5th International Conference
Contextual Therapy
27 - 28 - 29 october 2025
Antwerp - Belgium
THE NEED FOR CONNECTION
Relationship challenges in today's world
ICCT2025
Welcome,
The International Conference Contextual Therapy (ICCT) gathers international speakers, practitioners, and scholars to exchange ideas and information on both contextual practice and theory.
This conference explores the profound effects of the era we live in on our relationships and family dynamics.
We will delve into the challenges posed by changing ideas about relationships and gender, robots, online dating, AI, (mental) illness, and other contemporary events. Contextual therapists and scholars will come together to explore how to navigate this complex world. It opens up discussion on strategies for embrace its benefits while considering its potential impact on people in their relationships. Join us for insightful discussions and practical approaches to contextual therapy in this fascinating era.
This ICCT2025 conference will take place at the AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp.
The language of communication during the conference (planary an workshops) is English.
Some presentations will also be in Dutch and French. More information will follow later.
This page is not yet fully completed. We are working on it.
If you want to stay up to date please register (with your email address) at the bottom of our website, so you will automatically be kept informed of the latest developments. Click here for registration.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS AND PRESENTATIONS
We welcome all contextual therapy practitioners, researchers and students, as well as professionals in the field of family therapy, counseling, social work, psychology and psychiatry, to present a proposal for a workshop at this 3-day conference. We particularly appreciate proposals that focus on the impact of digitalisation on contemporary relationships, but proposals for other research or innovation in the field of contextual therapy are also welcome.
Our goal is that the conference not only serves as an academic platform, but also as a valuable professional development and continuing education opportunity for practitioners. There will be ample opportunity to network and share knowledge.
We encourage submissions from practitioners, scholars, doctoral candidates and students for original research, case studies, panel discussions, or complete sessions devoted to an issue related to Contextual Therapy. Please check our website for submission of proposals. Your proposal will be read with attention by the scientific committee. Based on their findings, the program will be put together in spring 2025.
Practicing professionals and scholars not presenting at the conference are welcome and encouraged to attend and learn the latest contextual therapy developments, best practices and benefit from the continuing education and professional development opportunities!
How to apply?
1. Download the guidelines proposals
2. Write your proposal
3. Email as PDF to: academiecontextueelwerk@gmail.com
À partir de 420 euros
CONFERENCE PRICES
EARLY BIRD 420 euro (until 31.03.2025) - REGULAR 520 euro - STUDENT 420 euro - THE MASTERCLASS SPECIAL 1 DAY 145 euro
(drinks - meals - conferencemap - taxes are included)
This conference is organized by Academy Contextual Work
Conference committee
Luc Claes
Paul Heyndrickx
Yvette Desmet
Sabine Bogaert
Katrien Schoevaerts
Frederic Blancke
Scientific committee
Paul Heyndrickx (Academy for Contextual Work B)
Dr. Catherine Ducommun-Nagy (The Institute for Contextual Growth, Inc. USA)
Dr. Jaap van der Meiden (Institute Contextual Approach NL)
Dr. Stéphanie Haxhe (l'Ardoise Pivotante asbl, B)
Prof. Dr. Peter Rober (KU Leuven B)
Yvette Desmet (Academy for Contextual Work B)
Kristien Schoevaerts (Academy for Contextual Work B)
LOCATION CONFERENCE
AP University of Applied Siences and Arts Antwerp
Noorderplaats 2
2000 Antwerp (Belgium)
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES
First ICCT 1997, Philadelphia-USA
Organized by Nagy’s colleagues and students
Second ICCT 2018, Ede – Netherlands
Organized by the Dutch Institute of Contextual Approach
Third ICCT 2021, Hungary – Budapest
Organized by the Hungarian Family-System Therapy Institute
Forth ICCT 2023, California – USA
Organized by Alliant University's Couple and Family Therapy program
Fifth ICCT 2025, Antwerp - Belgium
Organized by the Belgium Academy Contextual Work
ABOUT ICCT
The contextual therapy developed by Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy and colleagues has a unique place in the family therapy field. Its relational justice-focused approach has been widely endorsed by clinicians worldwide and recently drew more professional attention across the world. The approach is integrative as it aims to capture the complexity of human life and relationships and is one of the first theories to integrate individual psychotherapeutic approaches with family systems by providing a framework for changing family relational processes while emphasizing the individual’s role and accountability in relationships.
This is especially relevant to our current social context as we seek to heal and repair relational divides manifested through mistrust, anger, and anxiety. Contextual therapy has been applied to clinical work with families, especially post-divorce, blended and foster families, couples, adult children and aging parents, medical issues, interpersonal violence, conduct disorders, and self-destructive behaviors. The philosophical underpinnings and overarching principles are useful for clinical practice from different theoretical approaches.
