Ash Point Publishing

Beginning in the Summer of 2020, The New Global Professional School of Psychology (PSP) has brought together, under the auspices of Ash Point Publishing, three publishing centers that address the application of professional psychology wisdom and practices in three different ways. Ash Point has also began publishing more than 30 psychologically-based inventories, each of which is based in solid reearch and scholarship as well as widespred use in both organizational consulting and executive coaching engagements.

The Publishing Centers

These three publishing centers complement PSP’s already established and highly successful Library of Professional Psychology. One of these publications centers has been in operation for many years (having been established in California during the 1970s and having published numerous books over the past four decades). The other two publishing ventures are newly established.

Following are the three publishing centers under Ash Point Publishing.

The Professional Psychology Press

This newly-founded publishing center focuses on four major areas: (1) personality and interpersonal psychology, (2) health psychology, (3) organizational psychology, and (4) clinical psychology. These books provide guidance in the application of psychological principles and practices to contemporary issues at a personal, interpersonal, group and organizational level.

Pacific Soundings Press

Founded 40 years ago, this publishing center focuses on Postsecondary Education and is operated in conjunction with the Postsecondary Education division of PSP (operating through the Postsecondary Portal website). Books generally concern the application of psychological principles and practices to such initiatives as professional development curriculum development and assessment (at the level of student, department and institution).

Atlantic Soundings Press

This newly established press focuses on the application of psychological perspectives and practices to broad societal issues. Initial publications focus on the working conditions of women throughout the world, the developmental opportunities and challenges associated with later mid-life, and the current conditions of complexity, unpredictability, turbulence and profound contradictions that challenge us in our personal, organizational and communal life.

The “Living” Book

Editorial Vision of Ash Point Publishing

The Static Book

Traditionally books were published in print form and distributed, read and archived without any changes ever being made (or even possible given its printed form). Even with the introduction of digital publications, it was assumed that the “printed” word remains unchanged. A mechanistic/closed system perspective on publication.

The Living Book

Digital publishing allows for the creation of publications that are growing, changing, dialogic in nature and format. An organic/open system perspective on publication.

Level One: the publication can include both written words and video recordings (through use of Vimeo and other modes of digital storage). The reader is introduced to the author “talking” about their work, as well as (potentially) other people commenting on the work (via video recording) in the midst of the written document.

Level Two: the publication is changing, with the author(s) including new material, based on comments regarding earlier versions and their own reflection on the work. The work is always “in progress.” The video recordings influence the ongoing work.

Level Three: the publication is set within a broader dialogic framework, with brief digital presentations by the author and/or question/answer/commentary sessions being part of what the “reader” purchases (subscribes to). In a more expansive format, the “book” can be incorporated in a workshop program or even complete certification/academic credit-generating program. Content from the digital presentations/dialogues being incorporated in the publication: there is full integration of the printed word and the enacted (and recorded) dialogue.

Many of the publications associated with Ash Point Publishing are aligned with this vision of the “Living Book.”

The Inventories

In association with Ash Point Publishing, the Center for Personal and Organizational Assessment (CPOA) has prepared suites of inventories and related documents over the past thirty years that have been used extensively throught the world in training programs, as well as consulting and coaching sessions. They have also appeared in several widely read books that offer concepts and research findings related to these CPOA documents.

CPOA assessment instruments are distinctive in several important ways. First, all of the CPOA inventories are based on extensive research and scholarship. They are theory-rich and thus lend themselves to enhanced dialogue between a coach or consultant and their client. While many other inventories might have been derived from analysis of data gathered from large sources (the so-called empirically based inventories) they are likely to offer numbers that are interesting and perhaps valid–yet not yield the kind of insightful conversations that a theory-based assessment can produce.

Each of these theory-based CPOA inventories come in a packet of five printed booklets each with a copy of the inventory, score sheet, scoring range, and description of the concepts and theories that provide a foundation for the inventory.

Second, most of the assessment instruments that focus on individual respondents provide three perspectives:
• the respondent’s own self-assessment,
• assessments of the respondent by other people, and
• assessment of the organizational environment (climate/culture) in which the respondent works and through which the respondent is being perceived by other people with whom they work.

In several instances, the respondent is also asked to predict how they think other people will perceive or judge their performance/behavior.

All of the printed CPOA inventories and booklets are available through Ash Point Publishing (a sub-division of The Professional School of Psychology.)

Large scale sampling: CPOA can create and administer a digital version of all its assessment instruments. This digital survey can be used for collection from multiple respondents (such as all members of a team, department or organization). CPOA can provides multiple levels of analysis regarding results obtained from this digital survey.

The CPOA catalogue: A listing and brief description of each assessment instrument is available by clicking on the following link:

CPOA Catalogue