Abstracts from the 2023 NPSA Congress

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Notes on contributors

Mouna Maroun

Mouna Maroun studied Psychology in Haifa and obtained her Ph.D. in Psychobiology. She continued for a postdoc in Paris in Neuroscience and is now a Professor in the University of Haifa. She is interested in the interaction between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala and how this interaction is modified following stress. In recent years, she focused her study to address possible differences in these mechanisms between adult and juvenile rats. Maroun recently started also addressing the effects of unhealthy diet on the juvenile brain and her findings support the vulnerability of the juvenile developing brain.

Simone Shamay-Tsoory

Simone Shamay-Tsoory, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Haifa. She serves as the head of the Social and Affective Neuroscience Lab and the newly established Brain and Behavior Hub. As a social neuroscientist, Professor Shamay-Tsoory's research focuses on understanding how the brain processes social cognition and emotional experiences. To explore these topics, she utilizes advanced neuroscience techniques such as neuroimaging, neurostimulation, and psychopharmacology. Her investigations involve both typically developing individuals and those with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). One area of Professor Shamay-Tsoory's work is centered around the neural basis of human empathy. She has explored the dual brain systems involved in empathy, including an emotional contagion system and a cognitive-perceptual system. Through her recent research, she has employed fNIRS-based hyperscanning, which involves scanning the brains of two or more individuals simultaneously. This approach allows her to study the coordination and coupling of brain activity during social interactions.

Nikolai Axmacher

Nikolai Axmacher, Ph.D., studied Philosophy and Medicine in Berlin and Paris and is Professor of Neuropsychology at Ruhr University Bochum. He investigates the neural foundations of memory functions and dysfunctions using cognitive neuroscience methods in humans, with a particular interest in the processing of specific experiences by the brain. He investigates a wide range of memory processes from working to long-term memory and memory consolidation, autobiographical memory and repression, and addresses questions such as: How are experiences represented in the brain and transformed into memory traces? How do these experiences shape, and are shaped by, our Self? And how is memory compromised by trauma, interpsychic conflicts and Alzheimer’s dementia? Axmacher uses a combination of functional MRI at 3T and 7T, simultaneous EEG/fMRI and intracranial EEG recordings. His work has been published in more than 140 articles including papers in Science, Nature Neuroscience, Neuron etc., and was cited more than 13,000 times. Nikolai Axmacher was awarded several prestigious awards, most recently an ERC Consolidator Grant (2M€) in 2019. He is an elected member of the Memory Disorders Research Society and serves on several international research panels.

Najla Asmar

Najla Asmar is a supervising clinical psychologist, and Chief Psychologist at the English Hospital in Nazareth. Founder and manager of MA’ANA Center at the English Hospital, a center for mental health treatment, evaluation and supervision. Najla Asmar has worked for many years at the Developmental Psychological Treatment Station of the Ministry of Health in Haifa, and is a graduate of the Psychotherapy program and the Experienced Therapists program at the Psychoanalytic Society in Israel.

Inas Assi-Armaly

Inas Assi-Armaly is a clinical psychologist, and former supervisor at MA`ANA Center – for mental health treatment, evaluation and supervision at the English Hospital in Nazareth. Inas Assi-Armaly specialized in working with autistic children and families at MILMAN Center in Haifa, and worked for years at several developmental and mental health centers in Haifa and Shefa`amre.

Safaa Ghnadre-Naser

Dr. Safaa Ghnadre-Naser is a licensed clinical psychologist and supervisor who works at a private practice and as a senior therapist at the Community Mental Health Clinic in Nahariya. A lecturer at the Educational Counseling Program – Faculty of Graduate Studies, Oranim Academic College, and at the School for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at Galilee.

Idit Shalev

Dr. Idit Shalev is a senior lecturer in the psychology department at Ariel University, the head of the embodied cognition and self-regulation laboratory, a therapist in a private clinic, and the professional director of the Ministry of Health's training center for psychologists. She earned her PhD at the University of Haifa and specialized in experimental psychology in the domains of self-regulation, embodied cognition, and unconscious processes at the University of Maryland's Department of Psychology and Yale University's Department of Psychology. She did a clinical psychology residency at the University of Florida's Department of Psychiatry and is licensed in rehabilitative psychology in Israel.

Maria Sonia Goergen

Maria Sonia Goergen is a pediatric neurologist, clinical fellow of the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society, supervisor and consultant P.L.A.Y. Project, coordinator of Neuroplaybrasil.com.

Dana Belle Vilker

Dana Belle Vilker is a researcher in the Neuro-Cognitive Evolution lab in IIPDM, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, and a student in the neuro-cognitive psychology master's program. She researches the understanding of social cues and multispecies relationships in animals that lack a neocortex, under Prof. Shai Gabay. Dana is also a certified service dog trainer, and the COO of True Friend – Service Dogs for Autism social project. She is combining canine-assisted therapy with service dog training for individuals with disabilities. She teaches service dog training and handling, and animal behavior and cognition, in various programs. Dana was the leader of Brainstorm HaifaU Community, which promotes the area of brain-computer interface and computational cognition both inside and outside of the academia.

Joshua Weiss

Joshua Weiss is a supervising clinical psychologist currently working in private practice as well as teaching in Reichman University. I established and manage a postgraduate program in Forensic Psychology. My interest in understanding the psychology of criminal behavior began when I was offered an academic position in a department of criminology. I enrolled part-time to the Israeli Prison Service as a psychologist to study this population. After a number of years I was offered a senior position in the prison service, left the academic position to work in the prison, totaling 21 years and retiring early as a senior officer, at the rank of Colonel. In my private practice I continuously get referrals of adults, adolescents and children with acting out and antisocial traits. I publish clinical papers primarily focusing on countertransferential issues when assessing and treating this population. My Ph.D. is from Adelphi University, New York.

Sarah Clark

Sarah Clark has over 16 years of experience of working within the NHS in various settings such as inpatient units, hospitals and the community with children, adolescents, and adults. Her main approach is psychoanalytic psychotherapy. She received a BSc in psychology with the Open University, and went on to study an MSc in the psychodynamics of human development with Birkbeck University of London and The British Psychotherapy Foundation. This involved a 2-year infant observation focusing on the relationship between the mother and baby, and father, as well as the baby’s physical, social and psychic development. She went on to further training with C-LAN (Centre for Leadership and Affective neuroscience). Sarah has been a webinar speaker discussing the impact of Covid and post – traumatic stress disorder on individuals, teams, and organizations’ mental health, as well as facilitating workshops for organizations, focusing on building resilience throughout this time. Sarah draws from a range of psychological approaches including mentalization based therapy, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive–behavioral therapy, and dialectical-behavioral therapy. Sarah is a member of the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society and is interested in the dialogue between psychoanalysis and neuroscience.

Iftah Biran

Iftah Biran, M.D., is a psychiatrist, behavioral neurologist, and psychoanalyst. He is the chair of the Neuropsychiatric daycare ward at Tel Aviv Medical Center.

Ilana Ben Haim

Ilana Ben Haim, MA, was born in Israel, where she lives today. She obtained her Master’s degree in clinical psychology and in clinical research psychology from Bar Ilan University. Ilana is an expert in clinical psychology and in educational psychology. She is also a graduate of the Primary Mental States advanced studies program in the psychotherapy studies in Tel Aviv University. She works as a psychotherapist mainly with children and adolescents in her private clinic, using a psychodynamic approach. Ilana is teaching psychoanalytic theory in the program for therapists in the school for psychotherapists “Yisumim Klinim” and in “Levinsky-Wingate College” in Israel and supervises students in psychotherapy programs in “Tel Aviv University” and in the “Bi National School of Psychotherapy” in Hadassah.” In addition, Ilana writes poetry. Her poetry book entitled Lo Ani “לא אני”(“Not Me”) “was published in 2016.

Hadas Mor-Ofek

Hadas Mor-Ofek is a senior clinical psychologist and a supervisor. In her clinical work she integrates psychoanalytic-oriented psychotherapy with CBT interventions and with body-oriented psychotherapy. She serves as a director of a psychotherapy-training program. In her PhD dissertation, she analyzed reconstructed life stories of soldiers who committed suicide. She won the “Schnitzer Foundation Prize” for her research. In the 18th NPSA congress, her poster “Clinical Implications of the Polyvagal Theory of the ANS in the treatment of dissociative patients’ won the “Best Poster Prize.” She has published papers concerning the clinical application of neuropsychoanalysis.

Kobi Tiberg

Kobi Tiberg is a neuropsychologist and a rehabilitation psychologist. He works in private practice in Tel-Aviv. He has worked for many years as a psychologist of a neurological rehabilitation ward in Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, and at “Aviv Clinic” in Tel-Aviv. He has lectured and published extensively in the field of neuropsychoanalysis and is currently writing a PhD dissertation about complex trauma, sexuality and humor from a neuropsychoanalytic perspective at the interdisciplinary doctoral program in psychoanalysis, the psychotherapy program and the school of graduate studies, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University.

Dor Roitman

Dor Roitman, M.A., is an AAP practitioner and supervisor, clinical psychologist, graduate of the Israeli Institute of Group Analysis and board member at the Israeli Association of Group Psychotherapy (IAGP). He is a staff member at the program for Focused Psychotherapy in Bar-Ilan University and founder of the Forum for the Exploration of Psychotherapy in the Presence of Animals.

Liat Goldenberg

Liat Goldenberg, B.A., is an AAP practitioner from Magid Institute for Continuing Education, and student at the program for developmental-psychoanalytical thought on work with children and adolescents, at the Israel Psychoanalytic Society (IPS). She works in institutions with Holocaust survivors and children with ASD, and with children and adolescents at a private practice.

Racheli Ben David

Racheli Ben David is an AAP practitioner from David Yellin College of Education, and psychotherapy graduate from Magid Institute for Continuing Education, advanced studies in Couples and Family Therapy at T.L.M, and in Mindfulness Based Psychotherapy. B.A in biology & M.A. in anthropology.

Maya First

Maya First, M.A., is a biopsychologist and AAP practitioner from Oranim College. She is working with kids with special needs and the elderly.

Eli Wertman

Professor Wertman is a behavioral neurologist who trained with Professor Ken Heilman in Gainesville, Florida. He is a professor of neurology at Hadassah Medical School of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, and runs the behavioral neurology program in the department of neurology in Hadassah Hospital. He teaches as part of the neuropsychology program in the Psychology Department of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the head of Merhavim Neuro-psycho-geriatric Clinic. Professor Wertman emphasizes the multi-level neurological and neuropsychiatric phenomenology of elderly with complex cognitive and behavioral changes as a basis for optimal diagnosis and treatment of dementia and pre-dementia states as well as other neuropsychiatric conditions. He is a member of the Israeli NPSA group.

Avshalom Elitzur

Avshalom C. Elitzur is a physicist at the Center for Quantum Studies at Chapman University. His psychological publications span across religion, humor, and suicide prevention.

Elena Massardi

Elena Massardi, MA, works in private practice as a clinical psychologist. She is a child, adolescent, parent/infant psychotherapist, and organizational consultant. She trained as psychotherapist at PSIBA (Milan), at The Anna Freud Centre (London), and at the Tavistock and Portman Clinic (London). She is a member of NPSA, IPD (Italian Psychoanalytic Dialogues), ISPSO, OPUS, WAIMH, and IL NODO GROUP. She worked in the Italian NHS (ASL Brescia) as a psychologist. She has been dealing with the local court and local services by supporting children and their families. She was responsible for the assessment and mental health projects for children and their families. She worked in services for people with disabilities, providing assessments to plan their integration in workplaces. She organized and coordinated a specialized consulting service for adolescents in public sector, and has worked with psychotherapy groups for families with problems of alcohol addiction.

Lois Oppenheim

Lois Oppenheim, Ph.D., is University Distinguished Scholar, Professor of French, and Chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Montclair State University where she teaches courses in literature and medical humanities. She is Scholar Associate Member of the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, where she is also on the faculty, and Honorary Member of the William Alanson White Institute. Dr. Oppenheim has authored or edited fifteen books, the most recent being For Want of Ambiguity: Order and Chaos in Art, Psychoanalysis, and Neuroscience (co-authored; Bloomsbury) and Imagination from Fantasy to Delusion (Routledge), awarded the Courage to Dream Prize from the American Psychoanalytic Association. Other titles include A Curious Intimacy: Art and Neuro-Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalysis and the Artistic Endeavor. She has also published more than 90 papers, book chapters, and reviews, been a Visiting Scholar at NYS Psychiatric Institute, and co-creator of two documentary films on mental health.

Dorit Noy Sharav

Dorit Noy-Sharav, M.A., is a senior clinical psychologist with a Master's degree in psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She served as Chief of the Psychological Service of the Talbieh Mental Health Center (affiliated to the Hebrew University) in charge of supervision and advanced studies. She is now in private practice in Jerusalem. Dorit is a member of the Israel Psychologists Organization, the Israel Association for Psychotherapy, the Israeli Association for Couple and Family Therapy, the IRS – International Rorschach Society, and the IRI – Imago Relationship International. She has also been a Certified Imago Relationship therapist since 1995, and is involved in the assessment and study of surrogate motherhood. Dorit has presented at various national and international conferences, and has published works in Hebrew, as well as in Psychotherapy – on “Who is afraid of short-Term dynamic psychotherapy,” “On Termination and the Therapist's Personality,” 1998; in Clinical Social Work Journal – on “Good-Enough adoptive parenting and Selfobject relations,” 2002, and on “Identity concerns in Intercountry adoption,” 2006; in Rorschachiana – on The Rorschach and TAT as Relational Instrument, 2005; in Psychoanalytic Social Work, on Animating the Capacity for Concern: The Imago Couple Therapist embraces Winnicott, 2019; and in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy on: Corrective Emotional Experience in Couple Therapy: An Integration between Imago approach and Psychoanalytic concepts in Light of Neuropsychological Studies, 2021.

Alina Danevych

Alina Danevych, M.Sc., who received her Master’s Degree in Biology cum laude from National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and a degree in psychology from T.G. Shevchenko Kyiv National University, has completed a number of training programs including EXIT training for working with refugees and people in harsh stressful situations, training in psychodrama with the Norway Moreno Institute, training in psychoanalytic theory and practice with Kyiv Institute of Modern Psychology and Psychotherapy, and training for psychodrama therapists with the Psychodrama Association for Europe (PAfE). She currently maintains or has maintained a number of support groups, is a member of and Kyiv Regional Group Coordinator for the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society (NPSA) and a member of The Ukrainian Union of Psychotherapists. She is in private (supervised) psychotherapeutic practice.

Susan Sherkow

Susan P. Sherkow, M.D., is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Berkshire Psychoanalytic Institute. She is also a Supervising Analyst and Instructor in the Child and Adolescent Division of NYPSI, Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai and Albert Einstein Colleges of Medicine, and the president of Association for Child Psychoanalysis. Dr. Sherkow has published in JAPA, The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, and Psychoanalytic Inquiry, among others, on the topics of autism spectrum disorder, primal scene, watched play, and working in analysis with children under five. She is co-author of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience (2014). Her most recent writings include chapter contributions: “Managing arrogance in child analysis’ in Arrogance: Developmental, Cultural, and Clinical Realms, and “Back to Freud’s beginning: Looking at Neuroscience through a Contemporary Psychoanalytic Lens’ in Psychoanalytic Trends in Theory and Practice, The Second Century of The Talking Cure. Dr. Sherkow received the Ritvo prize in child psychoanalysis from the Yale Child Study Center in 2010. In 2012, she founded The Sherkow Center for Child Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder, a not-for-profit organization created to provide support for training, treatment, and research in the area of developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder.

Joshua Kellman

Joshua Kellman, M.D., is a child and adult psychiatrist and a psychoanalyst. He is on the faculty at the University of Chicago, in the Department of Psychiatry, predominantly in the section of child and adolescent psychiatry. He teaches classes on psychodynamic work with children and adults, and on development. He is also involved in research on play, including a recent study involving parents tickling their children, examining the relationship between heart rate variability and play, and the relationship between play and flexibility. He is also on the faculty at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, where he teaches classes on psychoanalysis and neuroscience with Virginia Barry, on the hierarchical models approach to psychoanalysis, and case conferences.

Kristin Rosseau

Kristin Rosseau, M.D., is a board-certified adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Rosseau attended medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA and completed both general adult psychiatric residency and child and adolescent psychiatric fellowship at the University of Chicago. She is currently practicing in Denver, Colorado.

Tracey Simon

Tracey L. Simon, MFA, LCSW, FIPA, is a clinical psychoanalyst with a full-time private practice in the heart of Manhattan. She is a full member of The Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research (IPTAR), where she also serves as Clinical Faculty and Chair of the IPTAR Arts and Society Committee. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at The Silberman School of Social Work and a Faculty and Supervisor at the Metropolitan Institute for Training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (MITPP). She is a Fellow of the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) and a Clinical Fellow of the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society (NPSA). She is a member of Division 39 (psychoanalysis) and the Confederation of Independent Psychoanalytic Societies (CIPS).

Itzhak Benyamini

Dr. Itzhak Benyamini is an Israeli philosopher and theoretician. His research interests are Theology, Psychoanalytic theory, and socio-political criticism.

Hovav Rashelbach

Dr. Hovav Rashelbach is a senior lecturer at the Art Institute of Oranim College, a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and thinker. His teaching focuses on thoughts about the work of art and the work of drawing.

Efrat Kaplan

Efrat A. Kaplan holds a Master's degree in Law and specializes in conflict resolution. She works as a mediator in family conflicts. Her research deals with the influence of psychoanalytical thinking on mediation and on jurisdiction as ethics.

Marina Risin

Marina Risin studies psychology at the Open University. She studied somatic-based therapy of military trauma and she participates in Lacanian reading groups. She plans to study social work with a specialty in grief counseling and trauma.

Sa’ar Karp Gershon

Dr. Sa’ar Karp Gershon graduated with a Ph.D. in statistics and completed a post-doctorate in science teaching with an emphasis on learning analytics and assessment. He works as a research advisor in the field of brain science education and as a data scientist in chemical engineering.

Shirli Sela Levavi

Dr. Shirli Sela Levavi graduated with a Ph.D. in comparative literature and teaches academic writing and rhetoric at Pace University, New York. Her research focuses on authorship and structuring collective memory in the works of S.Y. Agnon.

Ynon Weisman

Ynon Weisman is a leading clinical and research team member in the first clinical trial in Israel on psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression (PAPD), funded by the Israeli Ministry of Health. He is a clinical psychologist, working in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, specializing in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP), and neuropsychoanalysis.

Emil-Gabriel Enache

Emil-Gabriel Enache, MPsych, clinical psychologist, psychoanalytic psychotherapist, member of Bucharest Association for Counseling and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (ACPPB Bucharest, Romania), Group Coordinator of Bucharest Neuropsychoanalysis Regional Group.

Dor Roitman

Dor Roitman, M.A., clinical psychologist and supervisor, graduate at the Israeli Institute of Group Analysis (IIGA), Animal-Assisted Psychotherapist, board member at the Israeli Association of Group Psychotherapy (IAGP) and staff member at the program for Focused Psychotherapy at Bar-Ilan university.

Andrea Valente

Andrea C. Valente has a doctorate in philosophy with a dissertation on neuro-humanities and education along with two MAs in applied linguistics and humanities with focus on socio-interactional studies, teaching/learning languages, and rhetoric. Dr. Valente is a contract lecturer in the Faculty of Education, York University, Canada.

Elena Markova

Dr. Elena Markova, Ph.D. in molecular genetics, psychoanalytic psychotherapist, Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis (MIP), Russian Federation, Moscow.

Alina Danevych

Alina Danevych, MSc, psychodrama therapist, psychoanalytically oriented psychologist, Kyiv neuropsychoanalytic group co-coordinator. Now based in Cambridge, UK.

Susan Mizen

Susan Mizen, MBBS, FRCPsych UK, is an Analytical Psychologist in private practice and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy in Exeter. She developed a psychotherapeutic day and outpatient program in Exeter as an alternative to locked placements for patients with severe Personality Disorder. Her Relational Affective Model is an analytic, neuroscientific approach to therapeutic work with this patient group. She is investigating the model in a neuroscience PhD at The University of Exeter. She was Chair of the Psychotherapy Faculty Executive at the Royal College of Psychiatrists until 2018 and is currently Chair of the Talking Therapies Task Force.

Elizabeth Weightman

Elizabeth Weightman is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist with experience of working in the NHS and private practice. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Exeter and has specialized in qualitative research and psychoanalytic concepts, particularly Bion’s concept of container/contained. Her publications include work on the containment of people diagnosed with personality disorder and those with a diagnosis of complex PTSD. She has been working recently on the use of the OPD-2 for research purposes.

Michal Tanzer

Michal Tanzer, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UCL, Psychoanalysis Unit, Department of Clinical, Education & Health Psychology, working with Professor Katerina Fotopoulou. Michal completed her Ph.D. at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. Michal trained as a clinical psychologist at Soroka Medical Centre, at the Trauma clinic for children and youth, Beer-Sheva. After she finished her internship she served as the head of the para-medical team in the clinic. Currently she is also working as a clinical psychologist at a private practice in London.

Aikaterini Fotopoulou (Discussant)

Aikaterini Fotopoulou, Ph.D., is a Professor in Psychodynamic Neuroscience at University College London. Her lab focuses on topics and disorders that lie at the borders between neurology and psychology, funded initially by a Starting Investigator Grant “Bodily Self” and more recently a Consolidator grant “METABODY” from the European Research Council. See here for projects and publications (www.fotopoulou.com). She is the editor of the volume: From the Couch to the Lab: Trends in Psychodynamic Neuroscience, OUP 2012.

Danièle Lapointe

Ms. Lapointe, M. Sc. Counseling, B. Sc. Ps, is a clinical psychologist working in a private office and a guidance counsellor. For several years, she has been a lecturer at Université Laval and Université de Montréal for undergraduate and graduate students. She is also a supervisor for psychologists and psychotherapists, as well as for foreign students. She has participated as a speaker in symposiums, conferences and scientific congresses in Quebec, North America, Europe, Mexico and Africa. She has scientific publications and peer-reviewed collectives. She is completing a doctoral thesis in counseling science on the study of the phenomenon of resilience in cases of father/daughter incest. Resilience is an element that she adopts with both individual and group clients.

Patrizia Rosso

Patrizia Rosso is a psychotherapist trained in Jungian analytical psychology (Turin) and neuropsychology (Padua). She specialized in psychodrama and art therapy (Turin) and worked for 12 years in experimental psychiatric communities in Turin for her non-profit Association (N.I.Ps Cooperative). She was one of the first therapists in Italy to work with Pet Therapy and developed her own psychotherapeutic approach oriented to spirituality, helping in accompaniment in grief and death. In the last thirty years she has treated hundreds of cases and presented her research in various publications and at congresses. She is president of an Australian Foundation and a Maltese and Italian NGO Association, and she is teaching about inner research in Australia, Austria, Bali, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherland, Norway, Slovenia, Serbia and the United States. Since the early nineties she has been collaborating with Dr. Rossana DeAngelis and in the last few years she is busy compiling her knowledge for the next generations.

Gry Osnes

Gry Osnes, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist and family therapist. She works as an independent executive coach and researcher with family owners, entrepreneurship businesses and with chairs of boards, focusing on individuals and groups increasing their transitional and strategic capacity, using both system and modern psychoanalytic theory on transitions, authority and change. She is the author of several books such as Leadership and Strategic Succession: The How and Why for Boards and CEOs (Routledge, 2020) and Family Capitalism: Best Practices in Ownership and Leadership (Routledge, 2020).

Alicia Golijov

Alicia Golijov is a Psychologist-Psychotherapist-Psychoanalyst; Neurorehabilitation and neurocognitive stimulation – MA NRH – E NC; Architect; Founder and coordinator of AINPSA; Director and psychotherapist – MOEBIUS: Psychology-Body & Communication; Member of SEN; Member of NPSA; Teacher and workshop lead for emotional management groups.

Stefano Bembich

Stefano Bembich is a psychologist and clinical neuroscientist. Currently, he is a researcher and clinical psychologist at the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo,” Division of Neonatology, in Trieste (Italy). His research activity concerns the application of multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy, a functional and non-invasive brain imaging technique, to the study of cerebral cortex functioning in full term and preterm newborns. The study of parents’ cerebral cortex functioning during the parental relationship is among his research fields of interest as well.

Giovanna Tatti

Giovanna Tatti, Milan, psychologist, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, criminologist and criminologist lecturer. I work in private practice and in prison, with perpetrators of violent crimes. My interest has been focused for many years on early and complex trauma, transgenerational trauma, and the consequences and treatment of such patients, characterized by deep suffering, narcissistic wounds and dissociative functioning, with a deep attention on the transference and countertransference dynamics.

Naum Itkin

Naum Itkin M.D., Ph.D. Psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and researcher at Moscow State University, Faculty of Psychology; co-author of the books Hypnosis in Experimental Personality Research and Echo of the Unconscious in Painting – A Case Study.

Dori Rubinstein

Dori Rubinstein Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, head of research and clinical development at the Community Stress Prevention Center Kiryat Shmona, Israel. Lecturer in the field of trauma – Tel-Hai Academic College. Ph.D. – Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Research in the field of imagination and PTSD.

Ofer Peled

Dr. Ofer Peled is a senior clinical psychologist, Ruppin Academic Center – Lecturer in The MA Program in Clinical Psychology of Adulthood and Aging; Former Chair of ITA – The Israeli Association for CBT, and its representative in the EABCT – The European Association for CBT; Director of 'The Schema Therapy Center Raanana, Israel; Director of The CBT School – Individual, Family and Community Implementation in Israel. His PhD dissertation was on change processes in Schema Therapy for clients diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder. Experienced lecturer and supervisor for CBT and ST in the leading training programs, universities and mental health centers in Israel.

Ilana Laor

Ilana Laor, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and group analyst. She is now a board member of the IARPP and the former president of the Israeli chapter of IARPP. Ilana teaches and supervises at the Psychotherapy Program: core and relational track at Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine. She is the former owner and director of Ramat Aviv Institute, a private clinic certified by the Israel Ministry of Health for internship in clinical psychology, for analytical therapy for children and adults, individual, group, and couple therapy, relationally oriented. She initiated a special project called “Chavruta” (ancient Hebrew for “in company”), in the relational track at Tel Aviv University. For four consecutive years she conducted the project, bringing together artists, writers, film directors, Bible scholars, judges, and brain researchers, who met with psychoanalytically oriented professionals, in order to share thoughts and hold discussions that were of mutual benefit. Ilana writes on the relational consulting room, the analytic process in professional journals in English and Hebrew. She has published her unique model of Time Limited Psychotherapy in American, British and Hebrew Journals. She has also published three children's books with a relational orientation. Ilana has a private practice in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Orly Gat

Orly Gat is a Senior Trainer of the Shelhav method and a Feldenkrais Method practitioner. Originally trained as an occupational therapist (OT M.Sc.) with a profound experience of more than 20 years working with children and adults, she has a broad knowledge of development and special needs in this connection. She lives in Israel and teaches the Shelhav Method around the world.