Summer 2008

Editor’s Note

By Jennifer Kaupp, Ph.D.
Editor, The Monterey Bay Psychologist
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831-429-9314

Hello –

As promised, the summer edition of your MBPA newsletter, The Monterey Bay Psychologist, is in electronic format. If you are reading this, you already know that your newsletter was emailed to you, or maybe you retrieved it from the website at www.mbpsych.org. As you’ll see, the features of the electronic newsletter are the same as the print version – MBPA board business, articles, workshop information, announcements, and ads – but now it’s in color!

For some of you, the transition to an electronic format may be difficult. For those of us who prefer a paper copy, you can download a version specially formatted for printing. The good news is that we will once again be able to publish the newsletter six times a year. And the MBPA website now offers the most current information about upcoming events and workshops (with online registration) and other news and information, continually updated directory listings and ‘Find a Therapist’ function, and resources for psychologists. We plan to expand the public pages to include information about psychotherapy, theories, local resources, and web links to relevant mental health sites (e.g., NIH, APA Help Center). Our new payment system will also be activated soon, allowing you to pay for workshops and membership dues online.

Our featured article is a harrowing account by seasoned mediator Dr. Don Saposnek, describing a close encounter with domestic violence at its deadliest. He emphasizes how ugly reality can trump research and theory. Also in this issue, Dr. Dani Beckerman reminds all of us –- people who help others for a living –- to take care of ourselves. Isn’t it ironic that we need such a reminder?

I’d also like to draw your attention to several upcoming workshops, Dr. Edda Schweid’s write-up of the CPA convention, current CPA Board (Dr. Jennifer Garbarino) and California Legislature (Dr. Cheryl Bowers) business of interest to psychologists, and the latest in the ongoing conflict between the APA leadership and those of us who denounce the role of psychologists in military interrogations, rendition teams, and torture (Dr. Jon Girvetz and myself, co-chairs of the Social Issues Forum). Also, our own Dr. Diane Bridgeman, a prominent Red Cross volunteer, was a key responder during the recent fires in Santa Cruz County. You can read about her work in disaster mental health in her Disaster Response Committee report. Thank you, Diane, for your generosity of time and spirit, compassion, and expertise in attending to both the victims and the men and women working day and night fighting these fires. You can find all of this and more in this newsletter. Members are encouraged to send articles for publication in future issues of The Monterey Bay Psychologist.

I especially want to thank Carol Layba and Charlie Kaupp. Without their technical and design expertise, this newsletter would not be possible.

Have a great summer.

Jenny