Recent national and international news (e.g., the Virginia Tech tragedy, the Iraq war, genocide in Darfur, pediphilia ala To Catch a Preditor, Don Imus) coupled with numerous ongoing events (e.g., Katrina/Rita, AIDS pandemic, crisis in our nations healthcare) represent collectively ever-present cries for help from a world traveling down a road not utilizing fully a spiritual and moral compass to guide it's steps. The myriad daily community-based signs of unrest (e.g., perpetraton of crimes including physical and sexual assaults, armed robbery, theft, child, elder and spousal abuse, to name a few), when added to the mix of the aforementioned existing compelling life experiences, truly signals the receipt of an invitation for advocacy to which we, as counseling psychologists, must respond assertively, smartly and with due haste.

All of us are busy and engaged enthusiastically in doing wonderful, exciting and career-promoting activities to which continued time and attention should be devoted. Amidst all of the global, regional and local turbulence, however, are abundant opportunities for all of us to get outside of the ivory tower offices of academe and out of our private practice and consultation offices, to roll up our sleeves and jump in to do more to make a difference in a world that reflects chaos and confusion. I would like to challenge all of us to ask ourselves every day we awake: In what five (5) behavioral, concrete and specific ways can I enact a "More of Thee and less of me" philosophy?

As of April, 2007 our SCP boasts a membership of 2,284 members and APA central office records a membership roster of 148,000. If all members of our SCP family engaged daily in 5 "More of Thee and less of me" behavioral expressions of human kindness and goodwill we would record 11,420 (day) 79,940 (weekly) and 319,760 (monthly) acts of compassion and generosity. Imagine the energy that results from 5 simple daily expressions. WOW! Fathom, if you will, the amount of healing energy that could result from 5 expressions of human care-giving from each member of the current APA membership. An unimaginable power accessed easily simply by the choosing to act in service to someone else.

As we continue to travel life's journey and engage our myriad challenges, both professional and personal, let's appreciate and celebrate the gifts and talents with which all of us have been blessed by serving others whose outward circumstances are more challenging and whose discovery of their gifts and talents is yet to be realized. Our efforts can be a catalyst to their discovery and to the elevation of the human condition in spite of the enormous and many unexpected challenges whose expression is never ending.

Relative to the work going on within our SCP know that our division is doing well and is quite involved in many projects. Setting the stage for an International Conference on Counseling Psychology, partnering with division 51 as they host the Men’s Conference in southern California in June 2007, and bringing the Stepping Up to the Plate, Passing the Baton and Tapping the Wellspring of Talent presidential initiatives to fruition constitutes only a small sample of what is happening. Within APA, a moratorium on psychologist’s participation in interrogations at US detention centers holding foreign detainees and the establishment of a task force to address challenges and concerns of veterans and their families are just two of the hot topics on the burner. Explore our SCP website and visit the APA website for updates on all that is going on.

Finally, let me hear from you via this Blog regarding any and all observations, impressions praises or concerns. What you say matters … and I like hearing from you.

Until next time,

William D. Parham, Ph.D., ABPP
Dean, Graduate School of Professional Psychology
John F. Kennedy University