One photograph, one big life lesson

In this age of selfies, it seems we are inundated with photos and video. We take pictures of everything: family, friends, pets, new shoes, funny signs, that weird looking insect you saw on the sidewalk this morning. It has become part of modern day living – been there, done that, took a picture. And we move so quickly that we sometimes forget to really look at the moment we just captured.

Recently, our CEO, Dr. Jana Martin attended a Remembrance service for the late Dr. Ron Fox, a beloved leader in the field of psychology. During his 40+ career, he was honored with many achievements but perhaps the most important isn’t a citation you can hang on a wall: how he inspired countless colleagues. Some of them attended the service in North Carolina last month. It was a who’s who of psychology as you can see in the picture below. From left is Dr. Jana Martin, Dr. Katherine Nordal, Dr. Norman Anderson, Elizabeth “Lisa” Straus, Dr. Tony Puente, and Sally Cameron.

The six people in this photograph all achieved success in their own way and in different places. Each with a different skill set and experience, proving there is no one formula for success. And you can bet they faced adversity and setbacks but it didn’t stop them; they kept going and here they stand together as colleagues and friends.

It’s a great lesson for students this graduation season who will surely fill their social media pages with picture after picture. They’ll proudly pose with parents, friends and classmates in their cap and gown, ready to take on the world and forge their own career path. ‘Oh, the places you’ll go’ wrote Dr. Suess

In psychology, the possibilities are endless. The journey could lead to private practice or a state psychological association, or even CEO of a professional liability insurance agency that protects thousands of psychologists every day. Any of the six smiling faces in that picture will tell you how rewarding a career in psychology can be.

They’ll also tell you how busy life gets as you get older. How they don’t often have a chance to catch up with colleagues in-person. How one man’s life brought together friends near and far, and how wonderful it is to be reminded of that moment with a group photo.