Our Mission

The Cincinnati Academy of Professional Psychology was created in 1981 to advance the science and profession of psychology in the Greater Cincinnati area. Our goals are to promote human welfare through the application of psychological science, to increase public awareness of psychology, to encourage the highest levels of ethical standards in the practice of psychology, and to promote the exchange of information and ideas among members.

2022 Board Members

Rachel Sparn, Psy.D.

President

Joeanne Gutzwiller, Ph.D.

Past President, Treasurer

Bailey Bryant, Psy.D.

Ohio Psychological Association Liason

Amber Stevens, Psy.D.

Website Chair

Alexis Pittenger, Psy.D.

Program Coordinator Chair

Natalie Winters, Ph.D.

Secretary

Susan Urmetz, Psy.D.

Insurance/Managed Care Chair

Rachel Blain, Psy.D.

Marketing/Public Relations Chair

Laura Wilson

Executive Coordinator

2018 Board Members

CAPP Response to Recent Events

May 26, 2022

CAPP condemns the murders and gun violence that took place in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York. We acknowledge the repetitive nature of statements like these, and we remain unwavering in denouncing these evil acts. These acts will have traumatic consequences that will echo into the future and affect mental health. CAPP acknowledges the presence of racism in our country and communities as a whole. CAPP condemns acts of hate and violence of any kind. We acknowledge that our country’s current gun violence demands attention and action. We mourn all the lives lost in Uvalde and Buffalo, and honor the devastating experiences for everyone in those communities. We continue to stand by psychologists’ role in treatment, support, advocacy, and holding safe space for processing these events.

May 19, 2022

Amongst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, CAPP would like to state our support of Ukraine and our opposition to Russia’s military invasion. CAPP stands with Ukrainians, those of Ukrainian decent, Ukrainian refugees, and people of Russian decent who denounce these acts that are out of their control. We stand by psychologists’ role in treatment, support, and advocacy in response to violence and loss of life. We uphold and respect psychologists’ role in holding a safe place for processing traumatic events and meeting the needs of our commun

May 17, 2022

CAPP opposes Ohio’s proposed Don’t Say Gay bill (HB 616) which seeks to limit the discussion of sexuality concepts in public schools. Banning discussion of these topics in schools adds to the stigmatization and marginalization of the LGBTQIA+ community.  CAPP stands against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Children and teens are exposed to a vast variety of sexual information outside of school from an array of sources, and CAPP believes that adults and educators can have a positive influence through unbiased, evidence-based resources shared in developmentally appropriate language. CAPP supports a safe and accepting atmosphere for all students. We are steadfast in our resolve to utilize our role as psychologists to encourage these values in our community.

August 24, 2021

Great distress in Afghanistan has been broadcasted across the world this past week. CAPP expresses our support of the Afghan community. We acknowledge the traumatic events that families in Afghanistan are now navigating. We recognize the trauma that is likely caused by intense media images and coverage for Afghan families in the US and elsewhere abroad. We acknowledge the traumatic responses US military personnel and their families may be having to these events, images, and news coverage. CAPP supports a diverse understanding of Afghan culture among psychologists treating the many individuals and families impacted by these tragic events.

June 14, 2021

In light of June being a celebration of Pride, we at CAPP want to recognize members of the LGBTQIA+ community, both patients and practitioners alike. We celebrate progress, and we recognize that there is much work to be done. We stand with you in this work to create a more just and inclusive community, and we advocate for equality in mental health education, treatment, and research.

April 20, 2021

CAPP honors that the recent verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd represents a historic moment and has an immense impact on the mental health of everyone in our community. CAPP supports movement towards accountability for all, and continued efforts to address racism at the systemic level in the pursuit of justice. We highlight the importance of this moment in history, and acknowledge the work left to do in addressing systemic racism and the resulting trauma.

March 23, 2021

It is with heavy hearts that we at CAPP issue another statement this week. We know that these statements are repetitive. We want to be steadfast and clear regarding our stance towards these events, our mission as psychologists in our community, and in our country overall. We acknowledge the traumatic impact acts of violence have on humankind. CAPP condemns the recent gun violence and murders that took place in Boulder, Colorado. CAPP denounces extremist behavior, acts of hate, and violence of any kind. We mourn the lives lost in Boulder. We uphold psychologists’ role in treatment, support, and advocacy in response to acts of violence and loss of life. We also uphold, honor, and respect psychologists’ role in holding a safe place for processing traumatic events.

March 20, 2021

February 2, 2021

CAPP condemns the recent acts of vandalism that took place on the Xavier University campus. We acknowledge the presence of pervasive racism in our country and community, and we denounce extremist groups and acts of hate. CAPP continues to support non-violence and respect. We are steadfast in our resolve to utilize our role as psychologists to encourage these values in our Cincinnati community, and best support our community however possible.

January 7, 2021

CAPP condemns violence of all kinds, including the violence that recently took place at the U.S. Capitol. We support the peaceful transition of power that is an integral part of our democratic government. CAPP upholds psychologists’ dedication to advocacy through nonviolence, truth, and respect. We mourn the lives harmed and lost during these recent acts of violence.  

CAPP Response to Systemic Racism

December 3, 2020

Over the course of this past year, we have witnessed the deaths of several black men and women at the hands of white police officers. We subsequently saw a racial justice revolution sweep across America. These and other movements have led CAPP to take steps to become a more inclusive and welcoming organization. Toward that goal, we have formed an Inclusivity subcommittee consisting of several CAPP board members.

CAPP recognizes that systemic racism persists and is maintained by racially biased systems in American life including economic systems, the criminal justice system, housing, employment, and education. CAPP mourns the countless victims of racial violence in 2020. We oppose racially biased systems and commit to using psychological science to combat systemic racism and implicit bias. We recognize that racism and racially motivated violence leads to racial trauma which is often passed down from one generation to the next, leading to considerable health consequences and further disparities.

We ask that CAPP members continually pursue culturally responsive training and education to increase understanding of the impact of racial trauma and systemic racism on communities of color and ethnic minorities. As an organization, we will strive to increase opportunities for multicultural training and education. Our hope is to be able to offer training opportunities in 2021 that specifically address racism and the impacts of structural racism on our clients. We are also exploring the possibility of a book club discussion group on racism that would likely be held remotely and be open to all CAPP members. Finally, CAPP would like to have a presence on the OPA Diversity Subcommittee.

In addition, please see the following resources that may be helpful to you, personally and professionally:

https://ohpsych.org/general/custom.asp?page=allypublicresources

Thank you,

Written by Joeanne Gutzwiller, Ph.D.