From the President

Dear Colleagues:

Welcome to all licensed psychologists in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. As President, I am inviting you to join or renew your membership in the Association of Practicing Psychologists of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Inc. (APP).

We take pride in the fact that the American Psychological Association (APA) has awarded approval for continuing education programs offered by the Association of Practicing Psychologists. This year, the APP will continue our tradition of providing stimulating education programs by practicing professionals. Our workshops meet high standards, offering recent research and clinical applications to the participants. APA approval of our workshops gives nationwide recognition of the continuing education credits granted.

We will have six workshops sponsored by APP from fall, 2011 to spring 2012. All workshops will meet criteria for APA approved continuing education credit, including behavioral objectives, presentations that have an empirical basis, and evaluations of the workshop experience. 

The following workshops will be presented through the 2011-2012 year:

October 16, 2011: Richard Bloch, J.D.  Fear and Trepidation in the Digital Age:

            The Legal and Ethical Landmines!

            Meets Maryland Board of Psychology Legal and Ethical Requirements

 November 20, 2011: Tania Thomas-Presswood, Ph.D. Developing Competence in the

            Assessment of Children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and Economically Insecure Populations

            Meets Maryland Board of Psychology Cultural Diversity Requirements

February 19, 2012: Stephen Feifer, Ed.S. The Neuropsychology of Emotional Disorders

March 18, 2012: Robb Mapou, Ph.D. , An Evidence-Based Approach To Assessment of Learning Disabilities in Adults

April 15, 2012: Pat Harvey, LCSW-C, ACSW, Adolescents and Transitioning Young

            Adults with Emotional Dysregulation and Potential for Self-Injury: Helping

            Family Members Use DBT and Mindfulness Skills to Lessen the Impact on Their

            Loved One and the Rest of the Family

May 20, 2012: Anne Kendall, Ph.D. Structure of DBT and How It Helps Emotionally

            Dysregulated Adolescents and Transitioning Young Adults Cope with Suicidal

            Ideation and Self-Injurious Behavior

APP offers high quality workshops in a cost-effective way. Annual dues remain at $50 for year for both Full and Affiliate members. Membership entitles you to the reduced fee for workshop attendance of only $35 ($45 for onsite registration). This is a savings of $35 per workshop in comparison to the $70 non-members must pay for onsite registration.

This year, we inaugurated online registration and payment for membership and workshops on our website. Pre-registrants can download workshop handouts for free before the workshops. Online handouts will be available the Wednesday before the scheduled workshop. Workshop pre-registrants can pre-purchase paper handouts, and on-site registrants can purchase paper copies of the handouts, for a cost of $5.00.  The Crowne Plaza provides free Wi-Fi for those who wish to access the handouts online during the workshop. It is recommended that the participant be prepared to use battery power for laptops during the workshop.

We listen closely to the suggestions of members and workshop participants about suggested topics and speakers. These suggestions are the basis of planning future continuing education programs. The presentations do not necessarily reflect the philosophy or clinical orientation of the APP board members. A Grievance Procedure will be available in hard copy at each workshop.

All APP programs will continue to be held at the Silver Spring Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sunday mornings. We must adhere to strict attendance guidelines required by the APA. The workshops will begin at 9:00 AM and end at 12:15 PM. Our workshops provide an opportunity to connect with colleagues at a continental breakfast, both before the workshops, beginning at 8:30 AM, and during the 15 minute break

When you become a Full or Affiliate member of the APP, you can choose to be listed on the APP website psychologist listing. The APP website is accessible to your colleagues and the public in the search for a psychologist. The enclosed Full and Affiliate Membership Application defines Full and Affiliate Membership and allows you to specify the amount of information you want to have available to colleagues and the public on the APP website

The APP operates exclusively through the voluntary efforts of licensed psychologists. There is an active board of directors who are involved in all decision making for the APP. Each Full and Affiliate Member of the APP is eligible and strongly encouraged to be a member of the board of directors. The APP board of directors, which is listed on the cover page and the website, meets after the workshops on October 16, 2011, February 19, 2012, and April 15, 2012. We welcome the presence and participation of the APP membership at these meetings.

We hope you will join us by renewing your APP membership now. This will be the only mailing to all licensed psychologists in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties this year. Only APP members will receive notices of our CE programs and other activities. Listings of the workshops for this year are also available on the APP website.

If you have further comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at chuard@comcast.net or at (301) 881-5044.

I look forward to meeting each member of the APP and working together to continue the work of this valuable resource to licensed psychologists in our community!

Best Regards,

Carolyn