World Council of Psychotherapy Vienna 2025
- Rony Alfandary
- Aug 14
- 2 min read
Bridging Borders Through Psychotherapy: Israeli, Iranian, Saudi, Moroccan, and Lebanese Representatives Meet in Vienna
In a world often divided by politics and conflict, an extraordinary scene unfolded in Vienna this summer: representatives from Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Lebanon sat together in a public forum, united by a shared commitment to mental health.
Dr. Rony Alfandary, of the University of Haifa’s School of Social Work, represented Israel on behalf of the Israeli Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Since 2012, he has served as Israel’s delegate to the World Council of Psychotherapy (WCP) and is a current member of its executive board.
Founded in 1995 by Professor Alfred Pritz—President of Sigmund Freud University in Vienna—the WCP brings together representatives from around the globe and holds consultative status with the United Nations. It grants international recognition to psychotherapy programs worldwide and supports the development of training initiatives in the Global South.
Every three years, the WCP hosts a major international congress attended by thousands of mental health professionals. From July 16–20, 2025, the congress took place in Vienna, the birthplace of Sigmund Freud and Theodor Herzl, under the theme Polarities of Minds. Distinguished speakers included Mark Solms, Peter Fonagy, and Peter A. Levine.
Dr. Alfandary delivered a lecture on the psychological and cultural impacts of the events of October 7, drawing on his clinical work with displaced families and survivors, and his volunteer involvement with organizations such as HaOgen for Reserve Families, Edut 710, and Road to Recovery. His talk was marked by an optimistic yet clear-eyed perspective on complex realities, emphasizing the essential role of hope in therapeutic practice.
At the congress’s closing event—hosted at Vienna City Hall in the presence of a municipal representative—Dr. Alfandary initiated a public meeting between the Saudi, Lebanese, Moroccan, and Iranian delegates. Their discussions centered on trauma and recovery, the state of psychotherapy in their respective countries, and advances in scientific research. The shared language was professional solidarity, and the common goal was the mental well-being of people worldwide.
This was not the first such encounter. Similar informal meetings occurred at previous WCP congresses in Durban (2014) and Paris (2018), always in a spirit of professional respect and a mutual interest in fostering peace and healing in the region.
The Israeli Embassy in Vienna, led by Ambassador David Roet, was informed of Dr. Alfandary’s participation in this prominent scientific gathering. The ambassador met with him to discuss the congress’s events and outcomes.
As Dr. Alfandary noted, the connections forged in Vienna may serve as a foundation for future professional collaborations—initially online, perhaps—but with the potential to chart a constructive path forward.
Comments