Advocacy
Learn about the role of advocacy in promoting mental health and well-being. This section offers resources and strategies for psychotherapists to effectively advocate for their clients, the profession, and broader social change.
75 articles found
What is Moral Scrupulosity OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is defined by the presence of obsessions (intrusive and distressing thoughts, urges, doubts, or mental images) that prompt compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the distress those obsessions generate; American Psychiatric Association, 2022). The lifetime prevalence of OCD is estimated at about 2.3%, although this number may be higher […]
Megan DeRiso, PsyD
October 19, 2026
Washington Scene
“THE ROAD IS LONG WITH MANY A WINDING TURN….” A Critical Ongoing Challenge: The Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute has recently released its report The Privatization Playbook: Two Decades of Denial, written by senior policy analyst/APA Fellow Russell Lemle and Suzanne Gordon. This far-reaching investigation documents the ongoing campaign to dismantle the nation’s only public […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
October 15, 2026
Psychotherapy Snippet
I’m not sure how I got myself entangled in these ropes. He beckons me with kindness in his eyes, maintains respectful distance. No doubt it’s a ploy. I creep ahead, both gloves raised. He waits barehanded, one elbow on the turnbuckle. Still compelled, my next foray is simple desperation. Clinching smoke, I jab in vain. […]
Christopher Scribner, PhD, MFA
August 7, 2026
The Price of Tradition: Why Legacy Structures are Losing the Next Generation of Psychologists
Introduction The current professional landscape in clinical psychology is characterized by a growing concern regarding the perceived disengagement of Early Career Psychologists (ECPs). From state psychological associations to the leadership of the American Psychological Association (APA; broadly referred to as ‘the guild’), there is widespread alarm over declining membership rates, a lack of volunteerism in […]
Jacinta Dickens, PhD
July 26, 2026
“WE’RE GONNA SIT AND GRIN AND TELL OUR GRANDCHILDREN ‘BOUT THE TIME I CALLED THIS GUY. IT WAS FOUR IN THE MORNING”
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM): Reflections by Victor Dzau, having served 12 years as President of NAM: “When I arrived in 2014 at what was then called the Institute of Medicine, the organization had reached a long-awaited crossroads. Within a year, we became an independent Academy alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
June 21, 2026
From Misconception to Meaning: A Trauma-Informed Understanding of BDSM
Defining BDSM BDSM, commonly referred to as kink, S&M, or leather, is an abbreviation of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism. It refers to a physical, psychological, and sexual practice often involving consensual power exchange. Within the community, it is mainly considered within four categories: practices (“play” or “scenes”), a lifestyle […]
Sophia Gamez, M.S.
June 10, 2026
I’ll Rest When I’m Dead: A Student’s Guide to Self-Care Amidst the Hustle Culture of Graduate School
There have been many times throughout graduate school where self-care did not feel like it was for me or that it was even allowed to be for me. Who really has time as a graduate student to practice self-care, let alone regularly? While I was informed about the importance of self-care as a fundamental practice […]
Sarah Bondy, PsyD
March 29, 2026
Advocacy and Mentoring Program for Diversity (AMPD)
Application Due Date: March 1, 2026 The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy announces its Advocacy and Mentoring Program for Diversity (AMPD) and invites interested doctoral students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows to become AMPD scholars. Purpose: The purpose of the Advocacy and Mentoring for Diversity Program is twofold: (a) to allow doctoral students, interns, and […]
Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy
February 7, 2026
“TAKE ONE FRESH AND TENDER KISS”
The Centennial APA President: On New Year’s Day, Jack Wiggins – the American Psychological Association’s Centennial President – celebrated his Centennial birthday. Twenty admirers gathered for a virtual birthday party on Zoom, to share tributes and remembrances, toasting and roasting throughout. The festivities culminated in heartfelt singing of “Happy Birthday.” An inspirational visionary, Jack shaped […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
January 17, 2026
Influence of Autism Diagnosis on Anorexia Nervosa Pathology and Prognosis
My Story: Development Through the Lifespan I was a happy child, with many saying I was quirky, in my own world, but appeared content to be there. However, as I got older, I noticed increasing turbulence in how I was feeling, becoming far more aware of feeling different. It felt like everyone around me got […]
Fiona Hollings, BS + 2 more
November 30, 2025
Toward Healing: Integrating Trauma-Informed Care and Liberation Psychology in the Treatment of Immigration Trauma
Immigration trauma is a multifaceted phenomenon rooted in the cumulative distress experienced across the migration timeline: pre-migration, migration journey, and post-migration resettlement. Each of these stages carries profound psychological implications. The experiences of war, political persecution, and natural disasters in home countries often serve as catalysts for migration yet leave behind deep emotional scars (Garcini […]
Gabriela Balardin, MS
November 14, 2025
“AT FIRST I WAS AFRAID, I WAS PETRIFIED”
Intriguing APA Initiatives: Katherine McGuire, APA Chief Advocacy Officer, recently reported: “This year, thanks to the dedication of psychologists, researchers, and students the Psychology PAC reached a historical milestone, achieving a record-breaking membership of 738 and raising $93,000.” This allows the PAC to strengthen their strategic advocacy efforts and thereby empowering it to champion initiatives that […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
July 9, 2025