Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 15th Sept 2026, 12:31:11pm EEST
|
Daily Overview |
| Session | |
|
Oral Session 7: Dialogical and Relational Processes in Therapy Location: Amphitheatre I (KEDEA) Session Chair: Prof. Tanja Repič Slavič, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology | |
    | |
Relational Family Therapy in Action: Supporting Affect Regulation through Role-Play in Family System University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology and Franciscan Family Institute, Slovenia This presentation introduces the Relational Family Therapy model, grounded in contemporary findings from developmental neuropsychology and systemic psychotherapy, which places affects and their regulation at the center of human experience and relational functioning. Early affective and relational experiences with primary caregivers shape brain development and influence patterns of emotional regulation that often manifest in couple and family relationships. The model will be demonstrated through a live role-play, providing participants with a practical view of key therapeutic concepts and interventions. The role-play will illustrate unconscious affective processes, interpersonal dynamics, and mutual emotional regulation within family systems. Special attention will be given to the therapist’s role as an active co-creator of a safe relational space, enabling recognition, slowing down, and regulation of intense affective states. Participants will also observe how families function as self-regulating relational systems, in which affects are continuously experienced, communicated, and managed. The demonstration will include examples of dysfunctional affect regulation, such as when children take on the role of emotional regulators, and show therapeutic strategies for transforming these patterns. The presentation will integrate relevant neuroscientific insights, including the role of the right hemisphere, emotional attunement, and affect regulation, to provide a framework for understanding the clinical rationale behind these interventions. This interactive session offers participants an observable and practical experience of the Relational Family Therapy approach, emphasizing its application in understanding relational dynamics, supporting affect regulation, and facilitating therapeutic change in family systems. *The authors would like to acknowledge the financial contribution of the research program ARIS P6-0262 Values in Judeo-Christian Sources and Tradition and Possibilities for Dialogue | |