From MPA's President Robin McLeod, Ph.D., L.P.: MPA Needs Your Help and Support

Years ago when I was in the early days of building my psychology practice, day-to-day life centered around raising two toddlers, keeping a relatively young marriage healthy, and working to maintain some important friendships.  Day-to-day life seemed full, and so I sat back and trusted that my psychologist-colleagues who were in leadership positions within the Minnesota Psychological Association were keeping watch over the professional interests that are so important to all of us.  I knew that someday I would want to get more involved in my professional association, and at the same time, building a family and a practice was at the top of my priority list. 

Fast forward 20 years to today.  My now-adult children are focused on “adulting” as they near the end of college and prepare to enter the workforce.  My focus in recent years has turned toward professional adventures outside of family life and a psychology business, and instead has turned toward volunteering in our state and national professional associations.  Surrounded by intelligent, highly competent and dedicated peers, you all have entrusted me with a leadership position in MPA that is both rewarding and challenging.  Looking back over the past 7 months, being President of MPA sometimes has felt like jumping into the deep end of the pool – thank you God, that I know how to swim! 

Looking ahead I want to call your attention to important events and activities on the horizon.  First up in Minnesota is the MPA President’s Conference on August 12: The Minnesota Summit on Psychology Practice Innovation and Integration.  I promise you that the information contained within this one-day CE event is vital to the future of the practice of psychology in Minnesota.  You will hear from psychologists who have built innovative businesses as well as plans for creating business models that will foster competitive collaboration in our current healthcare environment.  You will hear from insurance industry executives as they discuss changes to the payer-provider relationship in our evolving healthcare system.  You will hear from an attorney who specializes in healthcare law and has guided psychologist-entrepreneurs as they navigate risk management and anti-trust concerns in healthcare business ventures.  And finally, you will hear from psychologists who are early adopters of integration within medical settings as they discuss how to make this a viable practice alternative.  The day will energize you and provide you with hopeful inspiration as you also focus on your own practice future.

In the fall, you will have two opportunities to attend CE events focused on surviving and thriving in private practice in Minnesota.  First will be a half-day, members-only CE event on September 16:  Expanding Your Mid-Career Private Practice.  For those of you with established practices, this workshop will help you discover solutions to common obstacles, add competencies in working with the growing diversity of our population, as well as point you toward ways to expand and grow your business.  Then in October, Dr. Pauline Wallin, President-Elect of APA’s Division 42 (The Community for Psychologists in Independent Practice) is returning to Minnesota (she is a U of MN clinical psychology graduate) to present an all-day, 7-credit CE workshop:  Building a Successful Practice in Uncertain Times.  Do. Not. Miss. This. Event.

While MPA’s Education & Training Committee has worked intensively to plan these upcoming events, please take a moment to explore ALL of the upcoming CE events on our website.  I highlight these particular practice CE events, because I want all of you to recognize how much MPA is focused on protecting psychologists and what we do in our practices by bringing you information you need to stay viable.

Beyond continuing education events, MPA leadership works to protect the interests of all psychologists in Minnesota, not just our dues-paying members.   We are working diligently behind the scenes to ensure that Minnesota remains a welcoming and enriching environment for psychologists and psychologists-in-training who want to serve the public in both academic settings and the health services industry.  We are thankful that so many of you have come to us when you have concerns about threats to the teaching, research and practice of psychology, and we want you to know – We’ve got your back! 

Because our efforts impact all psychologists in Minnesota, I want to ask all of you to take a moment to reflect on how you might provide support for MPA’s work on your behalf.  Without our growing membership, MPA would not exist, and there would be no leadership efforts to protect the interests of ALL psychologists.  If you know a colleague who has not joined MPA, invite them to join as a way to support the work that MPA leadership is doing behind the scenes.  As the 2017 legislative session approaches, perhaps you will consider talking with your local legislators about the legislative initiatives MPA will be advocating.  In addition, we have several volunteer positions that are open for psychologists who want to get more actively involved just waiting for you to step forward. (Send an email to Rhea Sullivan if you are interested.)  Finally, if you are in that stage of your career where your focus is on building a family and a practice, that stage where there are not enough hours in the day to do all that you would like to do, consider donating the equivalent of one hour of your time to MPA.  With your financial support, MPA can do so much more.  Never forget, YOU are MPA!

Robin McLeod, Ph.D., L.P., is the 2016 MPA President. She founded and owns a small private practice behavioral health specialty clinic with two locations: Woodbury & St. Paul.  You may email her at [email protected].  Her websites are:  http://www.cpwmn.com and http://www.cpspmn.com

 

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