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Christian Mutschlechner, director of the Vienna Convention Bureau, shares his ‘crazy idea’ for an upcoming congress.
We were very excited to announce last week that the World Congress for Psychotherapy will be returning to its inaugural venue, the Sigmund Freud Private University in Vienna, for its tenth instalment in 2023, by invitation of Prof. Alfred Pritz, president of the World Council and rector of the Sigmund Freud Private University.
Up to 4,000 scientists and researchers will be attending the congress to discuss all the latest findings in the field of psychotherapy and, we believe, they’ll discover that finding inspiration is a walk in the park.
The World Council for Psychotherapy was founded in Vienna in 1995 and is still headquartered here. The organisation’s first World Congress was also held here in 1996, it has been hosted in different locations every three years ever since. Now we’re now looking forward to it returning to the birthplace of Sigmund Freud himself.
With 4,000 participants attending a series of 500 lectures, seminars, and workshops, there is a lot for participants to take on board. Freud, the university’s world-famous founder, had a special therapy tool: He used to walk with his patients in the local area as it helped them think clearly and open up. This practice was later named and known as Freudian Walks.
Congress participants will need to grasp the latest scientific breakthroughs, so Prof. Pritz and I had this crazy idea: Why not organise a Freudian Walk as part of the programme? It would be a fresh and completely difference element to the traditional congress programme.
The university is in the Prater area, next to the Prater Alley, an eight-kilometre pedestrian zone, the perfect place for the congress’ Freudian Walks to take place. The activity will involve small groups of people walking while talking about a specific theme. We think it will be quite an experience.