Editorial

Dear Friends & Sympathisers of SIPE,

“During this still rather mild spell of weather in our hemisphere and for some still the holiday period, the Committee apologises for the artefacts on our society’s website which were neither artistic nor humorous and which we will not allow to affect our mood, especially in view of our forthcoming SIPE International Congress in Toulouse and the mobilisation of all our members and sympathisers for the success of this event by welcoming as many participants and contributors to papers and debates as possible.

The proposed theme for the congress does not aim to make the spectrality of “Amours, désamours...” transparent, but is an invitation to everyone to attend, combining variations with the mediation of major and modest artistic, clear and more complex works, which inhabit your imaginary museum like those which reveal your clinical and art therapy practices. Details of how to register and submit papers are provided in this revamped newsletter, so that everyone can get down to work and prepare not to depart for Cythera but for the land of Courtly Love.

We do not want to appear discourteous by renewing the call for membership fees for this year, but preparations for the Toulouse Congress impose this financial pragmatism. Members receive the newsletter either in its printed or electronic version. From January 2012 access to the entire newsletter and the member’s space on the website will be conditioned by a password sent along with the receipt for membership fees.

The delay in this newsletter is due to the change in format and also its electronic and paper versions. This is also the case for the presentation of the website. We want to be more selective in terms of announcements for scientific, clinical and artistic events, and more interactive by accepting contributions from our members, such as comments on publications, experiences and events with little media coverage. This illustrates not only the curiosity and tastes of everyone, but also our society’s international influence and how it communicates with its members, some of whom are a long way away, whatever the season and mood.”

Best wishes.

Pr JP Martineau, Interim Secretary General