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Getting to the Core:

Wilhelm Reich’s Therapeutic Principles


A HYBRID IN-PERSON/ONLINE CONFERENCE:  JULY 24-28, 2023
RANGELEY, MAINE AND ZOOM VIDEO

This conference will focus on the therapeutic theories and techniques developed and taught by Wilhelm Reich, M.D., originally a psychoanalyst and pupil of Freud who is regarded as the father of body-psychotherapy. On each day of the conference there will be talks broadcast over Zoom video for all participants, both in-person and online, with simultaneous English-Spanish translation provided. These talks will occur during the morning hours, Eastern Daylight Time. For those who attend the conference in-person, there will be additional afternoon and evening activities.


Getting to the Core:

Wilhelm Reich’s Therapeutic Principles


A HYBRID IN-PERSON/ONLINE CONFERENCE:  JULY 24-28, 2023
RANGELEY, MAINE AND ZOOM VIDEO

This conference will focus on the therapeutic theories and techniques developed and taught by Wilhelm Reich, M.D., originally a psychoanalyst and pupil of Freud who is regarded as the father of body-psychotherapy. On each day of the conference there will be talks broadcast over Zoom video for all participants, both in-person and online, with simultaneous English-Spanish translation provided. These talks will occur during the morning hours, Eastern Daylight Time. For those who attend the conference in-person, there will be additional afternoon and evening activities.

SCHEDULE OF TALKS BROADCAST OVER ZOOM
(times are Eastern Daylight)

Monday, July 24

 DAY ONE – THE LIVING CONNECTION

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Xavier Serrano  (bio)
Bioenergetic Pulsation and Vegetative Currents

10:45 am – 12:15 pm

Peter Moore  (bio)
Breathing

Tuesday, July 25

 DAY TWO – THEORETICAL INNOVATIONS

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Marilena Komi  (bio)
Character Defenses and Muscular Armor

10:45 am – 12:15 pm

Hugh Brenner  (bio)
Emotional Contact – A Neurophysiological Reexamination of Awareness

Wednesday, July 26

 DAY THREE – CLINICAL PRACTICE

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Harry Lewis  (bio)
The Centrality of the Function of the Orgasm in Dr. Reich’s Clinical Model

10:45 am – 12:15 pm

Daniel Schiff  (bio)
Clinical Application of Reich’s Orgone Therapy

Thursday, July 27

 DAY FOUR – SPECIAL TOPICS

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Nikos Papantonis  (bio)
Vegetative and Energetic Interactions between Patient and Therapist in Orgone Therapy

10:45 am – 12:15 pm

Per Johan Isdahl  (bio)
The Comforting Blood: Using Reich to Understand Self-inflicted Harm

Friday, July 28

 DAY FIVE – PREVENTION OF ARMORING

9:00 am – 9:45 am

Judyth Weaver  (bio)
Gestation and Infancy

9:45 am – 10:30 am

Ana Luz Francés  (bio)
Prevention, Breastfeeding and Sexuality

10:45 am – 11:30 am

Dorothy Burlage  (bio)
Emotional and Social First Aid for Children

11:30 am – 12:15 pm

Despina Markaki  (bio)
Working with Parents, Pre-adolescents and Adolescents

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Roundtable – Final Remarks

 ANTICIPATED START AND END TIMES FOR DAILY ZOOM BROADCASTS

Time Zone

Hours

United States East Coast8:45 am to 12:15 pm EDT
(Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-4)
United States West Coast5:45 am to 9:15 am PDT
(Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-7)
Mexico City, Mexico7:45 am to 11:15 am CDT
(Central Daylight Time, UTC-5)
São Paulo, Brazil9:45 am to 1:15 pm BRT
(Brasilia Time, UTC-3)
United Kingdom1:45 pm to 5:15 pm BST
(British Summer Time, UTC+1)
Germany14:45 to 18:15 CEST
(Central European Summer Time, UTC+2)

 Note: Friday, July 28 only, there will be a final broadcast from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm EDT

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES IN RANGELEY
(in-person only, not broadcast over Zoom)

THIS IS A TENTATIVE SCHEDULE, SUBJECT TO CHANGES AND ADDITIONS

Monday, July 24

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Presentation of a never before heard audio recording of Wilhelm Reich in a teaching session with physicians in training.

4:30 – 6:00 pm

Wilhelm Reich Museum open for visits by conference attendees. (Rain date: Tuesday)

6:00 – 7:30 pm

Wine and cheese reception at the Wilhelm Reich Museum. (Rain date: Tuesday)

Tuesday, July 25

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Discussion of personal experiences of orgone therapy, with Philip Bennett and Harry Lewis, and others, with Q&A.

Wednesday, July 26

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Being Present in Mind and Heart – Looking, Listening and Tuning In

An experiential movement session led by Will Freeman (bio) of New Thought Vermont

6:00 – 7:30 pm

Documentary film: “I’m a doctor on an expedition” about Eva Reich (58 min)

Thursday, July 27

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Therapists share therapeutic techniques, with Peter Moore, Hugh Brenner, Patricia Estrada, with Q&A.

6:30 – 9:00 pm

Beer and Pizza gathering hosted by Wendy Kohli and Philip Bennett in the Conference Building (formerly Student’s Laboratory) at Orgonon. A chance to socialize as well as celebrate and informally discuss Philip’s recently completed book on Reich’s social and political thought.

CONFERENCE VENUE

Conference sessions will take place in the gymnasium of the Rangeley Lakes Regional School on Mendolia Road. The school is approximately four miles from Orgonon, in the direction of the town of Rangeley.

TRAVEL

The Wilhelm Reich Museum, situated in the Rangeley Lakes Region of Western, Maine, is a 4 hour drive from Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, and a 2.5 hour drive from Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine.

Lodging and automobile rentals are in high demand during the summer season so we strongly suggest making reservations as far in advance as possible.



CLICK TO DOWNDLOAD PDF VERSION OF PROGRAM

CLICK TO DOWNDLOAD SHORTER VERSION OF PDF (without bios)

Sponsor: The Wilhelm Reich Museum, Rangeley, Maine
Conference Committee: Patricia Estrada, Renata Reich Moise, Håvard Friis Nilsen, Amy Sabsowitz, David Silver, Brian Warren, Mai Yamaguchi
Moderator: Philip Bennett
Technical Director: David Silver
Image: Sculpture by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), Glyptoteket Museum, Copenhagen (photo by Håvard Friis Nilsen)