Sometimes it feels like there aren’t very many places left where I can have an unexpected real-life encounter with someone holding a view of the world that is different from mine. Maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, or this busy phase of life with young kids and full-time work, but I get the feeling that I’ve over-simplified my daily rhythms in the name of efficiency and balance. We’ve all seen the research on the narrowing effects of living in an ideological echo chamber. It’s good for me to be surprised and challenged out of this rut I’ve created for myself.

For example, I’ve learned that playgrounds and birthday parties hosted by my children’s friends can be full of surprising interactions. That our children are friends at school means that we have proximity in common, but potentially little else. From those sometimes awkward and fumbling conversations, I’ve heard stories about the finer points of brewing beer, what it’s like to apply for refugee status in the US, and how we might tell the difference between a mental health disorder and demon possession. See? I just never know what’s waiting for me when I leave efficiency and balance behind and spend some time with someone who shares one identity with me – being a parent of an elementary-aged child – while also seeing the world in a different way than I do. 

This might surprise you, but IPA is another space that is rich with potential for connections that can disrupt and transform our view of the world. We all share a history of grueling years in graduate school earning a doctoral degree, but don’t let that fool you. We are also actors, immigrants, elders, DIYers, activists, chefs, athletes, travelers, inventors, writers…and so much more. 

As a community of psychologists at IPA, we influence state and federal policy, act to strengthen our workforce, advocate for consumers of mental health services in our state, add our efforts with others in responding to disasters, and provide a network of consultation and training. But we are also, at our core, a diverse community. To engage with service to IPA is to open ourselves up to the messy, transformative, relational work of being in community. 

As I check in with psychologists around the state, I hear over and over that we are working at and beyond our capacity. There is too much to do and too little time in which to do it all. But consider making an investment in service and community with your colleagues at IPA that is not just about taking on more work. Join a committee. Attend a social. Reach out to a colleague sending a message on the e-list. Present your research at the Spring Conference. You’ll meet some interesting people along the way, who’ll help broaden your understanding of yourself, our world, and our work as a community of psychologists at this moment in time. I look forward to seeing you there!