AAPsiA El Crisol is a civil association established on December 20, 2012. Today it has 44 members. It arose from the meeting and the initiative of a group of professionals who decided to come together to shape its foundation. Many of these colleagues had been working for a long time preparing the way for this to happen. On the other hand, others were just arriving with the typical enthusiasm of the beginnings, adding their strength for this longing and shared need to make it happen.
We have taken in part as inspiration and model the founding of ABPA (Brazilian Association of Anthroposophical Psychologists) that had occurred some time before. Some of us were able to be present to accompany its founding act in the city of Belo Horizonte (Brazil).
In the month of June 2013, our own act of spiritual foundation took place at the headquarters of the Anthroposophical Society in Buenos Aires with the presence of Ad and Henriette Dekkers.
AAPsiA El Crisol is a founding member of IFAPA and we have been able to be present and represented in Dornach at the time of its constitution.
In these 10 years of life, our Association has gone through many challenges that have always resulted in growth processes.
There are many achievements that we could share: to obtain two groups of internationally certified colleagues, including 4 certified Argentine colleagues who did their training in Colombia. In addition, AAPsiA certified 6 colleagues from Mexico. Many of them have also managed to participate in the three Train the Trainers meetings that have been held at Emerson College in England in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Another enormous achievement has been the organization of the First Argentine Congress of Anthroposophical Medicine, the second Pan-American Meeting of Anthroposophical Psychotherapy for Human Dignity and the second Conference on Anthroposophical Dentistry for Transdisciplinary Work, joining forces with the AMAA (Association of Anthroposophical Physicians of Argentina), under the motto “South American vital forces: their contribution to the healing of man and the Earth” in November 2018, as well as the national formations that we have launched. These trainings have also been organized jointly with the AMAA. The first group began in August 2017 and ended in November 2019 with a total of 35 graduates. The second group began in March 2020 and, despite all the difficulties posed by the pandemic and isolation situation that we have experienced, it has been possible to continue the training virtually.
Part of the first group mentioned is carrying out the National Certification process, with a commission of teachers dedicated to this task.
In addition, a Teaching Commission has been formed in AAPsiA El Crisol carrying out the general training processes in conjunction with AMAA.
We also have the Clinical Commission, which allows us to share and deepen the clinical approach through conferences, case study groups and supervision.
In the first months of the pandemic, a team of psychotherapists has been formed under the name “Grupo Acompañar”, providing free care and guidance to people with problems arising from this social emergency, which has greatly affected people’s mental health as we know. It has been a very important experience for all of us.
In addition, the impulse of united work with colleagues from Latin America was resumed under the name of ELAPA, holding annual and inter-annual meetings in order to strengthen and develop all together in a more organized and fraternal way.
In this second seven-year period of our biography, there are many growth challenges that still lie ahead. How to continue growing without losing identity? How to contribute the experience that we are acquiring through our crises and transformations, generating -in the same time- the space for new forces and initiatives to find their place?
These are some of the questions that we are encountering as we advance on our way.
Specifically, our main objectives are: to strengthen the presence of Anthroposophical Psychotherapy within our own country. Increase the possibilities of developing the identity of anthroposophical psychotherapy, promoting research, exchange and dialogue with other currents of thought. Deepen the encounter between all of us forming and giving life to the movement of anthroposophical psychotherapy in these latitudes. We hope from this encounter something new to be born in order to make our best contribution to the growth of the indispensable view that only a psychology amplified by the image of Man in Anthroposophy can and should contribute to the evolution of humanity.