Online Conference 5-11 July 2021
Bryn Mawr College
25 June - 29 June 2025
Philadelphia, USA
ISPSO Annual Meeting 2025, Philadelphia / Bryn Mawr College
What, where, and when is the 2025 ISPSO Annual Meeting?
This year, the Annual Meeting of The International Society for Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations (ISPSO) will be held on
the campus of Bryn Mawr College in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The conference begins on the morning of June 25, 2025, and concludes after lunch on Sunday, June 29,
2025. The theme of the 2025 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, USA, is “Justice, Organizations, and Psychoanalysis.”
How can I register for the Annual Meeting?
Registration is managed through our new event management system, “WHOVA.” The link to registration can be found here. If you have any difficulties or questions, feel free to contact the Annual Meeting event managers at am@ispso.net
What is the purpose of the ISPSO Annual Meeting?
The ISPSO Annual Meeting is the premier event in which the international membership of ISPSO and interested colleagues convene to study organizational and leadership issues
from the perspectives of psychoanalysis and systems socio-analysis. It is an event that showcases research and practice and cutting-edge thinking. It provides opportunities for in-depth
dialogue among participants on issues of concern for organizations and society.
Who is the conference for?
The Annual Meeting is open not just to ISPSO members, but to all persons who would like to discuss leadership and organizational experiences using a psychoanalytic framework.
There are various registration categories to accommodate members, non-members and students, in-person or online.
(Note: Members benefit from a very affordable conference price.) Interested non-members who may be qualified are welcome to apply for membership to take advantage of this benefit.
What can I expect to experience at the Annual Meeting?
The 2025 Annual Meeting will be a five-day event with a rich program of speakers and opportunities for dialogue. The program includes a Board-led workshop on
professional writing and books, a trip to Philadelphia and the National Constitution Center, a roster of Professional Development Workshops, over two dozen paper presentations by colleagues
from around the world, illustrious keynote speakers and panelists, and many opportunities for discussion, reflection, and social time with colleagues.
Why was Bryn Mawr College chosen as the venue for the Annual Meeting?
Bryn Mawr College in the suburbs of Philadelphia is an excellent and affordable setting for the in-person
experience of our Annual Meeting. It is also well-equipped for the world of hybrid learning. Bryn Mawr College has a sterling reputation for research and progressive higher education. It is
uniquely suited for the pursuit of ISPSO values of learning, intellectual exchange, reflection, and engaging with differences.
How close is Bryn Mawr College to Philadelphia City and Airport?
Bryn Mawr College is located in the gracious, leafy neighborhood of Bryn Mawr, 11 miles west of Center City, Philadelphia and 16 miles north of Philadelphia International
Airport (PHL).
How can I get to Bryn Mawr College from the Philadelphia airport?
Travelers can take an Uber, Lyft, or taxi from the airport to the College. There is also a
regional rail line that goes from the airport into Center City Philadelphia, connecting to the Paoli-Thorndale train that goes to Bryn Mawr. For more information on public transit from the
airport, visit https://www.phl.org/getting-around/public-transportation
Can I walk from Bryn Mawr College to restaurants or shops?
It is about a 10 minute walk from the campus to the main commercial street, Lancaster Ave, where one can find a number of restaurants, a movie theater, and several shops. It
would be necessary to take a car or the train to get to larger shopping centers or to restaurants in Center City. Ubers/Lyfts are plentiful and quick to arrive in the Philadelphia area.
How physically safe is the annual meeting venue?
The campus of Bryn Mawr College is in an area of the Greater Philadelphia region with very low crime rates, 77% lower than the national average. The surrounding neighborhoods
are safe for walking by day and at night.
How “socially safe” is the annual meeting venue for persons of diverse identities?
The educated town of Bryn Mawr and the cosmopolitan city of Philadelphia are accustomed to diversity and tolerant of persons of various races, religions, national backgrounds,
gender identities, and abilities. Despite the realities of bias within societies like the US, the atmosphere in this part of Pennsylvania is generally very welcoming to visitors.
Can letters of invitation to the Annual Meeting be procured for attendees if they need one for a visa?
Yes. If an invitation letter is required for visa purposes, please contact Marisa Guerin, AM Hospitality Coordinator (marisaguerin1 “at” gmail.com) and provide
your full name, date of birth, passport number, and dates of travel in the US. A letter will be prepared for you on ISPSO letterhead and signed by Wally Fletcher, the AM Chair.
What provision has the Organizing Committee made for turbulent world-wide political conditions that may impact our members’ travel decision-making?
The Organizing Committee is acutely aware of the valid concerns that ISPSO members may have about potential travel restrictions, safety, or other personal considerations, and
we have taken these concerns into account through careful planning.
Given our Society’s commitment to international intellectual exchange, reflection and learning, the 2025 Annual Meeting theme, Justice, Organizations, and Psychoanalysis, could not be more on point. We believe that attending in person will provide a uniquely valuable opportunity for collective study and thought about the issues of these times. However, to be as inclusive as possible, we have planned an accessible hybrid event for those who make the decision not to travel.
Can lodging be reserved through the ISPSO AM registration site?
You may request information about lodging options from the AM registration website. Once you receive it, you may register for
on campus housing directly with the ISPSO event managers; all other housing options must be booked by the attendees.
What is the cost and style of on-campus housing?
Bryn Mawr College has offered extremely reasonable rates ($59 per person per night) for ISPSO Annual Meeting participants who wish to stay on campus. The
modern student housing building on campus has single rooms but does not have ensuite, private bathrooms – the bathrooms are located on the hallway, and are shared by the rooms on that
hall. Conference attendees who plan to stay on campus should bring a robe and slippers. There are a few rooms with two beds in them that can be reserved as well.
What kinds of accommodation can be found off-campus?
There are no hotels within walking distance of Bryn Mawr College but there are a few apartments nearby.
The proprietor of Bryn Mawr Guest Suites, walking distance to the College, has offered special rates for ISPSO attendees. There are 5 two-bedroom apartments which can be
rented by the night for $194.00, all taxes and fees included. A stay of between 5 and 7 nights can be booked for a total of $971.00, all taxes and fees included. For more than 2 adults in an
apartment, an additional $30 fee per person per night applies.
The closest hotel that provides more upscale amenities is the Inn at Villanova, a gracious inn and conference center within 3 miles of the College. The Inn does not have a public restaurant, but has a fully equipped fitness center, free wifi, morning coffee service and a small bar and café. The Inn will offer a limited number of double Queen-bed rooms at a discounted rate to ISPSO of $199 plus taxes, subject to availability. Early booking is advised.
Many other hotel options can be found at a distance of 5 to 10 miles from the College; some are listed on the accommodation webpage. Access to a car or an Uber/Lyft will be necessary for those staying off campus.
What is the fee structure for the Annual Meeting?
The Organizing Committee for the Annual Meeting has adopted a simple and all-inclusive fee structure for the five-day conference. One single price includes all meetings
and speakers, all breakfasts and lunches, participation in the Professional Development Workshop Day, the Community Day with an excursion to Philadelphia and the National Constitution Center,
and a ticket to the Gala Dinner. Tickets can be purchased for in-person attendance as well for online participation or for participation on a specific day. Members of ISPSO benefit from
significantly lower conference fees.
Ticket options and pricing are listed at the start of the ticket registration process.
What is the conference theme?
The 2025 Annual Meeting theme is “Justice, Organizations, and Psychoanalysis.” The keynote speakers and paper presentations
have been selected to provide rich input that addresses this theme from many angles. Please see the website for program details.
What is the “Community Day”?
The first day of the 5-day Annual Meeting is being called “Community Day.” The morning will be devoted to introduction of the conference theme and program, as well
as a Board-led session on professional topics such as writing, publishing, and books. The afternoon of the Community Day will be a whole-conference bus excursion into the city of Philadelphia
for tours of the National Constitution Center covering the nation’s founding ideals, the struggles against slavery and for civil rights, and the fight for women’s suffrage. After
the museum visit, there will be free time to explore the historic or downtown areas. Participants will be on their own to have dinner in town, and bus transportation will be provided for
return to the Bryn Mawr campus.
A note for ISPSO members: This year, the 5 day Annual Meeting does not include the Members’ Day that has been customary in the past – the ISPSO annual membership business meeting will instead occur virtually in May, as per communications from the Board.
What are the primary elements of the conference program?
In addition to the Community Day, the conference program will include a day devoted to Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) that are of varying duration. Following the
PDW day, there will be a two-and-a-half day symposium that includes daily keynote speakers or panelists and a program of over 25 paper presentations by leading academics and practitioners
from across the globe. Each day of the Annual Meeting will begin with a morning session on “Social Dreaming”, both in person and virtual. The program will also include a Gala
party on Saturday evening and various opportunities for discussion and reflection with colleagues.
Is controversy over Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) impacting the Annual Meeting theme?
The AM planning committee fully expects that topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion will be discussed at the Annual Meeting. The organizers have been consciously
attempting to honor these values in the planning and programming of the conference.
Can I get Continuing Education Credits for attending the Annual Meeting?
Many of the papers and workshop sessions will offer CE credits in the US through Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) Office of
Professional Development and Continuing Education (OPDCE). A one-time fee of $25 will be charged by GSAPP-OPDCE; a link will be provided on the conference website. Note that CEs will only be
available for attendance in real-time, whether that is in-person or online. There are no CEs available for watching a recording. We may be able to offer this option later, after the
close of the meeting.
Can I choose the Professional Development Workshop (PDW) that I prefer?
You can sign up for the specific PDW you wish to attend when you register for the Annual Meeting, at no additional cost. This will be considered a commitment, and any
pre-session materials will be provided to the registrants by the presenters based on this information. Please be sure to note whether the PDW of interest to you is offered in-person only or
online only. There are no hybrid workshops.
Some PDWs have maximum participant limits, so it is possible that the PDW you prefer will have been fully subscribed at the time you register. However, there are enough PDW sessions planned for 2025 so that all attendees who wish to attend one can be accommodated.
Persons who wish to attend only a PDW and not the rest of the annual meeting will be able to register and pay for the workshop only.
What are the “Discussion Groups” listed on the Annual Meeting schedule?
The schedule for the meeting this year allows time for participants to meet in small groups after the various parallel paper sessions to share their observations and thinking.
Attendees both in person and online will be randomly assigned to these small groups, and space and time will be provided for discussion groups to meet with one another.
Are there plans to honor recently-deceased ISPSO members?
Yes, the ISPSO Board is working with the Organizing Committee to include an opportunity during the Annual meeting for a Tribute Event to recognize our honored departed
members. As this information is available, it will be added to the published program of events.
If I am participating in the annual meeting online, will I have access to all of the sessions?
Online participants will have access to most of the sessions. Plenary keynote sessions and parallel paper sessions will be live-streamed and recorded with the recordings
posted on an expedited basis so that those in “night-time” time zones during the live sessions can review them prior to the next day’s program.
Some PDWs will be completely in person and others completely online; they will not be recorded or livestreamed. This is due to the highly interactive design of most workshops. Likewise, the Social Dreaming sessions and the Discussion Groups will take place both in person and online, but not in a hybrid format and not recorded.
The activities that cannot be accessed by online participants will be the trip to Philadelphia and the Constitution Center, the end of day Reflection Sessions, the Gala Dinner, and the social evening tribute to departed members.
If I am participating in the annual meeting in-person, will I have access to recordings of the sessions?
Yes, all registrants who attend in-person will have access to all recorded sessions.
Will there be time for me to visit Philadelphia during the Annual Meeting?
During the Community Day, all participants take a bus trip into Philadelphia to participate in tours at the National Constitution Center. The costs for the bus transportation
to and from Philadelphia and the Constitution Center tours are included in the 5-day annual meeting registration fees.
From mid-afternoon through evening of the Community Day, attendees have free time for exploring the historic or center city neighborhoods of Philadelphia and to have dinner on their own in the city. Bus transportation back to Bryn Mawr will be provided after the dinner hours.
Can the Organizing Committee recommend restaurants, coffee shops, etc. for the area around Bryn Mawr and for Philadelphia city?
The Hospitality team will provide recommendations for restaurants both near the conference venue in Bryn Mawr and surrounding towns, as well as in Center City and Old City
Philadelphia.
How safe is the city of Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is a major urban center, with all the features and challenges of a modern city. The downtown area, museum and restaurant neighborhoods are generally safe by day
and in the evening, but one should always exercise suitable caution in any large city.
Philadelphians are known for being plain-spoken, down to earth, fanatical sports fans, perhaps a little rough around the edges, proud of their city, and generous. If you stand on a corner staring at a map, they are highly likely to stop and ask if you need directions.
What should I plan to see if I wish to be a tourist in Philadelphia before or after the Annual Meeting?
Philadelphia is home to world class museums of art, science, history, and culture. Be sure not to miss the world-class collection of Impressionist art at the Barnes
Foundation, as well as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia is also the birthplace of America and the location of the Liberty Bell and other historic places. It has a vibrant
arts and culture scene and an eminently walkable downtown area with many shops and restaurants.
If you can stay around for it, Philadelphia hosts the nation’s biggest birthday party every year in the weeks surrounding July 4, celebrating US Independence Day with concerts, fireworks, and parades.
Philadelphia is also located midway between Washington DC and New York City, both cities accessible by Amtrak trains. It is 90 minutes from the beach town of Atlantic City, New Jersey to the East, and about the same distance from the Amish farmlands of Lancaster County to the West.
Here are some links for information about tourism highlights:
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