In July the IARPP Candidates Committee for the first time organized a symposium, “Training to be a Relational Psychoanalyst: Challenges, Opportunities and Transformations,” open and free for all IARPP members and non-members.

The symposium was a great success, which hosted almost 300 people from all around the world and was registered and available for IARPP members for over one month on the website. Moderated by Hilary Offman (Canada), the symposium hosted presenters from all the countries represented in the Committee, to promote a rich international dialogue: Natalia Hanckes De Laire (Chile), Temo Keshelashvili (Canada), Maria Apostolopoulou (Greece), Gilly Katz Ben Sheffer (Israel), Giuseppe Magistrale (Italy), Maria Blomgren (Sweden), Brianda Portalatin (Spain) and Lisa Ruesch (USA).

Each presenter illustrated the training process in his/her country and shared their experiences in learning to become a psychoanalyst, as viewed from a Relational lens. Brief clinical vignettes were presented to highlight various concepts that are integral to Relational psychoanalysis. Then, people gathered in small discussion groups in the last part of the symposium.

We are happy and proud to share with the IARPP community the great experience that we participated in and organized. Hopefully this is the first of many others to come.

Fabia Banella (Italy), Erik Fagerberg (Sweden)

Fabia Banella
Rome, Italy
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Erik Fagerberg
Malmoe, Sweden
Email Erik Fagerberg