by Stephanie King, Psy.D.

December already! This year has been a year of action and of stalling out. A year of starts and stops, and starts again. In January, the board began working on what is now called The Equity Clause. The Equity Clause is a statement that asks for a response from all potential NCSPP instructors. The statement reads:

NCSPP is aware that historically psychoanalysis has either excluded or pathologized groups outside of the dominant population in terms of age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, and size. As an organization, we are committed to bringing awareness to matters of anti-oppression, inequity, inequality, diversity, and inclusion as they pertain to our educational offerings, our theoretical orientation, our community, and the broader world we all inhabit.

Please state how you will integrate the above matters into your course and also please provide references that will reflect your thinking.

Trying to tackle something as far reaching and prevalent as anti-racism and anti-oppression is no small feat, and this isn’t the first board that has made this a priority. Throughout the year I’ve had many conversations with past board members as well as leaders in our neighboring psychoanalytic institutes and hear how this is something we are all trying to confront head on. Both PINC and SFCP are working on a variety of ways to create intentional inclusion in their institutes and training.

This year’s board is engaged, energized and I am thrilled to say – amazing! While the resignation of our 2019 President Elect has presented the organization with a challenge, the board has stayed on track. We have continued to discuss and support our instructors in replying to the Equity Clause as well as how to challenge our own thinking around these important issues. So far, I’m delighted to say that instructors are answering this question with ease and have many different takes on how they plan to incorporate this subject into their course offerings. 

We are also still part of a larger system, a system that lives inside of each of us and that cannot simply be expunged by asking a question of our instructors. It is quite apparent to me that this is not a fix, but a step. We have attempted many steps this year, some that have moved us and others that have kept us stuck in the same system. 

Looking forward to next year, we will continue on with this uphill battle. We will also be doing things a bit differently next year since we will have an open President seat. The Executive Committee will be running the board as a “collective” President. I’m excited to see what this Collective Mind is going to bring to the organization. Stay tuned!