AS MORE and more Filipinos learn and appreciate the role of psychology in their daily lives, the thrust for mental health awareness and psycho-social support has reached a breakthrough.
Last September 20 to 22, Bacolod became the center of one of the most significant gatherings of psychology professionals in various areas of teaching, research, and practice.
Nearly 2,000 psychologists, psychiatrists, guidance counselors, and psychometricians came from all over the country to witness the Psychological Association of the Philippines’ (PAP) 54th Annual Convention.
The city’s educational institutions namely the University of St. La Salle, La Consolacion College Bacolod, Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, STI West Negros University, Riverside College, and Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, came together as joint hosts in ensuring the smooth flow and success of the event.
The three-day convention was aimed at challenging each participant to take on the social issues of our times and help promote a positive transformation.
Through simultaneous and intensive learning sessions and in Significant topics like community-based drug recovery, mindfulness, resiliency, marriage, parenting, the OFW family structures, child psychology, local government transformations, LGBT challenges, mental aspects of social networking and internet use, psycho-emotional aspects of sports participation, and educational and organizational dynamics among others were discussed through intensive learning sessions and interactive presentations.
Organized in 1962, the PAP has grown to be a stronghold for psychological and mental health awareness and advocacy, professional development, and international participation.
Through its promotion of quality assurance, research and publication, it sees partnership and extension as a path for inclusive growth and organizational development.
Led by its current Board of Directors, the Psychological Association of the Philippines is dedicated to rise to the challenge of answering the needs of the current times.
It calls for more committed mental health practitioners and advocates as the current number is barely enough to scrape the surface of the population in dire need of psychological support.
It also invites the active participation of individual, institutional, business, and government partners in forwarding the mission of holistic social transformation.