The Journey from Trauma to Pleasure Syros Island, Greece
Dr. Lorraine R. Freedle joined Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Licia Sky and other trauma experts to celebrate treatment methods–including Sandplay Therapy– that tap into the wisdom of the body at the inaugural Healing Waves “Trauma-to-Pleasure” festival in Greece, October 2-5, 2025. The event was organized by trauma therapist and visionary, Despina “Depy” Ploussiou, who realized her dream of holding a conference rich in neuroscience, psychotherapy, and the arts on Syros Island, where her family roots can be traced back for centuries. Lorraine Freedle, who gave a keynote on Recovering Sacred Body through Sandplay Therapy said, “Depy did a fantastic job bringing us in community to create an unforgettable experience that we could feel viscerally. It was also wonderful to see sandplay at the center of the discussion on the final day and to see so much enthusiasm for sandplay from the panelists as well as the participants. I have every hope that sandplay will continue to gain momentum in Greece and in the field of trauma.”
Photo: From left to right: Benjamin Fry, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Nikos Xanthoulis, Dr. Lorraine Freedle, Licia Sky, and Despina Ploussiou.
