The Changing Face of Therapy

It's Complicated 's first annual gathering, The Changing Face of Therapy, left a lasting impression. Although we can't quite recall why we named it that, the event certainly revealed the many interesting facets, flavors, or genres of therapy (if we draw an analogy to music, which we, at It's Complicated, compulsively do).

The talks throughout the day showcased the diversity of Berlin's therapy scene:

Nicolás Lorenzini introduced the concept of epistemic trust as a common factor in successful therapies.?Susanne Stauch ?explored the connection between current trauma research and ancient healing methods of the Q'ero Nation from Peru.?Valentina Calandra ?presented a feminist, radical psychology, offering new perspectives on the therapist's practice.?Oriane Madray ?discussed the effectiveness of a holistic therapeutic approach combining hypnotherapy, family constellations, and energy healing.?Noémie GMüR ?shed light on the significance of boundaries and consent in therapeutic practice. And Tamara Romaniuk delved into coregulation and community growth within Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory.

To keep things engaging, we organized the talks in a Pecha Kucha-inspired format, with each 20-minute presentation followed by lively group discussions on the respective themes.

We therapists have a reputation for being somewhat unconventional and experimental, and that vibe was definitely felt by non-therapists attending the event. After the last presentation, we took things to another level with not just any kind of live therapy session, but a psychotherapeutic tattoo session. If you're wondering what that entails, I can give you a brief first-hand account, since I volunteered to be the client, with Yosef Starkin, a relational psychotherapist, leading the session.

I chose a topic that was personally meaningful, exploring my feelings towards my oldest child's love. We discussed the challenges of connecting and loving while maintaining boundaries - which led us to role-play and even some hand wrestling. The session concluded with me selecting an image from a set of flashcards that captured the essence of our emotional journey. You can see the end result, a carefully chosen image designed by Yosef's talented partner, the art therapist and tattooist Limor, in the second image of this post. This image is now a permanent reminder on my leg, symbolizing a wild climax to the day.

The evening continued in our garden, with mezze, chardonnay, and conversations sparked by the talks and live session. Finally, we moved the party indoors on account of a sound-sensitive neighbor and did 5 hours of B2B DJing, with the It's Complicated team and our friends playing their favorite tunes. And now, I have a tamed wolf tattooed on my ankle, not just as a memento of the 12 hours of enriching conversations but as a constant reminder that therapy deserves celebration.

Until next year! ??