"Reflecting on the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Creating the Future."
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"Reflecting on the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Creating the Future." -
The world’s first & only Chairwork-centered conference
The Chairwork Psychotherapy Initiative is so proud to host the world's first Chairwork-centered ONLINE conference! The psychotherapeutic art of Chairwork has had an amazing journey, and with the ongoing Chairwork renaissance, this is the perfect time to honor this past and celebrate everything to come.
This will be a great opportunity for those interested in experiential therapy, parts work, and chairwork to come together to learn from some of the best practitioners in the world. Whether you are just beginning your journey or are a seasoned practitioner, this event will offer engaging and valuable learnings and insights.
Online Sessions
Dynamic Presentations
Engaging Fireside Chats
Lively Panel Discussions
Powerful Demonstrations
Topics
Inner suffering
Trauma
Mistreatment
Addictions
Neurodivergence
Parts Work and Inner Selves
Multicultural identities and Intergenerational healing
Therapeutic challenges
Developing self-compassion
Registration Tiers
Registration (CE) - $195
Non-CE Registration - $160
Clinical Intern/Student Registration - $75
all tickets include 60-day access to the virtual conference recordings
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Thursday, September 18, 2025 - ONLINE
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM EDT
Welcome/Opening Remarks
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
Keynote: Chairwork Psychotherapy: Using the Four Dialogues in the Therapeutic Theater
Dr. Kellogg will present an overview of the history and development of Chairwork and Chairwork Psychotherapy – including the discovery of the Four Dialogues Model. He will then explore how this method can be used to help patients who are: (1) experiencing inner conflicts and inner suffering; (2) plagued and haunted by their histories of mistreatment and abuse; (3) experiencing grief and loss; and (4) having difficulties in their relationships with others. This will be followed by a Chairwork Psychotherapy case consultation and demo with a clinician volunteer from those in attendance.
(1.25 CE)
11:45 AM - 01:00 PM EDT
Presentation: Breaking the Silence: How chairwork can help resistant clients connect with their feelings
Research shows that changes in the Child Modes and the Healthy Adult are the best predictors of a positive therapy outcome (Yakin et al., 2020). In schema therapy, the goal of each session is therefore to connect with this emotional side of the client. However, many clients have developed coping modes that make it difficult for both the client and the therapist to connect with the client's emotional side. These clients typically find it extremely difficult to connect with their emotional sides and easily get stuck in a state of detachment or rationalization and intellectualization.
Chairwork is considered an effective technique for bypassing coping modes and connecting with the emotional sides of the patient (Krans & van der Wijngaart, 2022). However, effectively applying this technique proves difficult when clients are primarily inclined to rationalize and have little experience with allowing feelings. These clients will sit in the Vulnerable Child chair when asked, but will continue to talk to you without any emotion. How can you help these clients experience emotions? And even if you manage to get them to feel something, how can this become a corrective emotional experience in which your client does not simply experience these emotions as uncomfortable, distracting, and unproductive?
This workshop focuses on fine tuning chairwork for creating corrective emotional experiences in clients who seem unable to experience strong emotions.
The presenter will do his best to create a safe and enjoyable environment for participants. After live demonstrations, participants will have the opportunity to practice the techniques shown.
(1.25 CE)
01:00 PM - 01:45 PM EDT
BREAK
01:45 PM - 02:45 PM EDT
Fireside Chat: Expanding the Frontiers of Chairwork Psychotherapy with Adolescents and Neurodivergent Patients
Rachel Abel, Psy.D and Scott Kellogg, PhD
In this Fireside Chat, Dr. Kellogg will talk with Dr. Rachel Abel about her Chairwork Psychotherapy work with adolescents, young adults, and neurodivergent patients. This is one of the newer frontiers in Chairwork Psychotherapy development, and we will explore her strategies and how she is able to make adjustments to the model to meet the needs of these patients while retaining the clinical effectiveness of this kind of dialogical work.
(1 CE)
03:00 PM - 04:15 PM EDT
Presentation: Compassion-Focused Chairwork
Tobyn Bell, PhD
This presentation explores the integration of chairwork techniques within the theoretical and clinical framework of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). Participants will be introduced to the theoretical rationale and clinical utility of utilising chairwork to facilitate self-compassion, with a particular emphasis on utilising the "compassionate self" in therapeutic dialogues. The webinar will include a demonstration of a two-chair self-compassion procedure, which will provide participants with a practical guide to applying the method.
(1.25 CE)
04:30 PM - 05:45 PM EDT
Panel: Chairwork and Schema Therapy
Ozgur Yalcin, PhD, Rodrigo Trapp, MA, and Scott Kellogg, PhD
In this Fireside Chat, Dr. Kellogg will engage Dr. Ozgur Yalcin and Professor Rodrigo Trapp in dialogue about the journey they took as Schema Therapists to integrate Chairwork Psychotherapy into their practices. We will look at their strategies for integration and their experiences using each of the Four Dialogues with patients.
05:45 PM - 06:00 PM EDT
Day 1 Closing Remarks
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Friday, September 19, 2025 - ONLINE
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM EDT
Welcome/Opening Remarks
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
Keynote: Exploring the Future of Chairwork Psychotherapy and Evolutions in the Realm of Healing
Amanda Garcia Torres, LMHC
This keynote will explore the role of therapeutic love and courage in working with "difficult" patients or "sensitive" clinical challenges. A brief introduction of how to make room for patients' culture, identity, spirituality, and faith will also be shared. A live demonstration with a clinician volunteer will follow.
(1.25 CE)
11:45 AM - 01:00 PM EDT
Presentation: Experimentation in Ukrainian Gestalt Therapy
This presentation will demonstrate how experiments are used in contemporary Ukrainian Gestalt therapy practice and will include a live therapeutic session with a volunteer in Ukrainian with simultaneous English translation. This will allow participants to see how experimental methods work within Ukrainian cultural context. The presentation will bridge the classical approach of Fritz Perls and Jacob Moreno from 1969 with contemporary therapeutic needs. The presentation will show how depth of work can be combined with simplicity and clarity in experimental interventions.
(1.25 CE)
01:00 PM - 01:45 PM EDT
BREAK
01:45 PM - 03:00 PM EDT
Panel: Creating the Bridge with Chairwork and Experiential Therapies for Intergenerational and Multicultural Healing
Xi Liu, Psy.D, Saima Salman, M.Sc., and Amanda Garcia Torres, LMHC
Working with diverse patient populations can require clinicians to widen their clinical skills and consider the use of experiential and other more direct clinical interventions. In this presentation, the presenters will explore and share their expertise in applying experiential therapies with patients grappling with unique clinical issues related to multicultural identities, immigrant experiences, and queer identities. Furthermore, the panel will also explore the use of Chairwork to challenge the psychological impact of the Five Core Problems of Oppression: (1) socially induced traumatization; (2) internalized oppression; (3) identity conflict/confusion; (4) anxiety connected to the development and use of one’s voice; and (5) oppression-rooted coping.
(1.25 CE)
03:15 PM - 04:30 PM EDT
Presentation: Introduction to Voice Dialogue for Accessing Inner Selves: A Creative Approach for Enhanced Clinical Success
Voice Dialogue, based on the premise our healthy personality consists of many inner selves, was developed by Bridgit’s mentors, Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone. They taught internationally for 30+ years, influencing the rise of parts work as an integral component of effective treatment. In virtually any clinical setting, this approach continues to be recognized for its capacity to generate change—recently releasing the Drs. Stone's book, "Embracing Your Inner Critic” in Mandarin and Bridgit Dengel Gaspard's book, “The Final 8th: Enlist Your Inner Selves to Accomplish Your Goals” in Arabic. Voice Dialogue is structured to experience a sub-personality by moving to a different physical space and expressing itself. This trauma-informed, somatically-based technique helps separate from a dominant POV, melting black-and-white thinking. Clients engage directly with aspects of themselves, including painful parts that may be disempowered or stuck. It balances the contribution of each self while recognizing its role as only one facet of the personality and enhances our work as clinicians whether the client struggles with anxiety, depression, eating disordered behavior, substance dependence, interpersonal difficulties, creativity blocks or other stressors. Mapping the inner selves and recognizing their gifts/stings is an adventure of discovery. It's galvanizing to connect to one's inner team and gain access to their superpowers.
This presentation will include an interactive group demonstration.
(1.25 CE)
04:45 PM - 05:45 PM EDT
Fireside Chat: Addictions, Chairwork, and Schema Therapy
Liz Lacy, LCSW and Scott Kellogg, PhD
In this Fireside Chat, Dr. Kellogg will engage with Ms. Liz Lacy to explore her extensive work using Schema Therapy and Chairwork Psychotherapy in the treatment of Behavioral Addictions. Some the topics to be covered will include: (1) What is Sexual Addiction?; (2) Using Chairwork in early recovery; (3) Separating the addiction from the Healthy Adult mode; (4) Working with ambivalence; (5) Using Chairwork to engage with inner pain, self-hatred, and the desire to change the way we feel; and (6) the dilemma of mixed feelings. The session will also include a brief discussion with audience members.
(1 CE)
05:45 PM - 06:00 PM EDT
Farewell & Closing Remarks
2025 Speakers
CPI is proud to have these international speakers at our inaugural event.
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Psychotherapist
Trainer & Supervisor Schema Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Director of the Dutch Institute for Schema Therapy
Owner/Director Van Genderen Opleidingen BV
Vice President of the International Society of Schema Therapy, ISST 2016-2018
Remco van der Wijngaart works as a psychotherapist in a private practice in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Initially trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, he was trained and supervised in Schema Therapy personally by Dr Jeffrey Young from 1996 till 2000. As a director of the Dutch Institute for Schema Therapy (in the Netherlands known as Van Genderen Opleidingen), he organizes training courses and workshops in the field of schema therapy and imagery rescripting. He produced and directed several audiovisual productions, e.g. “Schema therapy, step by step” and “Fine Tuning Imagery Rescripting”. Remco is the author of ‘Chairwork, theory and practice’ (2023) and ‘Schema therapy for the dependent-, avoidant- and obsessive-compulsive patients’ (2024). He is currently the chair of the Dutch Association for Schema Therapy.
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CFT/CBT Psychotherapist and Director of Chairwork UK
Dr. Tobyn Bell is a Compassion-Focused and Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapist, Schema Therapist, Trainer, and Supervisor. He has worked within mental health settings for over 15 years, with a background in nursing.
He is the co-author of the book ‘Compassion Focused Therapy from the Inside Out: A Self-practice/Self-reflection Workbook for Therapists’. A member of the training executive for the Compassionate Mind Foundation, Tobyn regularly provides national and international training on compassion and chairwork, and is actively involved in ongoing research within these areas. Tobyn’s main employment is as programme lead within an NHS psychological therapy training center.
In his clinical work, Tobyn provides compassion-focused therapy for a range of clinical presentations. He specialises in treating self-criticism and problems relating to shame, trauma, and longstanding relationship difficulties. Tobyn’s therapy focuses on establishing a safe, supportive, and caring relationship to help individuals explore, understand, and address their difficulties in a compassionate way.
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Psychologist and Scientific Director of CONESQUEMAS - The International Conference of Practices in Schema Therapy
Mr. Trapp is a Psychologist with 10 years of clinical experience, with a master's degree (2017) and completing (2025) a Ph.D. at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS, Brazil). He is the first Brazilian clinician certified in Levels 1 and 2 of Chairwork Psychotherapy (2024, NY/USA). Advanced Schema Therapist, with both Standard (2021) and Advanced (2023) certifications earned from the Schema Therapy Institute Midwest (STIM-INDY, USA). Completed advanced training in Group Schema Therapy (2021) at the same institute. Academic qualifications include completing postgraduate programs and specialization in Cognitive-Behavioral (2019), in Neuroscience, Behavior, and Psychopathology (2024, PUC-PR, Brazil), and training in Process-Based Cognitive Therapy (2024). Active researcher at UFRGS's Psychological Assessment and Psychopathology Research Group and the Mood Disorders Program at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (Prothum). Full member of the International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST). Key organizer in the advancement of Schema Therapy in Brazil, serving as Scientific Coordinator for both the 1st International Conference on Schema Therapy Practices (Recife, Brazil, 2025) and its 2026 edition. Professional activities include clinical practice (individual and group therapy), supervision, and postgraduate teaching, with a focus on training new professionals and implementing evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches.
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Clinical Psychologist and Advanced Accredited Schema Therapy Trainer
Dr. Xi Liu (they/them) is queer, non-binary, and an internationally recognized Schema Therapy practitioner and trainer, known for pioneering work in telehealth, LGBTQIA+ mental health, racial trauma and intergenerational trauma. They have presented at international conferences, covering topics such as online therapy and therapy for trans and gender-diverse populations. Also known affectionately as the "Grandmama of Schema Therapy in China," Xi was the first Chinese-speaking ISST-certified supervisor and has supported multiple therapists across China and Hong Kong toward their accreditation. With both lived experience and professional expertise, Xi has contributed to academic research, advocacy, and direct clinical care for LGBTQIA+ communities. As the co-founder of SchemXcollective, they are dedicated to making Schema Therapy more accessible and affirming for marginalized communities.
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Founder, New York Voice Dialogue Institute
Bridgit Dengel Gaspard, LCSW, is a Voice Dialogue Senior Trainer & Facilitator, psychotherapist and author. Her book, The Final 8th: Enlist Your Inner Selves to Accomplish Your Goals, introduces her concept of the "Final 8th"—a phenomenon where individuals get most of the way to their goals but stall just before completion due to internal conflicts among their Inner Selves. In addition to her NYC private practice, she offers workshops, courses, and retreats aimed at teaching individuals how to engage with their inner selves to achieve personal and professional goals. Her work has been featured in various media outlets, and she continues to contribute to the field through speaking engagements and conference presentations. Towards the goal of supporting accessible mental wellness she created a free resource over 1000 people have already used. It is her Voice Dialogue Introductory Webinar which includes a step-by-step guide to facilitate your Inner Selves on your own, at your own pace and schedule: LEARN MORE
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Founder and Director, Chairwork Psychotherapy Initiative
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Clinical Psychologist
Rachel Abel, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience working with adolescents, adults, and families. In her Brooklyn-based private practice, she offers collaborative, insight-oriented therapy that supports clients through anxiety, emotional regulation, life transitions, and relationship challenges. A cornerstone of her approach is Transformational Chairwork—an experiential method that uses dialogue and movement to promote emotional healing, trauma recovery, and meaningful change. Dr. Abel draws from schema, cognitive-behavioral and experiential therapies to help clients deepen self-understanding and shift long-standing patterns. She also serves as a Special Adjunct Clinical Professor at Long Island University, where she teaches and supervises doctoral psychology students. Her work is grounded in compassion, connection, and respect for each individual’s unique experience.
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Clinical Psychologist and Director of ANIMA Health Network
Dr. Yalcin is a Clinical Psychologist and Director of ANIMA Health Network, with extensive experience in senior clinical and leadership roles across psychiatric and community settings. His work is grounded in trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming care, and he integrates evidence-based modalities including EMDR, Schema Therapy, and psychodynamic approaches. As someone diagnosed with ADHD later in life, he brings a dual lens of clinical expertise and lived experience to his practice. This perspective informs his commitment to inclusive care and advocacy, particularly in addressing stigma within the helping professions. Dr. Yalcin is passionate about sharing knowledge and regularly presents on topics such as adult ADHD, complex trauma, and schema therapy at national and international conferences, webinars, and podcasts. His PhD led to the development of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Revised (YSQ-R), now used internationally to assess early maladaptive schemas. Currently, he also serves as an Adjunct Research Fellow at Curtin University’s EnAble Institute and in 2024, he was honoured to be named Australian Psychologist of the Year at the Allied Health Awards.
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Lecturer and Academic Supervisor of Gestalt Therapy Training at the Ukraine Sigmund Freud University and Moderator of the Gestalt Therapy Division of the National Psychological Association of Ukraine
Yevgeny Ryaboy is a Master of Psychology and European Certified Psychotherapist with 17 years of clinical experience in individual, couples, and group therapy. He holds full membership in the European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT) and serves as co-founder and moderator of the Gestalt Therapy Division within Ukraine's National Psychological Association. In 2023, he co-founded the International Association of Experimental Gestalt Therapy. Yevgeny Ryaboy has trained extensively with internationally renowned Gestalt therapists from France, USA, UK, and Austria, and completed specialized training in PTSD treatment through the US "Open World" program. His clinical work includes eight years at Zaporizhzhia Regional Clinical Children's Hospital (2009-2017), university teaching, and extensive trauma treatment with conflict-affected populations through UN foundation projects in eastern Ukraine. As a trainer, Yevgeny Ryaboy has been a guest trainer at Kyiv Gestalt University since 2013 and at Tbilisi Gestalt Institute since 2025. As an author and scientific editor, he has contributed significantly to the development of Gestalt therapy in Ukraine, publishing "Clinical Gestalt Therapy" and editing Ukrainian translations of major works by Fritz Perls, Frank Rubenfeld, and Gonzague Masquelier.
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Founder and CEO of Rational Living Inc Pte Ltd
Saima Salman, Founder and CEO of Rational Living Inc Pte Ltd, is recognised as one of the leading Cognitive Behaviour Therapists and Corporate Trainers in Southeast Asia. Saima has over 28 years of diverse clinical experiences with the American, European and Asian populations. Her extensive international exposure—having lived and practiced in the United States, Europe, and Asia—has uniquely positioned her to understand and address a wide spectrum of psychological and cross-cultural issues. Saima is a Clinical Fellow at the prestigious Albert Ellis Institute in New York City, USA, where she was personally trained and supervised by Dr. Albert Ellis during her Clinical Fellowship. In addition, she has received extensive training from Dr. Aaron T. Beck and Dr. Judith S. Beck at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy in Philadelphia. Saima holds the unique distinction of being the only Cognitive Behaviour Therapist from Southeast Asia to have been directly trained by both pioneers of modern psychotherapy—Dr. Albert Ellis, the founder of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), and Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of Cognitive Therapy (CT). Saima is the first Muslim Cognitive Behaviour Therapist to undertake extensive research integrating Compassion Focused Islamic principles with Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). She is the originator of the term iRECBT—Islamic Rational Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy—representing a pioneering framework that aligns core tenets of Islamic philosophy with the foundational principles of CBT. Her seminal research was not only acknowledged by Dr. Albert Ellis, the father of CBT, but also received commendation from leading clinicians and scholars in the field. Saima is currently authoring a groundbreaking academic work on the intersection of Islamic philosophy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. This forthcoming publication, anticipated in early 2026, is expected to make a significant and transformative contribution to the fields of psychotherapy and Islamic psychology. Saima Salman is a multifaceted professional with an extensive and distinguished career in mental health and wellness. She is a seasoned Clinical Psychologist and a Certified Clinical Supervisor, with a specialization in Rational Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (RECBT). In addition to her clinical work, Saima is a Master Corporate Trainer and an international speaker, regularly presenting at global conferences and conducting workshops for professionals, students, and the general public. Saima served as an Emotional Empowerment Trainer at Bettr Barista, a Singaporean award-winning social enterprise that supports underprivileged and marginalized communities, including single mothers and youth at risk. She also delivers emotional resilience training to female inmates at Changi Prison, Singapore. Her commitment to youth mental health is further reflected in her certification as a Youth Mental Health First Aider from Georgetown University. She is also a Certified Yogi for Teens through Integral Yoga (New York City), as well as a certified Pilates and Zumba instructor—integrating physical and emotional well-being into her holistic approach to mental health. Further enhancing her therapeutic repertoire, Saima has completed Level 1 and Level 2 training in Transformational Chairwork and has received training in Single Session Therapy—approaches that reflect her dedication to integrating innovative, evidence-based practices into her clinical framework.
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Clinical Director, Recovery Services Unit, SOS
Elizabeth Lacy, LCSW, is master-level psychotherapist, trainer and clinical supervisor based in New York City. With over 25 years of experience in the mental health field, she has made significant contributions to agency-based administration, program development, and clinical work. Elizabeth holds an advanced certification in schema therapy, Level II Transformational ChairWork, as well as certifications in numerous cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) protocols and emotion-focused couples therapy (EFT). Her expertise in these evidence-based approaches has solidified her position as a leading authority in the treatment of complex mental health issues. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has demonstrated a strong commitment to the advancement of mental health care. She is an active member of the Sexuality, Trauma, and Attachment Network in New York City, where she collaborates with other professionals to develop innovative solutions for individuals struggling with trauma and attachment-related challenges. Elizabeth's passion for teaching and mentoring has led her to train clinicians internationally for the past decade. She has also been supervising master’s and doctoral-level therapists for 15 years, helping them refine their skills and provide exceptional care to their clients. Elizabeth's clinical work focuses on the treatment of personality disorders, sexual and other addictive behaviors, and couples therapy. Her extensive knowledge and experience in these areas have earned her recognition as a top therapist in New York City by New York Magazine in 2022. Elizabeth's warm, empathetic approach, combined with her deep understanding of the complex interplay between mental health, trauma, and relationships, has helped countless individuals and couples achieve lasting healing and growth. Her unwavering dedication to her clients and to the field of mental health has established her as a respected and sought-after clinician and supervisor. Liz's most recent project development is an innovative, international online platform for schema therapy, Schema Online Solutions (SOS), with Offer Maurer, PhD. Here, she has trained and supervised a team of ten clinicians who provide individualized, intensive treatment to addicted individuals and their spouses, through groups, couples and individual schema coaching.
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Co-Founder and Co-Director, Chairwork Psychotherapy Initiative
FAQs
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The Inaugural Chairwork Psychotherapy Conference is a completely VIRTUAL event! No need to stress over travel plans and accommodations :)
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Yes, participants may earn up to 12 CEs with live attendance. More info about CEs can be found HERE
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Yes! All registrants will be given 60 day access to the conference session recordings.
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This historic conference is geared towards clinical psychologists, mental health clinicians, and all professionals in the psychology and mental health fields. Whether you are at the beginning of your career or are a seasoned clinician, this event will provide something new and (we think) very interesting!
We also welcome prelicensed clinicians, clinical interns, and grad students. These individuals can access reduced registration rates.
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Whether you already practice experiential therapies and chairwork or are curious about learning more about these powerful approaches, our featured speakers will be sharing helpful information to guide you as you begin your journey.