November can be a difficult month under normal circumstances. The time change brings early darkness, the weather moves from the charm of fall to the chill of winter, and the holiday season begins with its own unique set of stressors. Russia continues its assault on the Ukraine and the Middle East is ablaze. But this year, of course, a specter of fear and dread has been cast by the United States election outcome, an assurance that the government will become aggressive and non-compassionate, with strong moves toward authoritarian ambitions. Even before the final election results were known, resistance and countermeasures had begun to be formulated and established. Several state governors enacted laws prohibiting local police forces from being used in immigration raids. While social media can certainly be seen for its negative impacts, it will be immediate and all-seeing to spread information about what the Trump administrative is doing and trying to accomplish. We must maintain a sense of hope and trust in our perceptions. Rebecca Solnit in The Guardian, reminds us that “hope does not mean saying this is not bad, and does not mean saying we can defeat it. It just means saying we will keep showing up.” She goes on to say we must be resolute, line up our resources, and live by values counter to Trump’s “values” of cruelty, greed and dishonesty.
We need to brace for a nation—and most of the world—thrust into levels of chaos and uncertainty. Our clinical and research focus and expertise upon trauma and its effects are going to be needed more than ever. We will need a sense of community and commitment, which is what ISSTD attempts to provide each day. The Board and staff are looking to ensure safety and support for all our members at our conferences and events, and making sure locations have values consist with ours. Speaking of the Board, we are welcoming two new members, Coral Compagnoni and Julie Trana, and three returning members, Adithy, Ben Israel and Graham Pringle. We also have some new officers, Abigail Percifield as President-Elect, Jon Cleveland as Vice-President, and Liz Chalenburg as Secretary.
As we begin to look toward the new year, please consider a holiday donation to support ISSTD’s efforts in education, research and training, so we can keep on showing up.
Peter Maves, President