Dear Colleagues and Fellow Members of ESTD,
The spring of 2023 is marked by some organisational changes and new developments in our Society, which after three years of hardships and losses associated with the spread of Covid-19 and geopolitical changes, may bring some hope for a better future.
In February 2023, we welcomed a new board member, Dr. Jan Gysi from Switzerland, who will support us in carrying out the mission of the ESTD. His diagnostic and training experience will be helpful in implementing the development policy adopted by the Board.
In March, our society members and the board also had the opportunity to meet live at the 8th International ESTD Congress in Brussels. It was a long-anticipated event following the 2021 conference that was cancelled due to the pandemic. The congress was co-organized with the Association Francophone du Trauma et de la Dissociation (AFTD) and gathered around 750 participants from different countries. This was also the first hybrid conference in the history of our Society, meaning that people who were unable to come to Brussels, could still participate in this event online. You can read the reviews of this event in the newsletter.
Online and on-site participation will also be possible for the 9th International ESTD Congress, 10-12 October 2024, in Katowice (Poland). The event will focus on the assessment of complex trauma and dissociation, diagnostic dilemmas, treatment planning and therapeutic interventions, as well as new approaches to therapy of complex trauma. Please, save the date and read more about the event: www.estd2024.com
Acknowledging the need for healthcare professionals to develop skills in recognizing post-traumatic symptoms and diagnosing dissociative disorders, and after many years of preparation, we are launching
Certification in the Clinical Assessment of Trauma-related Disorders – a framework for training in clinical assessment accredited by ESTD, and procedures for verifying applicants’ knowledge and skills. Our society members who will be awarded the ESTD Certificate will be listed on the website. You can read more about this programme in this issue of the newsletter Since proper clinical assessment is the basis for adequately planning treatment, assessing potential difficulties and prognoses, the development of knowledge in this area was supported by webinars organised by the ESTD last year, during which invited experts shared their knowledge and experience. I am pleased to inform you that recordings of these webinars have just been made available free of charge to ESTD members.
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to an article written by the ESTD Board’s Assistant, Barbara Puchalska, who shares a few hints on how to protect yourself against email scam. It was created in response to ongoing attempts to send fake emails from allegedly board members. This situation happens everywhere and requires that we understand some basic rules associated with using the Internet and mailing software. Details can be found in the newsletter.
Igor J. Pietkiewicz
President, ESTD