International Conference – [:en]International Institute of Existential-Humanistic Psychology[:zh]国际存在-人本心理学院

2021 International Conference on Covid-19 and the Givens of Existence: A Transnational Dialogue About Global Response

August 28 - October 10, 2021

Welcome to the 2021 International Conference on Covid-19 and the Givens of Existence: A Transnational Dialogue About Global Response. This conference brings together existential thinkers and practitioners across the globe from a variety of existential orientations to present and dialogue about how various geographical regions have responded to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Of course being existentialists, we view our experience through the existential frame and this online conference is designed to create a platform where we can share our reflections with a global audience. The conference will consists of both keynote speeches and roundtable discussions which will be live-streamed during the weekends. In additions, taking our inspiration from TED Talks, in place of breakout presentations, conference participants will have the opportunity to watch pre-recorded video presentations from across the globe. These pre-recorded videos can be thought of as time-capsules where contributors can record a video capturing their reflections during the pandemic to be shared with conference attendees and kept for posterity. Both the keynote speeches and pre-recorded videos will focus on each of the following four givens of existence which will comprise of the following four weekly themes: Freedom, Finitude, Relatedness, and Meaning.

Conference Schedule

(Click on each photo for more information regarding each presenter)

Please note that a two-hour ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION comprising of each of the four keynote speakers will take place on each Sunday after the Saturday keynote speeches. These Roundtable Discussions will be conducted entirely in English with no live translations. These sessions will be recorded with the English, Spanish, and Chinese translated versions of these recordings being available one week later.

The four Roundtable Discussions will take place during the following dates and times:

(August 29, September 12 & 26, and October 10^th)

08:00 – 10:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 – 11:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:00 – 17:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 – 00:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

08:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Opening Ceremony

08:10 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:10 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:10 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:10 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

What Is Existential Psychology?

Existential psychology presents us with a view of human existence that places uncertainty and anxiety as its center, a reality laid bare by the current pandemic. Yet many professionals in the mental health community are unfamiliar with this orientation. Thus, this opening talk will provide a brief and targeted overview of existential psychology, setting a theoretical context for the rest of the talks during the conference. Specifically, the presentation will explicate what makes existential psychotherapy a form of ontological therapy which addresses the existential givens and the ultimate concerns of life. The presentation will go on to discuss existential psychology as being both a depth and yet everyday form of psychology but with a different orientation. Finally, a brief overview of the concept of freedom, a core theme within both existential philosophy and psychology will be presented.

08:50 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:50 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:50 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:50 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

The Post-Pandemic Paradox of Freedom

The pandemic deprived us of many freedoms: the freedom to travel, to use public transport, to work in our usual ways, to meet friends and family and for many people the freedom to enjoy health and normality.

As the end of the pandemic looms on the horizon and we wonder whether there will be further or new waves to force us back into lockdown and as we slowly pick up our lives again, many of us are wondering whether we have gained or lost our freedoms.

The paradox of the lockdown was stark for many: on the one hand there were fears of infection, of loss of life, loss of employment and of connectivity, on the other hand we rediscovered how to be at home and how to treasure those things and people that truly matter in our lives.

Are we at risk of returning back to the old nine to five, losing our bearings, or will we rise from this crisis with greater awareness, resilience and existential perspicacity?

09:30 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:30 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:30 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:30 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Break

09:40 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:40 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:40 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:40 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Freedom & Its Contingencies: Lessons from COVID-19

Freedom is a complex concept that frequently gets oversimplified, particularly in many Western context that focus on a narrow understanding and application of freedom. COVID-19 prompted reconsiderations of freedom with considerations of existential perspectives on the limitations of freedom, responsibility, and compassion for others. A more nuanced understanding of freedom that considers culture, context, and limitation will be offered in this keynote address.

10:20 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

11:20 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

17:20 (London, UTC+00:00)

00:20 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Freedom’s Illusion

I will share a series of reflections on the phenomenology of freedom, trying to recognize the complexity of this paradoxical experience. We will review traditional aspects of understanding this classic existential concept, and the contradictions in which it immerses us.

08:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

14:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Fear of Death and Responses to COVID-19: A Terror Management Theory Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a major disruption in many areas of life for the vast majority of people. By May of 2021, it had infected over 150 million people worldwide and killed over 3 million. Terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986) is a theory about the role that awareness of death plays in diverse aspects of life. It posits that people manage the potential for terror that results from awareness of the inevitability of death by maintaining faith in their cultural worldviews, striving for self-esteem, and clinging to close interpersonal relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all three of these major sources of emotional security. It was, and still is, a dramatic and ubiquitous reminder of death. From the perspective of TMT, the possibility of dying from COVID-19 is a driving force behind most of the diverse forms of behavior people exhibited in response to the pandemic, even for those who denied or minimized the risk posed by the virus – perhaps especially for those individuals. TMT distinguishes different defences that are used to manage death concerns when they are in current conscious attention (proximal defences) and when they are on the fringes of consciousness (distal defences). This distinction helps explain the widely varying responses to the pandemic, ranging from following recommendations for avoiding infection and spreading the virus to denial of its severity and refusing to take precautions. It also sheds light on the increased political polarization and civil unrest that occurred in many countries during the pandemic.

08:45 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:45 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

14:45 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:45 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Life and Death at the Heart of Europe during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Compared to other European countries, Belgium – with Brussels as its capital and as the European capital – suffered hard under the first months during the covid-19 epidemic. The lock-down measures were draconic and necessary, and different studies showed extremely high anxiety levels among the Belgian population. At the same time, there was an unseen creativity to enjoy life within the circumstances and possibilities. The constricting measures of the government were balanced by inventive expansive solutions in individuals. The number of guitars being sold during the lock-down was remarkably higher than usual; the number of telescopes sold was multiplied by ten.

Holding life and death together, or the integration of being and non-being is the answer to the ultimate concern according to Paul Tillich. Does this make sense during this pandemic? Holding life and death calls for an experiential openness to our existence. Indeed, in a series of experiments, Abeyta and colleagues (2015) show how emotional clarity, or the openness to both positive and negative emotions helps us to experience more resilience during death anxiety. In our own study during the first lockdown (Spring 2020) with 358 participants of Belgium and the Netherlands, we discovered that the focusing attitude, or the awareness of one’s bodily felt sense of the situation and acting upon this awareness, had a clear association with less existential anxiety and more life satisfaction. What would you need to cultivate more openness towards life and to death, and how would that be for you?

09:30 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:30 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:30 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:30 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Break

09:40 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:40 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:40 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:40 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Freedom, Finitude and Decision Making

People around the globe have been dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic for a year now. Even though vaccines are now available, there is still much uncertainty regarding their efficacy. The uncertainty extends to the nature of the virus and it’s physiological and psychological impact. Part of the impact involves the existential givens of freedom and finitude. Our heightened awareness of our finitude and the limitations upon our freedom have forced us to relate to ourselves and the world differently. In Hong Kong, people’s awakening to finitude can be traced back to the handover to Mainland China in 1997, followed by the Chief Executive’s Electoral Reform Plan in 2014 and the Extradition Law Amendment Bill passed in 2019. Some Hong Kongers felt significantly threatened existentially, others not. Mass protest was a profound reaction in response to the anticipated limitations and existential anxiety. Covid-19 arrived amid such intense anxiety. Both the pandemic and the Extradition Bill posed a double threat to Hong Konger’s ideal view of being in the world and required the making of drastic decisions. Therefore, this talk will present how the various critical moments during these turbulent years have heightened Hong Konger’s awareness of finitude and its impact upon our relationship to freedom and responsibilities for the choices we make.

10:20 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

11:20 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:20 (London, UTC+00:00)

00:20 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Finitude in Therapy

Finitude is challenging every therapist since COVID has placed it at the center of our pandemic experience. It’s difficult to give support to our clients’ endings related to their previous lives, as well as it confronts us with death. Death appears even in the therapeutic relationship. But, at the same time, it gives us an opportunity to work in relationality and the other givens.

08:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Recreating Relatedness Amidst COVID-19

Relatedness is a pivotal concept in the existential view of life. Martin Buber asserts that “In the beginning is relation”. We are constantly becoming who we are within our relationships with other human beings and the world we inhabit. What happens though with our need to relate and our need to belong when the world is shattered by an unexpected event that turns physical relatedness into a threatening endeavor, as is the case of the COVID-19 pandemic? This keynote presentation will be addressing some of the effects of the pandemic on the way we relate to others. More specifically, I will be referring to the impact of social distancing and restrictions on the Greek society and its effects on a culture which are traditionally characterized by lively gatherings and sharing. Finally, I will be referring to the repercussions of the pandemic on the co-created therapeutic world between therapist and client and the possibilities that arise through the never-ending challenges of life.

08:40 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:40 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:40 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:40 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Relationship, Culture, and COVID-19

COVID-19 has changed the way we approach and embody relationship. Social distancing, wearing masks, and communicating more through video conferencing all impacted how we connect and support each other. Culture also shapes the way we come together in relationship, including how different individuals and groups responded to the relational aspects of COVID-19. In this talk, the intersections of culture, relationship, and existential psychology are considered, including the challenges faced and the opportunities that emerged, as well as lessons moving forward.

09:30 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:30 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:30 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:30 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Break

09:40 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:40 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:40 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:40 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Coexistence and Relatedness During a Pandemic

Hong Kong’s ethnic minority community, particularly South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans), has traditionally faced numerous structural and societal obstacles to assimilation. Because they looked different, they were treated different – and could never fully integrate into the wider social fabric.

Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately devastating impact on this community. They are more likely to live in cramped conditions in densely populated areas, making them especially vulnerable to the spread of the virus and the discriminatory fallout, and they are also more likely to be employed in vulnerable sectors like catering, construction and hospitality. One would think, therefore, that Covid would drive a deeper wedge between the two communities – pushing the ethnic minorities further towards the margins and into deeper existential despair.

Yet the pandemic has also brought to light the concept of relatedness in a new and powerful way. Even in a highly stratified city like Hong Kong, rife with inequality, the fight against Covid-19 has made us realise we are all part of the same tapestry. Some of us live on the margins of this “social fabric”, while others live at the powerful centre. Yet against the backdrop of the pandemic, one group is indistinguishable from the next; neither better nor worse, more nor less. One group’s actions can cause a profound ripple effect going in either direction. We have learned that we are all interconnected, and share the same source-point of being, and to care for ethnic minorities is to care for ourselves. Covid-19 intentionally or unintentionally has united us all (brought people together).

10:20 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

11:20 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

17:20 (London, UTC+00:00)

00:20 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Co-building the Therapeutic Cojoining

The therapist-patient conjoining is something that arises from the co-construction of a good therapeutic relationship and it is the main aspect by which patients can sensitize, trust, carry out an analytic process, look at new possibilities or reaffirm previous possibilities. Thus, the therapist-patient conjoining is something to which all existential analysts must pay special attention to. In this talk we are going to look at different ways of understanding the therapist-patient conjoining, and how it is co-constructed.

08:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Rebuilding a Fortress or Breaking Down Barriers?: How Covid-19 Has Challenged Our Worldview

Finding meaning in suffering is one of the major themes of Viktor Frankl‘s Logotherapy. This presentation will reflect on the suffering inflicted on the Australian population through our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first European settlers in Australia thought that the land was uninhabited and thus envisioned a Caucasian Australia. This isolationist policy lasted until the early twentieth century. And now, with the increasing recognition of our first nations peoples as the traditional owners of the land, the reality is that Australia has become multicultural with 30% of the population having been born overseas with a large portion of those from an Asian or Indian background. Yet, out of necessity, in response to Covid-19, Australia has once again returned to an isolationist policy in that we have severely restricted overseas departures and arrivals and have implemented major lockdowns and internal border closures to restrict the spread of the virus. Consequently, Covid-19 has inflicted significant personal and financial sacrifice on the population. On the other hand, the majority of the population have complied well with lockdowns, travel restrictions and border closures. What are the meanings inherent in this compliance? Has self-transcendence overcome self-interest or are we more isolated and protectionist than ever as we remain cocooned with a few close family and friends?

08:40 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:40 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:40(London, UTC+00:00)

22:40 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Meaning Making Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa

The term “Meaning” has been used in many ways by philosophers. Psychologists employ the term to indicate intention, staying close to its etymological roots. Meaning in life can be divided into four basic needs: purpose, values, efficacy, and self-worth (Baumeister 1991). If all four needs are satisfied, a sense of meaning in life will be engendered. Otherwise, one will be motivated to adjust one’s life in such a way so that all four needs will be met. Indeed meaning in life is the central motif in the work of Victor Frankl. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl (1969) developed logotherapy derived from the Greek word logos (“meaning”). Reflecting on his personal journey in living out Frankl’s philosophy, the speaker begins with Friedrich Nietzsche’s statement, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” If one knows why his/her life is important, one can suffer through almost any defeat without giving up or quitting. For example, here in Africa, the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders have resulted in business closures and family clustering which in combination with a shortage of medical personnel, poor health literacy and misinformation have exacerbated social inequalities and increased rates of poverty. Nevertheless, the speaker argues that while there is much suffering that cannot be avoided, meaning persists and people still retain the freedom of how to face their suffering and move forward with renewed purpose. This includes meaning in midst of fear and awe as COVID-19 leaves its deep imprint upon businesses, funeral rituals, religious practices, education and medical care. Finally, the speaker will conclude with an examination of the history of meaning from the humanistic and existential perspective including its social and cultural elements.

09:20 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:20 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:20 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:20 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Break

09:30 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:30(Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:30 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:30 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Meaning in Times of Pandemics: A Tragic-Optimistic Story

Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist who wrote about his experiences of imprisonment in a concentration camp. His life story is tragically optimistic about how the human mind can both be broken and how it can also be repaired and become resilient, even in life’s worst situations. We cannot compare human suffering, but we could apply the wisdom of Frankl, and of other researchers and therapists in his footsteps, to understand how we can experience meaning in our era of pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic has imprisoned our bodies and minds for the last years, and new viruses and mutations are likely to continue determining our future. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to learn how we can develop a positive sense of meaning during pandemics.

The first part of this lecture starts optimistically by discussing research proving how a sense of meaning in life help individuals to get through life’s challenges. Karl Jaspers calls this existential transcendence, the ability to psychologically, existentially and spiritually transcend the present troubles. These meaning-centered coping-styles are at the heart of countless research projects on the psychological impact of COVID-19. This first part of the lecture will be based on an international survey, literature reviews and the book ‘The Psychology of COVID-19’ from Dr Joel Vos.

The second part of the lecture will look at the tragic challenges of our era, like Frankl examined how fascists tried to manipulate the inmates’ sense of meaning. Our era is characterized by countless manipulation attempts, ranging from propaganda by pharmaceutical companies to conspiracy theories. Meaning in life does not exist in an ideological vacuum: others will always try to influence how we feel about what is meaningful to us. Frankl already showed us that the human mind is resilient to resist manipulation. This second part of the lecture will be based on the book ‘The Economics of Meaning in Life’ from Dr Joel Vos.

10:10 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

11:10 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

17:10 (London, UTC+00:00)

00:10 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Meaning in the Face of Uncertainty

Uncertainty highlights the contingent nature and fragility of life, it shatters our perception of continuity and stability, defies the beliefs that give us security and challenges our worldview. Therefore, uncertainty threatens our experience of meaning, leading us to meaninglessness. Yet, paradoxically, uncertainty is the condition of possibility of meaning; as a source of anxiety, it drives us to find and create new meanings when confronted with meaninglessness. In other words, uncertainty is both the catalyst and the demolisher of meaning; it enables it and at the same time annihilates it.

Mexicans have faced economic, social, political and cultural crises that constantly remind us of our fragility, therefore, we tend to be resilient. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has been accompanied by immeasurable implications, exposing even more the vulnerabilities of our country. Covid-19 has compelled us to reconsider our way of life, our values, priorities and core beliefs. Despite the chaos and anxiety, this can be an opportunity to reevaluate what makes life worth living.

IIEHP

International Institute of Existential Humanistic Psychology

Education, Training

Research

Praxis, Promotion

2021 International Conference on Covid-19 and the Givens of Existence: A Transnational Dialogue About Global Response

August 28 - October 10, 2021

Conference Schedule

(Click on each photo for more information regarding each presenter)

The four Roundtable Discussions will take place during the following dates and times:

(August 29, September 12 & 26, and October 10th)

08:00 – 10:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 – 11:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:00 – 17:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 – 00:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

08:00 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:00 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

14:00 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:00 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Fear of Death and Responses to COVID-19: A Terror Management Theory Perspective

08:45 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

09:45 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

14:45 (London, UTC+00:00)

22:45 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Life and Death at the Heart of Europe during the Covid-19 Pandemic

09:30 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:30 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:30 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:30 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Break

09:40 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

10:40 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

15:40 (London, UTC+00:00)

23:40 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Freedom, Finitude and Decision Making

10:20 (Colorado, UTC-07:00)

11:20 (Mexico, UTC-06:00)

16:20 (London, UTC+00:00)

00:20 (Beijing, UTC+08:00)

Finitude in Therapy

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Joel Vos, PhD

Mark Yang, Psy.D.

Emmy van Deurzen, Ph.D.

Louis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Yaqui Andrés Martínez Robles, Ph.D.

Tom Pysczynski, Ph.D

Siebrecht Vanhooren, Ph.D.

Bruce Wing Hong Lee, Psy.D.

Josefina Flores

Katerina Zymnis Georgalos, PhD,

Theopia Jackson, Ph.D.

Ravina Lalvani, Psy.D.

Juan Manuel Castellanos, M.A.

Paul McQuillan, Ph.D., Psy.D.

Anthony Kwabena Nyki, Psy.D.

Joel Vos, Ph.D.

Rebeca Espinosa Gaubeca. M.A.

Arthur Cheuk-Man Li, Psy.D.

PsyD. Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University

MSSc. Counselling Psychology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University

BSc. (Hons) Psychology, University of Nottingham

(August 29, September 12 & 26, and October 10^th)