A Model Division

As Division 56 heads into its third full year of existence, we've expanded our reach in ways that belie the youth of the organization. We're living up to our mission in a major way:

• Our membership has grown, and we are now among the middle tier of APA divisions. APA considers us a model for the recruitment and retention of members, particularly early career psychologists. We appreciate each one of you who's made this possible..
• We are engaged in interdivisional activities with a number of other well-established groups in APA, and are being sought out by other organizations in the field of trauma for our expertise.
• We've established task forces on matters of moment and concern to our members, including the painful issue of psychologists' involvement in interrogations, and the challenging topic of responding to the needs of returning war veterans and their families.
• We're spearheading efforts to insure that trauma is taken into account in up-coming revisions of the DSM, and we're in the foreground of getting trauma on the agenda for research funding.
• Our special interest groups section is up and running, with several SIGS fully established.

It's been a highly productive period, and will remain so with your continued support, membership, and active engagement. Because we're new, we have space for your interest and involvement, so take a closer look here at what we're doing and find where you'd like to put your energy.

Why is it important to keep trauma on APA's agenda?

• Because trauma has been implicated as a risk factor in many major disorders
• Because war, terrorism, and disaster are actively on the national agenda
• Because cutting-edge research about trauma and children's development needs dissemination
• Because the scholarship about trauma is still not in psychology's mainstream, and our convention programs can help to put it there
• Because the wisdom of psychology's trauma experts can be better utilized by our profession and by the public

Division 56 Endorses Melba Vasquez for APA President

Division 56 is proud to give its first-ever APA presidential endorsement to our founding member and first division Treasurer, Melba J.T. Vasquez, PhD, ABPP. Division 56's Executive Committee voted unanimously to give Melba our endorsement. We encourage members of the Division to give her their #1 vote this fall, and to convey the message of our support for Melba's candidacy to your APA member friends and colleagues. If you'd like to personally endorse Melba, you may do so by going to her website, where you will also learn other ways that you can support her candidacy.

Get involved!

Check out the Committees page to see what we're doing and find places to plug in. There is a wide range of opportunities for your involvement on the ground floor of the Division's activities. We especially encourage members who've never been involved in APA before to take this chance to have an impact.

Join Division 56

Now that we've got our seat at the table we need to be sure that trauma is represented in APA's policies and activities. We are in a position, thanks to having a representative on APA Council, to initiate proposals for projects and working groups, to develop products, and to form coalitions to address the pressing issues of trauma that are, sadly, growing ever more frequent today. While in the past we've been dependent on our allies in other groups within APA to champion trauma issues, with the establishment of Division 56 we can now take a leadership role.  Join us! »

Donate to Division 56

Are you a book author who receives royalties from your work on trauma? Consider donating some portion of your royalties to Division 56; it's an easy way to support the work of the organization and give back to the field of trauma psychology. Ten percent of the proceeds of Cultural Competence in Trauma Therapy: Beyond the Flashback, by member Laura Brown, will be donated to Division 56.

You can also donate to support the Division's hospitality suite at the APA Convention, and to assist in the sponsorship of our social hour. No donation is too small, and all is appreciated. Please send a check, made out to Division 56 with "APA 09" in the memo line to: Division 56, c/o Division services, APA, 750 First St NE, Washington DC 20002-4242