NJ Psychologist
Welcome to 2021!
W
e made it! I don’t have to tell you how challenging, tumultuous, and uncertain 2020 was, but as I write to you today, I am encouraged, excited, and hopeful. One of our members, Dr. Kelly Moore, was quoted in an article about parenting in the age of COVID-19 and one of my takeaways from her comments was the idea that managing uncertainty is a skill that can be learned, and I would extend that one can actually thrive during times of uncertainty. As I think about my experience in leadership, I reflect on Past-President, Morgan Murray’s pre-COVID-19 experience, Past-President, Lucy Sant’Anna Takagi’s leadership response during the onset of the pandemic, and how my time, as a NJPA leader, is emerging during a continued period of uncertainty around us. The pandemic is still raging, vaccines are being distributed, all the while as mental health, stress, and wellness are becoming regular talking points in the media and in our everyday lives. All of us are functioning dually as wellness professionals, but also as individuals who are susceptible to the multiple impacts of the pandemic. I wonder, how many of us are leading or participating in mindfulness activities prior to beginning meetings? In this moment, I am reminded what I do well. One of the reasons I chose to be a psychologist is my skill in creating structure in ambiguous situations. As a consulting psychologist, when I work with systems or when working with a client or writing an assessment for someone seeking clarity about their mental health status, my ability to create clarity and operationalize a focused vision has been greatly beneficial for all involved. So, I want to lean in on this strength during my term as your president. First, I want to institutionalize our shared leadership model, communication plan, and culture of transparency, which was elevated under Lucy’s term. Leadership will continue to be proactive and work to communicate with membership about relevant issues and decisions that impact our association and our work in the field. Additionally, I want to continue to de-centralize the leadership model and engage board members and members-at-large to become more active in association business in order to accomplish more and cover more ground during this season. NJPA needs to make sure our roles as psychologists are not only secure, but available for opportunities to expand our practice in the future. Second, I want to help members understand the association and how we can collectively support one another from the view of our executive director, Keira Boertzel-Smith. Keira has frequently described the four pillars of the association as membership, advocacy, continuing education, and communication. These are the essential activities that make NJPA
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