Initiatives

Division 49 members' are working on a series of initiatives, all aimed at promoting "the development and advancement of the field of group psychology and the modality of group psychotherapy". Much of that work is done as individual members conduct studies of group process, collaborate with one another in their analyses of the effectiveness of group psychotherapy, and teach their students to understand and appreciate groups. But much of the work is also done through a network of committees and task forces. Members who have not yet joined one of these groups are urged to contact the chair and volunteer.

Initiatives

Building the Membership Base: A number of committees are working to identify the needs of members and ways the Disivion can meet those needs. These committees include the Early Career Psychologists Committee, the Student Committee, the Diversity Committee, and the Membership Committee. We hope to draw more individuals into the Division, and to make sure that those who are currently members are satisfied with members.
Policy Manual Initiative: This long-term activity, initiated by George Gazda and continued by Lynn Rapin and Don Forsyth, aims at developing a policy manual for the conduct of the Division's business.
The Group Practice and Resarch Network: Division 49 members are meeting with members of AGPA and ASGW to explore ways to coordinate efforts and activities.

Also, the standing and ad hoc committees of Division 49 are the foundation on which the Division operates and works. Learn about their great work by clicking on Committees (below).

Committees

Membership Committee: Josh Gross (chair, JGross@admin.fsu.edu), Andy Horne, Tom Treadwell, Shannon Salter. This committee works to identify the needs of members and institute programs designed to meet those needs. The committee works closely with APA on member services, making certain that those who join the Division receive the benefits of membership (e.g., subscriptions, membership on the listserve, etc.). The primary initiative of this group, at this time, is building up membership, in general, with a focus on drawing students and early career psychologists to the division.
The Diversity Committee: Mike Andronico (chair, Andronico7@aol.com), Clay Alderfer, Carolyn Thomas. This committee was founded officially in 2007 with the successful amendment of the bylaws to include a committee that will promote the inclusion and visibility of underrepresented minorities in the Division. The Committee is also charged with attracting, fostering, and managing diversity in membership and activities of the division, and developing and recommending policies and programs designed to educate members of the division in this area in their practice, research and training.
The Education and Training Committee, chaired by Sally Barlow (Sally_Barlow@byu.edu) monitors, promotes, and enhances education and training in group psychology, group psychotherapy and continuing education. This committee’s members serve as liaisons to a number of other educational bodies (ABPP, CRSPP, CoA, etc.), as well as national level meetings focused on education. This committee’s primary initiative, at this time, is the preparation of the Division’s application to CRSPPP Board.
Convention Program Committee: Jeanmarie Keim (chair, jkeim@unm.edu), Jennifer Harp, Joshua M Gross, Maria Riva, Janice Delucia-Waack, Kathleen Ritter, and Nina Brown. This committee formulates policies regarding the annual meeting, reviews submitted proposals, and organizes the Division conference events.
The Committee on Fellows: Gloria Gottsegen (chair, ggottsegen@comcast.net), Lee Mathews, Jerry Resnick, Leo Shatin, and Mae Ziskin. This committee seeks members of the division who have met the Division’s standards for Fellow status and assists these individuals in the preparation of the materials needed to certification of that status by APA.
Ad hoc Student Committee (student members only): Leanne Terry (chair, ljterry@indiana.edu), Peiwei Li, Leslie Markowitz, Lena Kessler, Kyle Barry, Sidhika Bagla, and Gregory Capriotti. This committee, formed this year, is working to identify and meet the needs of student members of the Division. The long-term goals of the group are to create a number of benefits for student members, including travel-grants to conferences, mentoring in practice and research, grants for research, and enhanced networking among members.
Ad hoc Early Career Group Psychologists Committee (ECPs only): Shannon Salter (chair, ssalter@admin.fsu.edu), Courtney Ramous. This committee, formed this year, is working to identify and meet the needs of Early Career Psychologists who are members of the division.
Ad hoc Foundation Committee (fund raising): Don Forsyth, Lynn Rapin, Bob Conyne. This task force is charged with fund raising for the division, and is exploring such ideas a forming a foundation that could receive charitable donations for the division.
Ad hoc Group Practice and Research Network (GPaRN; Lynn Rapin (chair, rapinls@email.uc.edu), Bob Conyne, Josh Gross, Don Forsyth. This committee is an outgrowth of Dr. Rapin’s presidential initiative, the Summit Meeting held earlier this year involving representatives of Division 49 , the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA), the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW); Division 39, Psychoanalysis (Group Section); Division 13, Consulting Psychology; Division 50, Addictions. This committee continues to work to build a coalition of organizations that focus on group approaches.
Ad hoc Public Information/Education Committee, Irene Deitch (Chair, ProfID@aol.com), Bonnie Jacobson, Diana Semmelhack, Craig Pfaffl, Bernard Frankel. This committee works closely APA’s Office of Public and Member Communication to identify and disseminate information regarding our members’ research, practice, activities, and programs.
Ad hoc Committee on School-Based Mental Health Group Interventions, Elaine Clanton Harpine (Chair, ElaineH@usca.edu), Andy Horne, Janice DeLucia-Waack, Michael Waldo, Sheri Bauman, Judy Tellerman, Lee Gills, Maureen Kenny, Maria Riva, Wendi Cross. This group of highly active members organizes and promotes the use of group-level interventions in school settings through such activities as developing curriculum, sponsoring research activities, hosting conferences on the topic, and presenting information at the Annual Meeting.