Highlights of the APA Hospitality Suite 2011

Not only was the Society for Humanistic Psychology the first Division to host a Hospitality Suite at APA decades ago, we continue to offer unprecedented social networking opportunities, student mentoring, and programming of the highest quality. Many presentations were standing-room only and generated outstanding comments, questions, and discussions.

Innovative approaches to clinical therapy were emphasized in "Person-Centered grief Counseling" by Dale Larson, PhD.; "Empathy in Emotion-Focused Therapy" by Rhond’a Goldman, PhD; "Counseling: A New Frontier in Humanistic Psychology" by Kailla Edger, PhD & Emily Meyer, MS; and "What Should Psychologists Know about Psychedelic Drugs?" by David Lukoff , PhD & Alicia Danforth.

Contemporary issues with specific clinical populations were highlighted in "Microaggressions and Their Affect on the Therapeutic Process" by Nathaniel Granger, PsyD; "The Psychotherapy Needs of Same Gender Parented Families' by Frances Brown, PsyD; and "Drugging our Children" by Brent Dean Robbins, PhD, Robert Mcinernay, PhD, Sharna Olfman, PhD, & Lisa Cosgrove, PhD.

Society Members Sarah Kamens, MA, Fred Wertz, PhD, and Scott Churchill, PhD along with Divison 5 (Evaluation, Measurement, & Statistics) Members Jodi Casabianca, PhD, and President Todd Little, PhD facilitated the historic "Qualitative-Quantitative Dialogue: Potentials & Challenges". Supportive intentions as well as concerns about the addition of a new section on Qualitative Inquiry in Division 5 were aired and discussed.  Stay tuned to both the Society and Division 5 Newsletters for the latest developments on this exciting initiative. 

In my two years of Chairing the Hospitality Suite Program, it is clear to me that, besides the Annual Society Conference, the Hospitality Suite is the main social opportunity for Society community-building and relationship-building. Please inform your colleagues and students at APA that the Society for Humanistic Psychology Hospitality Suite can serve as a home base for evening Social Hours, snd daily programming. The humanistic pychologists that  gather there are a welcoming and stimulating group that takes great pleasure in mentoring students and early career psychologists. 

In an effort to provide much-needed guidance to our Graduate Students and aspiring authors, Donna Rockwell,  PsyD & Rochelle Suri, PhD facilitated "Finding Voice: writing for Publication & General Readership", and Brent Deam Robbins, PhD & Louis Hoffman, PhD hosted "Internship Preparation Workshop: How to Find and Obtain an Internship as a Humanistic Psychology Student."

Additional memorable events in the Suite were the debut of the wonderful pro-therapy commercial produced by the University of Memphis Counseling Doctoral students under the guidance of former Society President Sara Bridges, PhD, the Humanistic Psychology Trivia game, and the edgy, philosophically-inspired artwork of Rich Bargdill, PhD that graced t-shirts and tote bags in support of student travel and attendance at the conference, and other SHP causes.

Finally, I want to thank all the Society Board Members, and general Members who contributed time, care, and expertise to the everyday running of the Suite.  I also want to make a special recognition of Society Membership Chair, Richard Bargdill and University of Memphis Doctoral Candidate, Trish Nash who for the second straight year, expertly tended to the needs of scores of Suite guests throughout the entire Convention. Thank you.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Orlando 2012!