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TRIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS of IAGP

Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to present the Conference  Book of the 22nd IAGP International Congress, taking place in Sapporo, Japan, from August 20 to 23, 2025 .
This collection of abstracts reflects the richness, diversity, and depth of the work developed by professionals from 39 countries across the globe in group psychotherapy, group processes, and related fields . It stands as a testament to the creative, scientific, and humanistic commitment of our global community, especially in these times that call for renewed connection and dialogue .
Under the Congress theme, “Groups and Global Crises: Challenges for People, Organizations, and Societies”, these contributions invite us to explore new perspectives, revisit established practices and engage in meaningful exchanges across cultures and disciplines . They demonstrate how group work continues to be a powerful tool for social change, clinical and organizational innovation, and human development .
IAGP deeply values the cross-cultural exchange of ideas and the cross-fertilization of knowledge among colleagues with diverse backgrounds and professional experiences . To foster this exchange, the scientific program will feature bilingual sessions conducted in both English and Japanese, ensuring broader access and inclusivity for participants .
We extend our gratitude to all authors, reviewers, and members of the Scientific Program Committee, under the leadership of the co-chairs Roberta Mineo and Kaoru Nishimura, who made this publication possible . We are also deeply grateful to each of you for your engagement and support in making this Congress a vibrant and inspiring event .
We hope this Abstract Book serves not only as a guide for the Congress but also as an ongoing source of inspiration for your work and your journey with IAGP .
We look forward to welcoming you to Sapporo!

Warm regards,
Heloisa Fleury, 22nd IAGP International Congress President, on behalf of the Congress Organizing Committee: Asuka Kamada, Bruno Chevolet, Jun Maeda, Kaoru Nishimura, Roberta Mineo, Simon McLellan, and Yoshie Ohashi .

DOWNLOAD HERE 2 FILES
IAGP2025_Conference Book 20250812

Errata

Hybrid programme
With the support of Tele’Drama International©, we have decided to offer part of the Congress Program online!

The hybrid program includes:

  • 5 Experiential/Educational/Training (EET) Seminars on Day One (fully interactive hybrid)
  • 3 Keynote Lectures (live streamed)
  • 5 hybrid workshops (fully hybrid, hands-on participation)
  • 10 symposia titles across 21 sessions will be offered as equal hybrid experiences, and all will be recorded.

Sessions are made available as a recording to those who register. Recordings will be made available during the month of September.

Registration now closed.

22ND IAGP INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS JAPAN.

Groups and Global Crises: Challenges for People, Organizations, and Societies
Sapporo, Japan.  August 20 to 23rd, 2025

Co-Chairs of the Scientific Program Committee: Dr. Kaoru Nishimura and Dr. Roberta Mineo

We are pleased to announce the dates for the 22nd International Congress of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes (IAGP), which will be held in Sapporo, Japan. Please mark your calendars for this remarkable event, taking place from August 20 to August 23, 2025.

The IAGP International Congress is a platform for professionals, experts, and enthusiasts from around the world to gather, share knowledge, and foster collaboration within the field of group psychotherapy and group processes. The Congress offers a unique opportunity for networking, learning, and expanding horizons in our dynamic field.

Key Details:

 

 

On behalf of the Organizing Committees of the 22nd IAGP International Congress, we cordially invite you to participate in the conference.

Welcome to the 22nd IAGP International Congress in Sapporo, Japan! We are honored to invite you to join us for a unique and enriching experience exploring the theme: “Groups and Global Crises: Challenges for People, Organizations, and Societies.”

In a world facing many challenges, our goal is to create a global forum that brings together diverse perspectives and theoretical approaches, fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange in the field of group psychotherapy and group processes. As we explore the impact of global crises on individuals, organizations, and societies, we aim to contribute new insights that will shape the future of group work.

Join us in Japan, a country renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality, the perfect place for facing the complexities of our world today and for exploring collectively the role of groups in fostering social health.

The Scientific Program Committee, a multicultural and diverse group of professionals, is creating a program that promises a rich composition of scientific activities, including small, medium and large groups, providing a unique opportunity to engage with other cultures, exploring social conflicts and fostering dialogue.

We very much look forward to seeing you in Sapporo, Japan in August 2025!

Heloisa Fleury
IAGP President

  • Workshops and Sessions:
    • Oral Presentations: Share original research, theoretical advancements, or practical insights.
    • Poster Presentations: Display research findings, case studies, or innovative practices visually, with opportunities for interaction during designated sessions.
    • Workshops: A facilitated and interactive session that engages participants in experiential learning (75 minutes).
    • Symposia: A panel of 3–4 related presentations on a specific topic, with a discussant and audience participation (90 minutes).
    • A three-day small group: A group of no more than 15 participants meeting over three days (days 2, 3, 4) to examine the conference theme through a specific theoretical framework (75 minutes each day, language to be  specified).
    • Experiential Seminars (Experience, Education, Training – EET Day) taking place on day 1 of the congress (between 3-6 hours)

Target Audience: This event welcomes those working with group modalities as therapists, researchers, educators, students, and practitioners from diverse disciplines. Submissions that address cross-cultural, interdisciplinary, or underrepresented topics are highly encouraged.

Please enjoy a presentation from Japanese colleagues on the congress. (Captions in English)

  1. Professor Jun Maeda,

2. Professor Kaoru Nishimura: Information on abstracts

 

3. Registration pathway

PAST CONFERENCES

  • 1st Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held on the initiative of J. L. Moreno in Toronto, Canada, August 12-20, 1954, in association with the Fifth International Congress of Health.
  • 2nd International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held in Zurich, Switzerland, August 29-31, 1957, just after the International Congress of Psychotherapy, which had also been held in Zurich.
  • 3rd International Congress of Group Psychotherapy took place in Milan, Italy, July 18-21, 1963.
  • 4th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy took place in Vienna, Austria, September 16-21, 1968.
  • 5th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held in Zurich, Switzerland, August 19-24, 1973.
  • 6th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy in Philadelphia, Pa., USA, July 31 – August 5, 1977.
  • 7th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held August 3–8, 1970, in Copenhagen/Denmark.
  • 8th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held April 22-27, 1984, in Mexico-City/Mexico.
  • 9th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy in Zagreb, August 24th-29th, 1986, Yugoslavia.
  • 1st Pacific Rim Regional congress of IAGP took place in Tokyo, Japan, 1987, October 9-11. The main theme was “Changes in the Individual During Group Psychotherapy.”
  • 10th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy took place in Amsterdam, Netherlands August 27 – Sept. 2, 1989.
  • 2nd Pacific Rim Regional Congress of IAGP took place in Melbourne, Australia, January 11-18, 1991.
  • 11th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held in Montreal, Canada, August 22-28, 1992. The theme was “Love and Hate Toward Resolving Conflict.”
  • 3rd Pacific Rim Regional Congress was held on September 23–28, 1993 on the Republic of China (Taiwan) – Taipei
  • 12th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 27th – September 3rd, 1995. The Congress theme was “Groups at the Doorsteps of the New Century “.
  • 13th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held 23-28 August 1998 in London. The theme was “Annihilation Survival Re-Creation.”
  • 4th Pacific Rim Regional Congress was held September 23rd-25th, 1999, in Tokyo. The Main Theme was “Training and Supervision.”
  • 14th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held in Jerusalem/Israel, August 20-25, 2000. The theme of the Congress was “The Spirit of Groups 2000: From Conflicts to Generative Dialogue.”
  • 5th IAGP Pacific Rim Regional Congress in Melbourne, Australia, January 24th-28th, 2001. The Main Theme was “The Tyranny of Difference.”
  • The IAGP Mediterranean Regional Meeting in Zadar, Croatia, August 29th to September 1st, 2001.
  • 6th Pacific Rim Regional Congress was held March 12th-15th, 2003, in Singapore.
  • 15th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held August 25-29, 2003 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Congress theme was Crossroad of Culture: Where Groups Converge.
  • 2nd Regional Mediterranean Conference, September 1st-5th, 2004, in Athens, Greece. The Congress theme was “Olympism, Group-Transcultural Matrix and Brain Plasticity.”
  • 16th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2006. The Congress Theme was “Groups: Connecting Individuals, Communities and Cultures.”
  • 7th Pacific Rim Regional Congress of Group Psychotherapy was held in Taipei, Taiwan, September 24th-28th, 2005.
  • 3rd Regional Mediterranean Conference, February 28-March 2, 2008, Barcelona, Spain
  • 9th International Summer Academy. 19-23 May 2008 in Granada, Spain. The theme was Mediation and management of Conflicts: The Intercultural Competences of Groups.
  • 8th Pacific Rim Regional Congress for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes, October 7-11, 2008, Matsue, Japan.
  • 17th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes in Rome, Italy, August 22-28, 2009. The Congress theme was “Groups in a time of conflict.”
  • 1st Latin American Regional Congress, 2010
  • 4th Regional Conference of IAGP – Porto 2011
  • 18th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, 2012, Cartagena, Colombia – The Congress theme was “Within Worlds and Cultures: Social Transformation.”
  • 19th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, 2015 in Split Croatia – The Congress theme was “Despair and desire in times of crisis: Potentials of groups.”
  • 1st Regional Conference of IAGP South Africa – The University of Pretoria, South Africa, 11-14 March  2015. The theme: ‘Groups crossing boundaries: co-creating spaces for transformative change’
  • 2nd African Regional Conference: Groups Crossing Boundaries: Co-Creating Spaces For Transformative Change, 11 – 14 March 2015
  • 20th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, 2018  in Malmo, Sweden-  The Congress theme was “Rising Tides of Challenge and Hope. Healing Identity, In Society, Groups, and Individuals.”
  • 5th African Regional Congress in Cairo, Egypt, January 2022.
  • 21st International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, 2022, Pescara, Italy – The Congress theme was “Groups for the world: Inspiration, strength and transformation.”
  • 6th African Regional Congress in Cairo, Egypt, January 2023.
  • 5th Mediterranean Regional Congress for Trauma & Disaster in Antalya, Turkey, November 2 to 5th, 2023.
  • 7th African Regional Congress in Port El Kantaoui, Sousse, Tunisia, May 9 to 11th, 2024.
  • 2nd Latin American Regional Congress in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, September 11 to 14th, 2024.
  • 22nd IAGP International Congress in Sapporo, Japan, August 20 to 23rd, 2025 (venue: Sapporo Convention Center in Hokkaido) – The Congress theme was “Groups and Global Crises: Challenges for People, Organizations, and Societies.”

In addition, an annual International Summer Academy has been held in Grenada since 1999.

SITE SELECTION COMMITEE (SSC) & REGIONAL CONGRESSES

CHAIR: Dr. Cristina Martinez-Taboada 

EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS:

  • Maurizio Gasseau (Italy) as committee member
  • Mona Rathwy (Egypt) as committee member
  • Marcia Honig (Israel)
  • Simon McLellan (New Zealand)
  • Adriana Piterbarg (Argentina)

Congress advisor: Maite Pi (Spain)

Archive Material

Download Archive Material here

16th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2006. The Congress Theme was “Groups: Connecting Individuals, Communities and Cultures. Abstract - Brazil 2006
3rd Regional Mediterranean Conference, February 28-March 2, 2008, Barcelona, Spain
4th Regional Conference of IAGP – Porto 2011
17th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes in Rome, Italy, August 22-28, 2009.
19th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, Rovinji 2015
20th International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, 2018, Malmö
21st International Congress of Group Psychotherapy, 2022, Pescara, Italy
7th African Regional Congress in Port El Kantaoui, Sousse, Tunisia, May 9 to 11th, 2024.