St Catherine's College Oxford

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Healing Voices? Language in Psychopathology and Psychotherapy

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Healing Voices? Language in Psychopathology and Psychotherapy

15th April 2026, 2-4:30pm
St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, Manor Rd, Oxford OX1 3UJ and online

Meeting Details


This workshop explores the role of language in psychopathology and asks how reflecting on linguistic processes might inform psychotherapy. Drawing on diverse philosophical and psychological perspectives, the contributions elucidate how language—in interpersonal communication as well as in inner speech—shapes how we experience the world, others, and ourselves. The aim of the workshop is to bring together philosophical, psychological, and clinical perspectives in order to shed light on self-directed linguistic practices—both pre-reflective and reflective—as an emotional ability that, if not adequately developed, may give rise to strong affects and challenges for mental health. Particular focus will be placed on how a phenomenological approach may help clarify the significance of language for the experience of mental health challenges.

Speakers:

Benjamin Alderson-Day
Rosa Ritunnano
Philipp Schmidt-Boddy

Tentative Schedule:

2.00pm: Welcome and Introduction

2.10pm: Benjamin Alderson-Day: “Inner Speech, Felt Presence and Psychopathology: What Are the Relations?”

2.50pm: Rosa Ritunnano: “Delusions: When the Mind Speaks the Body’s Language”

3.30pm: Break

3.50pm: Philipp Schmidt-Boddy: “Inner Speech and the Self”

Organisation: Philipp Schmidt-Boddy & Marcin Moskalewicz

Contact: schmidtboddy@gmail.com

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