Key Note Speakers

Richard F. Mollica

Topic: Moving Beyond the Enormity Problem; Tackling the Global Refugee Crisis

Abstract:

The world is wounded.  We are facing global catastrophes of enormous proportions: climate change, degradation of the natural world and ecocide, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  These crises are resulting in historic levels of mass migration and displacement.  This lecture focuses on the care and recovery of climate change refugees by reviewing:

  1. The magnitude of the problem
  2. The integration of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the new H5 Model
  3. Healing and recovery by addressing environment/nature-related:
    1. environmental justice
    2. healing power of nature
    3. healing (built) environment

Because the causes of forced displacement and migration are due to climate change and the destruction of the environment, recovery must occur by engaging the natural world.  Suffering caused by violence to nature must be healed through nature.  This approach, called by a new term medicus naturae, or doctor of nature, is presented.

Richard F. Mollica is Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Director of the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HPRT) at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since 1981, Dr. Mollica and HPRT have pioneered the medical and mental health care of survivors of mass violence and torture in the U.S. and abroad. Under his direction, the HPRT conducts clinical, training, policy, and research activities for populations affected by mass violence around the world. He is currently active in clinical work, research, and the development of a Global Mental Health curriculum, focusing on trauma and recovery. The Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery certificate program at HMS, now in its 16th year, is the first of its kind in global mental health and post- conflict/disaster care. The program now has 1000 alumni working in over 85 countries.  Dr. Mollica also co-founded with his Italian colleagues the Italian National Trauma Center (INTC).  The INTC focuses on recovery in the central Italian earthquake zone (Norcia) and on care of COVID-19 survivors (Rome).  Dr. Mollica has published over 160 scientific manuscripts.  His first book was Healing Invisible Wounds: Paths to Hope and Recovery in a Violent World (2006), and his most recent book is A Manifesto: Healing a Violent World (2018).


Izumi Kadamoto

Topic: The Flow of the River is Incessant

Abstract:

Human beings may be animals that hate unintended change. To get permanence and stability, we try to conquer the threat of nature, oppress others, and sometimes persist to live unhappy lives. In this context, continuance and avoiding change seem to be right and justified.

However, is unintended change the opposite of peace and safety? Is there anything that never
changes at all? Or can we only say that there are no things that don’t change?
The speaker will share some ideas with the audience on complicated feelings toward impermanence and their relations with physis, courage in ourselves.

Izumi Kadomoto, TSTA(P), PhD, is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in Tokyo. She has about thirty-year experience as a governmental professional in the judicial system in Japan. She has been working with delinquents and prisoners using Transactional Analysis.


Dr. Sylvia Schachner

Topic: We do not ask Life – Life asks Us (Viktor Frankl) 

Living and growing up in an increasingly complex world

Abstract:

During the last months, we have been confronted with situations we would have never predicted or expected before. Through the health crises of Covid-19 and the climate change crisis, we can no longer avoid confronting ourselves with some existential questions and decisions.

Coming from the educational field the main point of my lecture will be dir

ected to the consequences for development, training, and education. Learning and teaching concern all of us independent of our age or profession.

We must deal with the following questions: What do people, especially grown-ups, need to develop and to build resilience in this world that steadily becomes more and more complex?
How can we develop respect and humility for our environment and the planet?
How and in what ways can the philosophy and the models of TA support and stimulate these processes?

I will not give answers to these questions – my aim is to stimulate questions, thinking, and discussions. If we use the synergy of our competencies, experiences, and knowledge we will manage the challenges of today to build the best conditions for tomorrow.

My name is Sylvia Schachner and I live and work in Vienna, Austria.
I have a degree – a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Vienna and a Professional Degree from the Pedagogical University of Vienna in Education for Primary School.
Since 2018 I am also a TSTA in the field of education.

I have taught children in primary school for more than 20 years. At the same time, I have worked as a psychologist. I have coached children with learning disabilities and advised their parents. Now, I am working as an Educational Manager, I develop different educational projects with teachers and pupils in their classrooms and I am also a school development counsellor and lecturer at the Pedagogical University of Vienna.

In private practice, I am offering TA Trainings and supervision on a national and international levels. My favourite topics are diversity and cultural differences and how to include and use TA models for learning and teaching processes.

On these topics, I have published some articles in German and English in various journals.

At the moment, I am president-elect for EATA.


Sue Eusden

Topic: Ordinary Acts in Extraordinary Times

Abstract:

In these challenging times, we rightly applaud those who step up with extraordinary responsiveness. Health care workers across the world have exemplified this since the start of the pandemic and have been hailed as heroes. For many, the cloak of the superhero is experienced as an oppressive demand to keep going at all costs.

In contrast to such heroics, I will bring our attention to small but significant acts of courage. Drawing on my doctoral research I will explore the experiences of helping professionals’ ordinary acts of courage in daring to ask for help with assertiveness and vulnerability in the hope of being met with dignity.

Sue Eusden is a UKCP registered psychotherapist, supervisor, and trainer TSTA (P). She completed her doctorate on the experience of therapists asking for help and is currently writing a book following her research. She received the EATA Gold medal in 2019 and is the author of several articles and book chapters with a particular interest in ethics in clinical practice. Sue lives in Gloucestershire in the UK.