“We are all more simply human than otherwise.” – Harry Stack Sullivan, 1947

This quote, which drove some of the conceptual work of the late Dr. Jeremy Safran, underlies the notion that therapists are part of what he refers to as the “interpersonal field” and they must be keen observers not only of their clients’ behavior, but also of their own subjective reactions to it (Safran, 1998). Regardless of who you are, therapist, client, professor, community member, or if you occupy some combination of these roles, the events of 2020 have amplified and shaped your subjective experience. We at the bulletin team hope that the holiday season allows you time to reflect, to take some space for you, and to reassemble after this exceptionally trying year. Through our selection of the special focus for the past four issues, “The Person of the Therapist,” we intended to highlight that who you are is intricately woven into the work you do, and we are thankful for the unique contributions you make to this publication and to the Division at large. 

This year has been filled with transition at the Bulletin. As we have undergone significant turnover of staff on both the Editorial and Internet Teams, it has taken some time for us to calibrate and refine our processes. We appreciate your patience as our teams have collaborated to establish effective routines to ensure the timely editing (Editorial Team), and subsequent production of the PDF Bulletin (Editorial Team and Tracey Martin) and the E-Bulletin (Internet Editorial Team). We are now fully up and running, and that is in large part due to our Editorial Assistants, Salwa Chowdhury and Kate Axford, to Internet Editor, Kourtney Schroeder, to Associate Editor, Stephanie Winkeljohn Black, and to Resident Bulletin Expert, Tracey Martin. At the end of the year, Salwa will conclude her time on the Editorial Team to pursue other professional interests, and we thank her for her service and share in her excitement about how her career is taking shape. To each and every member of our team, and to the domain representatives and thoughtful authors who submit pieces, we have valued your time and communication of your expertise and look forward to continuing the positive tradition of the Bulletin being an engaging medium for the exchange of ideas. 

In this final edition of the year, we have a collection of wonderful articles whose content is broad in scope. You will also find a column from our President, Dr. Jennifer Callahan, which describes the year’s activities and accomplishments in depth. The Division’s productivity throughout such challenging times is inspiring, and we anticipate the many successes that will come in 2021 and under what we can only hope will be better circumstances. With that said, we welcome your submissions and plan to operate on the following schedule of deadlines: January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, and October 15th. Through your writing and participation in this type of scholarly discourse, we can challenge existing narratives of the roles of psychotherapists in an effort to better serve the communities we are passionate about.  

As the rates of COVID19 continue to rise, we think of those of you operating as essential personnel. We acknowledge that providing any direct care at this time (in person or via telehealth) can be accompanied by emotional fatigue as the fear and stress of the pandemic are shared by clients and therapists alike. It is our goal for the bulletin to serve as an outlet for you as you gain insight, reflect on your experiences, and think critically about systemic changes you want to encourage. For submission guidelines or to write for the Bulletin, visit our website at http://societyforpsychotherapy.org/bulletin-about/. Please reach out with questions to joanna.drinane@utah.edu. Wishing you a happy and more than ever, a healthy New Year. 

Thank you,

Joanna 

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Joanna M. Drinane, Ph.D.