November 28th, 2011

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Thanks and kudos to many of you for accepting the Board’s request for ideas concerning the tagline to be used to “brand” the Hudson Valley Psychological Association.

The Board suggested three options, shown, with your vote:

1. Building Psychologically Healthy Communities (Ellen Waggener, Rebecca Rooney, Catherine diNardo, MaryJane Montalto, Roxanne Intrilligator, Carrie Sutton)
2. Creating Psychologically Healthy Communities (Ellen Waggener, Teena Young, Barbara Burns, Lenore Strocchia-Rivera)
3. Helping to Create Psychologically Healthy Communities (Miriam Lacher, David Sherwood, Barbara Burns, Lenore Strocchia-Rivera)

Members offered six other options, as shown:

1. Growing Psychologically Healthy Communities (Ed Nishball)
2. Standing Up for a Sane Citizenry (Miriam Lacher) I love this one!
3. Cultivating Psychologically Healthy Communities (Jennifer Lee)
4. Supporting the Development of Psychologically Healthy Communities (David Sherwood)
5. Helping to Create a Psychologically Healthy Hudson Valley (Kristin Talka)
6. Supporting Psychologically Healthy Communities (Karen Goodman)

The Board voted that the best choice was proposed by Dr. Jennifer Lee:

Cultivating Psychologically Healthy Communities

Jennifer wrote: "I don't think we're building, creating, or developing. We're recognizing the inherent strengths of the community and raising awareness for psychological health and wellness."

Five of the definitions of the word CULTIVATE are:

• to grow and care for
• to improve or develop through careful attention, training, or study
• to help the growth or development of
• to try to become friendly with
• to come to have gradually

We, as Psychologists, can actualize these meanings by using our professional expertise (training and study) to attend to, care for, and gradually develop Psychological Health in ourselves and in the Hudson Valley Psychological Association. Through all of our professional and social activities, we can cultivate Psychological Health in those we serve: individuals, couples, families, groups, businesses, institutions, organizations, communities, and the Hudson Valley Region. In this era of Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and “friending”, our Members can help to create a friendlier face for mental health. In adopting this mission, we can, day by day, show people How Valuable Psychologists Are and how valuable people are.

I challenge all of us in 2012 to initiate, innovate, and "brand" the Hudson Valley Psychological Association by Cultivating Psychologically Healthy Communities.

Warmly,

Rebecca Rooney, PhD
President, HVPA