President’s Column 61 (2)

The Value of Belonging

As President, I often get the opportunity to talk to individuals about why they should be members of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (SAP). My rationale typically reflects a list of tangibles or concrete benefits that they will receive as a result of joining the division. These include access to articles published in our flagship journal (Psychotherapy) as well as our bulletin, eligibility for our numerous awards at student and professional levels, an ability to apply for our many grants that provide anywhere from $500 to $20,000 in funding for research, access to webinars that often include free CE credits, and social and networking activities online or at the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention. At only $29 per year, these concrete benefits are a real deal! My argument for why people should join SAP today sounds much like the rationale I remember providing people nearly two decades ago when I volunteered for the division at multiple APA conventions. At those earlier conventions, I remember standing at a Division 29 booth and scanning badges for people who were interested in free membership so they could get access to some of the benefits mentioned above. These tangibles are alluring and very important – I know that over the years I have personally benefited from several of these things, including awards, grants, and increased knowledge and competencies from reading journal articles and online division content. But, upon further reflection, I believe the greatest benefit that I have personally received from my membership in SAP (and the greatest benefit that we have to offer) is something much less tangible. It is the value of belonging.

Benefits of Social Belonging

As therapists, most of us can quickly recognize the general benefits of belonging – after all, we have likely talked about these benefits with our many of clients at one point or another. We know that belonging, or a secure attachment, for infants and youth leads to higher self-esteem and happiness, better relationships with siblings and peers, less frequent behavioral problems, and higher academic performance (Hoffman et al., 2017; Kurland & Siegel, 2020; Wang, 2021). In adulthood, a secure attachment can lead one to being more open with others, as well as experiencing greater self-esteem, life satisfaction, and happiness when we are well-adjusted, and more frequent experiences of depression, anxiety, and loneliness when we are not (Zhang et al., 2022). Beyond just attachment styles, feeling connected, or having a shared sense of identity with others, can result in improved academic and work performance, greater life satisfaction and well-being, and higher self-esteem, as well as a number of physical health benefits (Allen et al., 2022; Parker et al., 2022). It can also be a protective factor for preventing depression and suicide (Allen et al., 2022; Chu et al., 2017; Gill et al., 2023). 

We also know that belonging means something more than just being around other people (it is not all that difficult to feel lonely even when you are in a big crowd) or having stated social connections (family members, roommates, and “friends” may not always be that close to each other). Instead, belonging occurs when one feels connected with a stable group of others, who one believes share a similar identity or set of values, and who care about each other’s well-being (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). This type of connection is important, and some have suggested that it is the main motivator or drive for all human culture and behaviors (Baumeister & Leary, 1995).

In our technology-laden, instant gratification-driven world today, belonging seems to be something that is missing for many people. According to the 2025 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report (a survey on membership of nearly 500 professional organization/associations), the majority of organizations report that their membership is either staying the same or in a decline (Marketing General Inc., 2025). Further, the report indicated that two-thirds of the members in the surveyed organizations are over 46 years old (one-third over 61 years old), and only about 10% are under the age of 28. In a recent article that reviewed data from the American Perspectives Survey (Bruckmann, 2025), the author reported that 12% of the population of U.S. adults currently report having no close friends, a number that has quadrupled since 1990. In addition, only one-third of the percent of adults that reported that they have ten or more close friends in 1990, now report the same. A recent Surgeon General Report (Office of the Surgeon General, 2023) indicates very similar trends, while only about one-quarter of Americans reported three or fewer close friends in 1990, almost half reported this in 2021. Further, the time spent with household family social engagement decreased by 5 hours per month from 2003 to 2020 (even though family members were stuck in their houses together in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic). In contrast to these statistics about in-person relationships, the average Facebook user now has 155 online friends (Donnelly, 2026) and the average Instagram user has 264 followers (Lee & Elad, 2026) – Cristiano Ronaldo has over 171 million on Facebook and over 670 million on Instagram. And research suggests that teens spend an average of 5 hours per day on social media platforms (DeAngilis, 2024), but only about 1 hour per day interacting with parents. It is noteworthy that levels of reported loneliness are going up across the country (Office of the Surgeon General, 2023), corresponding with meaningful in-person connections decreasing and online superficial connections increasing. Personally, I am a bit worried to see what will happen as people in our society turn more and more to AI for interactions that historically would have occurred in person with real humans.

Benefits of Professional Belonging

Belonging in a social context is important, but the value of belonging extends beyond just connecting with family members and friends. A sense of belonging can also be critical for us to find purpose and fulfillment in the professional roles that we take on. SAP has been a place where I have belonged for the past 20 years – the members of SAP are my academic family, and the society as a whole is one of my academic homes. Let me share some of the reasons why.

First, through SAP I have been able to establish friendships with colleagues across the globe. We may not see each other often (maybe just at the APA convention or during board meetings, online webinars, or other service activities), but the connection and comradery is there. When we do see each other, it is fun hearing about how someone’s practice is going or about the latest news in their academic position. We also sometimes check in on family and learn about updates with hobbies. Also, as I have experienced problems with my job, they are always there to offer a listening ear, support, and suggestions of things that have worked for them when they have faced similar problems in their work settings.

Second, belonging to SAP allows me to see that there are other professionals out there with similar goals and purpose. Sometimes I feel a bit discouraged about the small amount of change that I can make in the world on my own. But, when I remember that there are many members of SAP out there who are just like me and working toward the same goals, then I feel hope again. And SAP, as an organization, has achieved and is achieving great things, including producing a large body of scientific literature that has shaped what we know about psychotherapy today, providing trainings and other education materials that helps build competencies in professionals throughout the world, and advocating on behalf of policies that provide more effective care to those with mental health needs. Through my membership in SAP, I get to be a part of the big positive changes that are moving forward.

Third, belonging to SAP gives me additional experiences of joy in my work. It is always fulfilling to get an award, grant, or another publication. SAP has been a source of many of these for me and my students over the years. On top of that though, it is also very rewarding when I see announcements about my colleagues in SAP accomplishing great things. I feel excited for them, because they are my friends and we are in this mission to improve psychotherapy together. This shared joy brings more fulfillment to my career.

Fourth, belonging to SAP helps solidify my professional identity. Rather than just being a licensed psychologist and a professor, I am also a member of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. This is a title that I can gladly share with others as I describe the nature and focus of my work. This identity also gives me individual purpose and direction – as I learn about the goals and aims of the division and the projects that members in it are collectively working on, I am inspired with ideas for next directions for my own work.

Conclusion

All of the belonging benefits that I mention above are not tangible, or something that I can put in a bag and take home when I renew my membership. But these benefits have been so valuable to me throughout my career. For those who are also members of SAP, I encourage you to continue to belong to the division and make sure to renew at the end of the year. I also encourage you to reach out to someone who is not yet a member and invite them to come and belong with us. For those who are not yet members, SAP is a wonderful professional home and I hope you will consider joining us to receive both the tangible and intangible benefits of belonging.