The Hellenic Society for Psychoanalytic
Group Psychotherapy
Under the auspices of the University of Athens
2nd
Is organizing the
International Conference
Psychoanalysis and the Group
Held in Athens
Hotel Divani Palace Acropolis
From the 19th-22nd of May 2016
Under the theme of
Hope and Despair in
Groups, Institutions and
Society
Hope and despair concern, though are not confined to, intra-psychic and
inter-subjective states. As realistic aspects of a movement towards the completion of
mourning, hope and despair can be manifestations of the Ego's effort to retain
structure. When they are based on denial and narcissistic withdrawal they are
aspects of an incomplete process of mourning.
On the other hand, hope, just as despair, may unify but also divide. One can
be the result of the other, or the other aspect of the one. They may lead to change but
they can also fixate. The fear for one may lead to the other. They may be caused by
real events and objective situations, like crises - personal, collective or social - but
occasionally they are characterized by elements of excess, often irrational, which
lead to new and not uncommonly difficult to manage situations.
How do psychoanalytic theories and clinical practice in groups help us
approach and comprehend that which today may bring hope and despair, but also
what hope and despair may bring to groups, families, and institutions - psychiatric,
educational or other - as well as to society? Such are some of the matters we will
address in this conference.
The matter of training in group psychoanalytic psychotherapy is of interest as
well. In other words, what should such training comprise of? Almost 70 years since
the first psychoanalytic breakthrough in the clinical practice of small groups, how is
the relationship among psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic group psychotherapy
defined today and what is required of a professional in order for him/her to function
effectively as group psychotherapist?
Finally we wish - this is also the hope of the 2nd international conference
"Psychoanalysis and The Group" - for our conference to be a crossroads or even
better a meeting point, of different theoretical and clinical cultures, preferably
beyond linguistic barriers, thus allowing our reflections and ascertainments in our
theories and clinical practice to converse more freely for the benefit of the
advancement of group psychoanalytic psychotherapy and therefore our relationship
to the object of our mutual interest.
Invited keynote speakers: Robert Hinshelwood
Earl Hopper
René Kaës
Claudio Neri
Gila Ofer
Languages: Greek, English, French
Organizing agency: Triaena Tours & Congress S.A.