Eckhard Roediger, FAREWELL LETTER

Every end is a new beginning – Farewell of the ISST President

This is my final President´s letter. After a bit more than 2 years standing in the front line of the society, I am happy to pass the baton to David Edwards. I am convinced that he represents all the skills it takes to be a good president and I am happy to support him with all my knowledge and experience a gathered in the last 8 years since the foundation of our society.

What a dramatic growth we see when we look back to your foundation meeting at the picturesque place of the University of Coimbra in Portugal: 170 people met, with about 200 becoming members in the first year. In Vienna, we had 600 participants, and we now count almost 1000 members. The growth still goes on: 145 new members in 2014, 136 in 2015 and 212 (so far) in 2016! But not only in numbers are we growing: many of our members became active over the last few years, and participated in special interest groups, in committees, or through writing contributions to our online bulletin over the last year.

We achieved a lot, and there is still a lot to do. A society this big can no longer be managed as a family business. We have to improve our structures, turning them step-by-step into a professional office. We are on a good path, and I will focus my efforts as treasurer to move these tasks forward. I enjoy using my experience and intimate knowledge to address the formal and informal processes within our society. I am happy that some of our board members that became a backbone within the board will be able to continue their work, while some other new members bring in new ideas and talent. This is a promising mixture for our next board term.

Please understand that I am reluctant to acknowledge or praise any single person because so many contributed their share, and even I can hardly oversee how many people are engaged in our society doing their best to advance schema therapy. When I met so many members in Vienna, it felt like a wave carrying us ahead and I felt very moved. Thanks to everyone who contributes their share, wherever you are, and whatever you are doing. We are strong when we manage to follow our own principles of treating each other in a Healthy Adult mode, as best we can. Never stop doing our best!

With warm wishes to everybody

Eckhard Roediger

(Past President)