Aleksandar Dimitrijevic, PhD, is interim professor of psychoanalysis and clinical psychology at the International Psychoanalytic University, Berlin, Germany. He is a member of the Belgrade Psychoanalytical Society (IPA) and Faculty at the Serbian Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists (EFPP), and the editor or co-editor of ten books or special journal issues, as well as author of many conceptual and empirical papers, about attachment theory and research, psychoanalytic education, psychoanalysis and the arts.
LECTURE 1
ALEKSANDAR DIMITRIJEVIC
Working with Resistance in Psychotherapy
In our practice, we often encounter resistance, no matter how motivated a client may be or how intense their suffering. At first glance, this may seem paradoxical; after all, a desire for healing exists alongside this ambivalence. Understanding and recognizing these resistances can be particularly challenging in therapeutic settings.
During his lecture, Prof. Dimitrijević addresses vital questions, including:
How can we identify forms of resistance?
What strategies can we implement to navigate these challenges effectively?
How do we ensure that we don’t overlook or neglect resistance in our work?
In what ways do these dynamics impact us as therapists?
Prof. Dimitrijević will guide us in exploring practical strategies to work with resistance rather than against it, enhancing our therapeutic practice.
Vladimir Miletic, MD is a psychotherapist and psychotherapy supervisor located in Ragusa, Italy. He specializes in personal construct psychology. In his work, he aims to integrate various mindfulness with the wider constructivist paradigm. He teaches constructivism at the PCP Center in Belgrade and the Constructivist Studio in Ragusa. He is the founder of Four Steps Coaching, Inc.
LECTURE 2
VLADIMIR MILETIC
A Map with Fuzzy Borders: A Constructivist Approach to Borderline Personality Disorder
This lecture reimagines the therapeutic landscape for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) through the lens of constructivist psychology. In this framework, BPD is not simply viewed as a disorder but as a complex, often unstable, way of navigating the world - a “map with fuzzy borders” where subjective experiences shape one's existence.
What You’ll Discover:
Alternative Perspective on BPD: Constructivist psychology offers a fresh lens on BPD, recognizing it as a mode of existence, rather than merely a disorder. BPD can be seen an unstable form of subjectivity - a mode of existing within, and responding to, the world rather than a static diagnosis.
Creating a Stabilizing Therapeutic Space: Explore how constructivist therapy for BPD fosters a unique interpersonal space that supports clients on a preverbal level, inviting transformative change.
The Therapist's Role: Understand the critical importance of a therapist’s ability to manage countertransference, enabling a grounded, supportive environment for the client.
Focus on Autonomy and Responsibility: Discover how constructivism emphasizes personal responsibility and autonomy, directing therapy goals toward enhancing the client’s dynamic functioning rather than targeting specific content.
This lecture will provide valuable insights for mental health professionals, students, and those interested in innovative approaches to working with clients with BPD. Don’t miss the chance to broaden your therapeutic map and deepen your understanding of this nuanced constructivist perspective.
Jelena Vidić is a psychologist and individual and group psychotherapist. She works as assistant professor at the Department of Psychology of the Singidunum University in Belgrade and in private practice. In the past two decades she was working on various projects of civil society organizations, mainly focusing on different kinds of psychosocial support to people from marginalized groups, including LGBTIQA+ people. Her work is grounded in feminist and affirmative approach.
LECTURE 3
JELENA VIDIC
On sexuality and gender in psychology - from pathologization to affirmation of diversity - LGBTQIA + affirmative therapy
LGBTIQA+ people are one of the most stigmatized groups in many societies and a group that was for many decades pathologized by mental health professionals. In this lecture participants will acquire basic information on working with LGBTIQA+ people and will be invited to reflect upon their own understanding of gender and sexuality and potential ways that these topics are present in their personal and professional life.
Join this insightful lecture to expand your understanding of psychotherapeutic work with LGBTIQA+ individuals. This session is designed for mental health professionals seeking to create a more inclusive and affirming therapeutic space.
What You’ll Gain from This Lecture:
Foundational Knowledge: Learn about the basic terminology and brief clarification of different conceptualizations of sexual and gender diversity in psychology and psychotherapy.
Historical Context: Understand the legacy of stigmatization and pathologization faced by LGBTIQA+ individuals in mental health care.
Research-Based Insights: Explore research supporting depsychopathologization and models used for understanding the effect of stigmatizaton on mental health of LGBTIQA people.
Practical Tools: Discover the principles of an LGBTIQA+ affirmative approach and how to integrate them into your practice.
Self-Reflection: Reflect on how your own understanding of gender and sexuality shapes your work and therapeutic relationships.
Professional Guidance: Review APA guidelines for affirmative therapy together and discuss applications in the consultation room.
By the end of this lecture, you’ll be equipped with a deeper understanding of how to effectively and respectfully support LGBTIQA+ clients, fostering an environment where they can grow.
Renata Senić is a psychologist and psychoanalyst affiliated with the Belgrade Psychoanalytical Society and a member of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA) and the European Psychoanalytical Federation (EPF). With over 15 years of experience in private practice, she specializes in providing psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis to individuals. Renata also conducts professional training programs and seminars, focusing on topics such as anxiety and narcissistic personality disorder.
LECTURE 4
RENATA SENIC
How to Talk to a Narcissist
Join us for an in-depth exploration of narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) through the lens of psychoanalysis. This lecture will provide a comprehensive understanding of:
Defining narcissism and NPD: Exploring the psychoanalytic perspective and the various manifestations of NPD in patients.
The dynamics of idealization and devaluation: Understanding how NPD patients oscillate between these extremes with their therapists, partners, and others, mirroring early childhood experiences with primary caregivers.
Maintaining Therapeutic Engagement: Strategies for helping patients recognize their patterns while preserving the therapeutic alliance.
Therapeutic Guidelines for NPD: Key do's and don'ts that evolve as therapy progresses.
Navigating Narcissistic Transference and Countertransference: Examining the centrality of these dynamics and the role of projective identification in communication.
This lecture is ideal for clinicians, mental health professionals, and anyone seeking deeper insights into working with individuals diagnosed with NPD.
Dunja is a clinical psychologist and a certified transactional analyst. With ten years of practice, she has specialized in working with individuals struggling with eating disorders, combining Transactional Analysis with elements of Body Psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems. Her therapeutic approach is rooted in the belief that it is through establishing a safe connection with the other that we can reestablish a loving and safe connection to ourselves.
LECTURE 5
DUNJA MLADENOVIC
Working with the inner dynamics of eating disorders
Join us for an in-depth exploration of eating disorders and their inner dynamics through a nuanced therapeutic lens. This lecture will provide a comprehensive understanding of:
The Eating Disorder as a Resource - Reframing symptoms as meaningful coping strategies rather than mere pathology.
The Role of Different Parts in Eating Disorders - Understanding the underlying needs driving disordered behaviors.
Inner Dynamics of Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating - Exploring key differences in psychological and emotional functioning.
Eating Disorders Through the Lens of the Brain - How neurobiological insights inform the most effective therapeutic approaches.
Common Traps in the Therapeutic Relationship - Recognizing and navigating challenges when working with clients with EDs.
This lecture is ideal for clinicians, mental health professionals, and anyone seeking deeper insights into supporting individuals with eating disorders.
Dr. Tijana Mirović holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is an accredited advanced-level Schema Therapist, Trainer, and Supervisor (ISST), as well as a Systemic Family Therapist and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapist (Associate Fellow of the Albert Ellis Institute). Until 2019, she was an Associate Professor at the university and has been the founder and director of Counseling Center Mozaik in Belgrade, Serbia, since 2009. Tijana had worked in the field of complex trauma since 1997. She began as an aid worker at refugee camps and has since worked as a psychotherapist, trainer, and supervisor, supporting help professionals and survivors of developmental trauma, sexual abuse, war trauma, pandemics, mass and school shootings.
LECTURE 6
TIJANA MIROVIC, PhD
Working with Complex PTSD - Making complex trauma less complex
Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful lecture on Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) - a condition that deeply impacts individuals, relationships, and even those who provide care.
Together, we will explore:
What is complex trauma and C-PTSD? Understanding its origins and effects
The roots of C-PTSD: Developmental trauma and collective trauma
Effective approaches to treatment: Key strategies for working with complex trauma
Navigating relationships in therapy and beyond: How C-PTSD shapes connections
When the healer carries trauma: Understanding complex trauma in psychologists and psychotherapists
This lecture is designed for clinicians, mental health professionals, and anyone eager to deepen their understanding of trauma and healing.
Sladjana Djordjevic, MA in clinical psychology, Body Psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. Council Chair of the European Associaition of Body Psychotherapy.
Founder and CPD courses trainer in Body Psychotherapy Centre in Belgrade. One of the trainers in Australian Institute of Somatic Psychotherapy.
LECTURE 7
SLADJANA DJORDJEVIC
Nervous System Regulation: Building Resilience from Within
Our nervous system is at the core of how we experience stress, emotions, and connection. When we feel safe and regulated, we can engage with the world from a place of clarity and resilience. But when dysregulated, we may struggle with anxiety, burnout, and reactivity.
In this lecture, you will explore:
The Basics of the Nervous System - How it works and why it plays a key role in emotional well-being.
What It Truly Means to Be Regulated - Understanding regulation, safety, and resilience.
Fundamentals of Polyvagal Theory for Therapy Practice - How the nervous system responds to stress and ways to foster safety.
Trauma-Informed Therapy - The impact of nervous system awareness on therapeutic work.
Practical Strategies for Nervous System Regulation - Easy-to-use techniques to promote resilience and well-being.
This session is designed for therapists, coaches, mental health professionals, and anyone curious about how the nervous system impacts daily life.