Robert K. Klepac, Ph.D., ABPP

University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Medical Center

I attended my first ABCT (then AABT) convention -- the 9th annual meeting, held in San Francisco -- in 1975. Although I had been a member of the organization for a few years, that convention confirmed that I had found my professional home. Unlike other national conventions I had attended, I found the program to be uniformly outstanding, and the attendees to be tremendously supportive, collegial, and welcoming to this stranger in their ranks.

Since then, the membership and convention attendance have grown, and what was already solid programming 37 years ago has grown tremendously in scope and complexity. Thanks to program chair Jeff Goodie and his committees, the 2012 convention will reflect the same high quality in presentations, the same sense of friendliness and collegiality, and the same welcoming atmosphere, from undergraduate students to those who write the textbooks that students read in their courses.

I call your attention to a couple of less visible, but important, aspects of the convention. First is our beta test of a new format, called Plus Consultation. Research suggests that even workshops of the high quality for which ABCT is known change what people know; but that changes in what they do in their practice requires more in terms of follow up consultation to help in their attempts at incorporating these new approaches. Our pilot program offers attendees at two workshops, an institute, and a master clinician seminar the option to obtain that follow up. A limited subset of attendees at these events can opt to pay a nominal fee to participate in four follow-up phone consultations as they explore new ways of practice. If you want to develop both your knowledge and your competence, give a Plus Consultation a try (click to see more ).

The second program element that is often overlooked, especially by new attendees, are the meetings of our Special Interest Groups. Meeting times for 36 such groups are listed under "Networking" on the convention web page (or go directly to ). If one of these touches on an interest of yours, attend the meeting, see friends, and make some new ones who share your interest.

Enjoy the program, make great professional contacts, and have fun at our 46th annual convention.