Welcome to the Connection
NASAP’s Online Newsletter
June 2022 Issue
Letter from the Editor
Hello Adlerian friends!
I am so grateful to have been able to attend the 2022 conference in Alexandria this year. It was a pleasure to see old friends, and meet so many people in person I’ve been working with virtually over the last couple years. There were many wonderful presenters, it was difficult to choose which workshop to attend! I would like to thank all who worked tirelessly to make sure the conference went smoothly- I can not imagine the amount of effort, thought, care, and planning that goes into holding these conferences.
NASAP Superstars surround our new President at the Awards Banquet!
From left to right, all of the Connection’s Editors ever: Caroline (me), Jess Minckley, and Candace Sneed at the 2022 NASAP Alexandria Conference!
I would like to highlight something from Amna Nawaz’s speech that stood out to me. During her speech she discussed her coverage of the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last month, and how she as a journalist, wife, and mother is able to cope with working closely on extremely emotional events such as this. It resonated with me when Amna said, “all children are our children”. As Adlerians, mental health professionals, teachers, parents, and simply human beings we have a responsibility to our children of this world. I work as a contractor for a counseling practice that sees primarily children and families using Medicaid, and I witness first hand the difficulty individuals of all backgrounds face in regards to accessing mental health services. I am inspired by the contributions of Adlerians focusing on parenting education, and plan to offer more low-cost, and free Adlerian parenting workshops in my practice to allow for those who can not afford private mental health services, do not have insurance, or have long wait times to see a counselor to have access to resources. I am excited to “get out there” and share what I have learned- it is too good not to share! I look forward to continuing on this Adlerian journey, and thank all who have encouraged and taught me over the last several years.
I have been a NASAP member since 2016, and to me it is a place of encouragement, inspiration, learning, self-growth/development, and above all wonderful friendships and community. I encourage anyone who is thinking about joining to check out membership options- I started as a student, then new professional with free then discounted rates. At the bottom of this note, you will find a photo of Jess Minckley, Candace Sneed, and myself from the banquet dinner. I joined the newsletter team in 2020 when Candace and Jess were working hard to improve the newsletter. These individuals encouraged, included, and supported me as a mom of 3 (with 2 under 2) at a point when I had been home with the kids for 2 years, and had never heard of things like google docs, nor did I have the time to sit at a computer without several kids banging on the keyboard. They helped me find ways to work on the newsletter from my phone while caring for my newborn at all hours of the night. I want to thank Candace and Jess for their encouragement, and inclusion of me. Being a part of the newsletter helped me feel rich in all the crucial C’s at a time when I was lacking.
If you missed the banquet this year, I encourage you to check out the recipients of awards and certifications here.
This month’s theme was supposed to be art therapy, but we did not have the time to collect enough material to give this topic justice. We will be working on putting together a robust issue on art therapy for August. Please send in any submissions on the topic, resources, as well as creative pieces! Next month will be “open submissions”. Please send in anything you are working on from academic submissions to art, music, and other creative submissions. I would like the newsletter to be a place for all Adlerians to have a voice.
If you are interested in helping with the newsletter in any way please reach out to NASAPnews@gmail.com. Also, if you have any suggestions for themes, or to nominate anyone for the spotlight please send us an email!
As many of you know, Bengu Tekinalp is our new president! I am looking forward to learning from her! In this edition, you will find Bengu’s first president’s address, an interesting submission from Christopher Eriksson on an Adlerian perspective of Hamlet, and information on Rob Guttenberg’s new CD. Our new secretary Lindsay Hill provided us with some extra photos I’ve included in this newsletter in case you missed them on social media. Finally, I’d like to highlight our new design intern Adriana Chavez- the newsletter looks fantastic!
I look forward to seeing everyone next year in Denver, June 1-4, 2023!
Caroline Faifman
Editor in Chief
Heather Leigh and Judy Sutherland making art!
Superstars Marina & Terry, our very own CJ Hill (woot first timer!), oh, and Corey - hah!
Beloved Hallie and Bob!
Heartthrobs Calvin and Jimmy up to no good.
President’s Address
Dear NASAP community,
“My first column as a president marks many celebrations in the month of June. We just came from the 70th NASAP conference full of learning, hugs, in-person and virtual connections, catching up with old friends and making new ones.”
June also marks two important celebrations. Since 1999, June has been celebrated as the LGBTQ+ Pride Month when we celebrate organizing for equality, authenticity, dignity, and strength of queer people. June is also when we celebrate Juneteenth commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States. While Juneteenth has long been celebrated in the Black community, on June 17th, 2021, it was finally recognized as a federal legal holiday. This year, Juneteenth falls on June 20th; it is a day to honor African Americans' strength, resilience, and perseverance. I hope, as Adlerians, we can "live up to our principles" and renew our commitment to equity, fairness, and gemeinschaftsgefühl to create communities where everyone can belong, where everyone, every soul, in Adler's words, "feels at home in the universe…feels as… this world is my world…." I hope we can make June a month to work towards actualizing Adler’s words.
As I am taking the role of President of NASAP, I have been reflecting on how I can show up with gemeinschaftsgefühl to serve our community. Many years ago, I found a place to belong at NASAP. It was not always an easy relationship; I had my fair share of frustrations, disappointments, and heartbreak…but I stayed knowing that not only is no place perfect, but most importantly, I stayed because of the people, because of you! Because people cared about others and were encouraging, they were ready to share, teach, and learn. It is the people who make a place… a place to belong…. I am so confident about all the great things we will accomplish together.
Bengü Ergüner-Tekinalp
NASAP President
Adlerian Psychology – A Key to the Hamlets of This World & Their Theatrical Behaviour
‘Memory Tree’ by Melody Rossiter
“Emotions express themselves in a sudden flow under the pressure of some conscious or unconscious necessity. Like character traits they have a definite goal and direction.”
“ O Cursed Spite that Ever I was Born to Set It Right”
Christopher Eriksson PhD
Abstract
Respected and presented in theaters around the world in different languages and cultures, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark illustrates how the road to hell is paved with what looks like good intentions, when the very smart and creative young prince, who proves himself to be detached from his feelings, is unexpectedly confronted by his dead father’s ghost demanding Hamlet act to revenge his murder. Consistent with Adler’s view that emotions serve a definite goal, Hamlet’s wild, creative, theatrical behaviour is seen as a delaying tactic, a side show, since he cannot find the will to act. His highly entertaining dithering results in deceipt, abuse, and blatant murder. As a young university student returning to the Danish court, he lacks personal experience of the meaning of life, and is also without any apparent religious or social creed. Post-traumatic growth cannot be his as he fights with himself in reaction to this unwanted and unexpected life test. Adlerian Psychology’s lifestyle assessment tool ( The World is… I am…. ∴ I shall), which is not so easy to see clearly when the individual is in a favorable situation), is used here to clarify Hamlet’s personal psychology and growing awareness of his inner self. The universal popularity of Shakespeare’s Hamlet across time and different cultures is a recognition of the prevalence of this character in human societies, and to Adler’s greatness in understanding the theatrics.
Keywords: Shakespeare, Hamlet, Alfred Adler, Individual Psychology, Cognitive Lifestyle, Will Power.
*Article was just published on pg. 93-97 in RESEARCH JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (rjelal.com)
Help Us Change the World, in About 2 Minutes!
Beginning in March, the Adlerian Professionals and the Integrated Professionals sections of NASAP released an inaugural video for our new initiative we are calling the 2 Minute Adlerian. The 2 Minute Adlerian is an ongoing initiative in which we share everyday perspectives on Adlerian Psychology directed at the general population.
Our initial video featured Dan and Jenifer Williamson and is on the concept of Purpose as it relates to happiness.
In April, we released a second video featuring Marina Bluvshtein which had to do with Adler’s views on war, as applied to understanding the unsettling circumstances in Ukraine right now.
Since then, we have created three other two minute videos including two featuring Debbie Joffe Ellis and a third featuring NASAP president Tim Hartshorne speaking about our upcoming conference. We plan on sharing these soon.
We are excited about this new undertaking, and are eager to include the full NASAP membership in what we are up to!
A subcommittee of these two sections has been put together to support ongoing production and dissemination of these videos.
Right now, we are looking for people who would be wiling to serve in a creative capacity on this undertaking. If you believe that you have a perspective that you can share to the general public in about two minutes, OR if have the technical capacities to help us put these together behind the scenes, please let us know!
We are eager to showcase the perspectives of NASAP and Individual Psychology. Please, join us in this task!
2023 Conference
Slideshow of Photos from the 2022 NASAP Alexandria Conference
If you have photos you’d like to add, please email them to nasap.publicity@gmail.com
We are especially looking for images of Dr. Marina Bluvshtein’s Ansbacher Lecture!
From the NASAP Public Relations Committee
NASAP Calendar
The new website continues to grow with the addition of an Events page and Calendar at the bottom of the Home page. All affiliate events and section events will be added to these pages for easy access. There is a TAP Talk page and a NASAP Affiliate Sponsored Programs page under the Training tab. Send in your information a month in advance so the program can be listed in a timely manner.
Contact:
Jess Minckley
Public Relations Chair