# Event Details - **Event Name**: The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice - **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 08 May, 2026 at 09:30 am – Fri, 08 May, 2026 at 06:00 pm (+01:00) - **Event Description**: A hybrid symposium exploring the therapeutic relationship from a cross-sectoral perspectiveAbout this EventFrom a small cluster of dominant schools, psychotherapy has evolved, over the past century, into a rich array of modalities. Within this pluralised landscape, psychodynamic, cognitive, humanistic, systemic, somatic and integrative frameworks each advance distinctive models of mind, emotion, and therapeutic change. Alongside these sit expressive and experiential approaches, making therapeutic use of art, music, drama, movement and play. Yet despite their diversity, effective therapies share a decisive agent of change: the collaborative alliance between therapist and client. Across modalities, as Michael Kahn puts it, “the relationship is the therapy.”But how have such relationships been theorised, researched and practiced across different psychological paradigms? And how might they change in different institutional contexts—from private practice to education and the criminal justice system? In what ways have cultural politics—including feminist and decolonial critiques—reframed the ethical stakes of the therapeutic encounter? And how have emerging digital technologies—from app-based programmes to AI counselling—reimagined the clinical dyad?This one-day symposium explores the therapeutic relationship from a wide range of clinical and academic perspectives. Scholars of the humanities and social sciences will be joined by experts in therapy research and policy, as well as clinicians spanning the full spectrum of contemporary therapies. Panels, roundtables and papers will be in hybrid format; online attendance is welcome.This hybrid event is free to attend.If you have any accessibility/dietary requirements, please get in touch with us at imh.events@durham.ac.uk.The Zoom details will be circulated closer to the date.This event is organised by Dr. D.J. Pugh (Durham University) and Dr. Sahanika Ratnayake (Manchester University) and hosted by the Affective Experience Lab of the Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities.Agenda🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AMWelcome & Introduction🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AMKeynote 1: ‘Relational Depth in Therapy: Evidence and Practice’Host: Mick Cooper🕑: 11:20 AM - 12:00 PMTessa GunnHost: Tessa Gunn🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMRoundtable 1Host: Kenni Brunn🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PMLunch🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PMRoundtable 2Host: Ian Alexander🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM‘The Image Between Us: Art Therapy and Therapeutic Alliance’Host: Simon Hackett🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM‘The Grammar of the Therapeutic Alliance’Host: Lisa Mendelman🕑: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PMKeynote 2: ‘Therapeutic Engagement: the Secret of Successful Psychotherapies’Host: Jeremy Holmes - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/durham/the-relationship-is-the-therapy-a-symposium-on-therapy-research-and-practice/100001987507506454 - **Event Categories**: Art, Entertainment, Theatre, performances - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: Durham - **state**: EN - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: Room CG83 • Chemistry Building • Durham University - **lat**: 54.76454529999999 - **long**: -1.5716695 - **full address**: Room CG83 • Chemistry Building • Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, South Road, Durham, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/ab4e9d69562ed5f247f82555f1a1a5838820c264cb5e3b51e58f30b955c3a2b6-rimg-w1080-h720-dc7d738d-gmir.jpg?v=1776840362 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice being held? - **A:** The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice takes place on Fri, 08 May, 2026 at 09:30 am to Fri, 08 May, 2026 at 06:00 pm at Room CG83 • Chemistry Building • Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, South Road, Durham, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice? - **A:** The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice is organized by Institute for Medical Humanities. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "The Relationship is the Therapy: A Symposium on Therapy Research & Practice", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/ab4e9d69562ed5f247f82555f1a1a5838820c264cb5e3b51e58f30b955c3a2b6-rimg-w1080-h720-dc7d738d-gmir.jpg?v=1776840362", "startDate": "2026-05-08T09:30:00+01:00", "endDate": "2026-05-08T18:00:00+01:00", "url": "https://allevents.in/durham/the-relationship-is-the-therapy-a-symposium-on-therapy-research-and-practice/100001987507506454", "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Room CG83 • Chemistry Building • Durham University", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "Lower Mountjoy, South Road", "postalCode": "DH1 3LE", "addressLocality": "Durham", "addressRegion": "EN", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "54.76454529999999", "longitude": "-1.5716695" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "A hybrid symposium exploring the therapeutic relationship from a cross-sectoral perspective", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-22", "availabilityEnds": "2026-05-08T18:00:00+01:00", "validFrom": "2026-04-22", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/durham/the-relationship-is-the-therapy-a-symposium-on-therapy-research-and-practice/100001987507506454" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-22", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-22", "url": "https://allevents.in/durham/the-relationship-is-the-therapy-a-symposium-on-therapy-research-and-practice/100001987507506454", "price": 0, "name": "Online ticket" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-22", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-22", "url": "https://allevents.in/durham/the-relationship-is-the-therapy-a-symposium-on-therapy-research-and-practice/100001987507506454", "price": 0, "name": "In-person ticket" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Institute for Medical Humanities", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/institute-for-medical-humanities/20570006", "description": "Based at Durham University we are the UK's first Institute for Medical Humanities. 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