Dear IARPP Members,

With the beginning of this 2024, I take the IARPP President’s baton from Susi Federici (Italy), whom I would like to thank not only for her dedication to the task and hard work over the years, but also for the love and energy with which she has done it. I will do my best to fulfill my role.

As psychotherapists, we have a solitary job. I have always felt that belonging to a community was important, not only to not feel alone, but also to be able to grow, learn and share experiences and knowledge that help us to continue developing our work in the best possible way. Not only for the people we work with in our practice, but for ourselves as well. I have always been interested in ‘belonging’ to a community – since I finished my training, I became part of the Institute for Relational Psychotherapy, led at the time by Alejandro Avila (Spain), my mentor. Shortly after, we invited Hazel Ipp (Canada) to one of our national conferences and became even more fascinated about Relational Psychoanalysis.

IARPP is a living community, in constant growth and development. Not only because of the number of members, but also because of the richness of their contributions and because more and more people from different countries want to approach and contribute to IARPP.

Undoubtedly, one of the most enriching aspects of IARPP for me is its openness to new voices, which is and has been possible thanks to the fact that the founding members and the most senior people of the organization have always wanted and known how to make room for younger people, for example, through the Candidates Committee, to which I belonged for many years. Having the chance to work with other colleagues from all over the world, and to count on Margaret Black’s (USA) guidance and knowledge, made me feel I was ‘home’.

Through the different communication channels (listservs, webinars) and committees, we can keep in touch with colleagues and friends from different parts of the world. And share not only the joys, but also the pain of wars and conflicts. Sharing does not mean agreeing but having a space in which to negotiate differences. Our Relational community is a diverse one, where different perspectives are intertwined due to our different backgrounds (on politics, gender, culture. . .). I assume this responsibility with pride that this association respects these values and works continuously to broaden them. To do so, among other things, our in-person encounters take place in different countries every year.

This year’s conference, which will take place in Mexico, will give us the opportunity to think about “The Quest for Belonging and the Co-creation of a Therapeutic ‘Home.’” We hope that meeting again will make us feel … at home.

I am at your disposal. If there is any aspect of IARPP you would like to share with me, feel free to contact me directly.

With warm regards,
Sandra Toribio Caballero, IARPP President

Sandra Toribio Caballero, Ph.D.
Madrid, Spain
Email Sandra Toribio Caballero