Programme Dying to Live and Living to Die An Existential Paradox
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An Existential Paradox LivingtoDie DyingtoLive
31 October 2025 st PROGRAMME
6PM - 6.30PM Conference Welcome
6.30PM - 8PM
8.10PM - 9PM
KEYNOTE: Meaning-Focused Grief Therapy: Principles and Practices - Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD
KEYNOTE: Navigating Loss & Embracing Life - Dr Chloe Paidoussis Mitchell
9.30AM - 10AM Conference Welcome
10AM–10:45AM
10.45AM - 11.30AM
KEYNOTE: Losing the Will to Live - Prof Emmy van Deurzen
KEYNOTE: A Case of Choice, Not Dignity: Current Debates on Assisted Dying - Andrew Copson
11.30AM - 11.45AM BREAK
11:45AM – 12:30PM
12:30PM – 1PM
KEYNOTE: Dying from Natural Causes: The Original and Still the Worst? – Dr Robert Brodrick
PANEL DISSCUSION - Prof Emmy van Deurzen / Andrew Copson / Dr Robert Brodrick
KEYNOTE: Should I Fear My Death? Epicurus vs Heidegger on Annihilation – Prof Havi Carel
3.15PM – 3.30PM BREAK
3.30PM - 4.15PM
4.15PM - 5PM
KEYNOTE: The Place of the Dead: Ritual, Memory, and Belonging in Southeast Asian Communities – Dr Kelli Swazey
KEYNOTE: Are We All Living a Social Death? – Prof Patrick Vernon
5PM - 5.15PM BREAK
5.15PM - 5.45PM
PANEL DISSCUSION - Prof Havi Carel / Dr Kelli Swazey / Prof Patrick Vernon
5.45PM - 6PM Closing
The Existential Movement exists to reduce interpersonal conflict and psychological suffering and to enhance well-being in the community. It is a non-religious, non-political movement, using existential ideas derived from existential philosophy, psychotherapy, and psychology to achieve these aims. Its motto is to ‘bring wisdom to the world’.
The Existential Movement is composed of international members who wish to pursue the aims as the Existential Movement of enhancing emotional and spiritual health and wellbeing within the communities of each nation.
The movement is administered by a steering committee that directs and coordinates the Movement’s international activities. This is located at the Existential Academy, in London. The Existential Academy is a not-for-profit community interest company, whose motto is to bring philosophy to the community.
The movement is supported and given advice by an international advisory board, of 24 outstanding professionals in the field of existential psychology and psychotherapy. The board meets three times per year and had its first meeting on 6th May 2023, in Athens, at the third World Congress for Existential Therapy.
The first President of the Existential Movement is its founder, Professor Emmy van Deurzen, who is internationally known as an expert in this field. She will be supported and guided by the steering committee and the International Advisory Board.
NSPC's Doctorate in Professional Studies in Existential Psychotherapy fosters a supportive and collaborative learning environment. Enriched by a close-knit community of like-minded individuals, students engage in exploration of the breadth of human existence and committed to personal and professional development With small class sizes, students benefit from individualized attention and forge meaningful connections with both peers and faculty, creating a vibrant academic experience
This program offers an unparalleled opportunity for passionate individuals to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and professional growth Under the guidance of our excellent faculty, renowned tutors in the field, the DProf in in Existential Psychotherapy provides a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum that seamlessly integrates theoretical knowledge with practical application Students gain essential skills and a profound understanding of the complexities of the human existence, enabling them to empower individuals towards living and infusing meaning into their lives
Discover the essence of existential psychotherapy, exploring themes of freedom, responsibility, meaning, and authenticity Through immersive coursework, intensive seminars, and engaging discussions, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the existential approach and its applications in therapy.
This program offers a unique avenue for students to engage in research at the forefront of existential psychotherapy. NSPC fosters a culture of scholarly inquiry, empowering students to explore their research interests in depth. The research initiatives provide access to excellent resources, advanced methodologies, and guidance from faculty who are internationally recognized for their contributions to the field. Whether you're interested in investigating the effectiveness of existential interventions, exploring the intersection of existential philosophy and psychotherapy, or delving into specific existential themes, our program provides a supportive environment for you to conduct rigorous research that contributes to the advancement of the field.
At NSPC, we believe in the power of experiential learning. Our program combines academic rigor with real-world application, providing ample opportunities for hands- on experience and clinical practice. You'll have the chance to engage in supervised therapy sessions, case studies, and research projects, honing your therapeutic skills under the guidance of experienced tutors. Our faculty's expertise will guide you in integrating existential principles into your practice, empowering you to facilitate profound personal growth and lasting change in your clients.
Upon successful completion of the program, you'll emerge as a highly skilled and compassionate existential psychotherapist and a researcher equipped to make a profound impact on the field of psychotherapy. Whether you aspire to establish your private practice, pursue an academic career, or expand your therapeutic skills, the Doctorate in Professional Studies in Existential Psychotherapy at NSPC will provide you with the expertise and confidence to achieve your goals.
Join us on this extraordinary academic journey where self-discovery, professional excellence, and groundbreaking research converge. Engage in thought-provoking research, interdisciplinary studies, and valuable clinical experiences. Discover existential therapy and make a profound impact on your own life and that of others. The Doctorate in Professional Studies in Existential Psychotherapy at NSPC eagerly awaits your enrolment.
The Foundation Course at the Existential Academy is your gateway to a world of academic excellence and limitless possibilities. The programme is designed to lay a strong educational foundation, this comprehensive program paves the way for further academic degrees and propels your career aspirations to new heights.
At the Existential Academy, we understand the importance of a solid groundwork for success. Our Foundation Course encompasses a diverse range of subjects, carefully curated to equip you with essential knowledge and skills across various disciplines of psychotherapy and counselling. Our tutors will guide you through an immersive learning experience, fostering critical thinking, analytical prowess, and effective communication
The Foundation course at the Existential Academy can be taken as a standalone course or can serve as a pathway to further academic degrees provided by the Existential Academy and the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling (NSPC).
The Foundation course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue higher education in psychotherapy, counselling, counselling psychology or coaching Upon completing a Foundation course, students may be eligible to apply to a PGCert, PGDip, Masters, or Doctorate programme, such as those offered at NSPC or to
embark on the Existential Academy’s Existential Psychotherapy Training (EPT) through the Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy in combination with a relevant Master’s degree such as the MSc in Psychotherapy Studies https://nspc org uk/course-directory/
Upon completing the Foundation Course, you will be empowered to embark on a journey towards your dream academic degree at NSPC and the Existential Academy. Our personalized guidance and support system will assist you in navigating the intricacies of university admissions, helping you secure a coveted spot in your chosen degree programme
Course Leaders
NSPC's Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy by Professional Studies combines Existential Theory with Counselling Psychology values. Students are supported in a collaborative learning environment. The practicalities of providing effective psychological therapies are explored through a rich encounter with philosophy and related psychotherapeutic theory. The taught material is enlivened by dynamic and deeply engaged thinking. This is fostered within an established network of practitioner-theorists who will engage with you as your supervisors and tutors. A diversity of human existence is explored, with a committed to personal and professional development. With small class sizes, supportive clinical supervision and a well-structured programme of research supervision, students forge meaningful connections with both peers and faculty, creating a vibrant academic experience. This program provides unique opportunities for passionate individuals
who are engaging with a transformative journey of personal and professional self-discovery. The programme includes all the required elements, as set by our regulating bodies. However, embracing diversity is a core principle, and students are supported in find their own motivations, interests and professional trajectories. With a strong emphasis on phenomenological exploration, there is a seamless connection in the programme between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Students will gain the essential skills along with a profound understanding of the complexities of human existence, within their individual learning horizon. It is with this emphasis on embodied, situated, and intersubjective human existence, that effective therapeutic skills and understandings are built.
Develop your practice with us, by exploring themes of freedom, responsibility, meaning, and authenticity. Through our immersive coursework, intensive seminars, and engaging discussions, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the existential approach and its applications in therapy.
At the NSPC, we are at the forefront of existential and phenomenological research. With many years of teaching behind us, we have an enduring and extensive range of research studies published by our graduates. We continue to build on this by fostering a culture of scholarly inquiry, and by empowering students to explore their research interests in depth. Our research supervisors are experienced in a range of established methodologies. The are also developing new innovations, with an internationally recognised reputation for their contributions to phenomenological and existential practice across many research topics. They will work with you to help you find your motivation, establish your specific interests, and guide you through a rigorous, successful, and publishable research project.
Experiential learning is essential in our teaching practice. You will learn theory when applying it in your clinical placements, and by exploring real-world phenomena in your research study. Under the guidance of experienced tutors, you will integrating existential principles into your practice, empowering you to facilitate profound personal growth and lasting change in your clients.
Upon successful completion of the program, you will emerge as a highly skilled and compassionate Counselling Psychologist. You also be equipped to conduct research that can make a profound impact in your field of interest. Counselling Psychologists have wide range of employment opportunities. You may establish your own private practice if you chose, or engage in an academic career, or take up employment in either public or private mental health services.
Join us on an extraordinary journey where self-discovery, professional excellence, and groundbreaking research converge. Engage with us in thought-provoking explorations. Find out how the practice of existential therapy can have a profound impact on your own life and that of the clients you serve.
Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy by Professional Studies at NSPC eagerly awaits your enrolment.
Autism and Neurodiversity Programmes
MSC Autism and Neurodivergence (including PGDip)
PGCert Adult Autism Assessment
PGCert Autism
PGCert Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
The New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling NSPC has been involved in research and teaching in autism and neurodiversity since its inception in 1998. The online courses provide in-depth theory, understanding of clinical issues and research skills. NSPC believes that improving awareness, and high quality assessments and services for neurodivergent individuals is paramount. Continued research and increasing the understanding of what life is like for neurodivergent individuals is essential worldwide.
The distance learning nature of these courses means that students can learn in a flexible format that fits around work and personal commitments. The courses are wholly online and are accessible to students all over the world. Learning incorporates theory, references to real world settings, skills and research. Students learn together in a collaborative way, sharing knowledge and experience.
The courses provide professional development for those supporting autistic and neurodivergent individuals. If you are qualified in a relevant professional field, these courses will enable you to practice as a specialist within that area. However, the programmes are also of interest to those wanting to study autism and neurodivergence solely from an academic and research perspective.
NSPC offers a close-knit community of like-minded individuals. Students are able to engage in exploration of the breadth of human existence and committed to personal and professional development. With small class sizes, students benefit from individualized attention and forge meaningful connections with both peers and faculty, creating a vibrant academic experience.
Upon successful completion of these courses, you will have gained specialised knowledge and feel better equipped to make a profound impact in your profession, or to begin your journey in supporting neurodivergent individuals.
Join us for a new chapter in your academic, professional and personal development.
MA in Pastoral Care: Existential and Humanist Practice
NSPC's Pastoral Care programme is an innovative learning environment providing a unique, safe space for students to learn about and practice existential and humanist pastoral care. Upon successful completion of the programme, you'll emerge as a highly skilled and compassionate pastoral carer equipped to make a profound impact on the dynamic discipline of pastoral care. Whether you aspire to establish your private practice as a celebrant, pursue an academic career, or use your practice and professional skills as a chaplain, the programme will provide you with the expertise and confidence to achieve your goals.
The programme covers: practice skills of empathy, compassion, active listening, reflection and challenge, theoretical philosophical underpinnings of existential practice, the professional competencies and skills of pastoral care in many settings, including but not exclusively, hospitals, hospices the armed forces, higher education institutions, prisons, the qualification of celebrant for namings, weddings and funerals research contributing to the expanding body of pastoral care knowledge.
With small class sizes, students benefit from individualized attention and forge meaningful connections with both peers and faculty, creating a vibrant academic experience. Discover the essence of existential themes of freedom, responsibility, meaning, and authenticity. Through immersive coursework, intensive face to face and online seminars, and engaging discussions, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the existential approach and its applications in practice.
The programme is flexible and can be completed in 1 year with students graduating with a PG Cert or after 2 years with additional research opportunities and further practice experience the student graduates with a PG Dip. or MA.
Under the guidance of our excellent faculty of renowned tutors in the field, the MA, PG Dip and PG Cert in Pastoral Care: Existential and Humanist Practice provides a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum that seamlessly integrates theoretical knowledge with practical application. Students gain essential skills and a profound understanding of the complexities of the human existence, enabling them to support individuals to find their meaning in their lives, often at significant moments in their lives, and as they face their own and others’ mortality. It is a privilege to be alongside someone at these moments.
While practiced throughout the millennia, pastoral care has recently been developing rapidly to recognize the spiritual and emotional needs of diverse populations in many different settings. Linking with Humanists UK gives this programme a breadth and network which establishes students within this vibrant and fast developing world of pastoral care. The program offers an unparalleled opportunity for passionate committed individuals to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and professional growth in this expanding area. Get in touch and we can chat through how this programme could meet your aspirations. I’d love to hear from you.
Elizabeth.Young@nspc.org.uk
MSc & PGCert in Existential Coaching
What is existential coaching?
NSPC is at the forefront of the exciting emerging field of existential coaching which has already become an integral part of modern coaching psychology. Our courses were launched in 2010 and are offered as blended learning, so you can complete theory elements online in the comfort of your own home and attend intensive skills sessions in person in our NW London campus.
Existential coaching is a uniquely philosophical and deeply relational way of examining the paradoxes and challenges of human existence so as to empower clients to move forward in an authentic and reflective way. Drawing on the application of existential philosophy and psychology in psychotherapy and coaching, we teach coaches to work trans-theoretically in a holistic way, engaging with the unique world of each client. Existential coaches encourage clients to look at issues such as meaning, authenticity, freedom, choice and responsibility, and how these come into play in their lives.
Course Description
Theory, practice, self-development and research will be intertwined continuously throughout your programme of studies. You will learn how to handle psychological processes appropriately in the coaching relationship, including emotion and mental health. We will encourage you to go much further than applying typical tools towards exploring the entire
bio-socio-psycho-spiritual model of working with clients. We will also support you in building up a portfolio towards accreditation with BPS, EMCC, ICF, AC, ISCP, CIPD and other coaching and coaching psychology professional bodies, as appropriate.
In year one you will develop your existential coaching skills over 3 terms: you will start with core competencies such as the art of empathic listening, continue towards a critical understanding of evidence-based coaching paradigms and, finally, master explicitly existential skills. Theoretical learning will include theories of personal change, a grounding in existential philosophy and research methods.
Year two provides you with an opportunity to start building private practice with support of coaching supervision. You will look at existential leadership, wellbeing & health and social & cultural issues in professional practice.
You will also complete a supervised research project on a topic of your choice, with a potential to benefit from the NSPC expertise in phenomenological and existential research methods.
Your skills would help you obtain the depth necessary for modern practice in executive, career, leadership development and neurodiversity-inclusive coaching. We will also orient you towards the best practice in a variety of coaching formats, including group, team and existentially-oriented psychoeducational coaching interventions.
As our graduate, you are likely to be able to use your skills in a portfolio of roles. You may go into private practice, typically set up in year two of the programme. Else, you may choose to take up a role in coaching organisations, implement a coaching approach in your workplace, set up consultancy, or enter academic roles as an author and lecturer.
Xenia.angevin@nspc.org.uk
Existential Psychotherapy Training (EPT)
This exciting programme combines two courses - the MSc in Psychotherapy Studies and the Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy (DEP) - to offer an integrated route to UKCP registration.
Training takes place through a combination of theoretical seminars, experiential workshops, clinical placements and group supervision. The course is delivered through blended learning, combining online study with in-person intensive weekends at our London campus. This format allows flexibility while preserving the depth of community and interpersonal learning.
The EPT programme integrates philosophical enquiry, psychotherapeutic training and supervised clinical practice. It is designed to support the development of reflective, skilled and ethical existential practitioners. Students are introduced to the key themes of existential philosophy and psychology, and learn how to apply these in therapeutic practice through an integrative and phenomenological framework.
Throughout the course, you will engage with diverse perspectives within the existential tradition, including continental philosophy, existential-phenomenological psychology and the work of contemporary existential therapists. You will be encouraged to critically examine your own assumptions and deepen your understanding of what it means to be with another person in a therapeutic relationship.
You will begin clinical practice in a placement setting from the second year of the programme, supported by individual and group supervision by qualified practitioners.
The EPT prepares you for UKCP registration as an existential psychotherapist. Graduates typically go on to establish private practices, work in mental health services, counselling organisations or academic settings.
Conference Keynote Speakers
Meaning-Focused Grief Therapy
Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD Principles & Practices
Loss—of people, places, projects and possibilities—is endemic to the human condition, and in this sense, living in its shadow is an existential given, a cultural universal. Grief in the aftermath of bereavement, on the other hand, varies as a function of who we are, who we lose, and how we lose them. Viewed through the lens of a meaning-focused grief therapy, we will briefly consider the role of trauma-informed work to promote integration of the story of the loss and its implications for our world view, attachment-informed interventions to reconstruct the continuing bond with the deceased, and a resilienceinformed approach to revising our sense of identity as we move forward in life.
We will briefly summarize research that highlights the role of the search for sense and significance in addressing the challenges of each domain, as we then consider the process markers that call for particular therapeutic approaches, illustrating these with actual client interactions in therapy. The goal will be to provide participants with a suggestive frame for approaching grieving as a process of reaffirming or reconstructing a world of meaning in the wake of loss, as well as conveying something of the style of intervention that is coherent with this approach.
Learning Objectives:
Summarize the essential domains of a Meaning Reconstruction model of grief and outline how it can serve as a guidance-system for grief therapy
Identify Restorative Retelling procedures for mastering the story of the loss
Describe procedures for realigning the continuing bond with the deceased in a way that addresses unfinished business and reinforces secure attachment
Discuss the role of identity change in the context of bereavement and the prospects for growth
Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer is a luminary in the field of psychology, particularly in the areas of death, grief, and loss. As Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Memphis, Dr. Neimeyer's contributions to research and practice have been nothing short of transformative.
With 37 books and over 600 articles to his name, he has been included in Stanford University/Elsevier’s list of the Top 2% of Scientists in the world for advancing our understanding of grieving as a meaning-making process and its profound implications for human experience. Dr. Neimeyer's dedication to education is evident in his role as the Director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, where he continues to mentor and inspire future generations of grief therapists.
His leadership in the field has also found expression in his service as President of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and Chair of the International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement (AWG). His accolades, including multiple awards from ADEC, the International Network of Personal Meaning, the Viktor Frankl Association, and the American Psychological Association among others, attest to the sustained impact of his work on the field.
Today, we are privileged to benefit from Dr. Neimeyer's wisdom as he shares his expertise with us.
Navigating Loss & Embracing Life
In this 45-minute interactive workshop, Dr Chloe Paidoussis Mitchell guides participants through a reflective and practical exploration of loss and grief, grounded in existential counselling psychology. Based on her therapeutic work and her book The Loss Prescription, this session offers a compassionate space to engage with the human experience of grief not as a problem to fix, but as a meaningful, transformative process. Participants will explore how grief can provoke existential questions about identity, purpose, connection, and the future and how, through conscious awareness and selfcompassion, it is possible to rebuild a life with renewed meaning.
Learning Objective:
Understand grief as a natural, existential process that impacts all dimensions of life
Explore how meaning, identity, and purpose are challenged and reshaped by loss. Learn practical tools from The Loss Prescription to support personal reflection and growth.
Cultivate self-compassion and emotional regulation when navigating grief. Gain confidence to support themselves or others through the ambiguity and pain of loss
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
This workshop is ideal for anyone processing personal loss or supporting others through it therapists, wellbeing leads, HR professionals, or anyone seeking a deeper understanding of grief and resilience.
DrChloePaidoussisMitchell
What to Expect:
A safe, reflective atmosphere
Brief psychoeducation around existential psychology and grief
Use of "The 4 Pillars of Grief Recovery" from The Loss Prescription (emotional, physical, social, and spiritual wellbeing)
Tools and questions to carry forward for continued personal growth
Dr Chloe Paidoussis Mitchell, is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and Lecturer at The Existential Academy, whose work is deeply rooted in existential counselling and practice. Author of The Loss Prescription: A Practical Roadmap to Grief Recovery (HarperCollins, March 14, 2024), she combines clinical depth with philosophical insight to support individuals facing profound loss.
In her private practice, she helps clients engage with grief not merely as a condition to be overcome but as an existential journey—one that challenges beliefs about meaning, identity, mortality, and time . As a lecturer at the Existential Academy and the New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling, Dr Chloe brings integrative, trauma-informed, and humanistic approaches to therapy
In The Loss Prescription, she offers accessible, reflective tools that blend selfcompassion with existential exploration, guiding readers to reconstruct well being holistically—emotionally, socially, physically, spiritually—after loss.
Losing the Will to Live
Prof Emmy van Deurzen
As the world becomes increasingly engulfed by conflicts, threats and violence, many people feel despondent and frightened. During such dark days our capacity for endurance and resilience is severely tested. It is not at all surprising that more people lose the will to live. When dying seems a more desirable option than living, it is vital to reappraise our reasons for being as well as exploring our ideas of what might lie beyond death. This is where we need to draw on the wisdom that humankind has accumulated over the millennia, as well as referring to the most up to date research data to gain greater understanding. In this talk we shall aim to do both these things, so that participants may feel inspired to revisit and make more sense of their own experiences.
Prof Emmy van Deurzen is a philosopher, psychologist and existential therapist who is the author of twenty books, translated into 26 languages. She is an international speaker and has founded and co-founded numerous training and professional organisations.
She is President of the worldwide Existential Movement, and a visiting professor with Middlesex University. Her YouTube channel @ExistentialZone offers 1000+videos on how to live a more meaningful life as well as a weekly Live Chat
A Case of Choice, Not Dignity
AndrewCopson Current Debates on Assisted Dying
Assisted dying is now legal in some parts of the British Isles and in all parts is moving closer Humanists UK has been advocating for this for over ninety years
Their Chief Executive Andrew Copson will speak about the values that underpin these debates and how choice has been neglected in the UK.
Andrew Copson was appointed Chief Executive of Humanists UK in 2009, having previously been its Director of Education and Public Affairs. He is also the current President of Humanists International, a position he’s held since 2015. His books include The Little Book of Humanism (2020) and The Little Book of Humanist Weddings (2021) with Alice Roberts; Secularism: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2019); The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Humanism (2015) with A C Grayling. His writing on humanist and secularist issues has appeared in The Guardian, The Independent, The Times and New Statesman as well as in various journals.
He has represented the humanist movement extensively on television news on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, as well as on programmes such as Newsnight, The Daily Politics, and The Big Questions. He has also appeared on radio on programmes from Today, Sunday, The World at One, The Last Word, and Beyond Belief on the BBC, to local and national commercial radio stations.
Dying from Natural Causes
The Original and Still the Worst?
DrRobertBrodrick
R. D. Laing observed that "Life is a sexually transmitted disease and there’s a 100% mortality rate".
Given our shared prognosis, we have three options: suicide, assisted dying or letting nature take its course. Many choose the default option of letting the body wear out and fail on its own inevitable yet uncertain timeline.
Can the traditional mode dying be meaningful, even when it is miserable? Is there anything we can do to increase the likelihood of a good death?
Dr Robert Brodrick works as a consultant in palliative medicine at Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. He treats people with life-limiting illnesses with a focus on reducing their associated physical, psychological and existential suffering.
He also has an academic role at the School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, where he teaches palliative care and clinical communication skills. He leads the Clinical School's novel 'Care of the Dying Patient' simulation teaching programme and conducts research on providing effective end of life care training for future doctors.
Should I Fear My Death?
Epicurus vs Heidegger on Annihilation
ProfHaviCarel
In this talk I will examine two approaches to death. The first, that of Epicurus, claims that 'death is nothing to us.' The second, opposed view, of Martin Heidegger, sees death as the most significant structuring element of human life. Which account should we favour and why?
After discussing this I will offer an account of human life as characterised by vulnerability, putting death into context. I will suggest that death is a significant, but not the only, form of human vulnerability.
Havi Carel is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bristol. She currently leads a Wellcome Discovery Award, EPIC, on epistemic injustice in health care.
In 2020 she completed a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award, leading a five-year project, the Life of Breath. She was awarded the Health Humanities’ Inspiration Award 2018 for her work on the project.
Havi won the IJPS 2021 PERITIA Prize for her paper ‘When Institutional Opacity Meets Individual Vulnerability: Institutional Testimonial Injustice’ (co-authored with Ian Kidd), published in International Journal of Philosophical Studies. Her third monograph was published by Oxford University Press in 2016, entitled Phenomenology of Illness. Havi was voted by students as a ‘Best of Bristol’ lecturer in 2016 and was nominated for a teaching award three further times.
Havi is the author of Illness (3rd edition 2019), shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust Book Prize, and of Life and Death in Freud and Heidegger (2006) She is the co-editor of Health, Illness and Disease (2012) and of What Philosophy Is (2004). She uses film in teaching and has co-edited a volume entitled New Takes in Film-Philosophy (2010). She also co-edited a special issue of Philosophy on ‘Human Experience and Nature’ (2013).
She previously published on the embodied experience of illness, epistemic injustice in healthcare, vulnerability, wellbeing within illness, transformative experience, death, and on the experience of respiratory illness in the Lancet, BMJ, Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, Journal of Medical Ethics, Journal of Applied Philosophy, and in edited collections.
In 2009-11 Havi led an AHRC-funded project on the concepts of health, illness and disease In 2011-12 she was awarded a Leverhulme Fellowship for a project entitled ‘The Lived Experience of Illness’. In 2012-13 she held a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship.
Ritual, Memory, and Belonging in Southeast Asian Communities
The Place of the Dead DrKelliSwazey
In Southeast Asia, places are defined and delineated by the relationships between the dead and the living communities. Both communal and self-identity are linked to the dead through rituals that commemorate and enact the presence of the dead in both the landscape and people's everyday lives, a perspective that frames death as part of the continuity of both life and community identity.
Dr. Kelli Swazey (she/her) is an anthropologist and consultant who engages public audiences in the practices of collaborative knowledge building and scholarship. Her research focuses on modes of representation and rights for diverse communities in Southeast Asia.
Utilizing various forms of media, she creates spaces for audiences and clients to engage in intercultural learning to explore contemporary issues through the lens of equity, diversity, justice, and social inclusion.
She also designs and manages educational exchange programs and media production in collaboration with local communities in the Asia Pacific region.
Are We All Living a Social Death?
This presentation explores the enduring condition of social death through the intersecting lenses of Afro-Pessimism, existential psychotherapy, and the Rastafari-rooted concept of sufferation Drawing on Orlando Patterson’s foundational theory and extended through thinkers like Frank Wilderson III, it examines how Black existence has been historically positioned as non-being excluded from full social, legal, and ontological recognition.
Sufferation, as expressed in the music and poetics of Bob Marley, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and others, names not only inherited trauma, but an indomitable will to resist This cultural tradition made “the sufferers visible” in post-Windrush Britain, turning pain into public memory and political testimony.
Through the lens of existential therapy, the talk repositions therapy not as a tool of assimilation but as a space of witnessing, relational presence, and meaning-making. It calls on mental health practitioners to confront colonial structures within clinical practice and to stand with clients in their search for agency, authenticity, and existential freedom
Prof Patrick Vernon. Pro Chancellor at University of Wolverhampton ,Chair of Birmingham and Solihull NHS ICB and Independent, Chair of Walsall Together Health Partnership Board and Honorary Professor for Community leadership and heritage at Wolverhampton University. He was recently appointed Pro Chancellor at Wolverhampton University
ProfPatrickVernon
Patrick is a sought-after broadcaster, public speaker, EDI adviser and writes blogs and articles for the national and international media on healthcare, cultural heritage and race.
Patrick led the campaign for a national Windrush Day since 2013 and helping to expose the Windrush Scandal in 2018 in one of the first growing online petitions calling for an amnesty for the Windrush Generation. In 2020 Patrick was selected by British Vogue as of Britain’s top twenty campaigners and since he has been included in the Powerlist list of 100 influential Black People in Britain. In 2020 Patrick co-authored 100 Great Black Britons based on his campaign. In 2024 he his latest coauthored book on Black Grief and healing.
Patrick is a member of Church Commissioners oversight group on reparations.
Student Panel
Labouring with The Decision to Let Go
The existential voyage of midlife daughters in withdrawing life support for their mothers
MarcieBoyer
In sudden, catastrophic health events that leave patients incapacitated, it is unknowable whether the patient themselves experiences uncertainty.This raises a profound question: Who, then, carries the burden of confronting existential uncertainty?This workshop delves into the experiences of midlife women who accept the immense existential responsibility of deciding to withdraw life support for their mothers.
Drawing from her research and personal experiences, Marcie explores questions such as: What is it like for daughters across the physical, social, personal, and spiritual dimensions of existence? How do they reconcile existential concerns for their mothers with their own inner turmoil?And what deeper meanings might emerge after choosing to end the life of the person who gave them life?This session offers an intimate glimpse into the often hidden emotional and existential voyage faced by those who labour with the decision to let go.
Marcie is completing her research on the experiences of midlife women who make the decision to withdraw life support for their mothers following sudden, life-threatening health events, for a doctorate in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling at the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling.
Alongside her private practice, Marcie is the Suicide Prevention and Support Service
Lead and acting clinical lead at Sussex Community Counselling, part of the Sussex Community DevelopmentAssociation She has five years’extensive experience working with first-generation women of colour and traumatically bereaved parents, partners, and families.
Supporting others in navigating profound existential challenges after abuse, racism, trauma, and loss lies at the heart of her research and therapeutic work.
The Grief, Death & Dying Toolbox
The Experiential Journey of Loss Through Death to Being a Death Doula
ShrutiJain
Shruti will present on her experiential journey of losing both her parents within a span of three years, experiencing Covid alongside the rest of the world, and how she accidentally started her journey in grief, death and dying.
This journey, that started with losing her mom in 2018 ended with the passing of her father inApril 2021, led her to not only finding comfort with death and the dying, but also led her to becoming a Death Doula.
Shruti Jain is an experienced Existential Psychotherapist with a decade of practice specializing in individuals, couples, and family therapy. She has lived and worked across multiple countries, including Hong Kong, the USA, Singapore, India, and the UK, which has enriched her understanding of cultural diversity and equality. Shruti began her professional journey in London in 2015, volunteering at a rehab center and a multicultural therapy center, before deepening her expertise in Singapore through therapeutic interventions and NGO work.
Since returning to the UK in May 2021, she has focused on grief and loss, drawing from her personal experiences of losing both parents and navigating the impact of COVID-19 This journey has also led her to become a Death Doula.As a mother of two daughters, Shruti aims to share her insights on life and death with them, fostering comfort around these themes.
Shruti has an BSc in International Marketing and Psychology from The University of Texas at Dallas, a PGCert in Integrative Psychotherapy from Regents University and am currently pursuing Masters in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling from NSPC. She has completed her Foundation in End of Life Doula training and is a member of the End of Life UK association.
Shruti will present on her experiential journey of losing both her parents within a span of three years, experiencing Covid alongside the rest of the world, and how she accidentally started her journey in grief, death and dying.
This journey, that started with losing her mom in 2018 ended with the passing of her father inApril 2021, led her to not only finding comfort with death and the dying, but also led her to becoming a Death Doula.
A Reflection on the Experience of Witnessing the Death of Someone Close
AniaCapaldo
In her research, Ania Capaldo explores the lived experience of witnessing the death of a close person; what it is like to be physically and emotionally present as someone we love takes their final breaths. Shifting the focus from grief after loss to the immediacy of presence during dying, her study highlights a largely overlooked psychological event with profound existential significance. She argues that witnessing death is not synonymous with bereavement, though intertwined with it, and calls for a more nuanced therapeutic approach that recognises its unique impact and supports individuals who have accompanied someone at the threshold of death.
The findings reveal how this experience can trigger profound existential shifts, affecting all four dimensions of existence: physical, social, personal, and spiritual, as well as one’s perception of time.
Ania Capaldo is an accredited existential psychotherapist, trained at the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling (NSPC), where she also lectures and completed her doctoral thesis on the lived experience of witnessing death of a close person. Death, bereavement, and end-of-life transitions areAnia’s primary areas of clinical and academic interest. She specialises in working with terminally ill patients and their families, and collaborates with hospices and grief charities to support clients facing complex loss.
Ania has gained broad clinical experience across various settings, including the NHS, before establishing her current practice in the private sector and at Dilemma Consultancy, where she offers therapy grounded in existential philosophy In addition,Ania holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Science and is a qualified EMDR therapist. Her clinical work is enriched by a distinctive professional background.
Before retraining as a psychologist,Ania worked internationally in business and diplomacy
She holds a Master’s in Modern Diplomacy and an Executive MBA, and brings this perspective into her therapeutic approach with individuals navigating profound personal and professional transitions.
She is a full clinical member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), a registered member of the BritishAssociation for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and a graduate member of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
