From your editors

The editors present this latest issue, which includes the Division 49 candidate statements, the important skills held by division members, and a welcome to the new reviewer, Noranne Kocher

By Thomas Treadwell, EdD, and Leann Terry, PhD

Welcome to the spring issue of The Group Psychologist. We are happy to announce that the Division 49’s candidates for office appear in this issue. Voting will take place via ballot from APA, so be sure to look for those in your mailboxes.

President Nina Brown is asking for suggestions and other ideas to further the Society for Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy. She has designated three workgroups to engage in planning and setting priorities, and listed numerous initiatives needing the society’s attention. She is asking members what current projects and endeavors you would be willing to join. One such group was appointed to help in developing a story to highlight group psychology and group psychotherapy that is scheduled to appear in the APA Monitor, in the July/August 2012 issue. If you are interested in this, please contact Nina directly.

In the president-elect’s column Maria Riva focuses on the unique and important skills Division 49 members hold. She highlights that we need to spend attention on connecting group practice with group research and recommends that society membership offers more training in groups for its members.

We added a new column last issue and found feedback helpful. As a result, we are going to honor a society member every other issue. Check it out in the June issue, “Catching Up With Notable Member Accomplishments.” We have another column starting this issue, “Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy Diversity." Please let us know what you think about it.

As we struggle through the winter season (admittedly which has been quite mild for both of us), we encourage you to take time to reflect on the past year and share your thoughts with us. What do you think students and early career psychologists should know more about? What do you wish you had known more about during the early part of your career? What led you to pursue the work in which you are engaging currently? Your ideas and experiences are important and we need to share them with our membership.

One of our student reviewers, Bambi Juryea, will be leaving The Group Psychologist, as she finished her internship and is focusing on her dissertation. Congratulations to Bambi for completing her internship! In her place we invited Noranne Kocher, a counseling therapist with the Department of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Coatesville, PA. Welcome Noranne!

Articles or brief reports and news items can be emailed directly to Tom, Letitia, Noranne or Leann, as can letters to the editor. We would also like to include book reviews, DVD’s, videos and on-line group interactions as part of the newsletter. Online group interactions would be a newsworthy column, yet we need an editor for this … there is interest out there and we need your input!