Marcia Karp

Dear colleagues and friends,

Why I.A.G.P.?

I think it is now time for us to gather together and support the hard
work of those who have put together the Psychodrama Section of the
IAGP. There are now about 400 on our list in the section all getting
the same information. From 1951 to 1973, Moreno and friends planned
an International Association of Group Psychotherapists. It formally
became the I.A.G.P. the year before he died.

The reason for forming it was that psychodramatists could learn from
analysts and vice versa. Now in the membership, there are group
therapists working in family therapy, therapeutic communities,
organisational development, systems analysis, group analysis and
psychodrama. We have so much to learn from each other. Each
International Congress has workshops, seminars, panels, keynote
speakers and planned time for informal network connections. The
Congresses are every three years and lasts 5 days. It is a real
smorgasbord of ideas, philosophy and practice in the field of Group
Psychotherapy. There is always a Pre-Congress Institute, inviting a
more intensive experience with accomplished professionals from around
the world.

How Much Does it Cost?

Currently to join it is $75.00. That gives you a reduced fee to the
Congress in Jerusalem Aug. 20 to 25, copies of the FORUM, which is
the official IAGP Journal with interesting articles and news of
events around the world and a chance to take part in the Psychodrama
Section, which is planning the future of world events. On our web
page you can maintain extensive information and contact with
psychodramatists from all over the world.

To join, contact the Membership Secretary, Giusy Cuomo, Fax: 39 6808
6505. Giusy lives in Rome. Our IAGP Secretary is Christer Sandahl who
is in Stockholm, e-mail: <christer.sandahl@sandahls.se>

What is the Future?

Our collective hope is to organise psychodramatists under the Section
and increase our smaller conferences and participate in the larger
ones. In the next few weeks there will be a ballot-by-post-vote
resulting in the election of the Officers and the selection of the
new IAGP Board. There are new psychodramatists nominated for the
Board representing different geographical regions, cultures and
interests. I myself have been nominated to stand for the President -
Elect position. Roberto de Inocencio, who many of you know, will
stand down in Jerusalem and an analyst from Melbourne, Sabar
Rustomjee will take office until 2003 when the President-Elect takes
over.

If you are a member, Vote Now and Come to Jerusalem in August!

Many psychodramatists want more world-wide involvement and wonder why
we do not share our energies. We have a chance to have a
psychodramatist as president of the IAGP but it means we have to
exercise our votes in the coming weeks in the election.

There will also be a major psychodramatist meeting during the
Jerusalem Congress of the IAGP on August 20 for a full day. Please
come, if you are able, and make your voice heard.

What does it mean to be a member?

I have given some of my thoughts on the IAGP. Further to that the new
FORUM will have an election platform giving the intentions of the
proposed officers, including one I have written with some interesting
plans such as an International Task Force of Group Psychotherapists
which could link up with existing organisations such as  UN.Human
Rights, and Amnesty International. It would be helpful to establish a
directory of information about members so that if we embark on
working with flood, and natural disaster victims, torture victims or
political prisoners, we have some information bank to draw on from
colleagues. Many of us spend long hours re-inventing the wheel when
it comes to patients with new or especially difficult pasts, with
whom we try our best to design treatment that is relevant to their
specific situation. Perhaps we could use each other more as resource
supervisors.

So far, networking, Congresses, the Journal and being linked to
something world-wide is what people talk mostly about as benefits of
the IAGP.

Invitation to a Discussion.

I would like to hear your opinions. Perhaps we could have a
discussion about what we get and what we need as psychodramatists
within the IAGP?

What is it like for you to belong to a field of Group Psychotherapy
and feel sometimes connected and sometimes not?

What do you need to be better informed and better connected to a
wider movement?

I look forward hearing from you all. Please send your ideas,
suggestions, and comments to natank@netmedia.net.il for later
inclusion in this international psychodrama newsletter and as a
beginning discussion before our meeting.

I look forward hearing from you.

Warm greetings
Marcia Karp