EVERY ADVOCACY GUIDEPOST
By Chief Advocacy Officer Katherine B. McGuire
2022
| October 5 | This one-pager of suggested talking points to promote psychology can be used as a handout to share with candidates and campaigns with whom you come into contact. With the election less than two months away, Congressional candidates on both sides of the aisle will be actively trying to engage with would-be voters. They will be joining community events, showing up at chicken barbeques and apple festivals, and hosting local fundraisers. Don’t be surprised if they come knocking on your door. This is an excellent time to leverage their interest and speak up for your work, your patients and your communities. Ask candidates to stand up for psychological science and access to mental and behavioral health services! |
| September 21 | With the election less than two months away, Congressional candidates on both sides of the aisle will be actively trying to engage with would-be voters. They will be joining community events, showing up at chicken barbeques and apple festivals, and hosting local fundraisers. Don’t be surprised if they come knocking on your door. This is an excellent time to leverage their interest and speak up for your work, your patients and your communities. Ask candidates to stand up for psychological science and access to mental and behavioral health services! This one-pager can give you talking points and/or be used as a handout to share with candidates and campaigns with whom you come into contact. |
| July 13 | Let’s talk about the midterm election. In recent decades, about 60% of the voting eligible population voted during presidential election years, but only about 40% voted during midterm elections. Yet, 2020 and 2018 marked the highest midterm and presidential election turnout in over a century. Historically, most of the attention of midterm elections is focused on the two chambers of Congress: the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Members of the House are elected for two-year terms, so all 435 seats are decided during the midterm elections. However, midterm elections also determine the outcomes of dozens of governors’ races, hundreds of mayoral contests and thousands of battles for state legislative seats. While those races don’t traditionally grab national headlines, the majority of legislation in the U.S. is passed at the state level - not the federal level. Elections have consequences—especially for social justice and human rights issues. This year, ballots across the nation include measures that would impact reproductive rights, immigration, and LGBTQ+ populations. Now is the time to prepare! First, make sure you register to vote. Then, help rally and mobilize voters in your communities to do the same. Spend some time educating your networks about voter registration deadlines, especially in jurisdictions that don’t allow same day registration and voting. Remember: elections are the foundation of our democracy. Your vote matters! |
| May 18 | Sports and politics share an incredible overlap in language; e.g. “hit it out of the park,” “run out the clock,” and “swing for the fences.” As a former competitive athlete, I often look to techniques from sports psychology to help guide and support the hard work that advocacy requires. These include: developing mental toughness; motivational self-talk; focusing and reflection. In the sharp-elbowed world of politics we live in today, we often find ourselves across the table from individuals with whom we have little in common. To advance psychological science and address the many challenges facing society, we must be willing to put ourselves in situations that challenge us to go outside our comfort zones. As is the case with sports, practice is key to advocacy as well. We know we have greater impact when we invest energy in preparing for these difficult interactions in advance. In addition, both individually and as a team, we must be honest about our strengths and weaknesses in order to best determine where to focus our mental energy. We push ourselves to develop goals and focus on what we want to happen in our engagements by applying the “right time, right place, right messenger” test. And, just like in any sport, you will find advocacy requires a lot of positive self-talk – even for seasoned advocates. Some of the Advocacy team’s favorites include, “say the words you mean,” “listen, listen, listen,” “it’s showtime,” and “educate, don’t lecture.” With politics turning more and more into a contact sport, looking to sports psychology is a win-win for advocacy. |
| April 6 | A little over seven months from now are the Midterm elections. These elections will decide which party controls the U.S. Senate and House, and how the states will address issues ranging from taxes and defense policies to pandemic recovery and mental health. The results could impact the Biden administration’s ability to advance their policy priorities. With close to 7,000 state and federal seats up for election on November 8, 2022, including 36 governors, the stakes are high. One of the most important points in the political process for advocates to participate in is the primaries that are already in full swing. The month of May has primaries scheduled for NC, IN, OH, NE, WV, KY, OR, PA, ID, AL and GA. June and August are also big months for key primaries. Check your states’ election websites and ensure you are registered to vote. Then plan to engage not only by voting, but also by encouraging others in your community to vote. Voting is an important way to bring the voice of psychology forward in your communities and ensure it is represented in your elected leaders. |
| March 9 | We have all heard about the importance of the proverbial elevator pitch. The length of an average elevator pitch is 118 seconds. That isn’t much time to get the attention of the policymaker. To prepare a good elevator speech, start by writing down the thoughts you want to convey. This should include a concise “ask;” for example, to oppose/support a bill or regulations, sign a letter, etc. Also write down your best personal story that helps propel your request for action. After doing that, if you are like most of us, you will find you have written between 250-500 words. Getting your passion for the issue on paper will help crystalize what is truly important to communicate. Now shrink your message. Really shrink it and preserve the key elements in 150 words. Remember that your goal is to get the policymaker’s attention and spur them to engage on the topic with you. |
| February 25 | Some of the best advice I ever received about “trying to get to yes” with someone I share next to nothing in common was to pause and check your emotions. Inspiring others to join your cause is hard work and requires grit and patience. It is okay to fully declare how you feel with a trusted friend, but not okay to fully reveal your feelings on hard policy issues with someone you are trying to educate and persuade. Realize that the person you are trying to win over is probably carrying the burden of their own experiences and starting the conversation in a defensive posture. Stay calm. Share the science. By checking your emotions, you can put yourself in a position of understanding and begin the process of “getting to yes.” (That advice came from Senator Ted Kennedy almost 20 years ago.) |
| February 9 | Psychology has a lot to say about impression formation and the differences between face-to-face and virtual communication. Eye contact is considered one of the most important non-verbal cues in communication. What does that mean for virtual advocacy and effectively communicating advocacy priorities? Covid has brought about a fresh round of studies confirming that maintaining eye contact with the web camera is crucial to impression formation. Camera angle is important. A high angle is reported to give off a more likeable presence. Low angles give off a negative vibe (think nose shots!) and are never flattering. Think about positioning your talking points in front of you and not off to the side. If you need to take notes during a virtual meeting, signal verbally to the person on the other end of the virtual meeting what you are going to do. This is important because continually glancing away and not maintaining eye contact could be misconstrued as trying to push faulty data or not being interested in what the other person has to say. If you want to effectively communicate what psychological science has to say about any given issue impacting society and present yourself as friendly and trustworthy, practice maintaining good eye contact with the web camera. |
| January 14 | It’s a new year. It’s critical to take a moment to reestablish contact with key policymakers and coalition members who you may need to rely upon in the coming months. Write a simple “Happy New Year” email or handwritten note and carefully place your advocacy priority in the note as a reminder of the issue that is most important to you. Take an upbeat approach. Reach out and connect before the end of January to ensure you are on their radar. Beating others to the “first touch” will go a long way to being front of mind. |
2021
| December 15 | Do you know the key decisionmakers in your community? Do you know the key legislators in your state? How much do you really know about them? Don’t let the past voting record of lawmakers and officials get in your way. When you are looking for new avenues to educate lawmakers on your advocacy priorities, look below the surface of their public persona. Investigate your legislator’s current and past employment, volunteer work, favorite hobby, high school, college or university, and more. Find out what makes them tick. By digging deeper and going beyond their voting record, you can find a connection upon which to build common ground. Start doing this work now. The earlier you build champions the more likely they are to prioritize your issue when you need them. Let us know about your work and connections. Together we can leverage relationships to advance the profession and discipline of psychology! |
| November 18 | What is everyday advocacy? The first step is reflecting on what you are already doing in your work. If it makes it easier, start with a simple set of affirmative statements and fill in the blanks to capture what you’re already doing in your community to help address issues you care about. For example, “I provide ___”; “I help ___”; “I contribute __”; “I educate ___”; “I teach ___”; “I show ___”; and “I buy ___.” Do you educate adults in your community on the importance of self-care? Do you buy linguistically and culturally appropriate books for immigrant children to read? Do you provide psychological expertise in public health advocacy in the courts? Just by filling in one single advocacy affirmation means you are participating in advocacy. Remember, lobbying is only one form of advocacy. Most people think that lobbying and advocacy are synonymous. They are not. Everyday advocacy – meeting people where they are and where you are – goes a long way to advancing the role of psychological science in addressing many of society’s challenges. |
| October 21 | One of the best ways to build new linkages to coalitions and promote the value of psychology and psychological science is to offer yourself as a subject matter expert (SME). Through in-person and virtual email introductions, you can promote yourself as a psychologist who has a proven track record in combatting racial injustice; a researcher who knows how to communicate psychological science to the media; a state leader who possesses the legislative history on mental health parity; or an academic who has personal insights into the effects of COVID-19 on cognitive abilities over time. Be bold. When talking to legislators and other advocate and officials, referring to yourself as an SME will set you apart from others and help build trust with audiences you are hoping to educate and persuade. |
| October 6 | When trying to persuade someone, first try setting aside your own assumptions. Investigate what the other person believes and then chart their beliefs alongside your own. It might take going to the 5,000 feet level; maybe 10,000 feet level; and often all the way up to the 30,000 feet level before you can find something you can both agree on. Then logically start the conversation and begin building a connection based on points of agreement. You have to meet people where they are to begin the process of moving them to where you want them to be. (P.S., I have started bridging the divide many times with the only commonality being that we both love lakes and mountains!) |
| September 22 | Psychological science informs advocacy strategies and tactics in many ways – from listening skills to observing social cues. An important skill that takes practice is perfecting the art of asking a good question when meeting with those you seek to educate and persuade. Be it working with patients or pursuing data in research, psychologists know that asking good questions often starts with asking about an individual or group experience, clarifying confusing statements, or asking for additional information about a subject. Remember that the most powerful questions when interacting with people who you are seeking to better understand are those that reflect active listening and a serious attempt at understanding the other person's perspective. The first step is to acknowledge grains of understanding through paraphrasing the other person’s responses. Using open-ended questions with no hidden agenda will get your further in establishing new relationships in your network. |
| September 9 | Tis the Season to attend an in-person or virtual Congressional Town Hall! Members of Congress are largely still working in the district until mid-September. Town Halls are the primary way members hear from their constituents, while also pitching what they have done for you while in office. Check your Member of Congress' website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed to find the date and location for future meetings. If you don't know what Congressional district you live in, go to www.house.gov or www.senate.gov and enter your zip code. Then prepare! Write down 1-2 statements or questions you want to make or ask at the Town Hall. Personalize your message with lived experiences that help advance the discipline and practice of psychology. After, stay in touch with your Congressional Office to continue building the relationship. Contact advocacy@apa.org if you have any questions. |
| July 28 | Make sure to take advantage of the opportunity the August recess provides to connect with members of Congress and their staff! Each year, Congress traditionally recesses for the month of August so that members can travel back to their districts or states to spend time with family, engage with constituents, and attend campaign events. While some congressional staff travel with the members of Congress, others stay in Washington, D.C. to continue important legislative work in preparation for when Congress reconvenes in September. For this reason, August recess is a terrific time to follow up with Congressional staff on issues you may have advocated on earlier in the year and is a great time to connect with lawmakers at home – especially at Town Halls, which are frequently held to engage with constituents. |
| July 14 | Using relevant research in your advocacy efforts that is up-to-date is core to persuading policymakers to take action. Supporting your “asks” for policy changes with psychological science gives you credibility. Advocates can use their own research or that of others to make their strongest arguments for change. Research also can give you the confidence you might need to approach a policymaker and present your case. Contact APA Advocacy if you need research assembled to help in your advocacy efforts. |
| June 30 | Did you know that the most effective time to influence legislation is before a bill is introduced? While only Members of Congress can introduce bills, the idea behind a bill can come from anyone – including you, the constituent. Psychologists have a long history of working with their elected officials to introduce legislation, which has since been enacted into law. For example, in 2003, a group of psychologists in college counseling centers worked with their federal lawmakers to introduce the Campus Care and Counseling Act, which would provide funds to help expand campus-based mental and behavioral health services for college students. Eventually, this legislation was passed as part of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. Today, administered by SAMHSA, this program provides approximately $7 million each year to support campus-based mental health and suicide prevention services. |
| June 16 | Ever wonder how to request a meeting with a meeting with your Member of Congress or Congressional Staff? The process is easier than you think! Simply call the Congressional office, identify yourself as a constituent and where you are from, and then ask the individual who answers the phone (likely a Staff Assistant or Receptionist) for the full name and email address for the Staffer who covers the issue area you want to discuss (e.g. health, education, housing, climate change, immigration, etc.). After you receive the contact the Staffer’s contact information, send a short email to them directly requesting a meeting. Click here for more information and text for a sample meeting request. |
| May 19 | Get to know your local, state and federal public officials BEFORE you need their help. Be proactive! There is a hierarchy of impact in advocacy engagement: A meeting is better than a phone call, a phone call is better than an e-mail, and an e-mail is better than no contact. Even if you don't have a specific legislative request, reach out to your lawmaker or his/her staff to start building the relationship. Discuss your work, expertise, and where your work overlaps with the lawmakers' priorities. Offer yourself as a resource to the office in the future. |
| May 5 | Keep A.C.T. in mind when shaping your personal story to inform your advocacy interactions and efforts: be authentic; make a connection; and offer people a taste of who you are. Remember to meet people where they are when sharing your personal experiences. Empathy is powerful. |
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