The Panhellenic Association of Dramatherapists and Playtherapists (P.A.D.P.), happily announces the 2nd International Conference of Dramatherapy and Playtherapy, which will take place in Athens, Greece. The Conference will take place on May 23-24, 2020, at The Athens School of Fine Arts in collaboration with the Laboratory of Qualitative Research in Psychology and Psychosocial Well-Being, Department of Psychology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

Inspired by the positive feedback from the 1st International Dramatherapy and Playtherapy Conference held in May 2017, we wish to continue our creative initiative.  The content of our first conference generated our new theme, “Compassion Fatigue”; specifically, prevention and treatment of the fatigue endured by mental health professionals.  The psychotherapeutic profession is stressful and demanding.  Therapists while escorting clients on their darkest of journeys, inevitably hold on to their experiences and emotions beyond the course of the session. 

Thus, taking in consideration that the therapists’ main “tool” is “the self”, how can therapists safeguard their wellbeing?  The primary aim of the conference is to explore creative ways in which Dramatherapy and Play Therapy can promote the quality of the professional (and by extension the private) life of the therapist. At the same time, we invite professionals from all psychotherapy modalities, counsellors, mental and physical health specialists, educationalists, clinical nurse specialists and artists to articulate their viewpoint from the perspective of their knowledge and experiences.

Concluding this conference’s announcement, we invite you to take active participation in our conference’s agenda of activities.  The agenda of this scientific conference will include speeches, round table discussions, experiential workshops and artistic happenings by distinguished professionals from Greece and abroad.

We wholeheartedly look forward to meeting and sharing thoughts, experiences, ideas, methods, feelings, needs and exploring new possibilities with friends, colleagues and students of psychotherapy.

Sincerely,
The Board Members of P.A.D.P