Two-day Symposium:
Loss, Grief and Resilience in Families and Society
June 4 & 5, 2026 – De Doelen – Rotterdam
Loss and grief reactions affect relationships, roles, and the cohesion between generations. Grief and sorrow can isolate people, but when shared, they can also become a source of new connection and resilience.
During these days, we welcome Maurizio Andolfi, Nora Bateson, and Lorena Cavalieri, each contributing to the theme from their own perspective:
Maurizio Andolfi – Accademia di Psicoterapia Familiare
Maurizio Andolfi emphasizes that grief is not merely an individual experience, but a dynamic process embedded in family, community, culture, and society. In his work with families, he shows how, as family therapists, we can create a context in which sorrow can be shared.
Nora Bateson – International Bateson Institute
Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and founder of the International Bateson Institute, which focuses on transcontextual research in human and other living systems. She created the film An Ecology of Mind (2012) about her relationship with her father, Gregory Bateson. Nora developed “Warm Data Labs”: group encounters (live and online) based on themes that connect and enrich people through “living information.” See also her latest book: Combining (2023).
Lorena Cavalieri – Silvano Andolfi Foundation
Clinical psychologist and director of the Silvano Andolfi Foundation in Rome. Drawing on her extensive experience in transcultural psychiatry, she demonstrates how the loss of homeland and culture impacts family relationships, and how resilience can be found within contexts of profound change and marginalization.
Final Program
Chair: Cor Vreugdenhil
Language: English
Day 1 – June 4, 2026
08:30 Registration
09:15 Opening by Cor Vreugdenhil
09:30 Maurizio Andolfi on Loss, grief, and resilience in families and
societies, followed by a video.
10:30 Introduction to live consultation
10:45 BREAK
11:15 Live consultation by Maurizio Andolfi
12:30 LUNCH
13:30 Post-consultation discussion
14:00 Lorena Cavalieri on loss and mourning in migration
15:00 BREAK
15:30 Nora Bateson’s documentary ‘Ecology of mind’
16.30 Panel discussion: Maurizio, Lorena and Nora
16:45 Closing by Cor Vreugdenhil
From 17:00 Possibility for talk/drink in Café Floor (own cost)
Day 2 – June 5, 2026
08:30 Registration
09:00. Opening by Cor Vreugdenhil on importance of community centered
work; presentations Michel Koreman and Thijs de Blok
09:45. Nora Bateson on loss and mournng
11:00 BREAK
11:30 Premiere documentary “Andolfi, globetrotter of family therapy”
12:30. LUNCH
13:30 Live supervision by Maurizio Andolfi & post-supervision discussion
14:45 BREAK
15:15 An Hooghe with reflections on the two days
15:45 Panel discussion with An, Maurizio, Lorena, Nora and audience
16:25 Musical contribution by Eline Schouten
16:45 Closing and acknowledgments
From 17:00 Possibility for talk/drink in Café Floor (own cost)
An Hooghe:
Clinical psychologist and authority on grief following the loss of a child. Through her center, Verbinding in Verlies (Connection in Loss), she focuses on maintaining the lasting connection between bereaved individuals and their deceased loved ones.
Eline Schouten:
Healthcare psychologist who combines science with art and music. She makes existential themes such as trauma and loss tangible and open for discussion through body-oriented therapy, poetry, and music.
Thijs de Blok:
CEO of Buurtzorg International. He is a pioneer in self-management and person-centered care, striving for systems that prioritize the human scale and the inherent strength of the community.
Michel Koreman:
Founder of Stichting de Buurvrouw (The Neighbor Foundation) in Rotterdam Schiebroek. As a social entrepreneur and connector, he demonstrates how an accessible meeting place in the neighborhood is essential for the resilience of families and combating loneliness.
Would you like to register a family for live consultation or yourself for live supervision?
Please call or email Cor Vreugdenhil:
Phone: +31 6 24549650
Email: [email protected]
Buy your tickets now
June 4: €250
June 5: €250
Combined ticket: €475
Practical Information
Accreditation has been requested from NVRG, NVvP, SKJ, FGzPT & Registerplein.
The invoice can be downloaded after payment from the email confirming your ticket purchase.
A certificate of participation will be sent after the symposium.
For more information and accessibility of the venue, visit:
https://www.dedoelen.nl/nl/bereikbaarheid-trts
The symposium will take place in the Eduard Flipse Hall at De Doelen. We recommend using the entrance located at Karel Doormanstraat 223, 3012 GH, Rotterdam.