Ballot closes 4 November 2024.
Please vote here.
You will be able to vote to confirm the candidate for President Elect.
President Elect
Dawn Johnson
Bio
Professionally I would be described as a Clinical Psychologist. I now work in private practice offering therapy, supervision, workplace away days, university teaching, and ACT training which I co-deliver with Dr Richard Bennett via our training platform ACTivatingYourPractice.com.
That always feels like useful information, although, it also tells people very little about who I am. That feels a lot harder to sum up in a few words, however, it feels worth trying to do so, after all, it is my ‘me-ness’ that is being nominated for election, not simply the training days of my Doctorate course that resulted in the above title.
So, who am I? Well, this is a bunch of stories I have about myself that help me make sense of my world.
I am someone who feels more at home in water than on land. I feel better in my body, I get a sense of freedom, and I appear to have endless energy until I hit land again. I also enjoy being outside in nature closer to home, walking my bouncy two-year-old Collie cross in woodlands and over countryside fields.
I am also someone who aims to live in line with my values. This can mean being willing to do something hard, over what is easy. I like that quality about myself as it feels that I live the work I invite others to do. One of my superpowers is my connection to my “super-feeler” skills. Whilst this can feel exhausting at times, I love that it also makes me empathic, compassionate and that I hold a great deal of genuine care about others.
Whilst my love of swimming may not offer much to a Presidential role, I notice my mind having the thought that my other skills could offer something of use to the UK&ROI Chapter Board. I am willing to lead and to be guided and work in collaboration. I am willing to undertake difficult tasks in the service of something greater. I am willing to learn and be humble, and to step up and take responsibility. I am open to feedback and making changes, as well as using my voice and speaking up for things I see and believe in. It is these skills and qualities that I would like to offer to the ACBS community and would be honoured to be considered to serve as President Elect and future President for the upcoming term.
Vision for the next Presidential term
I have had the honour of being a UK&ROI Chapter Board ‘Member at Large’ for the last two and a half years. During this time, I have contributed to many initiatives that the Board have organised to grow the community of people interested in contextual behavioural sciences in the UK&ROI Chapter. Growth feels like a value that the Board have consistently held with lightness and excitement. It feels an important thing to also hold onto for any future President role. I would like to do this by continuing to expand the offering the Board can make to its UK&ROI and international audiences, both in terms of accessible training, networking events, live conferences and growing a connected community of people that share their knowledge, wisdom and resources.
In addition to growth, it also feels important to nurture the community of people we already are. Whilst the above events also encompass our existing community, I would like future work to focus on a sense of nurturing and welcoming in voices that currently feel under-heard, under-represented or unseen. This work will partly be supporting the recently appointed specialist EDI role that Dr Lynn Farrell has taken, ensuring that we invite feedback and act based on what our community is asking for more of.
There are so many committed existing Board members, and I would love to offer a Presidential term where people feel willing and able to share their ideas, express their views, feel heard and empowered to take actions that they perceive to serve the community. My view in taking a voluntary role is that we offer our time for free in the service of a value of contribution, commitment, development and compassion. I would like to offer those qualities myself, as well as encourage them in other Board members, other ACBS volunteers, and the wider community that we aim to serve.