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, 12:30:27pm EEST
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Daily Overview |
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Oral Session 9: Dialogical Processes in Psychotherapy Location: Amphitheatre I (KEDEA) Session Chair: Prof. Georgia Gkantona, University of Ioannina | |
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The Practice of Dialogical and Relational Reflexivity: Navigating Power and Contradictions in Systemic Psychotherapy SYNICHISEIS KESYKEPSY GREECE Affiliation / Role: Dialogical/Systemic Psychotherapist Abstract: This paper explores the transition from traditional systemic thinking to a dialogical/systemic approach, positioning the therapeutic relationship as a field of polyphonic dialogue. Central to this transition is the concept of dialogical reflexivity, defined not as solitary introspection but as a living practice connecting the therapist's inner dialogues with the external dialogues of the session. Drawing on the intersection of systemic practice and Dialogical Self Theory (incorporating perspectives from Mikhail Bakhtin, Hubert Hermans, Harlene Anderson, Paolo Bertrando, and Peter Rober), we examine how the therapist’s self acts as a landscape of internal polyphony where personal, professional, and cultural voices interact. A key focus is placed on social power and dominance within the therapeutic exchange. We argue that dialogical reflexivity is inextricably linked to relational responsibility, serving as a crucial ethical safeguard against reproducing oppressive power dynamics. By critically reflecting on "who is speaking" and "which voices are marginalized," the therapist can navigate the inevitable asymmetries of the therapeutic relationship. Furthermore, the paper addresses the conference theme of "contradictions" by analyzing how therapists manage conflicting internal voices—such as the tension between the "expert" position and the stance of "not-knowing." Instead of seeking to resolve these contradictions through a monological consensus, we propose a relational reflexivity that embraces and simultaneously transcends them. This approach allows for a "generative dialogue" where new meanings emerge not from the imposition of truth, but from the interplay of differences. Finally, we discuss practical applications of this framework, demonstrating how dialogical reflexivity transforms the therapist from a distant observer into an embodied participant, co-creating a space where the "being" of both therapist and client finds meaning through their shared "between", as this is experienced in the relational field. | |