Creative Dimensions in Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Treatment of the Vulnerable

Symposium of the World Association for Dynamic Psychiatry :
Creative Dimensions in Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Treatment of the Vulnerable
Participants:
Chair: Ammon, Maria, co-chair: Kallivayalil, Roy
Speakers:
Prof. Guénolé, Fabian, M.D., Ph.D.1,2,3, France
Aspects of a ‘sufficiently good’ treatment for adolescents with borderline functioning

1Service de psychiatrie de l’enfant et de l’adolescent du Centre hospitalier Universitaire de Caen Normandie, Caen, France
2Faculté de médecine, Pôle de formation et recherche en santé, Université de Caen Normandie, Caen, France
3Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Unité 1077, Caen, France
4Ecole pratique des hautes études, Paris, France

Bast*, Sieglinde, Germany
Leisure as an art of living

* Head of medical training at Berlin training and research institute of
German Academy for Psychoanalysis

Prof. Kallivayalil, Roy *, India
Creative Dimensions in Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Vulnerable Populations in Asia and India

*Roy Abraham Kallivayalil
Professor of Psychiatry
Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvalla and Mar Sleeva Medicity, Palai, India
President, World Association for Dynamic Psychiatry- India Chapter
Vice President, World Association for Dynamic Psychiatry

Dr. Sullivan, Timothy, M.D. DLFAPA New York, USA
The Role of Psychotherapy in Preventive Public Health

Symposium Overall Abstract
This symposium focuses on the importance of creative dimensions in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic treatment, particularly for vulnerable populations. It explores how integrating artistic, nonverbal, and culturally embedded modalities can enhance stabilization, foster personality development, and promote inclusive, sustainable mental health care.
The first presentation introduces a “sufficiently good” psychodynamic treatment approach for adolescents with borderline functioning. It emphasizes the therapist’s role as an auxiliary ego, the structuring function of the therapeutic frame, and the value of countertransference awareness—especially within institutional and multi-professional settings.
The second presentation highlights the general clinical relevance of creative resources—such as art, music, and nonverbal expression—in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic work. These approaches support patients’ inner cohesion and developmental capacity, especially in situations of psychic stress, trauma, or personality vulnerability.
The third talk focuses on the application of creative therapies in Asia and India. It examines how methods like yoga, mindfulness, and community-based artistic practices can be embedded in culturally sensitive frameworks to support vulnerable populations and expand access to mental health care.
The final contribution reflects on the role of psychotherapy within the broader context of preventive public health. It emphasizes the need to integrate psychotherapeutic approaches into early intervention, health education, and community-based strategies to strengthen psychological resilience and reduce the long-term burden of mental illness.
Together, these presentations advocate for a broader and more inclusive understanding of psychotherapy—one that combines psychodynamic understanding, creative engagement, cultural sensitivity, and public health relevance.
Keywords: creative therapies; vulnerable populations; psychodynamic psychotherapy; adolescent psychiatry; institutional care; cultural sensitivity; Asia; preventive mental health; personality development; public health.

Ammon, Maria Prof. Dr. Dipl. Psych.