This past weekend, the leadership of MPA met for our annual strategic retreat to continue to plan the next steps of our professional association’s growth.  This year, one of the topics of discussion was YOU – well, you, and your colleagues who have chosen not to become dues paying members of MPA.

You see, over the past 15 years, psychologists increasingly have decided either not to renew their membership in MPA, or they simply have elected never to join us at all.   What else has happened in the past 15 years?  The number of Licensed Psychologists has grown by about 1000.  The internet has become the primary means of communication.  And, across the country, membership in professional associations has declined steadily.  Professionals in general are just not joining professional associations.

MPA leadership wants to know why, and we need your help.  We are starting with a couple of assumptions.  First, even though MPA offers the same kinds of benefits we’ve always offered, we attribute a significant decline in membership in MPA to a decline in the value of what MPA has to offer psychologists in Minnesota.  The need to connect with peers and colleagues is still there.  The desire to find affordable, competent continuing education hours is still alive and well.  The need to come together to protect the interests of the profession of psychology is more important now than ever before.

Help us understand.  What keeps you paying dues to MPA?  What value are you finding in what you can do as a member of MPA that you could not do without MPA?  What would it be like for you if MPA ceased to exist?  No really!  Think about that.  What if MPA ceased to exist?  What would you miss?  What would Minnesota miss?  What would the practice of psychology in Minnesota miss?  And now think about your colleagues who are not willing to pay dues to become a member of MPA.  Better yet, ask your colleagues these same questions!

As the leadership of MPA continues to work to provide valuable resources to psychologists in Minnesota, we want to understand.  What are the ways that the leadership of MPA can make changes to our organization to make MPA relevant for today’s psychologists – relevant to you – relevant to your colleagues – relevant to young professionals just entering the field?

Here is your invitation (not that you really needed one :)).  Send anyone on the Membership Committee a quick email with your thoughts about making MPA relevant.  We will share with other MPA psychologists on the Governing Council the ideas that you share with us.  Or, if you prefer, post your thoughts in the comments section below!  Connect here with your professional colleagues as we all work together to protect and grow our profession and our professional association.

Robin McLeod, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair MPA Membership Committee ([email protected])

Ken Solberg, Ph.D., L.P., co-chair MPA Membership Committee ([email protected])

Steve Gilbert, Ph.D., ABPP, L.P. ([email protected])

Alexandra Stillman, Ph.D., L.P. ([email protected])

Dan Hurley, Ph.D., L.P. ([email protected])

Shannon Goecke-Watson, student member ([email protected])