Conference Agenda

As the intersectional complexities of the challenges we are facing in society today proliferate across social-ecological levels, radical change is tracking along the fault lines of power and oppression accelerating inequities across all aspects of human and more-than-human life. Collective imaginaries are needed to reworld endogenous participatory ontologies capable of disentangling from hierarchal introjections, liberating the unique beauty and genius within each of us to become manifest in a new social order. Prolonged activation of the stress-response systems in our minds and bodies, however, are suppressing the imaginal capacities necessary for a salutary response from disadvantaged populations. What then are we to do? Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are proven to support development of effective coping and appraisal skills, yet their focus has largely been calibrated to decrease negative functioning. Could this sociopolitical environment produce the conditions that serve as the catalyst for the development of an innovative transformational contemplative practice?

A transdisciplinary developmental framework guided by the mindfulness to meaning theory was applied to create a new 8-week MBI: Mindfulness-Based Eudaimonic Wellbeing (MBEW). Salutogenic activities operationalizing elements of eudaimonic well-being grounded in Aristotelian philosophies of eudaimonia and the hero/ heroine archetype of comparative mythology were integrated into mindfulness meditation practices to produce liminal cognoaffectiveinteroceptive ecologies animating endogenous paradigms of personal and collective selfhood as an approach to upend systemic barriers (e.g., social, psychological, material) to self-determined flourishing.

A mixed-methods feasibility and pilot testing of MBEW was conducted in a community-based setting with disadvantaged adults. Results demonstrate significant changes in stress (decrease) and mindfulness (increase). Additionally, to my knowledge, this is the first MBI study to demonstrate significant changes in the ‘total score’ of Ryff’s scales of psychological wellbeing (eudaimonic wellbeing). Participants completed qualitative interviews articulating in their own words the positive impact MBEW has had on their lives.

Early adulthood is a period of profound transitions, where young adults establish independence, build differentiated relationships, and consolidate their professional paths.

This study explores how young adults, focused on professional development, actively construct their identities through participation in a personal development group, highlighting the interplay between social interaction and individual transformation. Group participation served as a transformative experience, enabling self-reflection and the dialectical construction of identity through interaction and mirroring among members.

Adopting a systemic–dialectical and narrative approach, this qualitative study emphasizes lived experience, relational dynamics, and co-construction of meaning. Data were collected from eight personal and professional development sessions involving eight participants, members of this group, meeting weekly for two-hour sessions over one to three years. These sessions were coordinated by three systemic psychotherapists. The data analysis focused on the transcripts of session discussions.

Identity is understood as a cyclical, social process, through which participants come to know themselves, claim their positions, and seek recognition within relational and group contexts.

Participants’ journeys revealed a dynamic process of self-discovery: clarifying values and beliefs, navigating uncertainty, confronting responsibility and fear, and negotiating personal pathways. Revisiting personal narratives with openness to vulnerability highlighted the transformative nature of the process, while reconciling with the inner critic fostered acceptance of self and significant others. Participants developed resilience amidst relational turbulence, shaped meaningful aspirations, and balanced desire and fear to pursue their goals iteratively, without nostalgia, while attending to survival and self-care.

These findings demonstrate how systemic–dialectical and narrative practices enhance qualitative research by revealing how social interaction fosters agency, reflection, and transformative development in early adulthood, offering practical insights for counseling, education, and organizational practice.

Despite self-actualisation (SA) being an influential concept, as testified by numerous academic publications, most research on the subject is quantitative. Even though there are some phenomenological qualitative research projects on SA, they all focus on very specific target populations. This qualitative study, therefore, attempted to make a contribution toward filling this gap in current literature. The aim was to examine the subjective view of SA of participants living in Greece. A maximum variation sample was employed, consisting of seven participants. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The epistemological standpoint was phenomenological. A data-driven, inductive analysis was implemented, following the six stages of reflexive thematic analysis designed by Braun and Clarke (2022). For many participants SA meant realising professional goals related to their natural inclinations, establishing harmonious relationships and achieving desired mental states such as equanimity, happiness, creativity and contentment. Despite a degree of homogeneity there were also important differences. Some participants valued autonomy while others sought fulfilment by being part of something bigger than themselves. Material wealth was essential for only a few of the participants. Other participants emphasised the importance of being of service to others and making a positive contribution to the world. Implications, applications, limitations and future research were also discussed.

The study of group process in psychotherapy has been the subject of extensive scientific research over the past decades, highlighting the importance of its investigation. Based on systemic–dialectical epistemology, and in particular on the theory of the dialogical self, the Synallactic Collective Image Technique (SCIT) developed by Vassiliou & Vassiiou has been applied in various psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational contexts. The core of the technique lies in the co-creation of relationships among group members through the stimulation of verbal and nonverbal modes of communication while simultaneously revealing deeper, unconscious functions. A central element of the process is the shared drawing, which emerges collectively in real time and space, functioning as an analog representation of the group’s cohesion and dynamics while also opening channels of connection among the members. This presentation describes the application of the SCIT technique with an emphasis on the role of the shared drawing, as well as its benefits for group cohesion and communication. The presentation links group functioning with the principles of systems theory, neuroplasticity, and interpersonal neurobiology, emphasizing the importance of analog communication and participatory creation for the group’s psycho-emotional development and cohesion. Finally, it underscores the profound significance of the group process as a counterbalance to the pervasive individualism and existential isolation of contemporary society, illuminating the enduring value of coexistence, mutual interdependence, and communal connectedness.

This study investigates contemporary perceptions of love among young people in Greek society through a qualitative phenomenological approach. This approach was chosen as the most suitable to gain an in-depth understanding of participants’ subjective experiences and to illuminate the complex social phenomena that shape perceptions of love. The material was collected through semi-structured interviews with five participants aged 18–25. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which revealed four main categories: the definition of love, associated with emotions such as jealousy, romance, and happiness; the stages of love (excitement, duration, maintenance, commitment); the influence of love on social relationships (conflict, distancing, autonomy); and the impact of social and technological changes on contemporary understandings and expressions of love (social media, historical comparison, new forms of love).

The findings highlight the multidimensional nature of love. Certain aspects, such as its definition, stages, and the emotional co-dependence of partners, appear to remain stable over time, while others shift in line with broader social trends. For instance, alongside co-dependence, participants emphasized the importance of autonomy, noting greater equality in modern relationships and increased freedom in partner choice compared to the past. The rise of social media in partner-seeking was viewed as contributing to a more superficial perception of love among young people, yet they continue to struggle with the transition from love to lasting commitment. Finally, while exclusivity was regarded by most as a fundamental element, some participants expressed openness to new forms of romantic relationships within a polyamorous framework.