June 21, 2024 (Summary & Highlights)
Global Conference Symposium London
Sofia's 2nd Global Mental Health Conference - UK Symposium was held at the University of Portsmouth in London. Over the two days of the symposium, participants explored the development of human consciousness and its positive impact on mental health, resilience, and creativity in individuals and organizations. This was approached from a humanistic, transpersonal, and integrative perspective, examining the effects of the current social system on individuals and groups, particularly vulnerable groups such as refugees, women, adolescents, and people living with mental health disorders.
On the first day of the symposium, Dr. Carol Humphreys, President of Sofia University, opened the event alongside Dr. Sherria Hoskins, Provost of the University of Portsmouth, and Mr. Jonathan Sandling, Chancellor of the University of London. They combined the history of teaching psychology at Sofia with the program's strengths to discuss topics focused on the mental health of the college student population. Ms. Shazia Hussain, Deputy Chief Executive of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, spoke about the positive impact of mental health on developing a vibrant community. Campus Ambassadors from local Mental Health Schools demonstrated their transpersonal gifts and unlimited potential to look inward for growth, bringing this realization to their campus and community work. Throughout the day, participants were introduced to the blueprint of local mental health services in London and explored the trends, challenges, and opportunities in global mental health care through a presentation by Ms. Vanessa Kortekaas, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative in London. DBA program chair Dr. Mary Kay Chess and Core faculty Dr. Marilyn Schlitz from Sofia University shared insights on the practice of Conscious Leadership in a spirited conversation. This allowed participants to truly experience the importance of building a transpersonal worldview and nourishing the mind in the process of leadership formation. Finally, Dr. Carol Humphreys shared her extensive experience in clinical counseling, emphasizing the skills needed by mental health practitioners, the significance of their initial thoughts, and the importance of self-reflection.
The second day of the symposium focused on fundamental questions such as "What is consciousness? How do we perceive the world and ourselves? How do we know the truth?" Dr. Jude Currivan highlighted the innate evolutionary drive of human beings from simplicity to an increasingly complex and individualized sense of self, based on the theory of a connected universe. By understanding the complementary nature of universal principles and bipolar relationships, we can gain a deeper understanding of yin (femininity) and yang (masculinity) and how they manifest in each of us. Dr. Max Velmans responded to the theory of connectedness by describing an early mystical experience, its possible effects and problems, and then presenting a reflexive model of ordinary experience, which can serve as the starting point for reflexive monism. This model of reflexive perception changes our understanding of the relationship between subjective and objective, inner and outer, consciousness and mind, the material world, and the self. Dr. Les Lancaster emphasized that "the human being is indispensable for the completion of creation. He/she is the second creator of the world, and it is he/she alone who gives the world its objective existence. Human consciousness creates objective existence and meaning, and human beings find their indispensable place in the great creative process." Attendees engaged in discussions with transpersonal professors on topics such as consciousness, self-development, cosmic truth-seeking, and the deeper meaning and impact of healing and mental health in the age of AI.
Throughout the two-day symposium, participants understood the relevance and importance of mental health, personal awareness development, healing, and growth. More importantly, each participant found their own way of caring for themselves and others, and of bringing their "mental health work" to the wider community to build a better future.