First steps as co-president of the Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy

As of today, Annie Burke and I are co-presidents of the Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy (NSGP).

NSGP is a volunteer, professional organization. So first off – I hope to enjoy this, so that others will also want to lead.

Here are some initiatives I’d like to lead with over the next two years as co-president:

-The 2026 conference is coming into focus, front and center. It will be held October 16th through 18th, at Lesley University in Cambridge. Our conference is our flagship event, where our community really comes together and shines.

-Growing into a Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy. We’ve made progress on this front, but there is so much opportunity for more. Our by-laws say NSGP encompasses “Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.” We welcome members across the Northeast to join us, and use hybrid meetings to make leadership positions in the organization open to everyone.

-Keeping the group psychotherapy conversation going. The life and health of group psychotherapy is supported by our conversations. Culture changes, politics changes, the marketplace changes, and the only way that group psychotherapy thrives, develops, and adapts is through coming together to try and make sense of it. All of us who work with groups need these conversations to do our best work.

-I’d like to better understand what is happening economically for group leaders. Under what conditions do groups work economically in private practice, and within institutions? How has the marketplace changed and how is it changing?

-Continuing to welcome new members to NSGP, reflecting the diversity of the Northeast in every respect. The majority of groups are offered in schools, hospitals, and recovery programs, and we want these group leaders to be a bigger part of our community, conversations, and events.