We would like to cordially invite you to attend the 7^th International Conference on Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor^®(PBSP^®) psychotherapy to be held in Prague 26–29 September 2019. We will celebrate the 90^th anniversary of the birth of the authors of PBSP Albert Pesso and Diane Boyden-Pesso. It will be ten years since our Dutch colleagues organized a wonderful international PBSP conference in Amsterdam. Twenty years ago the Czech PBSP community held the first Czech training in PBSP.

The PBSP conference in Amsterdam focused on the relationship between mind and body as reflected in its title, “The Embodied Mind”. Neuroscience has been developing rapidly over the last two decades and step‑by‑step discoveries have revealed how the activity of the brain relates to the mind and behavior. Affective developmental neuroscience explores how early childhood experience shapes the development of structures and functioning in the brain. This research has changed thinking about Descartes’ ontological model which distinguished between the realms of body and mind.

The theme and title of the 7^th International PBSP Conference is “Science and Good Practice”. This refers to the effort to bring the latest in science and research into our models of good therapeutic practice.

The genius of Albert Pesso, along with his wife Diane Boyden-Pesso, was to incorporate two fundamental empirical principles into their practice: thorough observation of a client’s emotional process and systematic evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Combining this effort with extraordinary talent, empathy, deep insight into a client’s world and a wealth of creativity, they developed unique and precise techniques for this model of psychotherapy. Training in PBSP psychotherapy has been helping therapists and psychologists develop a deeper understanding of their clients and learn this complex, effective psychotherapeutic method.

The 7^th International PBSP Conference in Prague will integrate current research on the brain, development, and social and affective functioning with core concepts from the Pessos’ work. We wish to open a new space for sharing scientific thinking, ideas about good practice and creative uses and applications of PBSP psychotherapy. We also want to establish a forum for the questions which PBSP therapists ask today.

We look forward to seeing you in Prague!

On behalf of the scientific and organizational committee

Jan Siřínek, PhD
and Petra Winnette, PhD