The
main reason for setting up PHANA is that two surveys of its potential
membership indicated strong support for its formation. In very early
1999, a survey was undertaken of US, Canadian, and some overseas Helpers,
Apprentices, Counselors, Teachers, and Trainees. 82 (79%) of the 104 US
and Canadian respondents were in favor of proceeding with the formation of
PHANA, and 63 (61%) said that they would be willing to pay yearly dues.
A
second survey went to 85 US/Canadian Helpers and Counselors later in 1999.
47 responses were returned. Respondents identified the following
specific benefits as those they most wanted an association to provide:
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“Being
included in a web site directory of Pathwork Helpers, with a description
of your professional work” (91%). This is in effect the public Register proposed in this
document.
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“Having postings of your
events and ongoing programs on the Pathwork bulletin board.”
(85%)
-
“Sharing exercises and
strategies for teaching, workshops and programs.” (85%)
Respondents
to the two surveys also expressed strong support for the following more
general functions of an association:
-
Promoting understanding and
increased recognition of Pathwork helpership.
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Promoting a high standard of
Pathwork helpership practice.
-
Promoting dialog and sharing
among helpers.
-
Promoting dialog and
cross-fertilization among Pathwork training programs.
-
Working to achieve agreement
concerning minimum regional standards.
The above
survey findings are reflected in the following mission statement, approved by
the Foundation:
“PHANA’s
overall mission is to foster communication, cooperation and mutual
understanding between and within all Pathwork Regions, Chapters, and Informal
Groups. The general focus of PHANA’s work is to help Pathwork Helpers,
Apprentices, Counselors, and Trainees to obtain the benefits of association
sought by professional associations in a very wide range of fields (e.g.
psychology, medicine, law). Examples of these benefits include increased
public recognition and trust, a greater sense of community, increased
cooperation and communication among practitioners, greater consistency in
standards of training and practice, and improved transferability between
regions for recognized practitioners, trainees, and students.” For a
fuller version of the Mission Statement please click here.
The
creation of PHANA is a step towards all the desiderata noted above; it is also
a step towards realizing a wider and more inclusive Pathwork community in line
with the Guide’s teachings, for example that: "This particular path
will and must create … communities. And as these communities grow and
begin to function better and better, this will be the model, a new model for
world governments, for conducting humanity's business in every area of life.
It will gradually infiltrate. It is not a question of new philosophical
values. That is easy. But it will also mean the practical living
of these values, and that is of course a lot more difficult … Unless this
much larger course is constantly kept in view, you must hinder your personal
fulfillment. It cannot be one against the other. It can
only be one with the other." – AD3, p. 2.
The
Guide clearly challenges us here to go beyond solely individual and regional
models of the Pathwork. “A new
model for world governments” cannot be created solely by individuals working
on their own, although individual work is obviously essential.
Nor can the model be created solely by separate local and regional
islands of Pathwork community, however valuable these levels of community are.
“A new model for world governments” implies achieving a situation
in which individuals contribute to and benefit from local/regional community,
and local/regional communities contribute to and benefit from wider
association.
PHANA is a vehicle for increasing
dialog, inter-communication and cooperation among the Pathwork Helper
community. The creation of PHANA
is therefore a step towards this wider, more integrated, and more significant
realization of the Pathwork in the world.
It is possible to envisage that, in due time, other helper associations
will be formed in other parts of the world, creating a cooperating worldwide
family of Helper Associations.
