Name: Still Face and Mirror Neurons: the Neuroscience of Psychotherapy - ISC Training
Price: 216.75 GBP
Availability: InStock

Neuroscience

Still Face e Neuroni Specchio: la Neuroscienza della Psicoterapia

Live webinars

withHarry Farmer, Alessandro Carmelita, Marina Cirio, Ronald D. Siegel, Edward Tronik, Benedetto Farina, Vittorio Gallese, David Grand, Vilayanur S. Ramachandran

Dates: Available soon *

Time: Timetables available shortly

Live streaming available on Zoom Meetings

Recordings of the course available without time limits

Available in Italian (simultaneous translation), English

🪙 You'll receive 50 ECM credits

🪙 You will receive 6 CPD credits

EARLY BIRD

(valid until 31/03/2022)

216,75 £

🔓 Pay online (via Stripe)
🏦 Pay by bank transfer (within 48/72h)
✅ All prices include VAT

Event Partner (Turkey):

Event Partner (Malta):

Information about the event:

The intersubjective nature of human beings develops immediately after birth and is one of the cornerstones of our capacity for meaning-making. From the moment we come into the world, in fact, the relationality plays a key role in our existence: the infant's ability to imitate the caregiver's facial expressions not only ensures his or her survival, but also enables him or her to interact with the caregiver in a synchronised manner, giving rise to increasingly complex relational exchanges that are essential for the child's psychobiological development.

The discovery of mirror neurons offered a major neurophysiological foundation for the famous paradigm of the motionless face or Still Facemaking a substantial contribution to scientific research in this field. How, then, can Psychotherapy make use of this valuable knowledge to promote individual well-being? The online Congress "Still-Face and Mirror Neurons: the Neuroscience of Psychotherapy' will give some of the leading experts in the field the opportunity to answer this question.

The event will feature internationally renowned speakers, who will present the latest studies on the role of the emotional-relational tuning and on the relationship of the individual with his or her selfanalysing both its research implications and its therapeutic applications. In this regard, the concept of intersubjectivity - closely related to the relationship with the Other, but also to the relationship with the Self, which is considered one of the central goals of the therapeutic change process - will be particularly emphasised. Furthermore, different treatment approaches and a series of hypotheses on the functioning of the mind based on and validated by neuroscientific foundations will be analysed. Finally, the role of the recognition in the mirrora key element to deeply explore the relational dimension of the self within the most advanced therapeutic models.

What will this event be about?

Read the abstract of the event

Harry Farmer

Mirrors for the soul: self-representation and social mirroring

The ability to accurately recognise one's own face has long been considered one of the key indicators of a higher level of consciousness. More recent research has given us a greater understanding of the contribution made by the integration of information from many different sensory channels (including sight, touch and the internal senses of proprioception and interoception) to the representation of one's face. In addition, studies in the field of social neuroscience have shown that mapping the actions and facial expressions of others, as well as experiences of touch and pain, through our sensory systems (mirroring) plays an important role in the development of empathic responses and perspective-taking. In this talk, Dr. Farmer will draw on research related to cognitive neuroscience to illustrate how the perception of one's own time influences - and is influenced by - social interactions with others. First, evidence will be presented that shows how mirroring others, at the tactile and motor level, can lead to an increase in perceived facial similarity, as well as a greater sense of affiliation and trust. Subsequently, research will be described that highlights the reverse functioning of this same relationship: trustworthy behaviour and increased social affiliation modulate the responses of mirroring systems, both at the tactile and motor level. Finally, more recent work will be presented that examines how interruptions in the sense of self under conditions of depersonalisation result in a failure of mirroring at both the tactile and motor levels.

Alessandro Carmelita and Marina Cirio

Mindful Interbeing Mirror Therapy: beyond trauma healing

The Still-Face paradigm and the mirror neuron mechanism are two fundamental principles of Mindful Interbeing Mirror Therapy (MIMT): both have emphasised, from a scientific point of view, the intrinsically relational dimension of the processes of construction of the Self and creation of existential meaning inherent in every human being. The use of the mirror within the therapeutic setting makes it possible to explore, from the very first session, the client's relationship with his or her Self; in parallel, the concept of the "Self" is objectified as the "Other" with whom the client interacts. Consequently, the intersubjective dimension of humanity is experienced in a new way, an aspect that contributes to accelerating the process of therapeutic change. Based on a conscious and targeted activation of specific neurobiological circuits that regulate the recognition of faces and the identification of emotions related to facial expressions, MIMT is an effective therapeutic approach, conceived as a process of self-reconstruction. The therapeutic objective is to help the client recreate a deep sense of connection with his or her own reflected image in the mirror and develop a new self-compassion, overcoming shame and self-loathing, emotions typically present in traumatised individuals.

Ronald D. Siegel

The Neurobiology of Mindfulness and Compassion: Practical Applications

The development of the technology behind functional magnetic resonance imaging (or fMRI) has enabled a significant increase in research studies on the neurobiological effects and mechanisms of action of practices related to Mindfulness and compassion. How do these neuroscientific findings affect clinical practice? What information do they provide regarding the origins of psychological suffering and solutions to alleviate it? Ronald Siegel will explore these issues in depth, offering numerous insights into the practical applications of the latest neurobiological findings, with the aim of enriching any form of Psychotherapy.

Edward Tronik

The dynamic process of meaning-making in human beings and the Still Face paradigm

The fundamental importance we attach to the creation of meaning with respect to our relationship with the human world, the inanimate world and our self is well exemplified by the Still-Face paradigm. The findings of the Still-Face paradigm show that meaning-making is a dynamic process involving multiple systems: cerebral, psychobiological and neurosomatic. While meanings can be created endogenously, it is also possible to state that meanings are most frequently co-created with an Other, within an active exchange of information. This exchange is chaotic and characterised by both moments of correspondence and mismatch between meanings, as well as reparative processes. Successful meaning-making leads to an expansion of consciousness and enables the creation of attachment bonds, fostering the development of relationships, resilience and trust. If, on the other hand, meaning-making fails, consciousness shrinks and compresses, generating distrust and fragility. Chaos, failure and repair at the relational level play an equally fundamental role in therapeutic processes.

Benedetto Farina

The forms of fragmentation of the experience of self in traumatic attachment: from biological bases to therapeutic implications

A vast and growing body of scientific data indicates that child maltreatment constitutes the greatest risk factor for all mental disorders as well as a factor of resistance to their treatment, regardless of the diagnosis and type of therapy applied. Among the forms of maltreatment, a significant role is played by traumatic attachment, i.e. the severe and continuous deprivation of a stable, sensitive and responsive attachment figure, which is an experience provided for the human species for the normal development of mental functions, particularly those that support and regulate relationality and the continuity of self-experience. Traumatic attachment activates various pathogenetic processes that, interacting with each other, cause numerous psychopathological manifestations, including alterations in the regulation of emotions and behaviour, consciousness, identity, fragmentation of self-experience, and the malfunctioning of metacognitive capacities and various aspects of social cognition. These psychopathological manifestations can be variously present in all clinical pictures, constituting a psychopathological dimension that contributes to the severity of the disorder and resistance to treatment. Some of the neurobiological and psychopathological mechanisms involved in these pathogenetic processes will be examined, in particular the role of loss of mental integration, so-called traumatic disintegration, and its impact on interpersonal relationships. Through some clinical examples, the clinic of traumatic disintegration and the implications for psychotherapy will be described.

Vittorio Gallese

The Experience of Self and Others in the Digital World

During this talk, Vittorio Gallese will illustrate the relationship of human beings with digital images, conceived as dematerialised, visual representations of reality. The arguments presented are based on the belief that technology has always been an extension of the mind; the very definition of 'artificial' is, therefore, intrinsically linked to the 'natural' cognitive capacity to develop devices, thanks to the evolution of new cognitive technologies. This presentation will take an in-depth look at the possible effects of digitisation on the neuro-cognitive processes that characterise social communication, as well as the creation of a sense of self, especially in a context such as the current one, in which the pandemic has significantly increased the amount of time we spend online, significantly modifying the way we interact with the reality of everyday life.

David Grand

Healing trauma and expanding consciousness using brainspotting

Brainspotting is a relational, brain-body connection-based therapy that uses a series of relevant eye positions to locate the presence of unprocessed trauma and dissociation within the subcortical area of the brain. Brainspotting proposes a bottom-up neuro-experiential model, presenting it as an alternative to the traditional therapeutic model. This presentation will illustrate how Brainspotting can be used both to heal trauma and to expand consciousness and improve client performance. The talk will include time for questions from the audience and live demonstrations.

Program

Note. The following program may be subject to change.

Day One

9:50 - 10:00 Opening
10:00 - 11:30 Harry Farmer: "Mirrors for the soul: self-representation and social mirroring".
11:30 - 11:45 Break
11:45 - 13:15 Alessandro Carmelita and Marina Cirio: "Mindful Interbeing Mirror Therapy: Beyond the recovery from trauma”*Beyond trauma healing'
13:15 - 14:15 Lunch break
14:15 - 15:45 Ronald Siegel: "The Neurobiology of Mindfulness and Compassion: Practical Applications".
15:45 - 16:00 Break
16:00 - 17:30 Edward Tronick: "The dynamic process of meaning-making in human beings and the paradigm Still Face"
17:30 - 18:30 Closing panel

Second day

10:00 - 11:30 Benedetto Farina: "The forms of fragmentation of the experience of Self in traumatic attachment: from biological bases to therapeutic implications"
11:30 - 11:45 Break
11:45 - 13:15 Vittorio Gallese: 'The Experience of Self and Others in the Digital World'
13:15 - 14:15 Lunch break
14:15 - 15:45 David Grand: "Healing trauma and expanding consciousness using brainspotting".
15:45 - 16:00 Break
16:00 - 17:30 Vilayanur S. Ramachandran - The exact title of the presentation will be announced as soon as possible
17:30 - 18:30 Closing panel

About the Speaker

Read the Speaker’s biography

Harry Farmer

He is currently a University Lecturer within the Department of Psychology at the University of Greenwich. He completed his PhD in Psychology at Royal Holloway University in London in 2014 and, between 2014 and 2018, worked as a Research Fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL while, between 2017 and 2019, he was a Research Fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath. The main focus of his research has been the relationship between the self and social cognition; his studies have included a wide range of methodological techniques, including conceptual analysis, psychophysics, physiological recording, neuroimaging and virtual reality. Dr Farmer is the author of 14 articles published in peer reviewed journals in the fields of Psychological Science and Neuropsychology. His past work has allowed him to investigate how plasticity of self-representation - both at the body and conceptual level - can be used to modulate social attitudes, including prejudice. He has also worked on computational models of learning similarities between the Self and the Other, and is currently working on the empirical dimension of the 'Estranged From the Self, Estranged from the Others' project, which examines the relationship between abnormal experiences of the Self in the presence of depersonalisation and social interactions in clinical and non-clinical populations. Dr Farmer is a member of the Experimental Psychology Society.

Alessandro Carmelita and Marina Cirio

Alessandro Carmelita is a Psychologist and a Psychotherapist, as well as a Trainer and Supervisor in Schema Therapy certified by the ISST. After having been trained by some of the most important experts in the field of Psychotherapy and Interpersonal Neurobiology, he has created an innovative therapeutic approach named Mindful Interbeing Mirror Therapy (MIMT) and has developed it together with Marina Cirio. He has traveled around the world to train Psychologists and Psychotherapists in using this revolutionary approach with their clients. Besides this, Dr. Carmelita has conducted 56 editions of the international training program in Schema Therapy and has trained/ supervised hundreds of therapists.

Marina Cirio

Marina Cirio is a Psychologist and a Psychotherapist. She has enriched her professional training with recent contributions in the field of Psychotherapy and Neuroscience. She has developed Mindful Interbeing Mirror Therapy (MIMT) together with Alessandro Carmelita, thus contributing to expand both the clinical implications and the research work on the therapeutic interventions that can be used with different types of patients. After using this innovative approach for years, Dr. Cirio is going to conduct – together with Dr. Carmelita – a new training course in MIMT that will allow many other therapists to learn and understand this new way of relating to clients, which can facilitate a real and profound change.

Ronald D. Siegel

Ronald D. Siegel is Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught for over 35 years. He has studied the practice of mindful meditation for years and is on the board of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. In addition to the clinical work of his private practice in Lincoln, Massachusetts, Dr. Siegel teaches several courses each year, internationally, on the application of Mindfulness to Psychotherapy and other areas. Dr. Siegel is also co-editor of the critically acclaimed text "Mindfulness and Psychotherapy" (2nd edition) and author of a specific mindfulness manual for the general public, "The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems". In addition, he is co-editor of the text 'Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy', co-author of the guide for mental health professionals 'Sitting Together: Essential Skills for Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy' and co-author of the self-treatment manual 'Back Sense', which integrates Western and Eastern approaches to the treatment of chronic back pain. Finally, he co-authored 'The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-Based Path to Well-Being', produced by The Great Courses. Dr. Siegel continues to contribute regularly to other professional publications and is co-chair of the annual Congress on Meditation and Psychotherapy organised by Harvard Medical School.

Edward Tronik

He is a Developmental Neuroscientist and Clinical Psychologist, as well as a Researcher and Lecturer known worldwide for his work related to the emotional, social and neurobehavioral development of infants and young children, parenting in American and other cultures, and parent-child mental health. Dr. Tronick is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts (Boston), Director of the Child Development Unit at UMB, Research Fellow in Neonatal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and University Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. He runs the Maternal and Child Health course at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Human Development course at the Harvard School of Education; he is also a member of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society. Dr. Tronick is the originator of the Still-Face paradigm, which has become a standard experimental prototype for the study of social and emotional development in paediatrics, psychiatry, clinical, nursing and child psychology. Through his studies centred on the use of the Still-Face paradigm, Ed Tronick has revolutionised our understanding of the emotional and coping abilities of infants, as well as the effects of factors such as maternal anxiety and depression on a child's social and emotional development. Dr. Tronick's research aims to understand the nature of developmental processes - normal and abnormal - inherent in emotional and social exchanges, moment by moment, between young children and their caregivers. His books, 'Emotional Regulation in Development and the Therapeutic Process' (2008) and 'The Power of Discord' (2021), were both published by Raffaello Cortina Editore.

Benedetto Farina

Physician, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, PhD in neuroscience, full professor of Clinical Psychology at the European University of Rome. Member of the teaching board of the Doctorate Course in 'Dynamic and Clinical Psychology' at the Sapienza University of Rome. Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. SITCC teaching member. Lecturer at numerous Schools of Specialisation in Psychotherapy. Winner of the Richard P. Kluft Award2015 Best Article. Member of the Editorial board of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, Clinical Neuropsychiatry, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Trauma Studies. Author of over one hundred publications including monographs, articles published in international indexed journals and book chapters.

Vittorio Gallese

He is Full Professor of Physiology at the Department of Neuroscience of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Parma. He is also Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at the Department of Art History and Archaeology of Columbia University (New York) and Professor of Experimental Aesthetics at the Institute of Philosophy of the University of London. He is also Coordinator of the PhD in Neuroscience and Director of the Doctoral School of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma. A neuroscientist, his main scientific contributions include the discovery - together with colleagues from Parma - of mirror neurons, as well as the elaboration of a neuroscientific model of intersubjectivity: the theory of embodied simulation. He has worked and taught at the Universities of Lausanne, Tokyo, Berkeley and Berlin. He is the author of more than 230 scientific papers in international journals and books, two books as author and three books as editor. Among the many honours and awards he has received over the years, it is important to mention: the George Miller Fellowship from the University of California (Berkeley) in 2001; the Grawemeyer Prize for Psychology in 2007; the Doctor Honoris Causa from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, in 2010; the Arnold Pfeffer Prize for Neuropsychoanalysis in New York in 2010; the Musatti Prize from the Italian Society of Psychoanalysis in 2014; the Kosmos Felloship from the Humboldt Universität Berlin and, finally, the Einstein Fellowship from the Berlin School of Mind & Brain of the Humboldt Universität for the period between 2016 and 2018.

David Grand

David Grand, PhD, is the creator of Brainspotting, an innovative relational, mind-body therapeutic method based on Mindfulness practices. He is author of the book "Brainspotting: The Revolutionary New Therapy for Rapid and Effective Change" and co-author of "This is Your Brain on Sports". Dr. Grand is involved in several humanitarian projects dealing with survivors of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newton, Connecticut. He is also a board member of the non-profit organisation Talk To Me Post Tour Processing (TTMPTP). The programmes developed by Dr. Grand - Brainspotting Sports Work and Brainspotting Acting Coaching - have led to major breakthroughs in improving performance and creativity. Dr. Grand's work has been widely quoted in the media, including the New York Times, the NBC National News, Discovery Channel, CNN and MSNBC television channels, the sports magazine Sports Illustrated, and the Sirius Radio channel.

Vilayanur S. Ramachandran

He is a Neuroscientist of Indian origin, known for his knowledge and outreach activities in the field of behavioural neurology and psychophysics of vision. Author of numerous essays, he has conducted some of the most important neuroscientific research in recent years. He holds a medical degree from Stanley Medical College in Madras, India, and a PhD from Trinity College, University of Cambridge. He is currently Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California at San Diego; he also directs the Center for Brain and Cognition and is Adjunct Professor of Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Dr. Ramachandran has authored over 120 scientific publications; his academic articles and essays have made him one of the world's leading popularizers of current neuroscience. For this reason, Newsweek magazine named him one of the "one hundred most important people of our century." His major contributions include research on mirror neurons, the phantom limb, synesthesia, the broken window theory in autism, sleep paralysis and numerous other contributions to human knowledge. He has published numerous popular books, including 'Che cosa sappiamo della mente' (Oscar Mondadori, 2004) and 'L'uomo che credeva di essere morto' (Mondadori, 2012).

* The event will be formally confirmed upon reaching a minimum attendance threshold of 50 participants.

Recensioni

Ancora non ci sono recensioni.

Recensisci per primo “Still Face e Neuroni Specchio: la Neuroscienza della Psicoterapia”