Spring/Summer ‘03 Volume 9, No. 1 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN board, but we’ll be working on means of imple- mentation and expending effort. We expect to work closely with ABCP on these endeavors. And although, we, as other groups, have always been limited in financial resources, what we do have in fairly abundant supply is the human cap- ital of our members. We have taken steps to implement the policy of placing notices of new Fellows in their local newspapers and that task was placed in the capable hands of Dr. Martin Kenigsberg, Chair, Public Relations Committee. In the near future, that committee will have its work augmented by taking note of significant professional accomplishments of Fellows of the Academy. An editorial by Jack Ende, M.D., appearing Howard M.Cohen, Ph.D., FAACP in the May, 2003 Mayo Clinic Proceedings enti- tled “Rounding Alone: Assessing the Value of Grand Rounds in Contemporary Departments of I returned from the AACP Board of Medicine” resonated with me, since it had to do Directors meeting of April 5-6, 2003 (see with the education of physicians and the prolifer- Abbreviated Minutes, this issue) reinvigorated ation of subspecialties in departments of medi- and having a sense that we had not only cine. What we in the psychology specialty dealt with Academy housekeeping but focused boards view as the success of the precedent on our raison d’etre — to provide benefits setting medical specialty structure, now is expe- to and represent our members, and of course to riencing at least some difficulties, which the expand our membership through increasing can- ABPP BoT might want to take note of when con- didacy. All of these aspects of the Academy’s sidering additional boards. Ende describes mission are interdependent and essential if our Medical grand rounds as, “...the principle educa- Boards are to have impact in the national health tional conference offered by virtually all depart- picture. As in all meetings housekeeping and ments of medicine.” And that over time these procedures are important, but the flush of excite- ment arises when tangible steps are taken to implement the mission. Among some of the sub- stantive items were: exploring means to facilitate INSIDE self-study programs for our Fellows, looking into preparatory programs for potential candidates President’s Column ...... 1 and to urge that the beginning of the specialty Mourning ...... 3 examination process be initiated earlier in the potential candidate’s training program. A wise Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory ...... 5 man, J.Frank Dobie, once said, “The average Ph.D.thesis is just the moving of bones from one What is Individualized, Collaborative Assessment?.. 10 cemetery to another.” So, up front I tell you the ideas are not new and just off the drawing Minutes ...... 14 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
departments “... have been cleaved by increas- erably more, indeed 44% more than even the ingly strong forces of subspecialization....” He next country, Switzerland, “Americans are goes on to say that chairs are empty and “If receiving fewer (health) resources than are peo- attendance at grand rounds continues to decline, ple in the median OECD country.” (See, “It’s the in a few years will I be rounding alone?” Prices Stupid: Why is the United States Different Extrapolate that to some of our miniscule sized from Other Countries.” Anderson, G.F., boards, not subspecialties mind you, and I think Reinhardt, U.E., Hussey, P.S. and Petrosyan, V., we can see a depletion of what had been a Health Affairs, V 22, 1).The importance of health cohesive set of training and experience into care and ready availability is suggested by what easily may become a set of ever expanding Richard Conniff in The Natural History of the schisms. I am not suggesting that there are not Rich: a Field Guide, W.W, Norton & Co.2002, He bonafide boards under ABPP, but there is a clear makes the point that “We all hope to be rich our- benefit in some boards being subsumed under selves. We are descended almost by definition others. Dr. Ende concludes that there is a “core from people who liked food and sex. From them body of knowledge, both clinical and scientific...” we have inherited deeply imbedded biological that needs to be shared by the (medical) sub- drives for status, for waterfront real estate, for specialties. I believe the Clinical Academy would landscapes of the English country house vari- hold that statement to be even more applicable ety...”, etc....features often associated with the to many ABPP specialties. rich and famous. Moreover, all our disclaimers to Finally, writing a column such as this allows the contrary, we long to be like them. We mimic one to range far and provides an opportunity for them as aptly as a viceroy butterfly mimics the serendipity to underscore one’s views. This coloration of the monarch. Academy has an important function to concern He then goes on to talk about wealth, itself with the delivery of quality psychological health and longevity and cites a most services to the public. We have, as mentioned imaginative study. I leave it to Conniff to earlier, proven quality capital in our membership, describe. “In one of the stranger pieces of but it is only the quantity of that human capital demographic research on record, a team of epi- that for now limits our ability to impact the health demiologists and psychologists prowled the delivery system. Nevertheless, it is generally cemeteries of Glasgow in the mid-1990s armed accepted that there is a need to improve the with chimney sweep rods. They used them to accessibility to health care in the United States. measure the height of more than eight hundred It is a complex matter not easily resolved. nineteenth century obelisks. People buried under Neither the old fee-for-service nor the litany of obelisks tend to be affluent, and the researchers faults of managed care that appear on psycho- assumed that taller obelisks marked the graves logical and psychiatric list serves are ready of the more affluent people. The study revealed answers, but it does behoove us to look at the that every extra meter in height of an obelisk problems we face. The Organization for translated into almost two years of additional Economic Cooperation and Development every longevity for the people buried beneath.” It is year publishes data comparing the health sys- interesting that this was based on the article tems of thirty industrialized countries, studying “Some Observations on Health and factors such as: pharmaceuticals; health profes- Socioeconomic Status.” Carroll,D., Smith, G.D. sionals per capita beds; admissions; length of and Benett, P., Journal of Health Psychology. stay; acute care hospital days per capita; and That should at least point the way to the need use of sophisticated technologies. The compari- for universal affordable quality health insurance son of data for 2000, despite being perhaps sim- and the desirability of relief from the stress of it plified with respect to all possible variables, not being available. Hopefully, our Academy can seem to indicate that although we spend consid- expend more of its professional capital on the national mental health delivery system dialogue.
2 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
Mourning and Melancholia – substance-induced mood disorder with depressive Bereavement and Depression features, and so forth. In the chapter on “Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention,” the authors of the DSM-IV-TR (2000) address bereavement saying, “This category can be used when the focus of clinical attention is a reaction to the death of a loved one. As part of their reaction to the loss, some grieving individuals present with symptoms characteristic of a Major Depressive Episode . . . . The bereaved individual typically regards the depressed mood as ‘normal,’….” (p. 740). Although the number, severity, and duration of symptoms are considered in the diag- nostic criteria for the differentiation of depression from bereavement (as well as in the differentia- tion of the various shades of depression), the dif- Edward W. L. Smith, Ph.D., FAACP ferentia specifica is the sense of worthlessness experienced by the depressed person. It is this Sorrow comes as a welcome visitor, sense of worthlessness-cum-low self -esteem, moving my losses to the archives of my life. possibly accompanied by corollary guilt and sui- But, depression is her monstrous half-sister cidal ideation, that sets depression apart from wanting to be a murderous wife. bereavement. (Nota bene: A grieving person may feel guilt over things done or not done to or for Thus personified, sorrow and depression are the one who has been lost. Likewise, she or he revealed as having quite different intentions. may feel better off dead than to be without the Although they are related, as I suggest in my lost one. These are qualitatively different from poem, bereavement and depression are two dis- the guilt and wish to die that may be manifesta- tinct entities. Their separate identities are formally tions of a sense of worthlessness.) noted in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Just as the Augustinian monk Gregor th Mental Disorders (4 ed., Text Revision) Mendel, in his discovery of the basic laws of (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) (e.g., genetics, looked beneath surface appearances in pp. 355, 682, 740), but due to their surface resem- order to understand the genotypes unrevealed blance, they are not always distinguished in com- through phenotype, Freud looked beneath the sur- mon parlance or even in the professional litera- face of symptoms in order to understand the ture. Their resemblance is found in their shared underlying dynamics. The dynamics of what were symptoms. To wit, they both can manifest by a at that time referred to as “mourning” and “melan- mood of sadness, diminished interest or pleasure cholia,” had earlier been approached by Abraham, in those things that previously held interest or but it was Freud (1963) who offered us the study brought pleasure, weight loss or weight gain, of “Mourning and Melancholia” in 1917. In both, insomnia or hypersomnia, observable psychomo- Freud pointed out, there is the experience of “pro- tor agitation or retardation, fatigue, and difficulty in foundly painful dejection, abrogation of interest in concentrating or in making decisions. Like a the outside world, loss of the capacity of love, grammarian might parse a sentence, the authors inhibition of all activity” (p. 165). In addition to this of the DSM-IV-TR have explicated depression, surface manifestation shared by mourning and with nuance of major depressive disorder, dys- melancholia, both are brought on by the experi- thymic disorder, depressive disorder, adjustment ence of loss, loss “of a loved person, or the loss disorder with depressed mood, bipolar disorder, of some abstraction which has taken the place of cyclothymic disorder, mood disorder due to a gen- one, such as fatherland, liberty, an ideal, and so eral medical condition with depressive features, 3 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
on” (p.164). But, and here is the differentia speci- As an aid to recognizing and understanding fica that is part of the underlying dynamic, melan- the individualized grieving process, I have sug- cholia ensues rather than mourning when there is gested a three-dimensional schema (Smith, a “morbid pathological disposition.” In the case of 1985). The first dimension is twofold and repre- melancholia, then, there is “a lowering of the self- sents gradual loss and sudden loss. The second regarding feelings to a degree that finds utterance dimension is fourfold and represents the type of in self-reproaches and self-revilings, and culmi- loss, be it a person, a pet, a personal object, or nates in a delusional expectation of punishment” an abstraction such as a cherished idea, concept (p. 165). There it is, loss of self-esteem. or value. The third dimension is one of intensity, a I want to caution most strongly against the continuum from slight loss to profound loss. The blurring of the distinction between bereavement message, here, is that loss comes in myriad and depression. Bereavement is the natural reac- forms, and grief naturally follows. Grieving, or to tion when loss is sustained. Depression is a use Freud’s term, the “mourning labor,” is the per- pathological process. As Rycroft (1968) succinct- son’s inherent healing process whereby the loss is ly stated, “All schools of psychoanalysis regard acknowledged and the person readies herself or mourning as the normal analogue of DEPRES- himself to continue with life, unaccompanied by SION” (sic) (p. 94). Therefore, and most impor- that which was let go. In this process, the person tantly, the grieving process is one to be encour- withdraws from the world, to a lessor or a greater aged, supported, and thus honored. degree, and into herself or himself in order to feel In a society that chooses fast food, reveres keenly the loss and to assess its meaning. As fig- fast cars, craves fast fax machines, and is in the ure, at once natural and powerful, grief can never-ending pursuit of faster computers, the time emerge with such clarity and vividness that all that mourning labor demands is an inconvenience else is but vague and shadowy background. The at best, if not anathema. In such a society the nat- everydayness of life may become an irritant, dis- ural process of grieving is often short-circuited, tracting from the healing at hand. This is a avoided, or pathologized so as to be subjected to process to be respected. As stated by Freud efficient treatment. Note the manner in which the (1963), “we look upon any interference with it as bereft person is most often dealt with in film. inadvisable or even harmful” (p. 165). Calling upon the latest pharmacopeia, the norm is So it is, then, that sorrow is the welcome visi- to tranquilize, if not narcotize, thereby arresting the tor insofar as she allows for the processing of natural process of grieving. Our societal impa- loss, allowing the pain to recede naturally, and tience with sorrow may be reflected in the very memories to assume their proper place. short time allowed for grieving as stated in the Depression, however, wants to bind to those so DSM-IV-TR, a mere two months. Grief beyond afflicted, deadening their existence. The thera- that is considered cause for a diagnosis of depres- pist’s role is to facilitate the natural and individual- sion. There is also a neglect in recognizing losses istic process of grieving, as contrasted with the other than “a loved one” as warranting a period of task of helping the depressed client to eschew grieving. Or, perhaps, we need only extend the this pathological condition. definition of “loved one” to include pets, to include a cherished object, a career, or even an idea. My References American Psychiatric Association. (2000). point is that whenever there is experience of loss Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th of someone or something that was valued, the nat- ed., Text Revision). Washington, D.C.: Author. ural response is one of bereavement. And, the Freud, S. (1963). Mourning and melancholia. In P. time required to complete the process of grieving Rieff (Ed.), General psychological theory (pp. 164-179). varies greatly depending on the depth of attach- New York: Collier. ment now severed. Contemporary main-stream Rycroft, C. (1968). A critical dictionary of psycho- analysis.New Yo rk:Basic Books. culture typically underestimates, grossly, the time Smith, E. W. L. (1985). A Gestalt therapist’s perspec- required. (The loss of a loved spouse may take a tive on grief. In E. M. Stern (Ed.), Psychotherapy and the year, perhaps two.) grieving patient (pp. 65-78). New York: Haworth. 4 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
Theory, Research and Clinical Practice: two new papers in the series.
In this issue of the Bulletin we are pleased interesting to psychologists who want to remem- to offer two new contributions in our series of ber the fact of the unconscious in their work, reports on developments in psychological theory while updating their understanding with the latest and research that have relevance for sophisticat- laboratory findings. Dr. Fischer has focused on ed clinical practice. Both authors are board-cer- the Phenomenological research tradition, and she tified clinicians. Dr. Epstein has combined psy- has developed an approach to clinical theory, chodynamic theory, cognitive research, and a training and practice that illustrates how richly sensitivity to the nuances of psychotherapy to useful this approach to scientific psychological form a creative body of work. It is especially work can be.
Cognitive-Experiential Self- the operation of the unconscious mind. In the Theory, An Integrative, hundred years that followed, nearly every aspect of psychoanalytic theory has undergone modifi- Psychodynamic Theory of cation with the exception of its most fundamental Personality concept, the operation of the unconscious mind. Ironically, that may well be the one aspect of psychoanalysis that was most in need of change. The problem with Freud’s view of the opera- tion of the unconscious mind is that it is indefen- sible from both an evolutionary viewpoint and from that of modern cognitive science. Freud viewed the unconscious mind as essentially mal- adaptive, the stuff that dreams are made of. Anyone who acted in real life according to Freud’s view of the operation of the unconscious mind, which Freud referred to as the primary process, would be blatantly psychotic. That is why Freud had to add a reality-oriented con- scious mind that operated by what he referred to Seymour Epstein as the secondary process. From an evolutionary University of Massachusetts at Amherst perspective, there are two problems with this solution. First, it can not account for the adapt- ability and survival of non-human animals that It has been over a hundred years since have no secondary process. Second, it is unrea- Freud introduced a theory of personality that sonable according to evolutionary principles that shook the world. Central to his theory was a the very foundation of the human mind is mal- view of the unconscious mind that provided an adaptive. Why would such a maladaptive mind explanation of why human beings, despite their have developed in the course of evolution? capacity for prodigious intellectual accomplish- Freud is silent on this issue. ments, often behave irrationally. Freud consid- Tur ning to the views of cognitive scientists, ered his book on dream interpretation (Freud, they uniformly agree that most human informa- 1900), as his most important contribution tion processing occurs unconsciously, not because he believed it unlocked the secrets of 5 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
because of repression, as Freud believed, but This would allow it to explain almost everything because it is more efficient (and therefore more that psychoanalytic theory can, including even adaptive) that way. The viewpoint of cognitive dreams (Epstein, 1999), and much that it can science is consistent with a great deal of experi- not, and to do so in a scientifically much more mental evidence, and its proposal of an uncon- defensible manner (Epstein, 2003). Nothing scious system that is adaptive is consistent with would be lost in psychoanalysis, and a viable evolutionary theory. However, the “kinder, gen- unconscious with new implications for under- tler” cognitive unconscious proposed by cogni- standing human behavior would be gained. tive scientists has its own serious limitation. The If there is one attribute that best identifies model they propose is better suited for describ- CEST, it is that it is a highly integrative theory. ing robots with computers in their heads than for Not only does it integrate significant aspects of describing the behavior of real people going psychoanalytic theory and cognitive science, it about their business of everyday living. The also integrates significant aspects of learning robots can store knowledge and compute, but theory and phenomenological theory. In fact, the they are devoid of feelings, self-direction, and adaptive unconscious proposed by CEST to original thinking. replace the maladaptive unconscious proposed Interestingly, although Freudian theory is by Freud is conceived of as an automatic learn- weak where cognitive science is strong, it is ing system, the very same system with which strong where cognitive science is weak. A major non-human animals have successfully adapted strength of Freudian theory is that it provides a to their environments over millions of years of compelling picture of full-blooded human beings, evolution. Assuming that nature does not give up of people who not only think, but also feel, who its hard-won gains easily, it follows that humans are inspired by passions and torn by conflict, retain this way of adapting to their environments who on the one hand are sublime and on the by automatically learning from experience apart other depraved. from whatever other adaptive systems they The complementary weaknesses and have, including solving problems by reasoning strengths of classical psychoanalysis and cogni- with the aid of language. tive science raises the question of whether it is According to CEST, people process infor- possible to construct a theory that retains the mation by two different systems, an automatic advantages of both with the disadvantages of learning system, which is referred to in CEST as neither. Cognitive-experiential self-theory the “experiential system” and an inferential logi- (CEST) lays claim to be just such a theory. cal system, which is referred to in CEST as the Cognitive-experiential Self-theory “rational system.” The systems operate in paral- CEST solves the problems inherent in the lel and are interactive. The experiential system views of the unconscious in Freudian theory and operates in a manner that is automatic, precon- in cognitive science by assuming that the uncon- scious, nonverbal, rapid, relatively effortless, scious proposed by cognitive science is emo- concrete, holistic, intimately associated with tionally driven. In fact, it is inconceivable how it affect, and it has a very long evolutionary histo- could be otherwise. Given the ability of the cog- ry. It acquires its schemas, or implicit beliefs, nitive unconscious to solve problems, why would from lived experience. The rational system is a it not use this ability in the service of obtaining reasoning system that operates in a manner that good feelings and avoiding bad ones? This, of is conscious, verbal, deliberative, slow, effortful, course, would make it emotionally driven. abstract, analytic, and affect-free (for a more Substituting the adaptive unconscious of CEST complete list of the attributes of the two systems, for the maladaptive unconscious of Freudian the- see Table 1). It acquires its beliefs by logical ory would not only retain many of the features of inference. To be sure, it also learns from experi- the cognitive unconscious but would also include ence, but it does so through inference. the emotionality of the Freudian unconscious. See Table 1 6 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
Table 1. COMPARISON OF THE EXPERIENTIAL AND RATIONAL SYSTEMS
EXPERIENTIAL SYSTEM RATIONAL SYSTEM (An automatic learning system) (A conscious reasoning system)
1. PRECONSCIOUS 1. CONSCIOUS
2. AUTOMATIC 2. DELIBERATIVE
3. CONCRETE: ENCODES REALITY IN 3. ABSTRACT: ENCODES REALITY IN IMAGES, METAPHORS, & NARRATIVES SYMBOLS, WORDS, & NUMBERS
4. HOLISTIC 4. ANALYTIC
5. ASSOCIATIVE: CONNECTIONS 5. CAUSE-AND-EFFECT RELATIONS BY SIMILARITY & CONTIGUITY
6. INTIMATELY ASSOCIATED WITH AFFECT 6. AFFECT-FREE
7. OPERATES BY PLEASURE 7. OPERATES BY REALITY PRINCIPLE PRINCIPLE (WHAT FEELS GOOD) (WHAT IS LOGICAL AND SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE)
8. ACQUIRES ITS SCHEMAS BY 8. ACQUIRES ITS BELIEFS BY LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE LOGICAL INFERENCE
9. MORE OUTCOME ORIENTED 9. MORE PROCESS ORIENTED
10. BEHAVIOR MEDIATED BY “VIBES” 10. BEHAVIOR MEDIATED BY CONSCIOUS FROM PAST EXPERIENCE APPRAISAL OF EVENTS
11. MORE RAPID PROCESSING: ORIENTED 11. SLOWER PROCESSING: ORIENTED TOWARD IMMEDIATE ACTION TOWARD DELAYED ACTION
12. SLOWER TO CHANGE: CHANGES WITH 12. CHANGES MORE RAPIDLY: CHANGES REPETITIVE OR INTENSE EXPERIENCE WITH SPEED OF THOUGHT
13. MORE CRUDELY DIFFERENTIATED: 13. MORE HIGHLY DIFFERENTIATED; BROAD GENERALIZATION GRADIENT; DIMENSIONAL THINKING CATEGORICAL THINKING
14. MORE CRUDELY INTEGRATED: MORE 14. MORE HIGHLY INTEGRATED: DISSOCIATIVE , MORE SITUATIONALLY ORGANIZED IN PART BY BROAD SPECIFIC. ORGANIZED IN PART BY CROSS-SITUATIONAL COGNITIVE-AFFECTIVE MODULES PRINCIPLES
15. EXPERIENCED PASSIVELY AND 15. EXPERIENCED ACTIVELY AND - PRECONSCIOUSLY: WE ARE SEIZED CONSCIOUSLY: WE ARE IN BY OUR EMOTIONS CONTROL OF OUR THOUGHTS
16. SELF-EVIDENTLY VALID: 16. REQUIRES JUSTIFICATION VIA "EXPERIENCING IS BELIEVING" LOGIC & EVIDENCE 7 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
A basic assumption in CEST is that all These are the use of the rational system to cor- human behavior is simultaneously influenced by rect the experiential system, the provision of both systems, with their relative contribution emotionally (i.e., experientially) corrective experi- varying according to the situation and the per- ences, and communicating with the experiential son. For example, although the rational system system in its own medium. These three is affect-free, a person can be passionate about approaches provide a unifying framework for a intellectual matters with the passion provided by wide variety of approaches in psychotherapy, the experiential system. In some situations, such including insight approaches, cognitive-behav- as solving mathematics problems, behavior is ioral approaches, and experiential approaches, normally primarily determined by the rational such as gestalt therapy and psychosynthesis system. However, it is not exclusively determined (Epstein, 1998, 2003). by the rational system, as no behavior can be Using the Rational System to Correct the performed outside of the context of previous Experiential System experience. Depending on a person’s past expe- Each processing system has its advantages rience with mathematics, a mathematics prob- and disadvantages with respect to influencing lem may be approached with a sense of confi- the other system. The experiential system is able dence or of defeat, which will influence the per- to influence the rational system and bypass con- son’s ability to solve the problem. In contrast to trol from it by operating outside of awareness to intellectual problems, interpersonal problems bias the interpretation of events. In addition, the tend to be primarily in the province of the experi- experiential system is able to co-opt the rational ential system (Epstein et al., 1996; Pacini & system into rationalizing, so that the person Epstein, 1999). In addition to the influence of sit- believes that behavior that was primarily experi- uations, there are important individual differ- entially determined was determined consciously ences in the degree to which people tend to and rationally. The rational system has only one process information primarily in one system or major advantage over the experiential system, the other (Epstein et al., 1996; Pacini & Epstein, but it is a critically important one. It can under- 1999). stand the experiential system, whereas the Implications for Psychotherapy reverse is not true. CEST is not only highly integrative as a the- What are the practical implications of the ory of personality; it also provides an integrative ability of the rational system to understand the framework for the different schools of psy- experiential system? There are a variety of ways chotherapy. Its main contribution to psychothera- such knowledge can be used in therapy. First py is not so much by suggesting new methods of people must be convinced that they operate by treatment, although it does some of that, but by two systems. One way of accomplishing this is providing an umbrella for all the major schools of by beginning with a discussion of conflicts psychotherapy. between the heart and the head or the occur- In order for psychotherapy to be effective, it rence of unwanted thoughts, as everyone is is necessary for changes to occur in the experi- aware of these. After convincing people that they ential system. This does not mean that changes operate by two systems, the next step is to in the rational system are of no consequence, teach them about the different rules of operation but only that they are therapeutic to the extent of the two systems, as summarized in Table 1, that they contribute to changes in the experien- and of how the experiential system, operating tial system. If changes are produced only in the outside of awareness, routinely influences con- rational system, they simply succeed in chang- scious thought and behavior. They can be taught ing a neurotic without insight into one with that, in an attempt to understand their experien- insight. tially determined behavior, people often rational- There are three basic ways to produce con- ize in the sense that they provide a rational but structive changes in the experiential system. incorrect explanation. People also create situa- tions that provide objective evidence that justi- 8 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
fies their conscious beliefs and behavior. Such for clients to understand how their characteristic behavior can produce serious problems in peo- interpretations and self-verifying behavior can ple’s relationships. People can also be taught interfere with their having constructive experi- that they can prevent such reactions by becom- ences. Thus, we come to the importance of ing aware of the operation of the experiential “knowing oneself”, which from the perspective of system in themselves. They can do this by CEST means knowing one’s experiential self, attending to their automatic thoughts, emotions, including its influence on one’s conscious bodily states, and repetitive behavioral patterns. thought and behavior. Such knowing is impor- One of the advantages of teaching clients tant not only with respect to avoiding self-sabo- that their problems lie primarily in their experien- tage of corrective experiences, but in many other tial system is that it reduces resistance and aspects of successful adaptation, as well. other forms of defensiveness. This is because Communicating with the Experiential System in there is no need for a client to defend his or her its Own Medium rationality once the person understands that it is The experiential system encodes informa- the operation of the experiential system, not the tion in, and is particularly responsive to imagery, rational system, that is at issue. All that matters fantasy, metaphor, concrete representations, and is to understand the influence of the experiential narratives. This information can be useful in two system when it is maladaptive and what can be ways. One way is by using it to influence the done do to correct it. In this latter respect, clients experiential system. For example, people can should understand that the rational system is not provide themselves with vicarious corrective always right and the experiential system wrong. emotional experiences by vividly imagining situa- Most often the two systems operate harmo- tions. This procedure can be used in a variety of niously, and when they differ, one or the other other ways, including rehearsing ways of coping can provide the better solution. Sometimes with real-life problems both in anticipation of new behaving according to what has been automati- situations and in reworking old situations. It can cally learned from past experiences is superior also be used to cope at a symbolic level with to behaving according to reasoning, whereas at deeper levels of unconscious conflict that can other times the reverse is true. However, it is not be effectively confronted more directly. only through awareness that a person has the The second way one can benefit from com- opportunity to choose between the two sources municating with the experiential system is by of information. In the absence of awareness, the learning from it. Through the use of imagery, fan- person surrenders primary control to the experi- tasy, metaphor, associations, and the production ential system, which is the default system. of narratives one can obtain information about Learning from Corrective Emotional Experiences schemas and conflicts in the experiential system The most direct route for changing mal- that are not accessible in a person’s conscious- adaptive schemas (implicit beliefs) in the experi- ness. (For a detailed case-history in which fanta- ential system is by providing corrective emotion- sy was used in both ways as an integral part of al experiences. One way to accomplish this is an extremely effective therapy, see A. Epstein, through the relationship between client and ther- 1989). apist. This procedure is emphasized in psycho- analysis by the encouragement of transference Conclusions relationships, which then have to be resolved, CEST is a broadly integrative dual-process but it can be utilized in other ways with fewer theory that has widespread implications for complications. Another procedure is to use understanding human behavior in general, and homework assignments in which clients actively more particularly, for treating maladaptive behav- seek out corrective experiences. If too threaten- ior. In this brief article, I could but introduce ing, this can be preceded by equivalent experi- CEST and some of its implications for psy- ences in fantasy. So that they do not subvert chotherapy. For the interested reader, more potentially corrective experiences, it is helpful 9 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
detailed information is readily available in a vari- What is Individualized, ety of articles on CEST (e.g., Epstein 1998, Collaborative Assessment? 2003), most of which can be obtained as reprints by request.
References Epstein, A. (1989). Mind, Fantasy, and Healing. New York: Delacorte. (This book is out of print, but copies can be obtained from
other than neuropsychological, because they’ve Progressive Openness to Collaborative found that it does not assist therapists. And, in Practice contrast, a major mental health clearing house Over the past ten years, more and more in Texas, after seeing Stephen Finn’s videos of psychologists have been practicing collaborative- Therapeutic Assessment and his reports/sug- ly, with or without that label. For example, the gestions developed for clients, encouraged him American Psychological Association’s Division of to bill his assessment work as therapy; more- Humanistic Psychology published a special dou- over, regarding the Center’s work as effective ble-plus issue of its journal, The Humanistic short term therapy, they regularly referred clients Psychologist (2002, 1-2, pp 3-174; 3, pp 178- to the Center. (d) Our APA code of conduct 236) on Humanistic Approaches to instructs us to share our findings with clients in Psychological Assessment, with 22 articles on ways they can understand. (e) Dissatisfaction collaborative practices in a range of settings and with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual’s non- with a range of populations, including persons contextual, nonrelational, nonagentic, and exclu- with Altzheimer’s Disease, prisoners, and other sively external perspective has been growing clients who often are difficult to assess. My text- apace. And (f) practitioners, if not academicians, book on Individualizing Psychological are outgrowing the epistemological assumptions Assessment (1985/1994) is under contract for underlying most test development, namely logi- another edition. Many MMPI books now discuss cal positivism, reductionism, and determinism. In ways to directly explore test patterns with clients. short, many practitioners are coming to regard Phillip Caracena’s Rorscan program includes our testing instruments and related research as printouts on which clients can specify their tools for gaining access to persons’ lives. agreement or disagreement with statements that Likewise, categories, patterns, and diagnostic seem likely to be descriptive of them. Stephen labels increasingly are seen as tools rather than Finn and his colleagues established The Center as results. for Therapeutic Assessment in Austin, Texas, where clients are referred, and self-refer, to gain Excerpt from Collaborative Assessment therapeutic understandings and insights through There are two major life-world assessment collaborative assessment. Steve and I each approaches, which in practice typically meld. In have presented workshops and lectures in more my own individualized, collaborative approach than half a dozen countries in addition to our (e.g., Fischer, 1985/1994, 2000), a third party work in the United States. The Society for has made a referral, and the psychologist collab- Personality Assessment, the world’s major per- orates with the client to address the referral sonality assessment organization, encourages issues as well as any additional issues that the collaborative practices through policy statements client may wish to explore. Test by test we evolve and convention programming. our understandings of testings’ relationship to I think that as practitioners have been see- the client’s life. Concrete, personally viable sug- ing collaborative presentations in books and gestions for the client and for any helpers are journals and at conventions, they have been developed as we go. In Stephen Finn’s feeling freer to more consistently, thoroughly, Therapeutic Assessment approach (e.g., 1966; and creatively follow their own similar inclina- 2002), the client often is self-referred, and even tions. In addition, the following events and cir- if referred by a third party, works with the asses- cumstances encourage life-oriented, personally sor to develop a series of questions. Usually fol- helpful assessments. (a) The public has been lowing testing, the assessor presents opportuni- learning to ask for expert opinion to be present- ties for the client to personally discover what the ed in ordinary English. (b) Many assessors are assessor has been formulating. The written dispirited when they read or write score-oriented report reviews the assessor’s and client’s reports which they know will be filed away rather answers to the presented questions. The exam- than used for meaningful treatment planning. (c) ples below could have arisen in either approach. Third party payers often do not pay for testing, 11 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
CF: Mary, I think I’m on to something, guess from your tests that you indeed have about the puzzle of how your project director engaged in the reported destructive outbursts doesn’t think that you’re as competent as the [MMPI-2 Pd=67, ANG=68, OH=65]. other engineers, despite your SATs, and then T: Anyone would, when you’re disrespected your university grades and recommendations. like that!! And despite your fellow employees coming to CF: But it also seems likely that you know you for help. about affection [Rorschach T=3, H=6] and also M: Well, that already reminds me that Jake that you prefer to be a likable, outgoing guy [16 [director] never sees me helping the rest of the PF A=8, EX=9]. team. Maria [house mate] says I should spell out T: That’s true! all those instances to him, but.. CF: I’ll bet you could think of a time when CF: Right! That’s just where I was going! you were disrespected, but you used these other Even though you’ve been courageous and deter- aspects of yourself instead of getting angry. mined in pursuing your career in a male domain T: Do you mean like when my son’s coach [M nods], it strikes me that you’ve often pre- was threatening to drop him off the team, and I ferred to wait for others to come to you knew that would break Little T’s heart, so I [Rorschach: a:p = 2:5, W:M= 8:3; MMPI-2 scale ignored his bad ass, nasty attitude and jollied 0=68] him into giving Little T another chance? M: Well, I think a boss should notice good CF: Exactly! Let’s see how in other cases work and reward it. He should help his people too you could be clear about what’s at stake, like get to the top. visitation, and you could use your outgoing ways CF [smiling]: Like [Rorschach, card VIII] to avoid getting into angry outbursts. “Somebody’s holding on down here, sort of hid- T: Hey, I did that just this morning with den, hoping this hand will reach down and pull Charmin’s lawyer. them up”? M: Geez! [quiet reflection, then:] I wonder Clarifications if I’m that bad at work. But I just can’t see myself Ye s, the approach is highly interactive and presenting an argument to Jake on my behalf—- interpersonal; but because that process yields . [after exploration of what Mary imagines would concrete, contextualized life examples, the happen, and after she is asked for a story for results are more rather than less ecologically TAT card 4, which shows a man usually seen as valid and useful. Most recipients of assessment breaking away from a woman:] He misunder- findings, including judges and juries, are more stands, and is going to break their engagement readily convinced by examples provided by a [sighs]—- client than by test scores alone. Yes, as with all CF: but she catches his attention, and psychological undertakings, bright and intro- insists that he listen to her side. She says—— spective clients are easiest to work with; but [M and CF try out style and content until Mary most clients of all levels of motivation and ability finds a fairly comfortable presentation.] are more cooperative in a collaborative approach than otherwise. Generally, one starts Another Excerpt with impressions with which the client is likely to Tyrell: This whole custody evaluation readily agree, and then explores with the client makes me angry. I have to pay for it, and then the ways in which other findings are and are not Charmin will get the kids anyway because they’ll true for him or her. Sometimes assessor and believe what she says about my anger. client agree to disagree about some matters. CF: And after I make you angry with all this Whatever the case, the client’s life world is the testing, then I’ll tell the court that Charmin is realm of discussion. right? Most theories of personality and develop- T: You got it! ment lend themselves to collaborative assess- CF: Okay, help me understand this: I would ment (see Fischer, Georgievska, & Melczak, 12 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
2003). I think that most practitioners have at Fischer, C. T., Georgievska, E., & Melczack, M. least at one time or another found themselves (In press, 2003) Collaborative exploration with projective individualizing their procedures, reports, and techniques: A life-world approach. In M. Hisenroth & D. Segal, M. J. (Eds.), Objective and projective assessment suggestions. With more and more material about of personality and psychopathology.Volume 2 in M. collaborative and therapeutic assessment avail- Hersen (Ed.-in-Chief), Comprehensive handbook of psy- able, I anticipate that we will all be discovering chological assessment. New York: John Wiley & Sons. that we can go much further in these directions The Humanistic Psychologist, 2002, 30 (1-2) pp and thereby render our research and testing 3-174; (3) pp 178-236. expertise all the more useful.
References Connie Fischer is Professor of Psychology Finn, S.E.(1996). Manual for using the MMPI-2 and Director of the Psychology Clinic at as a therapeutic intervention. Minneapolis: University of Duquesne University. She also has a part time Minnesota Press. private practice. Her academic endeavors have Finn, S.E. & Tonsager, M. (2002). How focused on human-science foundations and Therapeutic Assessment became humanistic. The Humanistic Psychologist, 30, 10-22. practices for qualitative psychological research Fischer, C.T. (1985/1994). Individualizing psycho- and for individualizing psychological assess- logical assessment. Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum. ment. Fischer, C. T. (2000). Individualized, collaborative assessment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 74, 2-14.
Two founding members leave Academy Board, and two new representatives have been elected
The Academy Board of Directors has ties between ABPP and APA. In this he has recently lost two members whose term limits shown the stamina and endurance of the cham- expired. Martin (Marty) Kenigsberg and Phillip pion marathon runner (which he is). He was (Phil) Pierce served the Academy since its incep- cheerful, sometimes quiet, sometimes fiercely tion, and both placed their unique and enduring pointed and reasoned in his remarks, always stamp on the character of the organization. intensely ethical in his approach to all profes- Marty was responsible for the design and sional matters. His wry, Maine smile brought ordering of the Academy Certificates that we all many complicated matters quickly into perspec- have hanging on our walls. From the beginning tive. he was aggressive in organizing lists of examin- Both men took an unusual degree of ability ers and mentors for candidates. A primary con- and devotion to our profession and generously cern for him was that our numbers should grow, focused it on the needs of our new organization and he was a fountain of creative ideas for mar- of board-certified clinicians. The membership at keting, recruitment, networking, always reaching large will never know in detail all of their contri- out to younger psychologists to inform them butions to our common good. However, those of about the benefits of board certification to them- us who were privileged to work personally with selves and to the public. He was a refreshing them will always treasure that rare opportunity. “California presence” on the board, with his The membership recently elected two new youthful manner and sense of broad possibilities. Directors. Eugene D’Angelo of Boston will repre- Phil brought a wealth of organizational sent the North-East, and Lawrence Majovski of experience to his Academy work. As a member Tacoma, Washington will represent the West. of APA Council he has worked for closer working 13 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
Minutes (Abbreviated) of the • Dr. Zimet summarized that the Board’s American Academy of assets were currently just under $54,000. The primary means of Board revenues were member- Clinical Psychology (AACP) ship fees and proceeds from AACP Continuing Education offerings. The 2002 membership Board Meeting 5-6 April 2003 renewal process resulted in the loss of 40 mem- Vancouver, BC berships for a net loss of 7 memberships form the prior year. The losses were offset by the acquisi- Respectfully submitted by Joseph G. tion of 21 new memberships. Ensuing discussion Poirier, PhD AACP Secretary observed that the continued predominance of the membership in older age brackets predicted a significant annual membership loss into the fore- The Board meeting was called to order by seeable future. This reality made recruitment of President Cohen at 8:05 am. A current roster of new (and hopefully younger) members an ongo- Board member addresses and other contact infor- ing and vital priority. mation was circulated and changes made. Dr. 3. AACP Membership Committee: Cohen will forward the updated information to the • Dr. Cohen continued earlier discussion of AACP CO for final drafting and circulation. the idea that psychologists who newly pass their Dr. Cohen introduced and welcomed the newest Clinical Boards become automatic members of Board members. Dr. Gene D’Angelo, replacing AACP. He noted that the Neuropsychology Dr. Pierce from the Northeast region, and Dr. Academy had adopted this procedure. Several Larry Majorski, replacing Dr. Kenigsberg from the members expressed that Academy membership Western region should remain optional. It was agreed that the 1. Reading and Approval of Minutes: process of inviting newly Board-Certified individu- • The 12-13 October 2003 Board minutes as als to join the Academy would be by a congratu- prepared by Secretary Poirier were adopted with latory/invitation letter from the Academy one correction. President, which will be drafted by Dr. Cohen. Dr. • Dr. Poirier noted that there were a number D’Angelo agreed to become a new Membership of items from the October 2002 minutes that Committee member. remained open issues. The first of these issues Dr. Majorski raised discussion about the was the AACP request for an explanation of the Academy Mentoring process. Presently, the BoT input regarding the decision of the National Mentoring Committee members were Drs. Poirier Register to include vanity boards in its listings. and Katz. Dr. Cohen agreed to contact all new The second issue regarded the AACP request for Academy members and poll for those interested a response from the BoT regarding a joint effort in serving as mentors in their region. It was also between the BoT and the Academies addressing agreed that the Regional Representatives would the issue of recruitment. The third unresolved assume responsibility for contacting individuals issue was the request in the October 2002 min- who have recently achieved Board Certification utes regarding”… the lack of timely and meaning- and inquire about interest in serving as mentors, ful response by the BoT to AACP inquiries, and since these individuals would have the most issues was a persistent, historical problem that enthusiasm, and the most recent knowledge of was long overdue a corrective action.” the Board-Certification process. Dr. Majorski 2. Treasurer’s Report: emphasized that the mentoring process should • Dr. Zimet presented the current treasurer’s be “personalized”. report. The AACP financial picture continued in 4. Tax and Corporate Status Summary: good standing. Dr. Zimet noted the effective • Dr. Katz explained that the Academy’s C-3 efforts of President Cohen to contain Board tax status was good for three years. He stated meeting expenses. that at some point the I.R.S. may ask for a report justifying continued C-3 status, needing docu- 14 mentation that the stated objectives of the Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
Academy (e.g., CE programming) was not dor- • Dr. Poirier summarized that the Academy mant. was completing its first of five years APA approval • The Academy’s corporate status was as a CE provider. Dr. Poirier is to rotate off the renewable by a relatively straightforward re-filing Board in October 2003 and a new Chair of the process. If, however, the re-filing process dead- CE Committee needs to be appointment. Also, it line were overlooked, the entire filing process was noted that Drs. Katz and Zimet who were would have to be re-done. members of the CE Committee would likewise be • Dr. Katz noted upcoming changes in rotating off the Board. Dr. Poirier recommended California legislation regarding psychologists, that a new Chair be appointed quickly so that the which has implications for board-certified CA psy- necessary paperwork could be studied by the chologists, as well as setting a national prece- new Chair and that person could also assist in dent. The first change was for ABPP to be the preparation of the required Annual Report dropped as an automatically approved CE spon- (due September 2003) to APA. Dr. D’Angelo sor. Apparently, private CE providers had com- offered to become a co-chair of the CE plained that the automatic approval was preferen- Committee. tial consideration. The second and more pro- • Drs. Poirier and Cohen initiated discussion found change would impact on CA licensed psy- about developing a CE course that could be chologists who failed to renew their license in a offered through the AACP web site. The proposal timely manner. The proposal was for these psy- was discussed and the general feeling was that chologists to be required to re-take the National this was a viable idea; the next step would be to Licensing Exam to be re-instated. Further, the appoint a Board member to develop a course. proposal in CA was for a statutory change where- Dr. Poirier offered to assist with the development by the requirement to take the National Exam of a website course as a committee member would be waived for psychologists listed in the once he rotated of the board. National Register, but not provide for such an 8. Bulletin and Website Report: exemption for ABPP psychologists. Dr. Cohen • The Bulletin co-editors were Drs. Stamm agreed to contact the BoT President, Dr. Bolles, and Carpenter. Dr Stamm was not in attendance regarding the issue, and Dr. Poirier agreed to at the meeting and Dr. Carpenter provided the draft a letter for Dr. Cohen’s signature to be sent update. Dr. Carpenter summarized that latest to the CA Board. issue of the Bulletin was well underway, but there 5. Archiving Committee: was room for additional material. There was dis- • Dr. Poirier observed that with the pending cussion of editorial practice with regard to rotations of more Board members, it was time to responding to controversial feedback to Bulletin give attention to a mechanism of archiving articles. Dr. Stamm communicated a decision to records held by members as they were rotating retire from his Co-editor position. Dr. Carpenter off. Dr. Cohen agreed to look into a process, per- indicated that he would continue in his position. haps having the Academy CO collate materials Dr, Poirier offered to function as a reviewer and archive them on electronic media. Dr. Poirier • Discussion next re-visited the issue of the suggested the implementation of an Archiving Bulletin being made available only over the Web Committee. The topic will be re-addressed at the Site as opposed to hard copy being mailed to the next Board meeting. general membership. There was consensus that 6. Administrator Officer’s Report: older members would prefer the hard copy • The Administrator Officer’s report was because of unfamiliarity with electronic media. A received and approved. Board members unani- suggestion was made to offer membership the mously concurred that the AO, Lynn Petersen choice of hard copy versus electronic access with continued to provide exemplary service. Dr. the expectation that there will probably be eventu- Cohen noted that Ms. Petersen would receive a al phasing out of hard copies. Dr.Carpenter sug- modest increase (i.e., $250.00) in her annual gested an effort to solicit more ads for the Bulletin compensation. 7. Continuing Education Committee: 15 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
as a means of additional revenue; the suggestion member and the Board reviewed the revised by met with consensus support. Still another laws line by line. An ultimate vote resulted in a approved suggestion was to recognize sponsors unanimous ratification of the as amended, revised who underwrote AACP CE offerings in the bylaws. Bulletin. • A motion of commendation applauding Dr. • Dr. Carpenter discussed numerous prob- Katz’s efforts in revising the by laws was also lems with the Website Host contractor. unanimously approved. Discussion followed about contracting with a new Interjected Discussion: Host service. The current Host ADEPT had been • Dr. Poirier requested a brief, updated relatively inexpensive, but the service was not review of existing Committees, and Committee satisfactory. There followed discussion about membership that would be summarized in the adding a recruitment page to the web site, listing minutes. That summary is as follows: for example, the advantages of achieving board- Archive Committee, Dr. Cohen. certification; and developing FTP access to the Bulletin Committee, Drs. Stamm (Chair) and website so Dr. Carpenter could make changes Carpenter. directly. Dr. Poirier suggested that there were CE Committee, Drs. Poirier (Chair), and likely members who had sufficient electronic D’Angelo. media savvy to implement the proposed conver- Finance Committee, Drs. Zimet (Chair), Cohen, sion; one suggestion would be to solicit such Katz, and Poirier. membership skill through an ad in the Bulletin. Marketing Committee, Dr. Schoenfeld.Mentoring Dr. Carpenter suggested that compared to other Committee, Drs. Poirier (Chair), Katz, and profession web sites, the AACP web site was a Majorski. bit stodgy and a complete web site re-design was Nominations Committee, Drs. Zimet (Chair), Katz, in order. One idea proposed by Dr. Schoenfeld Majovski, Schoenfeld, and Poirier. and others was to add useful reciprocal links to Public Relations Committee, Dr. D’Angelo. other key web sites. It was further suggested that Website Committee, Drs Carpenter (Chair), a re-design of the web site could have the objec- Schoenfeld, D’Angelo and Cohen. tive of establishing the web site as general infor- 10. Board Member and Officer Changes: Dr. mation resource about the field of Clinical Zimet Psychology. Dr. Schoenfeld offered to become a • Dr. Zimet, Chair of the Nominations member of the Web Site Committee, and it was Committee summarized the process of filling also suggested that retired Board member Dr. vacancies of Board members rotating off the Kenigsberg could be asked to become a member Board as per the by laws criteria. As had been of that Committee. the process with the recent nominations of Drs. • The foregoing discussion led to a proposal D’Angelo and Majovski, anticipated vacancies that a web site committee was needed to estab- were posted in the Bulletin, and the Nomination lish goals, agenda, and overall structure of the Committee selected the top three candidates. website. Dr. Carpenter was asked to cost out a Desired candidate criteria were statements of website re-design with transfer of existing con- commitment, time-availability, and reasonable tent. Dr. Carpenter stated he was already pre- awareness of the Board’s objectives and purpose. pared with a preliminary budget; he estimated 11. ABPP BoT Diversity Task Force Memo and $800 to transfer the existing web site and approx- Questionnaire: imately four to six thousand dollars for a complete • Dr. Katz led rather spirited discussion re-design and from there approximately $50 per about the recent task force memo. The consen- month for necessary updates and changes. sus opinion was that response to the memo 9. Bylaws Committee: should rest with the BoT, and not with individual • Dr. Katz led a lengthy review of the revised academies. That is, it was important for ABPP to Bylaws. Copies were provided to each Board be in step with other professional organizations. 12. Planning for Fall 2003 Meeting 16 • Proposals for the meeting side of the fall Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
2003 the Board meeting included Key West ABPP is, and to emphasize the importance of not Florida and Savanna Georgia. Dr. Cohen agreed listing vanity boards in a similar manner. This to explore these possibilities and a final determi- information would be helpful to members, as for nation would be based on projected expenses. example, in qualifying for Workman’s • The dates of the fall meeting would be the Compensation Examiner status. It would also be first and second of November 2003. useful to state associations in many matters such 13. Finance Committee Report (general ses- as finding mentors for young psychologists. Dr. sion): Zimet commented that such information would • The Finance Committee reported that the need to include all diplomates and therefore any budget would permit an expenditure of up to such request should come from the BoT, and not $6,000 to update the web site. More discussion from individual academies. A consensus decided of the needs for Website redesign followed, with that Dr. Cohen would write to the BoT president different members suggesting an emphasis on regarding the matter. Discussion also continued the recruitment function, expanding members’ from the last meeting regarding the desirability of biographical statements, links to member’s web- forming divisions or interest groups in state asso- sites, and using the site to market CE offerings. ciations for Board certified psychologists. No After discussion of the need for a graduated action plan was finalized. approach to development, Dr. Carpenter moved • Dr. Carpenter proposed that ABPP might that expenditures be authorized in two stages: up accredit or certify certain postdoctoral training to $1,200 could be spent on moving the study programs such that successful completion of the site to a stable host and generating four propos- program by young psychologists would permit als for site designs. A committee made up of them a “fast track” Board Certification examina- Drs. Carpenter, Schoenfeld, D’Angelo, and Cohen tion. This would be similar to the “fast track” will then review the ideas for revision and make process that was offered in the senior program. further decisions by e-mail, conferring with the Considerable discussion followed since this might whole Board when necessary. The motion was offer a legitimate means of securing an influx of passed unanimously. younger people. Dr. Zimet noted that “accredit- • The Finance Committee reported that the ing” would not be the appropriate concept, since Saturday night dinner total cost was $633 that is a power jealously held by APA. Rather we Canadian money including guests. Board mem- might simply identify appropriate programs, and bers would be informed of the US dollar cost later. perhaps selected students within programs. • Dr. Cohen suggested that we send out an Selected students might be given financial aid AACP Appointments Book to all members and toward their training expenses (to be raised by the cost would be approximately two dollars grants secured by us) or for the expense of the apiece. Dr D’Angelo thought that this was an exam, or both. Criteria for selecting programs effective marketing tool and also a morale boost- were discussed, and members mentioned the fol- er for members, and he moved (second by Dr. lowing as important: two-year rather than one- Zimet) that this be done if ABPP decides not to year programs, programs directed by Board- send out books. The books will be sent out Certified clinicians, programs that afforded seri- before the dues notice. The motion passed unan- ous training and not just work opportunities. Dr. imously. D’Angelo noted that the aspect of ABPP mentor- 14. New Business: ing would be a “plus” for programs to cite in com- • Dr. Cohen brought up the issue of making peting for funds and students. Dr. D’Angelo inroads into the structure of state psychological agreed to chair a committee to draft a proposal associations. After discussion, there was a con- for a demonstration project to present to the BoT, sensus that it would be good to contact state and also agreed to communicate with other associations with lists of our members, request- Board members on these matters as he develops ing that their Certification and Specialty status be the idea. given in all of that state’s membership lists. It • Former Board member Dr. Philip Pierce by would be important also to communicate what 17 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
e-mail proposed discussion of the effort of some parties to form a Clinical Geropsychology special- ty in ABPP. There was general consensus that it QUERRY TO MEMBERS is inappropriate at the current time to form anoth- er tiny specialty group but that this may be an The Academy Board of Directors is con- opportunity to form a sub-specialty group under sidering offering future issues of the clinical psychology. Hence, persons could be board-certified in clinical, with a subspecialty in Bulletin of the American Academy of Geropsychology. Establishing a precedent for a Clinical Psychology in an electronic for- sub-specialty under Clinical would be desirable, mat, through the Academy website and might result in the inclusion (i.e., “folding in”) (WWW.AACPSY.ORG). The Board of other small specialty groups set a later time. wishes to poll the membership about Dr. Cohen agreed to call Dr. Michael Nelson to discuss the idea further. the desirability of this change. Would it • As per Dr. Carpenter’s request, Board meet your personal needs to have the members agreed to try and help find advertising Bulletin available only in this electronic for the Bulletin. form? Would you prefer to stay with the • There was discussion about the desirability printed and mailed version? Would you of printing additional copies of the bulletin to send prefer both? If you have an opinion in to psychology departments, internship programs, postdoctoral programs, clinical graduate student this matter, please write to the Bulletin groups, etc. Dr. Cohen will determine the cost editors and let us know. per thousand of additional printings and report back to the Board. If responding via email, write to There being no further business the Board [email protected]. If sending by US meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m. post, please write to James Carpenter, Ph.D., 727 Eastowne Drive, Suite 300B, 1 The participating board members at the Spring meeting were: Dr. Howard Cohen, President, Dr. Chapel Hill, NC 27514. George Katz, Vice-President, Dr. Carl Zimet, Treasurer, Dr. Joseph G. Poirier, Secretary, Dr. James Carpenter, Dr. Gene D’Angelo, Dr. Larry Majorski, and Dr. Larry Schoenfeld. Absent Board members were: Dr. Ira Stamm.
Address for Academy Central Office Have a Academy of Clinical Psychology P. O . B o x 638 wonderful Niwot, CO 80544-0638
Ph: (303) 652-9154 summer! Fax: (303) 652-2723 Email: [email protected]
18 Bulletin of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology Spring/Summer ‘03 Vol. 9 (1)
Academy of Clinical Psychology Board Members and Board Affiliate Colleagues (Effective 2003)
President IM Howard M. Cohen, Ph.D. Lawrence S. Schoenfeld, Ph.D. 12 Hornbeck Ridge Department of Psychiatry Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 Univ. Texas Health Science Center O: (845) 454-8793 San Antonio, TX 78229 F: (845) 454-8793 O: (210) 567-5494 H: (854) 454-6004 F: (210) 567-6941 E: [email protected] H: (210) 494-4545 E: [email protected] Vice President (NE) Eugene D’Angelo, Ph.D. SE 4 Woodholm Circle James Carpenter, Ph.D. Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944 727 Eastowne Dr., #300B O: (617) 355-7650 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 F: O: (919) 493-1102 H: F: (919) 493-1102 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
Vice President (special charge) WE West Lawrence V. Majovski, Ph.D. George G. Katz, J.D., Ph.D. 1902 64th Avenue, W. 17337 Tramonto Dr. Suite 201 Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 H: (253) 851-8422 O/H: (310) 454-9543 Tacoma, WA 98466 F: (310) 454-6693 (undedicated, call first) O: (253) 572-9917 E: [email protected] or [email protected] F: (253) 858-4060 E: Treasurer Intermountain MW Carl Zimet, Ph.D. Ira Stamm, Ph.D. th 4200 E. 9 Ave. C256-47 College Park Medical Bldg. Denver, CO 80262 11791 W. 112 St., Suite 103 O: (303) 315-8611 Overland Park, KS 66210 F. (303) 315-2527 O: (913) 663-1611 H: (303) 355-9689 F: (913) 469-5266 E: [email protected] H: (913) 478-4446 E: [email protected] Secretary Mideast ABClinP President Joseph G. Poirier, Ph.D. John D. Robinson, Ed.D. 932 Hungerford Dr., Suite 14-B 6735 13th Place, NW Rockville, MD 20850-1711 Washington, DC 20012-2311 O: (301) 545-0039 O: (202) 865-4893 F: (301) 545-0195 F: (202) 865-6212 H: (301) 929-1534 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] AClinP Administrative Officer Lynn Peterson P. O . B o x 638 Bulletin Co-Editors Niwot, CO 80544-0638 Ira Stamm, Ph.D. ([email protected]) O: (303) 652-9154 James Carpenter, Ph.D. ([email protected]) F: (303) 652-2723 E: [email protected] 19 We are very pleased to announce thar ABPP Board Certified Specialists in Clinical Psychology, who are fellows of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology, are now eligible for a 20% discount on their claims-made malpractice insurance.
Due to your additional training and membership in the Academy you have been determined to be a better risk. American Professional Agency, Inc. in cooperation with the Academy has worked to bring this benefit to you.
Please call us at 1-800-421-6694 for rate information and visit our website (www.americanprofessional.com) We are sure you will find that a significant saving from your current policy is now available to you through the American Professional Agency.