The Syros Healing Waves Festival is a premier mental health event set to take place on the scenic Greek Cycladic island of Syros from June 2nd to June 8th, 2025. The festival is the first of its kind making Syros a renowned global hub for therapeutic innovation. This distinctive event aims to incorporate the concept of pleasure as a powerful healing tool alongside the latest advancements in neuroscience. Attendees are invited to embark on a transformative journey of personal development and emotional renewal.
Throughout the week, the festival will offer bilingual workshops, lectures, sensory motor activities, and artistic events, led by mental health experts and artists from across Greece. Accompanied by talks from Greek psychologists, participants will explore how art, science, and psychotherapy can facilitate emotional healing and recovery from trauma.
The festival will launch with an opening ceremony at Miaouli Square, featuring speeches and performances. Starting Monday, June 2nd the festival will continue with daily events open to Syros residents and visitors, providing complimentary access to all activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to join 3-4 free activities each day in various locations across the island. These include workshops and experiential sessions covering a diverse array of topics from mental health and personal growth to art and creative expression. Participants will discover new ways to meaningfully connect with themselves and others.
From Friday, June 6th, to Sunday, June 8th, the festival will host a three-day retreat at the historic Apollon Theater, specifically designed for mental health professionals. With a corresponding participation fee, the retreat will feature Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of the internationally acclaimed book The Body Keeps the Score, alongside three other renowned therapists: Licia Sky, Benjamin Fry, and Alexia Rothman. This retreat offers a deeper therapeutic experience, integrating cutting-edge scientific insights with pleasure as a kind invitation and a key healing tool for the traumatized nervous system. The festival will provide opportunities not only for healing but also for tapping into inner resources necessary for post traumatic flourishing.
The festival will conclude with a grand celebration at Syros’ shipyard, the Tarsanas, highlighting pleasure as a means for healing and post-traumatic growth.
Syros, the magnificent capital of the Greek Cycladic islands, offers the perfect setting for this innovative festival. With its stunning neoclassical architecture, vibrant culture, and rich history, Syros provides a unique blend of tradition and modernity, making it an ideal destination for such a large-scale event.
Centered on enjoyment and creative connection, Syros Healing Waves aims to change how we approach mental health. Through this unique experience, participants will gain valuable tools for daily self-care and caring for those around them. Join us to experience this one-of-a-kind therapeutic journey, which promises to inspire and renew everyone involved.
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