Leadership in Psychology: Florida Psychological Association Convention 2025

Posted by: Dr. Justin D'Arienzo, Psy.D., ABPP

Florida Psychological Convention 2025

On September 13 to 14, 2025, I had the honor of representing our profession at the Florida Psychological Association (FPA) Convention in Tampa. I was invited to speak on two pivotal panels addressing the future of psychology.

The first, Benefits of Being a PSYPACT Provider: Extending Your Reach & Enhancing Continuity of Care, brought together leading FPA members including Drs. Jack Bartel, Kevin Hyde, Christiane Blanco-Oilar, Laura Ellick, Teresah Taylor, Bill Samek, and Rebecca Schwartzberg. I emphasized the importance of cultivating a niche practice, noting that when we excel in a specialty, PSYPACT allows us to extend our reach to countless patients across the nation. No longer are we limited to seeing patients only in Florida. A PSYPACT Psychologist can provide virtual services as well as practice for 30 days a year in over 40 other states across the nation.  I also addressed the opportunities and challenges of interstate competition arguing that healthy competition drives innovation and strengthens psychology as a whole.

The second panel, Perspectives on Prescriptive Authority for Psychologists in Florida, featured neuroscientist Dr. Judi Steinman and prescribing psychologists Drs. Julie Price, Doris Nevin, and Christine Machado-Denis. Drawing from my own current training as a post-doctoral master’s student in clinical psychopharmacology and future prescribing psychologist, I shared how the rigorous coursework is already enhancing my work with patients and in forensic practice. With seven states granting prescriptive authority to advanced-trained psychologists, I remain committed to helping advance this initiative in Florida.

Beyond the panels, I was proud to serve in my role as Chair of the Political Action Committee (PAC) for Psychologists of Florida, where we hosted a well-attended fundraiser to support advocacy and legislative efforts. I also had the privilege of engaging with Florida Senator Tracie Davis and Representative Erika Booth, both recognized by FPA for championing access to psychological care.

Although I don’t agree with all of Dr. Lenore Walker’s opinions (the psychologist who coined the term, battered woman syndrome), it was an honor to visit with her and challenge her about competing research during her domestic violence training as well. She is giant in the world of psychology and remains a Psychology Professor at NSU where I attended 20 years ago.

The convention was not only an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and policymakers but also a chance to energize our collective vision for psychology’s future. We look forward to building on this momentum at our next gathering. If you are a Florida Psychologist, attending our annual convention is a must! You will see lots of old friends and build new relationships. I ran into Dr. Monica King, a fellow doctoral student and resident advisor at Nova Southeastern University when I was there from 1999 to 2004.