Current Letter from the President

Greetings from the New President – 2011

I’m honored to be elected as President of Section III and excited to begin my term. I’m
incredibly grateful to my predecessor, Marilyn Metzl, who led the Section with boundless
energy and enthusiasm. I’m certain that I’ll be seeking her knowledge and advice as I
assume my duties. I also have other great resources, including Board members with a
wide array of expertise and a capable new administrator.

By way of introduction, I’m a psychologist in private practice in Austin, Texas. I
began taking psychoanalytic classes at the Austin chapter of Division 39 while I was
still a doctoral student, yearning for a more depth-oriented approach to treatment. I
subsequently completed (1) the family and couples therapy program at the International
Institute of Object Relations Therapy and (2) the writing program at the Washington
Psychoanalytic Foundation. Currently, I’m an advanced candidate in child and adult
psychoanalysis at the Houston-Galveston Psychoanalytic Institute. I’ve remained active
in the Austin chapter of Division 39, where I held the roles of secretary, president,
and education co-chair. At the national level, I served as secretary of Section III,
secretary of Section IV, and co-chair of the 2009 Spring Meeting. I regard these offices
as opportunities to learn more and to give something back to the organizations that
have “fed” and nurtured me so well.

Over the years, several Sections in Division 39 have experienced decreased membership
coinciding with a downturn in the country’s economy. Nonetheless, I’m confident that
Section III can grow and prosper if it continues to assume vital leadership functions
in exploring gender-related issues through a psychoanalytic lens. From a personal
standpoint, I’m interested in alternative pathways to parenthood, including adoption
and assisted reproduction, that increased as women postponed childbearing to develop
careers. I have a professional interest in domestic violence and anorexia across the
lifespan. From an organizational standpoint, I’d like to explore gender differences in
power, dominance, and politics. From a socio-cultural standpoint, I’m curious about
bodily modifications such as tattoos, piercing, and plastic surgery.

I invite you to attend the Spring Meeting next April in New York, and attend the Section
III conversation hour. I hope that you’ll be inspired to join the Section, network with our
members, and contribute your talents!

Warm Regards,
JoAnn Ponder, Ph.D.