This is Your Pilot Speaking. Buckle Your Seatbelts, We Expect Turbulence Ahead.

Abstract

The current paper was the presidential address given at the 2024 Connect Conference of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). In the paper, the author weaves together three threads. In each of seven decades, the author offers an example of turbulence occurring in society, pairing those with the events of her life during that period and then noting some intentional and thoughtful decisions made by AGPA leadership to create necessary change and growth. The author focused on the earlier decades, as readers will be more familiar with current years. The author invites resonance with personal turbulence faced by the reader and the victories achieved after encountering extraordinary challenges over the years.