Humanistic Psychology International Summer School

Message #1

October 1st, 2011

Dear International Humanistic Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to consider being part of a transformative opportunity that is to take place in Brazil (Summer 2013). We are in the planning stages for an event that will directly follow the International Forum for the Person-Centered Approach (May 26th – June 1st 2013). The event we are imagining would be like a “Humanistic Psychology Summer School” that could bring together students and faculty from around the world. This event would consist of two weeks (Post-Conference, June 2nd – 12th 2013) of workshops, demonstrations, experiential trainings as well as opportunities for field trips, community interactions and most importantly cross-cultural exchanges. Hence, we are speaking of an 18-day program in Brazil, including Conference and Post-Conference activities.

Here is what we are looking for:

· A person at your institution who would be a contact for the “summer school committee”. At first, this might include planning the event and possibly engaging in conference calls that would set the agenda. Later, it may include promoting the opportunity to students and faculty at your school.

· Faculty members who are interested in conducting workshops and/or “mini-courses” that aim at skill building, experiential learning, group and community work, or cross-cultural sharing.

· Persons with the desire to network with other international psychologists. Our goal is to attract both students and faculty members from different continents who are invested in one of the Humanistic Psychologies including but not limited to: Rogerian, Existential, Constructivist, Phenomenological, Experiential, Transpersonal, Biodynamic/Body-oriented, Gestalt, Focusing, Psychodrama, Logotherapy, Integrative, Positive, and Art therapy perspectives.

· Students and professionals belonging to a broad range of Humanistic areas since this “Force” goes beyond Clinical Psychology. We welcome persons involved in Psychotherapy, Counseling, Therapy, Education, Pedagogy, Learning, Social Service, Group Work, Management/Leadership, Nursing, Health/Mental Health, Care & Healing professions, Ecology, Spirituality, Arts and Humanities as well as individuals with personal or research interest on issues of Self-development, Emotions, Meaning, Culture, Diversity, Interpersonal Relations, Social Abilities, Change Processes, among others.

The major goal of this event is to draw together experts and students so that we can learn about different modes and expressions of the Humanistic Psychologies and we can improve our skills, our presence and our conceptual tool-box. In addition, we know we will be enriched by the opportunity of cultural exchange, not just with our Brazilian and Latin-American hosts, but between all the different representatives of countries that we hope will participate at this significant meeting.

Please let us know if you OR someone you know might be interested in this International Program. We would appreciate you asking your graduate students if they might want to get involved with project. Please respond to us by Friday, October 21st, 2011 through email at: school2013humanist@gmail.com if you are interested in this project. We also hope you will join our growing global community on Facebook at “Society for Humanistic Psychology” and “Students of Humanistic Psychology”.

Sincerely,

André Feitosa – Brazil (Northeastern Colleges – FANOR)
andre_feitosa@msn.com
Yuri Sales – Brazil (Northeastern Colleges – FANOR)
yurisnobrega@yahoo.com.br
Richard Bargdill – USA (Virginia Commonwealth University)
rwbargdill@comcast.net
Rochelle Suri – India (Private Practice)
rochelle9@gmail.com

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Message # 2

Dear Colleagues and Fellows,

Greetings from the most clear, deep and blue skies at Northeastern Brazil! We appreciate your willingness to support this international initiative. Thank you both for your prompt feedback and also the opportunity of furthering this exchange between different cultures, generations and intellectual atmospheres.

We are a group of four initial people who got together to imagine a collaborative global endeavor within this broad renaissance/flourishing of Humanistic Psychology during this first decade of 21st. century. Before writing/suggesting anything in terms of curricula/syllabus/schedules for that seminal idea, we thought it would be interesting to share/spread an open invitation letter with people around the continents.

From that letter, you probably read this program would happen during late May, early June 2013, at the Capital of Fortaleza (Brazilian State of Ceará), as a Post-Conference activity that follows the International Forum of the Person-Centered Approach and most likely in a format of “Summer School”, under the motivation of dialoguing with those theories and approaches traditionally related with “Humanistic Psychologies/Psychotherapies” and Humanistic Movement/Third Force in Psychology”.

Myself and my colleague from Brazil, Yuri Sales, we are available to invest our time as to create the most affordable and meaningful learning environment, including field activities and strong community participation. Our colleagues Richard Bargdill (USA) and Rochelle Suri (USA/INDIA) are enthusiastic about the potential of such transcultural event becoming a possibility of globally advancing Humanistic Psychology (HP) for the new/next generations.

At this point, we are looking for individuals and institutions which would appreciate to take part at this on-going “swarming” process, especially considering each one passions/interests, research topics, clinical expertise or ideas on how to actively engage – therefore, we are seeking an event sensation far more complex than just an aspiration to attend a conference. We already have a list of about 20 people who positively answered that call, and it may be the case we will finish this initial process within the next weeks, as to contact and start working with this committee.

If there is a chance to involve more people at this project – especially students from different nationalities –, we shall design something like a proposal within the next two-three months, in order to provide them with time and at least a good chance to require support-credit recognition at their home institutions. We can imagine “funding” and “credit” will be the major issue for students´ decisions, with influence over the participation of young professionals/clinicians and researchers/instructors/professors – we assume these groups are an important part of all this effort, for they will become the future of Humanistic Psychology during these coming years.

We kindly ask you to consider sharing these news with other potential interested people, lists, groups and institutions, particular with your students or students you may know, both undergraduate and graduate/postdocs, as well as your group lists and colleagues, early-career professionals and young scholars. Please let us know if you may have another relevant question for your decision at this moment. Our contact is: school2013humanists@gmail.com .

We hope you will be a part of this activity which is certainly one of a kind. On behalf of the planning committee, we would like to extend you a truly warm welcome and look forward to your contribution and participation. May you succeed at your visit in our Country, may you also find a pleasant stay at our City and your most meaningful participation at this International Summer School. We do hope to see you at Ceará State, this coming May-June 2013, and let us make sure we try our best to provide you with an unforgettable cultural experience in Latin-America. Welcome Brazil 2013, an event for all memories and dreams!

Very Cordially, André Feitosa

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