Recipients' Response

Photos by Geralyn Lederman and Janis Chester

Although those of us contributing to psychoanalytic organizational life expect to work hard serving the membership, circumstances can arise that teach us very personally and directly what it means to be a trustee or director. Board members and officers are responsible on many levels: morally and legally.

Thus, an amazing thing happened when the five of us came to serve on the IPA's board at a critical time in its history. It was critical because the organization was beset with serious troubles that threatened its capacity to function. Making matters much worse, the board was split and dysfunctional while Broomhills, our central office in North London, was paralyzed due to a broken computer management system and staff was in disarray under grave threat of dismissal from an initiative never sanctioned by the board.

The five of us faced up to this crisis against considerable resistance and eventually turned the tide, setting the stage for much needed stability that gave time and opportunity for the IPA to recover.

We were all in character and synergistically played key roles: Harriet Basseches—measured, deeply respectful, fair and cautious; Rick Perlman—passionate, profoundly analytic, deeply moral and thorough; Fred Busch—inspiring, gutsy, cutting through obfuscation with clarity and purpose; and me—well, I will leave it to others to describe my role.

Meanwhile Gunther Perdigao, secretary-general, no less, stood up resolutely for what he knew to be right. He demonstrated enormous integrity and bravery in a circumstance where he would almost certainly pay a personal price. Later, the IPA independently recognized his contribution with a special motion of thanks.

Personally, when given a chance, I was able to directly participate in a major way in the IPA's recovery. This was precisely where I wanted to be and where I have remained, working now with the dynamic Bolognini administration as chair of administrative affairs.

The IPA is a wonderful organization, composed of dedicated clinicians and scholars joined by a Freudian legacy but richly differentiated through the prism of culture and analytic tradition. It is a broad and encompassing umbrella that this morning permits an affirming, forward reaching president of the American Psychoanalytic Association to recognize the successful efforts of five North Americans who discovered what board members and officers are supposed to be: stewards, directors and trustees whose responsibility it is to protect the membership they have been elected to serve.

As much as this experience was enormously difficult and taxing, it represents a highpoint in my life. Perhaps it was working so closely with trusted colleagues in defense of something precious in danger of being lost. Whatever the precise ingredients, it was a unique opportunity that I have come to treasure. I know that Gunther, Harriet, Fred and Rick share this sentiment.

Thank you very much for this presidential commendation. It means a lot to us.

Ticho Lecture Reception