Bruce Watkins, Ph.D., LAGPA's new co-President Recently, Robbert Schalekamp resigned as LAGPA’s male co-president. This was a big loss. Robbert was an excellent copresident, providing a social as well as executive presence at all LAGPA functions. He was bright, witty, outgoing, committed, and tireless. He could hold the attention of a crowd, and he could sit silently, folding hundreds of newsletters for mailing.

I have been on the Board for only a year and half. Surprisingly, Robbert’s mantle has fallen to me. How did this happen? And, what’s it like being co-president of LAGPA?

First, you must understand that the LAGPA Board is full of strong personalities, indefatigable power thinkers. If one member offers an idea for a project to pursue, within five minutes, there are three more ideas on the table elaborating this project and extending it into another ongoing project.

Furthermore, each Board member has a unique piece of LGBT self-esteem. As we work together, these pieces interact and affect each other. For example, before joining the Board, I had very little knowledge of gender nonconformity and trans people. Thanks to Alexander Yoo and Lisa Maurel, I now consider myself a “little bit of an expert” on the matter. And, I have confronted and begun to integrate my own gender nonconformity.

I call this the Board’s rhythm. And, it derives directly from our working as a team of equals. Last year, I raised the possibility of starting the process of having LGBT issues mandated as a required continuing education class. Quickly, a committee formed comprised of Lauren Costine, Ph.D., Lisa Maurel, MFT, Rev. Alexander Yoo and myself. Our first project was to approach the Board of Psychology about this mandate.

Lisa immediately introduced us to APA’s Division 44’s “Guidelines for Psychotherapy with LGB Clients.” These sixteen guidelines were published in 2000, and nothing has been done with them. We decided to make these the center of our presentation.

Because Lauren and I were the two psychologists on the committee, we were designated to be the presenters. Hence, I began writing the presentation as a spoken duet, wherein Lauren and I would alternate, each presenting several guidelines at a time.

As I wrote, I received daily constructive revisions from Lisa and Lauren. Eventually, Lauren wrote an entire section on LGBT people of color. And, Lisa and Alexander crafted an impassioned plea for the inclusion of transpeople in the mandate.

Meanwhile Lauren created a power point presentation for our spoken duet. And, Chuck Stewart and Liliane Quon concocted a “wine-andcheese educational social.” All LAGPA members were invited to Liliane’s lovely house to roleplay the Board of Psychology to our presentation. This allowed us to practice with our power point, and also receive fresh feedback from those attending.

The night before the BOP meeting, Alexander drove through rush hour traffic to get Chuck’s computer and projector for our power point. Lauren and I presented to the applause of the BOP, while Lisa and Travis Stobbe backed us up in the audience.

I hope you can see the TEAM that we were. Over the course of the project, the team developed a sense of expectancy . . . for working together, laughing together, supporting each other in our efforts towards dignity and optimism in building a better world for LGBT therapists.

So, what is it like to be co-president of LAGPA? Simple. I am co-president of co-presidents.

Why was I chosen? Lisa put it simply, when she exhorted me. “You should do it, Bruce. You’d be really good at it. You have really white teeth.”

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