An interview for the Varsovian

October, 2013

The Varsovian: Please tell us about your Open Days at the Psychotherapy Center in Warsaw. What do you offer, when and where will this take place?
Mikołaj Czyż: There are numerous opportunities to participate in seminars or have a free consultation with a psychotherapist in Polish, for instance during the just-ended POP-Kreacje festival, but there is also a non-Polish-speaking community in Warsaw. So – together with Agnieszka Serafin – we decided to use our experience of working with expats and people from different cultures to offer free consultations in English and Swedish on November 8-9th, 2013. We invite individuals and couples to our office at Filtrowa street.

TV: What is your methodology and underlying philosophy?
MC: It is process-oriented psychology, which was coined in the 1970 by the Jungian analyst and physicist Arnold Mindell and his colleagues. The concept is that there is information (or surprising clues) contained in the flow of one’s experiences that is crucial to solve or address difficulties. There is a great, funny video ad by Institut für Prozessarbeit, describing in a nutshell what Processwork is. For more academic information please visit Process Work Institute or check the resources here.

TV: What is the state of Polish psychotherapy?
MC: Well, that could easily be a topic for a couple of doctoral theses. There are many psychotherapeutic approaches and “schools” of psychotherapy active in Poland. They are incorporated in Polish Psychotherapy Chamber (Polska Rada Psychoterapii, which is a body that is working on the common standards for certifications, practicing the profession and associated legislation) on one hand and with many international associations – on the other.

TV: Why do people need psychotherapy and why in Poland now?
MC: Psychotherapy is one of many ways of approaching difficulties, dealing with conflicts as well as emotional disorders or addictions. It is also a path of learning and self-discovery. It is not for everyone, but more and more people find it is beneficial to them. These are very challenging and interesting times in Poland now. Because of the rapid transformations that the last two decades brought about on so many layers of living there is more stress, more unknowns, but also more opportunities, hence more need for psychological help. There is also progressing public awareness about the potential and availability of such help. For foreigners living in Poland there are also the additional issues of living far from one’s home or community, coping with feelings of loneliness, having complicated relationships or struggling with cultural difference. These difficulties often lead to severe mood changes or addictions.

More about the event here