The American Association for the Advancement of Tension Control was founded in 1973 as an interdisciplinary effort encompassing the fields of dentistry, education, medicine, physical therapy, psychology, and speech pathology. The broad purpose was to facilitate the acquisition, dissemination, and application of sound knowledge for the benefit of society throughout the world. Annual meetings were held through 1978 with dues-paying members numbering almost 1000. Name changes were first to the International Stress and Tension-Control Association and then to the International Stress Management Association (ISMA) whereupon international meetings were held in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1988, and 1992. ISMA is flourishing, with meetings planned for The Netherlands (1995) and Australia (1996).