The petition
Dear Planning Committee (and AAMFT Board at large),
We are writing to express a concern with a recent decision that was made regarding the upcoming conference. We want to begin by acknowledging all that you do to plan a conference of this magnitude. We recognize that it is not easy to find a time, a city, and a venue that will accommodate everybody’s needs. Our hope in submitting this petition is not to minimize the amount of work that you do. Rather we simply want to share our concerns and provide some possible solutions.
The decision that we are referring to is the decision to hold the conference over Halloween weekend. As a body of members, we represent parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, and a variety of other family relationships. Being away from our families is already difficult enough, but to be asked to attend during a time that is centered on family and community traditions makes it even more difficult. For an organization that is geared towards bringing families closer together it appears that this decision is incongruent with our aim.
Based on the response that we’ve received from AAMFT regarding our initial concerns, we realize that the association is not willing to make a change regarding the upcoming conference in Memphis, TN. The goal of this petition, therefore, is to voice our concern regarding the process of this decision. It concerns us that a decision of this magnitude was made without ever asking the opinion of the membership that is directly affected. Instead the decision was made among a few and then announced. More alarming, is the response members get when they voice a concern. Initial inquiries have been met with a response to simply “make a choice that is most consistent with your personal values” even if that means we are unable to “attend the conference.”
While it might appear to be a simple choice between attending and not attending, for several of us there are strong implications for us if we do not attend, both professionally and personally. The AAMFT conference for many is the main source of CEU credits for licensure, as well as a venue for presenting our current research (a must for academic promotion). Also, it is a place to network with other professionals that provide support, consultation, and training; a must in an emotionally demanding field. Asking us to simply not come minimizes our concerns and hurts us professionally. And yet, the reverse is to miss meaningful time with our children, our communities, and our friends.
We realize that perhaps this is a test of our ethical decision making (due to the theme of the conference) but it doesn’t seem fair that we are required to make a choice without having a say in the initial options. We propose: 1) future conferences not fall on holidays; and 2) if a decision of this nature is going to be made regarding conference dates we would hope that AAMFT would value the opinions of their membership enough to give them a voice. We talk incessantly about helping our clients gain a voice. Perhaps we should start with our membership.
Sincerely,
Sign the petition
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