As a first-time attendee of the ISSTD annual meeting, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, after the conference, I can confidently say that I have found my “professional home,” to quote ISSTD President D. Michael Coy.
Weeks before I even stepped foot in the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, I found myself benefiting from ISSTD’s vast network of skilled trauma-informed clinicians, researchers, and professionals. As a Research Assistant in the McLean Hospital Trauma Continuum’s Dissociative Disorders and Trauma Research Program, I began reaching out to New England area clinicians for help with study recruitment using the ISSTD Find A Therapist function. Everyone I spoke to was exceedingly kind and helpful, and many agreed to meet with me during the conference to further discuss the research. Through this endeavor, not only did I receive referrals for our research study, but I also connected with a group of clinicians working to develop an ISSTD Northeast Regional Online Community. The sense of community and comradery afforded by ISSTD was immediately apparent to me in my efforts to connect with local clinicians, and this became only more evident as the conference went on.
As a student volunteer, I was lucky to meet many ISSTD conference attendees, members, and staff. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to get involved with the ISSTD community in this capacity. In fact, it is because of this volunteer position and the connections I made as a result that I have the opportunity to write this article now! This conference came at an especially important time in my professional life as I consider my training trajectory and work to prepare for a career in clinical practice and research. The opportunity to learn from fellow attendees, pre-conference workshops, main conference presentations, and the plenary speakers was invaluable. This experience will inform the training I pursue as I work to emulate the highly skilled, compassionate, culturally competent trauma-informed providers and professionals I respect so highly. In addition to learning from those established in the field, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet and connect with many other students and emerging professionals. Social events like the student and emerging professional lunch and the opportunity to present my research project during the poster session allowed me to make meaningful and lasting connections with peers and mentors alike.
After attending my first ISSTD conference, I know that I have found the professional community that will foster my growth and enable me to help improve our understanding and treatment of dissociation and trauma related conditions. It is because of this conference experience that I feel empowered and emboldened to pursue my goals, knowing that there is a community of like-minded professionals behind me. ISSTD is a crucial resource to those in the field of trauma and dissociation. I feel incredibly lucky that I had the opportunity to attend this year’s conference and get involved in the community, and I look forward to my continued involvement with ISSTD.