Join me for upcoming workshops and talks where I share what I’ve learned from a lifetime of working with trauma, relationships, and sexuality. These gatherings are a chance to learn, reflect, and connect in a supportive space.
Every day, we meet people stretched thin by the pace of contemporary life—partners who care for each other yet feel depleted, individuals navigating desire amid overwhelm, people trying to reconnect to themselves and others against a backdrop of pervasive uncertainty and disconnection.
Certain aspects of this landscape feel distinctly “of the now”; other aspects have been more or less the same since Esther Perel explored the paradoxes of modern love in her first book, Mating in Captivity, which this spring celebrates its twenty-year anniversary.
The questions that form the thesis of Mating are still as relevant today as they were then: Can we want what we already have? Why is the forbidden so erotic? When we love, how does it feel? When we desire, how is it different?
But new questions have emerged in the last two decades, chief among them: How do we cultivate aliveness in a time defined by disruptions?
Here, “disruption” holds a double meaning: the painful interruptions that drain connection, and the catalytic sparks—the moonshots—that push us to reimagine how we love.
Through clinical, cultural, and creative perspectives, Sessions Live 2026: Cultivating Aliveness: Desire & Its Disruptions explores how relationships are evolving, and how we can translate those insights into practice. Across two days, we’ll examine frameworks and interventions, introduce tools and rituals, and strengthen the skills practitioners need to help people restore curiosity, connection, and vitality. We’ll look at what has endured, what is emerging, and what we hope to build next for the future of intimacy.
Whether you’re a practicing clinician or curious mind, you’ll discover fresh insights and takeaways to help you connect and thrive in modern times at Sessions Live 2026.
From May 27–30, 2026, the Trauma Research Foundation and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk welcome clinicians, researchers, and healing professionals to the 37th Annual Boston International Trauma Conference—a premier global gathering focused on advancing trauma care.
This year’s conference highlights the integration of clinical wisdom, science, and research, with a strong emphasis on community, innovation, and accessible treatment in challenging times. Alongside keynote presentations from leading experts, participants can engage in immersive experiential sessions and connect with an international network of professionals committed to meaningful change in trauma treatment.
Join us in person at the Sheraton Boston Hotel (39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA) or virtually from anywhere in the world.
An essential annual event for anyone dedicated to the future of trauma healing.
Early childhood neglect is one of the most pervasive—and least recognized—forms of major trauma. In this introductory workshop, participants will explore the foundational neuroscience of neglect, the impact of missing attachment experiences, common symptom patterns, and core treatment considerations.
Although attachment research increasingly recognizes early neglect as a primary developmental trauma (and it was identified in the original ACEs study), this understanding has been slower to reach everyday clinical practice and the broader public. Many survivors struggle with chronic depression, low agency, attention difficulties, and relational challenges, yet often say, “Nothing happened to me.” In many ways, that is the paradox of neglect: it is a trauma of what did not happen.
Designed to build awareness and clinical curiosity, this training brings visibility to a frequently overlooked population and offers a practical starting point for more informed, compassionate, and effective support.
Join leading voices in trauma research and healing for the world’s largest trauma, mental health, and wellbeing conference. Whether you’re a psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, medical doctor, bodyworker, educator, counsellor, researcher, mental health advocate, or someone keen to expand their understanding, Transform Trauma Oxford is an annual highlight not to be missed.
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My course with Quantum Way is now available for registration!