On Saturday 22 April, under the auspices of Confer, Susie Orbach’s outstanding contribution to psychotherapy was celebrated in a sold out event at Foyles bookstore in London.
Entitled: ‘Psychotherapy is a Cultural Issue: The influence of Susie Orbach’s work on theory, practice and values’ the event was chaired by The Balint Consultancy’s Amita Sehgal. Presentations by Sarah Benamer, Jane Haberlin, Brett Kahr, Andrew Samuels, Valerie Sinason and Kate White explored Susie’s work and its contemporary clinical and public relevance. Susie Orbach’s work has been translated into many languages; her seminal work Fat is a Feminist Issue has sold over a million copies; her radio programmes ‘In Therapy’ have drawn over 3 million listeners. She has influenced public policy, the arts, psychotherapeutic practice and has transformed the lives of countless individuals. Susie was described during the event as a ‘National Treasure’ and, at the end of an extremely stimulating and emotionally rich day, 160 of her colleagues rose to give her a standing ovation. It is our great good fortune, and a source of enormous pride, to have Susie Orbach as part of The Balint Consultancy.