As a younger ISSTD member I fondly remember reading the president’s reports written by Rich Chefetz. Each edition of the newsletter would start with Rich’s piece, that often took us readers on a fishing expedition with him. He used to take us through the trip, helping us understand the art of fishing and the tactics that helped attract the fish to the bait and ‘convinced’ it to bite. But biting is not the end of the story, the angler then has to successfully reel the fish in, delicately working the line to ensure the fish does not get off the hook, get snagged on rocks, or break the line. Getting the fish in the boat is the end of the psychological and physical strain, and what’s left is the pleasure of enjoying the spoils. To enjoy the spoils of being a vibrant Society that grows and fully supports its members, the ISSTD needs to go on an annual ‘fishing’ expedition, not entirely dissimilar from Rich’s trips, that helps us ‘bag’ funding so we can plan, execute and grow the ISSTD well into the future. This year’s activities are about to start, as we open our donation drive. When passing on the mantle of president to me earlier this year, Warwick Middleton, our 2016 commander-in-chief, told me that a key element of a presidency term is to at times adopt the position of ‘beggar-in-chief’. I’m not sure whether the fishing analogy or the ‘beggar-in-chief’ moniker is most helpful in encouraging members to donate to the society, but I hope one of them might assist you in making a contribution to ISSTD’s funding push. We must continue to progress the activities of ISSTD, which this year have included our new clinical e-journal, Frontiers in the Psychotherapy of Trauma and Dissociation, a vibrant program of webinars, an energetic and engaging book club, increasing numbers of training courses via our Professional Training Program and regional conferences, and a revised newsletter. With our 35th birthday next year, we are centering our donation drive around the number 35. So please consider donating $35, $135, $350, $1035, $3500… should I go on?! Or don’t limit yourself to these derivatives, any amount will be gladly received. If my fishing or begging has convinced you, please click on this address to make a contribution. DONATE NOW It will be most welcomed, very appreciated and of great benefit in moving the ISSTD forward. Thank you. Some of the areas where the funds will be used include revitalizing our website (see below), expanding our virtual training offerings, including more livestreaming options, and increasing our resources for students and emerging professionals. Board News: The Board of Directors over the last several years has engaged in a large-scale exercise of reviewing and revising the policies and procedures for how the ISSTD operates. This is a central task for the ongoing operational security of ISSTD, and was one of the focuses of Lynette Danylchuk’s presidency, was continued by Warwick Middleton last year and remains a focus of the Board this year. We are moving towards completing this round of reviews, under the guidance of Kevin Connors, our current president-elect. As part of this bigger task, we noticed that unlike many other organisations, the ISSTD did not have a well-developed code of conduct that protected the safety of members and ensured the ISSTD was a safe and congenial environment in which members could interact with each other. It is perhaps not a coincidence that the development and dissemination of this code comes shortly before our 2018 conference, which will feature Donna Hicks, PhD, giving a plenary presentation on the topic of dignity. The code of conduct is the ISSTD’s way of trying to promote, encourage and maintain dignity for all members. You can see a copy of the Code here. CODE OF CONDUCT Website Upgrade Project: Like our policies and procedures, which we are revising to make them fit for purpose for this time in the ISSTD’s history, our website is also being targeted for major revision. Michael Coy is leading a task force looking into how we can bring our website into the new age, with more interactive capacity, easier programming capabilities and more user-friendly interfacing on various devices. The website is a chief tool for engaging with the public, and both members and non-members, so its appeal and functionality are key to ISSTD’s growth and connectivity. Finally, to mark October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the US, we include in the newsletter two articles on intimate partner violence. Yours sincerely, Martin Dorahy ISSTD’s head fisherman and current beggar-in-chief.
