Gwyneth Cheeseman's mailing prompts me to make an announcement about
>Barcelona, and about something nearly as exciting, the European=
Personal
>Construct Association (EPCA) and its Newsletter. This is in my capacity=
as
>outgoing Secretary of EPCA, and as a member of the team which produces=
the
>Newsletter. Its all of general interest, Gwyneth, so do please pardon=
the
>apparent formality (I don't have a personal e-mail number by which=
to
>contact you direct!) but do please get in touch with me or, someone=
closer
>to home, Pam Denicolo who is fully au fait with Barcelona developments=
as
>Hon Treasurer of EPCA and convener of your southern interest group.
>
>First EPCA, then Barcelona.
>
>Right. Be it know that EPCA is the only trans-European networking
>organisation for PCP, and comprises over 12 separate country groups=
and,
>currently, just over 100 members. It has supported the development=
of
>strong national groups in Germany (membership varies between 60=
and 100)
>and Ireland (currently 40 strong) who tend to branch off from its=
services
>as the national dimension develops. It has some 60-odd UK members,=
and
>fulfils a particularly valuable service for smaller country groupings=
like
>Spain & Portugal, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the Yugoslav regions,
>acting through a group of national representatives. EPCA conference
>surpluses, if any, are used to provide a float for subsequent EPCA
>conferences, and bursaries for eastern European and other members=
to
>facilitate conference attendance through the Gavin Dunnet Memorial=
Fund.
>The funds are currently very healthy, and will in part be devoted=
to the
>preparation of the 3rd EPCA Conference to be held in the University=
of
>Reading, UK, in 1996.
>
>We offer a European conference every two years (last one was in=
St.
>Andreasberg, Germany in April 1994), held in alternate years to=
the
>International Congresses, (organised independently of EPCA of course),=
of
>which Barcelona is the next. We produce a Newsletter (which is developing
>more into a Bulletin) twice a year, and are about to produce a datapack=
for
>new members as an introduction into EPCA services worldwide (we=
even have
>one Australian member!) One of the most valuable services has been=
to act
>as a link between national groups which have developed policy documents=
on
>the national accreditation of personal construct therapies (Ireland)=
and
>national groups seeking to develop the same (Yugoslav regions),=
though it
>could be said we could be doing more in this regard. In the UK,=
local
>members of the EPCA Guidance Panel also act as a networking body=
between
>the Southern group based round the University of Surrey (Gwynneth's
>outfit!), the Northern group based round Helen Jones in York, and=
smaller
>but no less lively groups such as the University of Huddersfield=
set.
>
>The next Newsletter, some 30 pages long, is due to appear next week,=
with a
>report on the St. Andreasberg Conference, articles by Phillida Salmon,=
Finn
>Tschudi, A.T. Ravenette, networking details and personal interests=
of all
>members, and tri-lingual book reviews (English, Spanish and German)=
of two
>recent publications, Salmon's "Psychology for Teachers: an Alternative
>Approach" and "European Perspectives in Personal Construct Psychology",=
a
>collection of papers from the EPCA inaugural conference of 1992.=
And lots
>more.
>
>A reference copy gets sent to the Neimeyers in the USA (subsequently,=
now
>we know who runs it, to Rod Klion of NAPCN!), and to the Australian=
group
>in Wollongong. But why not join, and find out for yourself? It only=
costs
>=A310 to new members and students whether new or rejoining, for=
the two
>years 1994-96; =A330 for non-student rejoiners. UK currency or bank=
drafts
>only please.
>
>And now, a direct reply to Gwyneth's query as well as to all other
>colleagues interested in the Barcelona Congress.
>
>It takes place in that city on July 3rd to 7th 1995, being located=
in the
>Sol Apollo Hotel (Avenida Paral.lel, 57-59, Barcelona) which is=
within
>close striking distance of the city centre and the sea, 4 miles=
from the
>airport. Full particulars will be provided in the November EPCA=
Newsletter
>to members, and no doubt the organisers have written to the US and
>Australian associations as well. They have issued a request for=
early
>expressions of interest (please send to Luis Botella, Dept. of Psychology,
>Ramon Llull University, Cister, 24-34, 08022-Barcelona, Spain, fax.
>34-3-4188527) and are currently calling for abstracts of papers,=
plenaries,
>workshops, symposia, posters, video and computer presentations to=
be
>submitted (send to the same address before 30th March 1995). Fees=
have not
>yet been announced but will be shortly, by means of the Conference=
Brochure
>to be issued soon, which will include a submission and registration=
form.
>Come one, come all!
>
>Queries about EPCA membership, please, to the Membership Secretary,=
Ann
>Howard, Kent Cottage, The Drive, Belmont, Surrey SM2 7DH; about=
EPCA
>overall to the General Secretary, Lynn Benson, University House,=
University
>of Teesside, Borough Road, Middlesbrough, Cleveland; and about the
>Newsletter to me at the above e-mail address.
>
>Kindest regards,
>
>Devi Jankowicz
>(member, EPCA Newsletter group, and outgoing Secretary 1992-94,=
EPCA)
Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-4680
FAX (901) 678-2579
neimeyerra@MSUVX1.MEMPHIS.EDU