AGPA in San Francisco

In February I went to the American Group Psychotherapy Association conference in San Francisco. There were about 10 of us from BYU, most of them my really good friends, and so we had a great time. 


I got to meet two of my Psychology heroes! This is Phil Zimbardo, who conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment which is an epic experiment all psychologists learn about. He also wrote The Demise of Guys and the accompanying TED talk which I totally recommend to anyone who has sons. He presented on this awesome new program he is heading called The Heroes Imagination Project which I want to get involved in.  I totally was start-struck and when he invited people to come up for a picture I was the first up there, and some of my colleagues photo-bombed the picture. 

And this is Irvin Yalom, who I worship as a psychotherapy GOD. He has written so many key books for psychologists including THE Group Psychotherapy text, Love's Executioner, and The Gift of Therapy. I would pay a bazillion dollars to just sit and talk with him for a few hours. This is him with me and my good friend Corinne. 

I had time for some sight-seeing in San Francisco. I was walking through Ghiradelli Square and heard someone say "Melissa Goates?" and it was Marybeth Pollock, a good friend from Lethbridge. She was sightseeing while her husband was at a medical conference. We sat and had hot fudge sundaes together and caught up. 

Me at Fisherman's Warf. 

A few weeks after I got back from San Francisco, I had the following conversation with Max:

Max: Mom, remember that trip you went on for a whole week (when I went to San Francisco)? It must have been the worst trip ever!!
Me: Why?
Max: Because you didn't have your kids with you!
Uh yeah, right. . .

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