We are very appreciative for those of you who have responded to our Spring Fundraising Drive. We are also very grateful to the Hellman-Gates Family Philanthropic Fund for putting us much closer to our goal.

However, we are still short of our goal. Please consider the value that Control Mastery Theory (CMT) has brought to your life and career, as well as to your clients, and help us achieve our important fundraising goals.

The San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group has come a long way since it began in the 1970s as a small group of collaborators that Joe Weiss and Hal Sampson brought together to help them test theories about how psychotherapy works. In the ensuing years, we have presented 24 international conferences on Control Mastery Theory as well as numerous special topic conferences and scores of case conferences. SFPRG members have taught Control Mastery Theory all across the U.S. and beyond. We have trained over 50 interns in the last several years to practice psychotherapy using Control Mastery Theory. We have treated hundreds of clients with exceptional therapy at low fees. We have provided an outlet for many authors to disseminate books and articles based in CMT. We have presented a variety of opportunities for those who wish to be involved with the SFPRG community to connect with others in the organization.

Control Mastery has become my clinical 'home.' Because our focus is case-specific, we are encouraged to utilize a broad range of clinical applications and thought. One of the many benefits of this approach encourages me to utilize my particular set of clinical skills. I think that our approach provides us with the opportunity to do what we do best. You may never find a group of therapists who seem so different from one another and yet respect each other so much. For example: Stan Steinberg (psychiatrist and psychoanalyst) and I co-facilitated a training on working with parents of adolescents during the Annual Conference. It was terrific!

Joe Weiss' work is based on this principle: Patients can't overcome pathogenic beliefs and get better unless they feel safe enough to do so. We are trained to provide a non-pathologizing space for our patients first and foremost. I'm sure we've all had patients who feel comfortable with a therapist for the first time when they end up in our offices. "Treatment by Attitudes", as Hal proposed, means that we help people feel safe to be themselves when they are working with us.

I am always proud to be a member of this group because I hold my colleagues in such high regard. I am grateful every day that I found the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group and this theory.

Susan is someone who "pays it forward" by teaching and supervising at our Clinic.

Your contribution to SFPRG will keep us moving into the future and help us answer the challenges of being a non-profit in these turbulent economic times. We are committed to providing the best trainings, to being a resource for research in psychotherapy, and to providing therapy for low income people throughout the area.

If you are a currently practicing therapist, a contribution equal to just one hour of your standard fee would greatly help SFPRG reach our Spring Fundraising goal. We appreciate all gifts! Board members are currently contacting some people about participating in our Major Donor Program. If you would like to speak to a Board member about our Major Donor Program, please let us know by contacting the office.

You can make a secure credit card donation by clicking here: http://www.sfprg.org/donate.html or send a check made out to SFPRG to: SFPRG, 9 Funston Ave., San Francisco, CA 94129.
Thank you for your support!

With much appreciation,

Steve Foreman, M.D.
President, Board of Directors, SFPRG

http://sfprg.org/donate.html

SFPRG, 9 Funston Ave., San Francisco, CA 94129