The last EAP Board meetings were held from October 14th to 15th, 2011 in Rome, Italy. The venue of the meetings in the city centre was in comfortable walking distance to the famous St. Peter´s Dome and the Vatican City State. Thank to the collaboration of both Italian National Awarding Organisations, the Federazione Italiana delle Associazioni di Psicoterapia (FIAP) and the Federatione delle Associazione Italiana de Psicoterapia (FAIP), the EAP Board members were invited to a most interesting guided tour through the Vatican Museum followed by a delicious dinner in a traditional Italian restaurant. This very attractive social event on Friday night gave the Board members the opportunity to both get involved in Rome´s cultural life and at the same time enjoy themselves after a long day of intensive meetings.

Apart from many interesting discussions amongst psychotherapists from all over Europe, the EAP Board meetings in Rome were also dedicated to saying good-bye to some Board members. Isabelle Crespelle who was not only the EAP representative of the European Association for Transactional Analysis for many years, but fundamentally influenced the procedures for accepting European Accredited Psychotherapy Training Institutes (EAPTIs), sat in the TAC and worked as co-chair at the EWOC and GAP Meeting. The EAP will very much miss her both on a professional and a personal level. Renée Oudijk from the Dutch NAO NAP and Theodor Itten from the Swiss NAO ASP participated at the Board meetings in Rome for the last time in their function as NAO delegates. As both are very much involved in other EAP activities, we are happy to meet them again at future meetings. The Board also said good-bye to Derval Ryan who will no longer represent the Irish NAO ICP in the EAP.

Willy Szafran resigned as External Relations Officer. With Peter Schulthess there was a very competent and enthusiastic candidate standing for election as his successor. The EAP unanimously accepted Peter as new EAP External Relations Officer and confirmed Michel Meignant as External Relations Officer representing the EAP in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

The Board continues to think about successor planning, balancing experience with fresh perspectives. This is currently focused on the role of a deputy to the General Secretary, as the Board felt that this balance was not achieved in the recent election process.

The new representative from the Spanish NAO FEAP, María Munoz-Grandes invited everyone to the next EAP Congress „Psychotherapy: „Improving Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing in Europe“ from July 4th to 7th, 2012 in Valencia. Please find detailed information about this event at www.congresoeuropeopsicoterapia2012.eu/eng/

Annik Lambert, a lawyer from Brussels, and Mony Elkaim who are both involved in the ongoing negotiations with the European Commission, Department for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications, gave a report on the latest developments. The European Commission is now at a stage of evaluating the Directive regulating professions in Europe. The EAP is invited to comment on the Commission´s evaluation report.

The EAP President Adrian Rhodes who chaired the Board meetings for the first time in this function with great overview and engagement, thanked all Board members for the fruitful working atmosphere. The EAP is at an exciting, if sometimes uncomfortable point, where it is looking to reviewits aims and objectives and keen to engage the energies and enthusiasm of newer (and younger!) people.

The EAP Board meetings in Vienna on February 18th and 19th, 2011 were not only dedicated to hard work and intensive discussions but also to celebrations and good-byes.

Serge Ginger who held the post of EAP Registrar for ten years decided to resign from this office. During his term of office he carefully checked and signed more than 5.000 ECP applications from 54 different countries. The Registrar’s position involves daily correspondence with the head office and representatives and a tremendous amount of work. Serge Ginger did this job with great success and passion. For several years Serge worked closely together with Ivana Slavkovic who will assume the position this year.

The EAP Treasurer Regina Hilbert who was elected at the AGM in Vilnius in 2005 also resigned. In her term of office she succeeded to improve the EAP´s financial situation remarkably. She was always keen on making financial transactions and the EAP budget transparent for the EAP Board and all EAP members. Her successor Alexander Rieder who holds a degree in International Business Administration will continue with this policy.

Besides these two farewells leaving the EAP Board members in a little sentimental atmosphere it was time to celebrate EAP´s 20th anniversary. 

If you like to view some photos from the EAP anniversary and farewell celebrations, you will find a collection of professional photos on this website:

www.hpb.at/clients/eap/180211/index.html

The European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) was founded in June 1991.
According to the EAP Statutes § 2.1 „It is a non-profit organisation that aims to unite psychotherapy organisations into a common association, and organises individual psychotherapists of different orientations in Europe“. This international orientation and multi-cultural spirit could be very closely experienced at the visit of a typical Viennese „Heuriger“ on Friday evening. More than 80 psychotherapists discussed, enjoyed themselves together and listened to a favorite Viennese singer.

At the Annual General Meeting on Saturday Adrian Rhodes from United Kingdom was unanimously elected as the new EAP president. He will officially assume this position from Rodolfo de Bernart from Italy in summer 2011. Eugenijus Laurinaitis from Lithuania was elected as incoming Vice-president.

JCP online: The first Psychotherapists with the Japanese Certificate for Psychotherapy can now be found online.

• JCP Psychotherapists (86,8 KB)

Dear psychotherapist,

On February 11th, 2004 the European Parliament voted for the implementation of the profession of psychotherapists to become a harmonized profession within the whole European Union (now 15 member countries, from May 1st, 2004 25 member countries).

The training basis shall be the guidelines of the European Certificate for Psychotherapy, they are implemented in the decision of the Parliament (see attachment). The current national law regulations in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Holland, Finland and Italy have been confirmed, but the directive goes beyond and shall enable psychotherapists in the future to work with the national diploma in all European Union countries.

The first step of the directive is done, now negotiations with the Council of Ministers and the European Commission will take place. The final directive can be expected in one to two years after a second vote of the European Parliament.

The Board of the European Association for Psychotherapy has worked for this goal for twelve years and will continue this work for the development of the professional psychotherapists and the protection of their clients.

Paul Boyesen, President EAP

Alfred Pritz, General Secretary EAP

Willy Szafran, ExternalRelations Officer of the EAP

• Recognition of professional qualifications (105,7 KB)
  Text of the positive voting of the European Parliament