Search New Center for Psychoanalysis

Greetings to All Members,

We conducted our March board meeting online through Zoom. All 14 of us were able to have a productive board meeting and will continue to meet monthly. The Board temporarily agreed that an Executive Committee consisting of the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Deans and the Executive Director will make emergency decisions about NCP, if needed.  

The Board is focused on creating strategic plans for NCP. We appreciate those of you who filled out the membership questionnaire, leaders who filled out the leadership survey, and board members who responded to the board survey. Two focused 6-8 person video conference meetings led by Lowell Apelbaum were held and we appreciate those who volunteered to participate in those events. Unfortunately, the retreat scheduled for the end of March was postponed. We are working with Lowell to reschedule the retreat as soon as the virus situation is under control. In the meantime, the board will continue to move strategic planning forward.

Over the next few board meetings, each committee head will present a strategic plan for their program for the year 2020-2021. The report will outline two or three goals with steps to reach those goals as well as a proposed budget for the year. Susan Donner and Lucia Melito presented their reports this month. These reports will make it easier for the Board to follow, support and fund the actions proposed. Next month two other committees will present reports.

Paulene Popek updated everyone on the BPPE task force committee (which includes five Institutes in California) working with Jim Gross, a lawyer, who is representing us in Sacramento with the Director of Consumer Affairs. We are hoping that by June we will reach an agreement with the Department of Consumer Affairs that will clearly spell out an exemption for psychoanalytic institutes for consideration of a bill to be taken to the governor. We’ll see.

Our Zoom meetings and classes meet HIPAA compliance standards and Zoom is becoming a regular part of organizational life for NCP. If anyone is having difficulties using it, the staff has posted instructions on the website and will be available to help troubleshoot. At the Board meeting, ideas were discussed about how to keep the NCP community connected during this time of isolation. Sandy Landen, our Membership Chair, is working to develop ways of reaching out to the membership, including creative Zoom social gatherings. 

Thanks to everyone working hard to keep us going and connected. Be as safe as possible in these very difficult times.  

Thank you,

Paulene Popek