Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP- Transference-Focused Psychotherapy) is a psychoanalytic method of treating patients with borderline and other personality disorders. The Society is committed to the development, research, application and dissemination of TFP.
§ 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS. NAME AND HEADQUARTERS OF THE SOCIETY
1. Association (hereinafter also: Society) carries out non-profit activities and bears the name ‘Polish Society for Transference-Centred Psychotherapy’.
2. The headquarters of the Society is the city of Krakow.
3. The area of activity of the Society is the territory of the Republic of Poland. In order to properly pursue its objectives, the Society may also conduct its activities outside the country.
4. The business year is the calendar year.
5. The Society is established for an indefinite period.
6. The Association “Polish Society for Transference-Centred Psychotherapy”, hereinafter referred to as the “Society”, operates on the basis of the applicable legislation and this statute.
7. The Society bases its activities on the activity and voluntary work of its members.
8. In order to conduct its affairs, the Society may enter into contracts of employment or civil law contracts or enter into other legal transactions.
9. The Society may belong to international organisations carrying out activities related to the application and development of TFP.
§ 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY
The objectives of the Society are:
1. Furthering the mental health care of patients with personality disorders.
2. Increasing the understanding of the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders.
3. Furthering communication and cooperation among clinicians, researchers and other professionals with an interest in personality disorders; supporting communication with patients and their relatives.
4. Furthering teaching, application, supervision, dissemination, research, quality assurance and further development of TFP as an empirically validated and manualised treatment for patients with borderline personality disorder and other personality disorders.
5. To develop and assure standards in the teaching and practice of TFP as it continues to evolve.
6. Recommend training programmes in TFP psychodynamic psychotherapy.
7. Fundraising for the accomplishment of the above-mentioned tasks.
§ 3. ACTIVITIES FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE SOCIETY’S OBJECTIVES
The objectives set out in § 2 will be achieved by:
1. Continuous development of TFP and its various and potential applications.
2. Organisation of regional, national and international training workshops and clinical and scientific conferences on TFP.
3. Publishing and disseminating information about TFP for the professional community and the public.
4. Continuous improvement of TFP training.
5. Certification of TFP trainers and supervisors.
6. Development, translation and evaluation of interviews and questionnaires for clinical and research purposes, including ratings of adherence and competence.
7. Facilitating the coordination of joint research projects, and offering consultation for individual projects.
8. Development and monitoring of policies regarding publications.
9. Collaboration with the ISTFP in defining training and certification standards.
10. Furthering the dialogue among researchers, clinicians and representatives of the national health care systems and other health care systems.
§ 4. FUNDRAISING
1. The above objectives will be funded by:
a. Membership dues;
b. Donations;
c. Public and private funds;
d. Fees for congresses, conferences, symposia, training workshops and similar activities.
2. The Society may carry out business activities on the general principles set out in separate Rules of Procedure. The income from the Society’s business activities is used to further the Society’s statutory objectives and may not be distributed to its members.
3. Business activities can be carried out in:
a. Book publishing (PKD 58.11.Z);
b. Publishing of newspapers (PKD 58.13.Z);
c. Publishing of magazines and other periodicals (PKD 58.14.Z);
d. Other publishing activities (PKD 58.19.Z);
e. Printing of newspapers (PKD 18.11.Z);
f. Other printing (PKD 18.12.Z);
g. Intermediation in the sale of advertising time and space in other media (PKD 73.12.D);
h. Intermediation in the sale of advertising time and space in electronic media (Internet) (PKD 73.12.C);
i. Intermediation in the sale of advertising space in printed media (PKD 73.12.B);
j. The activity of information agencies (PKD 63.91.Z);
k. Activities related to the organisation of trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses (PKD 82.30.Z);
l. Other extracurricular forms of education not elsewhere classified (PKD 85.59.B);
m. Activities of commercial organisations and employers (PKD 94.11.Z);
n. Activities of other membership organisations not elsewhere classified (PKD 94.99.Z).
§ 5. MEMBERS, THEIR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
1. The Society’s members are divided into:
a. ordinary;
b. extraordinary.
2. Membership of the Society is voluntary.
3. Ordinary members are the founders of the Society. In addition, an ordinary member may be a natural person possessing full legal capacity and not deprived of public rights, being a Polish citizen or a foreigner, who fulfils all the following conditions:
a. holds evidence of their professional competence through a certificate as a psychotherapist issued by the ISTFP or a certificate issued by the Society;
b. accepted the statutory objectives of the Society;
c. has submitted a written declaration or a scan of a written declaration of acceptance as an ordinary member of the Society;
d. has received the written recommendation of two ordinary members of the Society.
4. The decision to grant ordinary membership shall be issued by the Executive Board in the form of a resolution.
5. An ordinary member has the right to take part in the life of the Society, in particular:
a. they are entitled to vote at the General Assembly;
b. they have the passive and active right to vote;
c. they have the right to make proposals and requests concerning the Society’s activities;
d. they have the right to make use of the Society’s assistance and facilities in activities undertaken in accordance with its statutory objectives;
e. they have the right to participate in the work, meetings and other undertakings of the Society with the right to vote.
6. An ordinary member is obliged to:
a. comply with the statute, Rules of Procedure and resolutions of the Society’s authorities;
b. make regular payment of dues to the Society;
c. actively participate in the fulfilment of the Society’s statutory objectives;
d. take care of the good name and property of the Society.
7. An extraordinary member may be a natural person having full legal capacity and not deprived of public rights, being a Polish citizen or a foreigner, who fulfils all the following conditions:
a. has a university degree in medicine, psychology or other humanities, a graduate or participant in training in psychodynamic psychotherapy;
b. has accepted the statutory objectives of the Society;
c. has submitted a written declaration of acceptance as an extraordinary member of the Society;
d. has received the written recommendation of two ordinary members of the Society.
8. The decision to grant extraordinary membership is issued by the Executive Board in the form of a resolution.
9. The duties of an extraordinary member include:
a. complying with the statute, Rules of Procedure and resolutions of the Society’s authorities;
b. regular payment of dues to the Society;
c. actively participating in the fulfilment of the Society’s statutory objectives;
d. taking care of the good name and property of the Society.
10. An extraordinary member does not have the right to vote at the General Assembly nor the passive or the active electoral right; however, they may take part in the Society’s work in an advisory capacity only, submit motions and proposals to the Society’s authorities concerning the tasks undertaken by the Society.
11. Membership of the Society shall cease as a result of:
a. voluntary resignation from the Society, notified in writing to the Executive Board;
b. death of the member;
c. exclusion by the Executive Board for:
i. unjustified arrears in payment of the membership fee for a period exceeding 24 months,
ii. as a result of a final decision of the Disciplinary Board;
d. loss of public rights by virtue of a final decision of a common court of law.
§ 6. AUTHORITIES OF THE SOCIETY
1. The authorities of the Society are:
a. the General Assembly of the Society’s members, referred to as the “General Assembly”;
b. the Executive Board;
c. the Supervisory Board of the Society;
d. the Audit Committee;
e. the Disciplinary Board.
2. Elections to the elected authorities of the Society shall be held by secret ballot. Election of the elected authorities of the Society shall be from an unlimited number of candidates.
3. The term of office of the elected authorities of the Society is 3 years.
4. By resolution of the General Assembly, members of the elected authorities of the Society may be dismissed at any time.
5. The term of office of a member of the Executive Board, the Supervisory Board of the Society, the Audit Committee and the Disciplinary Board shall expire on the date of the General Assembly held to approve the Society’s financial statements for the last full financial year in office.
6. The mandate of a member of the Executive Board, the Supervisory Board of the Society, the Audit Committee and the Disciplinary Board also expires in the event of resignation, death or dismissal by resolution of the General Assembly.
7. In the event of the expiry of the mandate of a member of the Executive Board, the Supervisory Board of the Society, the Audit Committee and the Disciplinary Board referred to in section 6 above, the member in question shall be replaced by the candidate who received the second highest number of votes in the elections to these authorities.
8. In the event that the candidates referred to in section 7 above are not available or do not agree to be appointed to the authorities of the Society, a new election shall be held for the position in question.
9. The term of office of persons elected in accordance with sections 7 and 8 shall end on the date on which the term of office of the person whose term of office terminated which gave rise to the procedure referred to in sections 7 or 8, would have expired.
§ 7. GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1. The highest authority of the Society is the General Assembly.
2. The General Assembly may be:
a. ordinary;
b. extraordinary.
3. The Ordinary General Assembly is convened by the Executive Board once a year. The Ordinary General Assembly should be held no later than six months after the end of the financial year.
4. The Extraordinary General Assembly is convened by the Executive Board on its own initiative or upon written request of:
a. the Audit Committee;
b. the Supervisory Board of the Society;
c. 1/3 of the total number of ordinary and extraordinary members; within a maximum of 6 weeks from the date of submitting the petition.
5. The Executive Board shall convene the General Assembly by notifying the members with voting rights at the General Assembly by e-mail, fax or registered letter of its date, place and proposed agenda at least 14 days before the date indicated in the notice. In the case of registered mail, the date of posting is decisive. The notice may contain information about a second date of the General Assembly, which may be held on the same day at least half an hour after the first date of the General Assembly.
6. Resolutions of the General Assembly shall be adopted by a simple majority on the first date with the presence of at least half of the members entitled to vote. On the second date, resolutions of the General Assembly are adopted by a simple majority, the requirement that at least half of the members be present does not apply. Resolutions of the General Assembly to amend the Statute and resolutions of the General Assembly to dissolve the Society shall be passed in accordance with the procedure set out in section 7 of the Statute.
7. The proceedings of the General Assembly shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the General Assembly, elected on each occasion by secret ballot by a simple majority of the Society members present, irrespective of the number of participants at the General Assembly.
8. The General Assembly may be held anywhere in the Republic of Poland.
9. Ordinary members participate in the General Assembly with a casting vote.
10. The General Assembly may be attended in an advisory capacity by the following:
a. extraordinary members;
b. invited guests.
11. The powers of the General Assembly include:
a. adoption of the main directions of the Society’s substantive and financial activities;
b. adoption of the statutes and amendments thereto;
c. election and dismissal of elected members of the Society’s authorities;
d. consideration and approval of reports on the activities of the elected authorities of the Society;
e. approval of the balance sheet and other financial statements;
f. adoption and amendment of the rules of procedure of the elected authorities of the Society, if the statutes do not confer competence in this respect to the individual authorities of the Society;
g. adoption of a Code of Ethics;
h. deciding on the discharge of the members of the Executive Board;
i. adoption of a resolution on the dissolution of the Society and on the allocation of its assets;
j. adoption of a resolution on the remuneration to which the members of the Executive Board are entitled in connection with their functions.
§ 8. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE SOCIETY
1. The Executive Board consists of the President and between four and six members.
2. The Society is represented by two members of the Executive Board acting jointly.
3. The President or their appointee from the Executive Board is an ex-officio member with voting rights on all committees and task forces.
4. The powers of the Executive Board include:
a. representing the Society and acting on its behalf;
b. managing all the activities of the Society, in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes and the resolutions and recommendations of the General Assembly;
c. adopting business plans, estimates and budgets;
d. managing the assets and funds of the Society;
e. adopting resolutions on the acquisition, disposal and encumbrance of the Society’s immovable and movable property;
f. appointing and dissolving organisational units of the Society, such as the Ethics Committee;
g. admitting ordinary and extraordinary members;
h. excluding members of the Society;
i. adopting and amending the Rules of Procedure for the granting and revocation of the certificate of psychotherapist and supervisor of transference-focused psychotherapy;
j. adopting and amending the internal rules of procedure;
k. issuing, at the request of the Certification Commission, certificates of a psychotherapist and supervisor of transference-focused psychotherapy as well as to revoke (withdraw) the certificates issued, as a result of a valid decision of the Disciplinary Board or a request of the Certification Commission;
l. adopting resolutions on the Society’s membership in national and foreign associations or international organisations, on the establishment of and membership in an association of societies;
m. determining the amount of membership fees and the rules for their payment and, in special cases, to waive the obligation to pay membership fees;
n. setting the Society’s staff remuneration regulations;
o. convening the General Assembly;
p. reporting annually on its activities to the General Assembly;
q. passing resolutions to start or stop business activities.
5. The Executive Board establishes the Code of Ethics and the Executive Procedure thereto and periodically reviews and modifies them as it deems appropriate.
6. The Executive Board shall take its decisions by a simple majority of votes; in the event of a tie, the President shall have the deciding vote.
7. Limited liability: The Executive Board is only liable for wilful misconduct and gross negligence.
8. Members of the Executive Board of the Society may receive remuneration for activities performed in connection with their function.
§ 9. THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF THE SOCIETY
1. The Supervisory Board of the Society is the consultative body of the Society.
2. The Supervisory Board of the Society is made up of ordinary members of the Society who are certified as TFP supervisors by the ISTFP or the Societies, and who have submitted proof of the above qualification.
3. The Supervisory Board of the Society consists of no fewer than 12 and no more than 22 persons elected at the General Assembly.
4. The Supervisory Board of the Society elects a Chairperson from among its members of the Supervisory Board of the Society, as well as a Training and Certification Coordinator and a Research and Scientific Issues Coordinator.
5. The powers of the Supervisory Board of the Society are:
a. to shape the substantive activities of the Society;
b. to delegate the Training and Certification Coordinator and the Research and Issues Coordinator to the Executive Board, for the duration of the term of office of the Society’s authorities;
c. to consider and approve of training programmes, supervision of TFP training;
d. to conduct certification examinations;
e. to give its opinion on initiatives related to the fulfilment of the Society’s statutory objectives;
f. to report annually to the General Assembly on its activities.
6. The Supervisory Board of the Society may establish substantive committees within its organisation (e.g. the Professional Ethics Committee). Only members of the Supervisory Board of the Society can be members of such committees. Committees can be standing committees as well as committees set up for a specific task.
7. The Supervisory Board of the Society adopts rules of procedure for the operation of the committees it appoints.
8. Meetings of the Supervisory Board of the Society shall be convened as required, but at least quarterly, by the Executive Board, the Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of the Society or at least 4 members of the Supervisory Board of the Society.
9. The Supervisory Board of the Society passes resolutions with a simple majority in the presence of at least half of its total number of members. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of the Society has the deciding vote.
10. Resolutions of the Supervisory Board of the Society may be adopted if all the members of the Supervisory Board of the Society have been informed of the meeting by e-mail, fax or registered letter. Notification is deemed to be by sending an e-mail, fax or registered letter.
11. The Supervisory Board of the Society may adopt resolutions by circulation or by means of remote communication. In such a case, the resolution may be adopted if all members of the Supervisory Board of the Society have been notified of its proposed content.
§ 10. AUDIT COMMITTEE
1. The Audit Committee consists of 3 persons elected by the General Assembly.
2. The members of the Audit Committee elect a Chairperson of the Audit Committee from among themselves.
3. Members of the Audit Committee may not hold any other elected office in the Society or be employees of the Society.
4. The Audit Committee is the controlling body of the Society established to control the activities of the Society.
5. The powers of the Audit Committee are:
a. to control the overall activities of the Society at least once a year;
b. to make proposals to the Executive Board or the General Assembly resulting from the audit findings;
c. the right to request that an Extraordinary General Assembly be convened if the Executive Board is found to have failed to fulfil its statutory duties, and the right to request that a meeting of the Executive Board be convened;
d. to convene the General Assembly if it is not convened by the Executive Board within the time limits specified in the Statute;
e. to make proposals to the General Assembly for the discharge (or refusal to discharge) of the members of the Executive Board;
f. to report annually on its activities to the General Assembly;
g. the right to request written or oral explanations from members and authorities of the Society on the matters under scrutiny.
6. Representatives of the Audit Committee may participate in meetings of the Executive Board in an advisory capacity.
7. Resolutions of the Audit Committee are adopted by a simple majority in the presence of at least two members. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson of the Audit Committee has the deciding vote.
8. The Audit Committee may adopt resolutions by circulation or by means of remote communication. In such a case, the resolution may be adopted if all members of the Review Committee have been notified of its proposed contents.
9. The detailed procedure and rules of operation of the Audit Committee are set out in the rules of procedure adopted by resolution of the General Assembly.
§ 11. DISCIPLINARY BOARD
1. The General Assembly shall appoint the Disciplinary Board
2. The Disciplinary Board is a two-instance court: Disciplinary Board of First Instance and Disciplinary Board of Appeals.
3. The Disciplinary Board of First Instance, as a court of first instance, consists of at least three members who elect a president, vice-president and secretary from among themselves.
4. The Disciplinary Board of Appeals, as a court of second instance, consists of at least three members who elect a president, vice-president and secretary from among themselves.
5. Only a person with the status of an ordinary member may be a member of the Disciplinary Board.
6. The Disciplinary Board resolves disputes between the Society’s members and between the members and the Society’s authorities, arising from their activities in the Society, and adjudicates the liability of the members in the event of violation of the statutes, rules of procedure, resolutions of the authorities and the code of ethics or dignity of practising the profession of psychotherapist or acting to the detriment of the Society.
7. The Disciplinary Board reports on its activities to the General Assembly.
8. The Disciplinary Board may pronounce the following penalties:
a. admonition;
b. reprimand;
c. suspension from membership for a period of 1 to 12 months;
d. exclusion from the Society;
e. revocation (withdrawal) of the psychotherapist certificate;
f. revocation (withdrawal) of the supervisor’s certificate.
9. Decisions of the Disciplinary Board in both instances are made by simple majority. Their validity requires the presence of the full Board.
10. The decision of the Disciplinary Board of First Instance may be appealed by the parties to the Disciplinary Board of Appeals, whose decision shall be final.
11. Members of the Disciplinary Board may not hold office in other Society bodies or Society authorities.
12. The detailed procedure and rules for the operation of the Disciplinary Board of the first and second instance shall be laid down in the rules of procedure adopted by resolution of the General Assembly.
§ 12. AMENDMENT TO THE STATUTE AND DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
1. Adoption of the Statute or its amendment by the General Assembly requires a qualified majority of 2/3 of the votes in the presence of at least half of the members entitled to vote on the first date, on the second date irrespective of the number of persons present.
2. The adoption of a resolution on the dissolution of the Society by the General Assembly requires a qualified majority of 2/3 of the votes with at least half of the members entitled to vote present on the first date, on the second date regardless of the number of persons present.
3. When passing a resolution to dissolve the Society, the General Assembly shall appoint a Liquidation Committee to carry out the liquidation of the Society. The General Assembly also identifies foundations and associations with similar statutory objectives to the Society, not-for-profit, to which the Society’s assets will pass, once its obligations have been fulfilled.