Dear IARPP Colleagues,
And so we begin to wind down this annus horribilis, December finally upon us.
The virus continues its spread, causing over 1.5 million deaths worldwide.Authoritarianism abounds; right-wing strongmen throughout the world lead democracies. Some bright spots have emerged for human rights and human health: The USA rejects Trump’s assault on democracy; Chile begins rewriting its constitution; coronavirus vaccines are poised for distribution.
Our annual conference was yet again cancelled due to the coronavirus; our dedicated leadership team of Hazel Ipp (Canada), Ilene Philipson (USA) and Philip Ringstrom (USA) extends itself once more, standing ready to host us in Los Angeles, now in the summer of 2022.
Many of us have found one silver lining, in that the new normal of virtual meetings has allowed members to attend a talk, take a class or participate in a discussion with teachers and colleagues from all over. Thus, Argentinian, Chilean, Mexican, Peruvian and Spanish analysts have been able to meet and collaborate on joint ventures; classes and book launches sponsored by New York City institutes have been peppered by attendees from all over the USA as well as from England, Portugal, Israel and elsewhere. The international impulse survives.
In reading the numerous reports from IARPP chapters (ten such reports grace this issue, the most that I can recall one newsletter containing), I am struck by the vitality of our going-on-being worldwide. Zoom meetings have focused on mutual support regarding the challenges and creativity around doing remote clinical work, as well as taking up theoretical, clinical and institutional concerns around white privilege, racial equity and inclusivity, colonialism, ecopsychoanalysis and other issues that psychoanalysis has traditionally been slow to embrace. New committees and chapters have been forming; you’ll read herein about the recently formed Mexican Contemporary Chapter and the emerging Special Interest Group on Couples, Families and Groups.
Our committees have continued adjusting to the Covid curveballs in order to facilitate ongoing connection among IARPP members. In the forefront has been the Colloquium Committee, led by Cathy Hicks (Australia) and Amy Schwartz Cooney (USA), turning on a dime to put together our cherished early spring and summer colloquia on the impacts of the pandemic, which helped mitigate our sense of isolation and siege. The recently concluded discussion of Steven Stern’s (USA) marvelous exploration of “airless worlds,” a metaphor that spoke effectively to any number of systems and spheres, from the interpersonal and the intersubjective to the national and the planetary, was another rich opportunity for members the world over to stay engaged with one another in the context of joint clinical and theoretical endeavor.
In closing, I wish to acknowledge and extend gratitude to Steven Kuchuck (USA) for his gracious, generative and deeply committed, in fact tireless, leadership of our organization these past three years. I have only an inkling of knowledge about the numerous tasks, initiatives, directives, decisions and hours of deliberation involved in presiding over IARPP, an organization whose membership is never shy in voicing its well articulated, thoroughly argued and highly impassioned opinions. Watching Steve contain such multitudes and process the periodic conflicts and intense challenges that have arisen with such sangfroid and analytic attitude has been an education and a marvel.
I warmly welcome our incoming president, Susanna (Susi) Federicci-Nebbiosi (Italy), with whom I look forward to collaborating on these newsletters.
You’ve recently received an email from the IARPP office regarding renewal of your annual membership. As the year winds down, I hope you’ll take a moment to renew this investment in your practice and our organization.
Please be reminded to submit news of your own recent or upcoming publications and presentations for the next IARPP Bookshelf issue, to be published in February 2021 – a wonderful way to share your scholarship with our community. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, January 23, 2021.
Kindly include the following materials with your submission:
- Title of your recent or upcoming publication or presentation
- An abstract or brief description of its content
- Link to a publisher (if applicable) so that members might access or purchase a copy
- Book cover photo or artwork (if applicable)
- Digital photograph of yourself (jpeg format)
- Professional contact information as you would like it to appear publicly for our readers (email and mailing address)
- Book authors: please provide a brief bio of 50-75 words.
- Presenters: please spell out any acronyms and provide location (including “online”).
- Please note that the Bookshelf does not include IARPP conference presentations.
Submissions should be emailed to Matt.Aibel [@] gmail.com.
Wishing you well,
Matt Aibel, LCSW
New York City & Northport, NY
