August 2025: From Heribert Blass, IPA President
Following the leadership transition, the new IPA President and Vice-President acknowledge global concerns and explain the Board’s decision not to issue public political statements—due to legal and IPA mission-based constraints—while highlighting the IPA's ongoing psychoanalytic work addressing global crises and support for members through existing committees and new initiatives.
Dear IPA Member,
At the end of the IPA Business Meeting on 31 July 2025, I took over the office of IPA President from Harriet Wolfe. At the same time, Katy Bogliatto took over the office of Vice-President from Adriana Prengler. Katy and I would like to express our sincere thanks to Harriet Wolfe and Adriana Prengler for their work and tireless commitment to the IPA over the past four years, and we will endeavour to continue their successful work during our term of office. I will discuss the handover again in the August newsletter.
Today, I would like to address an issue that is of considerable concern to the new IPA Board.
We have all witnessed the shocking events which have occurred over recent times. These have included, but are not limited to, events in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
The IPA board has been lobbied by a number of groups to make public statements of support. These groups comprise of several different and sometimes opposing views. Our silence may have been viewed as taking sides, although nothing could be further from the reality of the situation. At a recent board meeting, the board members passed a motion to inform you why it has not made any such statements.
Primarily, as a UK charitable entity, we are only legally able to take actions which advance our charitable objective. This is as follows.
The objects of the Charity are to promote and develop the science of psychoanalysis and to promote education relating thereto.
To make statements which, to a reasonable person, could be seen as outside of this objective creates risk of criticism and even legal action against the IPA. We have taken legal advice which has reaffirmed this.
Secondly, the IPA’s mission statement states that the organisation will seek to bring members together. Despite attempts to find common ground, it has been impossible to do so over such polarising and difficult issues.
But I wanted to highlight that the IPA Board has not been inactive. Through its strategic oversight and leadership, the Board has ensured that the work of the IPA has tangibly spoken for the organisation. Rather than issuing statements which risk polarising our members, the structures and groups of the IPA have been supportive through the organisation’s mission through a psychoanalytical lens.
Multiple IPA Committees produce work in the service of conflicts and other social problems throughout the world. Some of this takes place under the guidance of the IPA in the Community and the World Steering Committee. For instance, the Psychoanalytic Assistance in Crises & Emergencies Committee has developed a training programme to aid therapists working in areas in crisis, most recently implemented during the aftermath of widespread fires in Los Angeles, USA. Another example are the multiple efforts of the United Nations Subcommittee of the IPA in the Humanitarian Field Committee, which has been granted NGO special consultative status by the UN for their work. In addition, the Psychoanalyst Emigration and Relocation Committee has also been active in terms of providing assistance to psychoanalysts that have been displaced due to political insecurity / conflict etc.
In addition to this work already taking place, the Board have asked to develop on-line forums in which members can develop and discuss new opportunities for dialogue concerning psychoanalytic considerations and interventions in high conflict situations. I am currently working to determine the best way to make this happen, and will provide further information on this soon.
I hope this provides some level of comfort that the IPA is not inactive in these difficult times but continues to work as hard as ever to make a significant difference.
Kind regards,
Heribert Blass
IPA President