Centering Experience in Mental Health: Uniting Psychiatry and Consciousness Science

• Borgo Podernovo, Lago di Bolsena, Italy

• Saturday 30th August - Sunday 7th September 2025

• 750 - Participation fees include accommodation for 8 nights, all meals and the workshop fee.

• A limited amount of bursaries will be available for participants who wouldn't be able to attend otherwise, covering part or all of the fees

• 20 participants

Join us for an interdisciplinary workshop bridging consciousness science and psychiatry. Despite their shared interest in the mind, the two fields are largely being developed separately. Psychiatry traditionally prioritises third-person diagnostic criteria that focus on observable symptoms, often sidelining the first-person perspective that shapes the lived experience of mental health conditions. Consciousness science, on the other hand, explores subjective experience but usually in a limited range of populations without engaging with psychopathology’s complexity. By integrating clinical insights from psychiatry with phenomenology, consciousness theory and novel computational methodologies, this workshop aims to foster a bidirectional and mutually enriching dialogue—advancing our understanding of consciousness through a clinical lens and refining the frameworks used in psychiatric research.

Program

Over the course of seven days, participants will learn from and collaborate with world-leading experts, through daily keynote lectures and focused-group discussions. In the afternoons, each participant will join a group with one of the speakers to work together towards a shared project, such as a perspective piece or experiment design. Our aim is to create impactful outputs that will help bridge conversations in psychiatry and consciousness science. Beyond the scientific program, the week’s dialogues will be enriched by our resident artist Harry Pack, who will run small-group creative practices, encouraging participants to explore the subjective and ethical dimensions of mental health, integrating insights from the talks with personal perspectives. The week concludes with presentations of the scientific and artistic outcomes.

Inclusivity

At its core, MESEC is committed to Intellectual Curiosity and Inclusive Empowerment. We value and actively encourage open-mindedness and the exchange of diverse perspectives. We are committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment, where participants and speakers from diverse backgrounds and communities feel welcome. This commitment is formalized through a shared code of conduct, signed by all participants, speakers and organizers, ensures dedication to these values.