Dear Colleagues,
SOTO-A continues to evolve, leading the charge with the standardisation of SOT education worldwide and always striving to improve the quality of our service and products. Later this year we will be launching our new look for the organisation, a well overdue revamp and sprucing up of all our printed material and a brand new website. Our aim is to provide a more contemporary and accessible way of relating to the organisation, to improve our relationship with the membership, and strengthen our image as a leading progressive Chiropractic technique.

Research is becoming an integral part of our SOT education and is essential for the technique to thrive, being valid and justified in the public eyes. SOTO-International have people ready to assist you in writing up any case studies and I would like to see the membership work together to test new ideas and combine the collective results. Our membership can function as a readymade team that together can support an evidence based technique. I encourage everyone to consider formalising their clinical results as this will assist in the strengthening of our profession and of SOT.

We have responded to your feedback from our survey we sent out late last year. The requested topic of Dental/TMJ was addressed at our Annual Convention last year in Melbourne and Paediatrics will once again be covered at this years Annual Convention in the Barossa SA. From the survey, one aspect of the organisation that needed improving was the sense of camaraderie between the members. I hope that our mid year retreat in Fiji starts an annual trend, drawing families together, sharing and supporting each other. Another way this will be addressed will be via online forums and blogs on our new website, due out in a couple of months. Here, observations, case studies, and general discussions can take place. This will be literally a combined source of knowledge from all our members as a collective. This will be a great location to share and learn and evolve our technique to a new height.

On a very sad note I would like to bring to the attention of the membership of the passing of Dr Eeva Heinonen. Eeva has practiced SOT in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Finland and the UK for the last 20 years. She has been a great advocate for SOT worldwide,attended many SOT Homecomings and will be missed by her friends in the SOT community and the many people she has touched with her vibrant and healing nature. Our thoughts are with her husband Tony and her three children Sami, Sanna,and Sasha.

Dear Colleagues,

Christmas has crept up on me this year and just as I am starting to enjoy the festive frivolities it will be over in days. It will then be full steam ahead into 2012 and the SOT calender year starts again.

This year, we have enjoyed meeting many new Doctors to SOT at our Seminar Series and hopefully influenced the clinical methods of students and doctors alike.

It was great to reconnect with our South Australian members with the Series and Annual Convention both held there this year. Next year it is back up north to the Gold Coast for Annual Convention so mark it in your calendars now.

Our AGM held in November saw the passing of two resolutions. The first was an increase in our Annual fees with an increase each year according to CPI. The second was a proposal to change the official name of our Organisation from "technique " to "technic". Thank you to all who contributed to discussions regarding these resolutions, in particular Andrew Paul, Ross Gilmore and Suzanne Seekins from SORSI who attended the meeting, sharing the historical perspective surrounding these changes. Also one of our long term Board members and Vice President Dr Sandy Clark stepped down after 9 years of service. He has been a fundamental member of the Executive and I thank him for his contribution to serving SOT over these years. Sandy remains part of our Primary Educating Team for 2012. Our newest Board member is Dr Tory Wright. We always look forward to fresh and enthusiastic members joining the Board and Tory has already contributed by setting up and managing the SOTO-A facebook page. Her role as University Liason delegate will sure inspire many students to attend SOT conferences next year.

Congratulations to those practitioners who passed the SOT Certification exams held over the Annual Convention weekend. You, other SOT members and the public now know you understand SOT to an International Standard and you can now use the International Mark of Excellence in your offices.

Craniopathic Examinations will be held in March and October next year and Basic and Advanced in October only. We have decided to hold them in a capital city for easy access and separate to the Annual Convention for a change. I hope this helps to encourage more of our members to gain certification in SOT and strive for excellence. Please contact Averil if this interests you.

SOT Retreat Planned for 2012!

SOTO-A is planning to hold another mid year retreat off our shores in August again so I will keep everyone informed as things progress with this. If Fiji is anything to go by, it will be another great gathering of friends and families in SOT.

The Seminar Series is now taught as an International Standard presentation. Please revisit these revised and refined notes in the near future, especially if its been a long time since learning the basic principles of SOT.

SOT International News

In a first for the International SOT community, the SOTO-International annual meeting was held outside the USA this year. In a major coup for SOTO-A, it was held at the Annual Convention in the Barossa last month. In attendance was Steve Williams (SOTO-E President), Suzanne Seekins (outgoing SORSI President), Sandy Clark, Gerald Vargas and myself. One of the many topics discussed was the role SOTO-A has played in leading the SOT teaching protocol around the globe. Your Board has achieved many great advancements in SOT of recents years and I feel that SOT is in a much greater united and strengthened position than ever before. I was honoured to be voted President of SOTO-I for this following year. My first task is to support and help develop the emerging SOTO organisations in Chile and Brazil. Next year's International meeting is to be held in Tokyo Japan, hosted by PAAC, the SOT organisation there. PAAC have agree to develop a new organisation,SOTO-Japan, in keeping in line with the global rebranding of the International SOT Alliance.

Congratulations

I was honoured to present our past President Dr Brett Houlden with a Life membership to SOTO-Australasia at the Saturday night function at Wolf Blass vineyard. Whilst this was not unexpected by most, Brett was taken by surprise and was left speechless for once. Well deserved and congratulations again.

Early next year, SOTO-A plans to host a training day for all SOT Educators. It has been many years since we have put on a "Train the Trainer" workshop and they are imperative if our standard of education is to maintain its high level of excellence. Becoming an exceptional presenter take time, practice and proper tools of the craft. I do encourage all Table, Assistant Table, and Primary Educators to endeavour to be there. Particularly those wishing to join our Primary Educating Team.

Merry Christmas and stay well,

Darren Little