Inger Acking was nominated for the Robert and Mary Goulding Social Justice Award because of her lifelong commitment to social justice and redecision therapy, her voluntary contributions to ITAA and the TA community, and her unconditional, loving support to Mary Goulding and Muriel James during their final years.
Gloria Noriega describes how after moving from Sweden to the US in the early 1970s, Inger trained in redecision therapy with the Gouldings and has worked as a psychotherapist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her commitment to social justice has been central in her life through her personal and professional actions. These include volunteering time and support at ITAA conferences; offering personal support to ITAA staff member Ken Fogleman during his last illness; supporting civil rights activists in California fighting for same-sex marriages; providing financial assistance through a college education fund for two African-American girls who otherwise had minimal resources; regularly visiting and providing support to Muriel James, educating staff at Muriel’s long-term memory care residence so that they more fully appreciated who Muriel was, and facilitating communications with and for Muriel when she was unable to do so on her own; directly caring for and continuing an aspect of Mary Goulding’s legacy, the “Women’s Workshop” at Isla Mujeres (Women’s Island) in Mexico, a female space for women in life transitions, which Inger has continued to facilitate in person and more recently via Zoom; and welcoming Mary into her home when Mary’s circumstances were compromised in her later years and offering respectful, staunch friendship as Mary’s health declined.
Inger’s empathic, respectful support for Mary Goulding, Muriel James, and other elder women in our community exemplifies equalitarian values and awareness of cultural injustices and human rights. Janice Dowson commented on how Inger demonstrates the core principles of the Gouldings’ theory through promotion of social justice, personal responsibility, direct action, and affirming relationships: “Over the past 5 years, Inger has been a stalwart member of the NATAA Inclusion, Equity and Social Action Committee (IESAC), joined the NATAA Council, and now serves as IESAC Chair and NATAA Council representative for IESAC.
Inger is a solid team member who prioritizes realizing team goals through humbly contributing wherever help is needed, often in unrecognized ways. Additionally, Inger was a key member of IESAC when the committee ignited the idea for a free, quality, online TA 101 course, thus promoting principles of equity and inclusion by making foundational TA information accessible worldwide to anyone through Project TA101.
In her professional work, Inger provides affordable counseling to a diverse population in an underserved community. Others who wrote to endorse this award for Inger included Felipe Garcia, Bob Hempel, and additional members of the Isla Group, among them Reiko True, Brenda Bary, Roberta Fischer, Susana Ifland, Karyn Krawford, Melanie McGhee, Ksenija Popadic, and Karen Swander.
Used by permission The Script April 2022.
