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The Association for the Development of the Person Centered Approach.

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by Jon Rose

"Alive and Growing!" Our 1998 Annual Meeting lived up to its theme. Thanks to our wonderful conference hosts, we enjoyed comfortable surroundings, rooms which made it easy to see everyone, and good food. I was also spared any distracting anxiety about how to get to and from the airport, and all other logistical details.

I experienced several themes throughout the course of our meeting. The first was how to meet the special needs of those who are assertive. This was most overtly represented by Joe Hochberg's request (in Rennaisance) for amplification so he could hear us. The need of others for spontaneity and other conflicting needs (e.g. avoiding reverberations from amplified speech) were also stated and heard, but not satisfied.

The second theme was our need to experience our own deep inner selves while also connecting to the experience of others.

The third theme was about an inner conflict I share with many who were present. It is the conflict between wanting freedom while also wanting to be responsible for the impact I have on others.

I learned much at the didactic presentations I attended -- from both the content and the process of the presentations. Ed Kahn's seminar on Kohut and Rogers helped me think about a variety of ways to be empathic. Daniel Greenberg challenged my expectations about children's ability to handle freedom and responsibility. Bill Bonnice's presentation on Organizational Consulting helped me to see how empathy can contribute to problem solving and even efficiency in business. Margaret Warner presented a wonderful way to conceptualize and measure levels of intervention. Celia Bazan (and the fully present Paula) helped me to hear a bit of women's voices. The right of women to determine their own destiny and history was closely connected to our community's struggle (both this year and in years past) to hear everyone and be inclusive, rather than empirical or evangelical.

Robert Oppenheimer's experience in seeking a peaceful response to provocations by the KKK and violent revolutionary leftists was inspiring. We are all better off for what you have done in Detroit, Robert, and for showing us our possibilities. Robert and Ana Kandare reminded us of how easily we can shut off the voices and tears of children who need us to hear their pain.

I was even able to learn from presentations I could not attend. Special thanks to Tracy Gastone for reminding me that everyone we can teach is also someone we can learn from. I'm sorry I was never in your classroom.

Thanks to whomever volunteered to underwrite the cost of extra pages in Renaissance. I admire your devotion to equal and unlimited access and your willingness to personally insure it is possible.

When I left the conference during our last community meeting, our community was struggling with issues of freedom and responsibility, and with the need to be assertive as well as the need to be open so that members of a community can know what choices are possible. Two people were debating and at least one was not understood, but the lack of understanding had been acknowledged and I left with faith that the community would facilitate empathy, if not this year, then the next time we meet.

I feel that I have grown much since I first joined ADPCA, and that we as a community are very much alive and growing! We have matured in our ability to delegate authority and act empathically in the heat of conflict. We are now dealing head-on with the great human conflict of balancing care for ourselves with caring for others.

Our newsletter and journal are continuing to grow in very capable editorial hands. It was rewarding to see past editors recognized, while new editors insure that the work will continue to get done. I hope we are able to sponsor the attendance of our editors at future annual meetings. This may be possible due to our growing fiscal maturity and organization. Thanks Julie for a job well done!

Aside from all these intellectual musings, a few of you touched me very deeply, in ways too personal for a newsletter. You know who you are. I love you.

Jon Rose

"Alive and Growing!" Our 1998 Annual Meeting lived up to its theme. Thanks to our wonderful conference hosts, we enjoyed comfortable surroundings, rooms which made it easy to see everyone, and good food. I was also spared any distracting anxiety about how to get to and from the airport, and all other logistical details.

I experienced several themes throughout the course of our meeting. The first was how to meet the special needs of those who are assertive. This was most overtly represented by Joe Hochberg's request (in Rennaisance) for amplification so he could hear us. The need of others for spontaneity and other conflicting needs (e.g. avoiding reverberations from amplified speech) were also stated and heard, but not satisfied.

The second theme was our need to experience our own deep inner selves while also connecting to the experience of others.

The third theme was about an inner conflict I share with many who were present. It is the conflict between wanting freedom while also wanting to be responsible for the impact I have on others.

I learned much at the didactic presentations I attended -- from both the content and the process of the presentations. Ed Kahn's seminar on Kohut and Rogers helped me think about a variety of ways to be empathic. Daniel Greenberg challenged my expectations about children's ability to handle freedom and responsibility. Bill Bonnice's presentation on Organizational Consulting helped me to see how empathy can contribute to problem solving and even efficiency in business. Margaret Warner presented a wonderful way to conceptualize and measure levels of intervention. Celia Bazan (and the fully present Paula) helped me to hear a bit of women's voices. The right of women to determine their own destiny and history was closely connected to our community's struggle (both this year and in years past) to hear everyone and be inclusive, rather than empirical or evangelical.

Robert Oppenheimer's experience in seeking a peaceful response to provocations by the KKK and violent revolutionary leftists was inspiring. We are all better off for what you have done in Detroit, Robert, and for showing us our possibilities. Robert and Ana Kandare reminded us of how easily we can shut off the voices and tears of children who need us to hear their pain.

I was even able to learn from presentations I could not attend. Special thanks to Tracy Gastone for reminding me that everyone we can teach is also someone we can learn from. I'm sorry I was never in your classroom.

Thanks to whomever volunteered to underwrite the cost of extra pages in Renaissance. I admire your devotion to equal and unlimited access and your willingness to personally insure it is possible.

When I left the conference during our last community meeting, our community was struggling with issues of freedom and responsibility, and with the need to be assertive as well as the need to be open so that members of a community can know what choices are possible. Two people were debating and at least one was not understood, but the lack of understanding had been acknowledged and I left with faith that the community would facilitate empathy, if not this year, then the next time we meet.

I feel that I have grown much since I first joined ADPCA, and that we as a community are very much alive and growing! We have matured in our ability to delegate authority and act empathically in the heat of conflict. We are now dealing head-on with the great human conflict of balancing care for ourselves with caring for others.

Our newsletter and journal are continuing to grow in very capable editorial hands. It was rewarding to see past editors recognized, while new editors insure that the work will continue to get done. I hope we are able to sponsor the attendance of our editors at future annual meetings. This may be possible due to our growing fiscal maturity and organization. Thanks Julie for a job well done!

Aside from all these intellectual musings, a few of you touched me very deeply, in ways too personal for a newsletter. You know who you are. I love you.

Jon Rose