The ISSTD exists to better understand those with dissociative disorders and complex trauma and it naturally has an interest in all forms of psychological trauma. It provides guidelines, training, accessible literature, and ongoing professional development for those who work, and do research in our field. Our Society endeavours to make membership of our field career enhancing and as professionally safe as possible. Our office bearers are volunteers and they do many things including writing the Treatment Guidelines for DID, organising regional seminars, writing the ISSTD Newsletter, putting together the components of our Professional Training Program (PTP), and convening great conferences incorporating cutting edge speakers and a vibrant social program.

Our Society’s revenue comes primarily from membership subscriptions, registrations for our conferences and seminars, and enrollments in our PTP and webinars, supplemented here and there by hotel block booking bonuses, exhibitors’ fees etc. We are frugal and very much prioritize spending and potential spending. At the end of the accounting year, we just about break-even, give or take a little. The increasing costs of conference expenses is a financial challenge that we address with care. It is gratifying that overall our membership numbers have been increasing, and that we are able to do things we have not done before. Our retired membership has grown as a considerable number of our valued senior members have continued to provide strong support and involvement to the Society.

To celebrate the 35th Annual Conference, held in Chicago in March of 2018, we endeavored to raise $35,000 by the end of 2018 to honor this achievement. We came close to our goal, but we can still use your help now that the campaign is over to continue to provide excellent resources and training to members and the public.

By donating to ISSTD, you will help the Society continue to grow. Money raised through donations will help with three major projects:

• Redesign of the ISSTD website, creating a place for both the public and mental health professionals to find valuable resources on complex trauma and dissociation, as well as a virtual environment that can foster closer connections amongst our members
• Expansion of virtual training opportunities, including more half and full-day webinars and teleseminar-format Professional Training Program Courses.
• Expand programming for Student and Emerging Professional Members, including the development of a mentorship program for students. We are happy to announce that our membership now boasts 100 Emerging Professionals and 90+ Students, consisting of 10% of our overall membership!

If you approve of what your Society has been trying to do to advance our field and to provide a safe and supportive professional home for colleagues who work with those who are the victims of severe long term trauma, and if your circumstances permit, any donation for any amount that you make to the ISSTD will, we assure you, contribute to making a positive difference.

With very best wishes this holiday season to our members in the 35 countries currently represented within the ISSTD.

D. Michael Coy, ISSTD Treasurer

Thank you to our 2018 Donors!