Description
Keynote/Opening Presentation:Abstract: What contribution can psychotherapy make to addressing the major social, political, and environmental threats of our time? In this presentation—based on his recent book Psychology at the Heart of Social Change (BUP, 2023), and through the development of the Therapy and Social Change network—Mick will suggest that psychotherapeutic theory and practice has a unique and important part to play. This is through a variety of ways. First, psychotherapy can help us deepen our understanding of why social difficulties, such as authoritarianism, arise, and how they can be tackled. Second, psychotherapeutic practices, client-by-client, can contribute to more peaceful, mindful, and thriving citizens. Third, practices informed by psychotherapeutic ideas, such as nonviolent communication and social and emotional learning, have the potential to enhance cooperative and empathic modes of relating—including in political systems, themselves. Finally, by looking at parallels across intra- and interpersonal processes of change, we can help to develop an understanding of the system-wide principles by which ‘better’ can be achieved. Psychotherapists should be confident that their ideas and practices have the potential to change the world—not in isolation, but in collaboration with those others also striving for greater social cooperation, justice, and peace.
Estimated audience numbers (if applicable)
250| Period | 23 Nov 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | UKCP Conference 2024: Psychotherapy in a Changing World |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | London, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |
Related content
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Projects
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Psychotherapy and Social Change
Project: Other