The Specialty Council continues to mobilize as the due date for the resubmission of the specialty recognition petition steadily draws nearer. Our renewal year is 2025.
2021 was a year of transition for the council as we said farewell to several founding members who were instrumental in achieving specialty recognition status. We are deeply grateful for the service of Nina Brown (president), Eleanor Counselman (secretary), Sally Barlow (council of specialties representative), and Josh Gross (DIV 49 president member) as they pass the reigns to the next generation of leadership. These leaders have truly been a powerful force and deserve the lion’s share of credit for the success of specialty status achieved in 2018.
The council welcomed Vinny Dehili as vice president (a position left vacant when Noelle Lefforge stepped into the presidency) and Kathryn White as secretary. Transitions will continue through 2022 as Molyn Leszcz transfers representation of AGPA presidents to Gary Burlingame and to President-elect Lorraine Wodiska, who is also joining the Specialty Council. Noelle Lefforge is now serving as the council’s representative to the Council of Specialties.
The efforts of the council are largely focused on increasing financial sustainability and resources for the petition resubmission. The council is drafting a proposal to create its own budget with annual financial support from the invested affiliate organizations (DIV 49, AGPA, ABGP). In addition, the council is engaged in efforts that will contribute to a successful resubmission. The council supports creation of an evidence-based group treatment repository that will help evidence the dissemination of a scientific basis for group work. Efforts are underway to publish the Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy Training and Education Guidelines in various iterations. Work continues to be done to work with training programs that provide specialty training in alignment with the specialty taxonomy. Our taxonomy is currently under revision with hopes of approval by the Council of Specialties this year.
Please contact Noelle Lefforge if you are interested in contributing to the efforts of the council.