Dear Colleague,
We want to connect with you after yesterday’s presidential election as we recognize the variety of reactions people have about the campaign, the subsequent vote, and its implications for the future of our country. Clearly, the results demonstrate how polarized our country has been.
Now is a time to unite — to work for what each of us believes to be good and true, and to provide hope to our diverse communities that we can, in many cases, find common ground. As our social psychology tells us, we must listen not only to those who agree with us but also to those who do not, and we need to work to understand each other more fully. It is a time for all of us to clarify what we stand for, to stay true to our values, and model civility and hope for the future. We must recommit ourselves to promoting health and well-being for all our people, most especially during this time of stress and concern. Now is a time for compassion and healing, a time to promote our inherent resilience.
Yesterday, while attending an international psychology conference in Haiti, the three of us heard a psychologist from Guyana say that it is dangerous when we cannot see ourselves in each other. That is our challenge now.
With best wishes for all of us,
Susan H. McDaniel, PhD
President
Antonio Puente, PhD
President-Elect
Barry Anton, PhD
Past President