I know you are out there!

The last issue of the newsletter contained a broad opening statement by myself and an Op-ed piece by Martin Gossman. We want to present the thoughts of more self-psychologists who work in the broad area of self and orientation.

These are particularly volatile days for those of us who work with substantial gay and lesbian populations. Gay/Lesbian marriage, gay priests - adoption of children badly in need of a home is even under fire. We have also had Gay Generals and Admirals coming out - and calling for an end to the ban on gay and lesbian folks in the military - (why did that story "die out" so quickly)? All of this has afforded us the pleasure of being routinely insulted on the ten o'clock news, daily papers and weekly magazines. I doubt I am the only clinician who encounters patients that have been moved to rage, tears, and hope by the current focus in the media and the use of us plain everyday folk as political fodder and fundraising ploys.

These overt social issues contrast with the complexity of our day to day clinical work; our exquisitely human task of helping people reclaim alienated aspects of themselves or helping heal those sectors of their personalities that lacked the selfobject experiences necessary to carry them to fulfill their potential. Many of our patients are so deeply involved in their transference experience that they seem unmoved by external events. This contrast between "outer" and "inner" experience and the periodic clashes between them is one of the issues that makes clinical work so interesting.

Please contribute your thoughts and ideas to this column. The hope is that is will be a forum for dialogue. There is a great deal of good, solid clinical work going on in consulting rooms across the country, and as Martin's piece indicates - the world. I am sure many of you have some creative ideas that you have put to paper or are in need of a reason to put them in print. Please, let this area of the newsletter be the reason to share your ideas.