APPROACHES TO PSYCHOTHERAPY

The World Council for Psychotherapy is an inclusive organisation. In 2011, in Sydney, Australia, the WCP will offer all those with an interest in psychotherapy the opportunity to participate in the first Australasian Conference of the WCP. Every three years psychotherapists from around the world gather to bring together a wide array of psychotherapeutic themes and perspectives to the World Congress. These perspectives cover many psychotherapeutic theories, methods and skills. The personal and professional life experiences that have helped to shape the practice of psychotherapy are highlighted.

Psychotherapists work with individuals, families, groups and communities. They work with mental health issues, aspects of personal, social and cultural life, mind, body, emotions, spirit and relationships. Events in people's lives, including those which are traumatic, bring patients and clients to psychotherapy. The WCP welcomes traditional approaches and new insights, discoveries from research, focused clinical practice and insights from clients. Colleagues in related health, welfare and therapy fields are most welcome to contribute their ideas and insights. There are many ways to interpret our conference theme, ‘World Dreaming' and many opportunities to meet colleagues from other countries, compare viewpoints, explore differences and experience psychotherapeutic practice by attending papers, workshops, posters and seminars.

Psychotherapy as a discipline depends upon its research and training resources. We encourage contributions from academic and training centres to inform us as we create new ways of meeting the needs of our clients and patients. Mental health practices change when new information becomes available and we imagine this congress will be a significant step towards creating insights and new environments for the practice of psychotherapy. Whatever your connection with psychotherapy, we encourage you to register and consider making a contribution to Sydney 2011.

-Roy Bowden

A. Roy Bowden

Roy Bowden is the New Zealand-Pacific representative on the board of the World Council for Psychotherapy. He has been a keynote speaker at World Council conferences and his work appears in World Council publications.

Roy is a former president of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists. He has taught counsellors, social workers and therapists at Massey University and at the Wellington Institute of Technology where he was Head of School for degree programmes in Counselling and Alcohol and Drug Studies.

His focus on making psychotherapy relevant across cultures encouraged New Zealand Psychotherapists to connect with Tangata Whenua (the people of the land) and begin to build a psychotherapy representative of the way people live together in Aotearoa - New Zealand.

Roy is in private practice as a therapist and training consultant in Plimmerton, Wellington, New Zealand.