiliate Council seems to be good for everyone. Even before being officially adopted by The American, it is resulting in a significant increase in membership, in a dramatic increase in participation on the part of affiliate members, and in a major increase in involvement of affiliate members at the Winter and Annual Meetings. It appears to have the potential for increasing the number of analysts who will graduate as members of The American, who will be involved with The American, who will identify with The American, and who have already begun thinking self-analytically about their role in organizational functioning. Given the challenges that will face future graduates, these are things worth thinking about.