Dear Friends of the Recovery Congress

We are pleased to announce that preparations for the next International Psychiatric Congress on Mental Health and Recovery are well underway. The Congress will take place for the seventh time in Bern on 18-19 June 2026.

The event will focus on looking beyond the traditional boundaries of psychiatry. We will examine innovative projects and concepts that are firmly anchored in society and make a lasting contribution to the promotion of mental health and recovery. Particular attention will be paid to interdisciplinary approaches, participatory research and initiatives led by experts by experience.

Thanks to the dedicated support of our Advisory Board, we have already succeeded in attracting renowned speakers to the Congress. Together with the independent contributions in the form of lectures, workshops and poster presentations, as well as the session on personal recovery stories, they will help to reflect on current developments, provide new impetus and further advance the professional discourse.

The composition of the Congress Committee has changed for this Congress. Walter Gekle, Sibylle Glauser and Andrea Winter are no longer members. We would like to thank them for their commitment to the Congress over the past years. Pedro Codes is a new member. He is a peer worker and expert through experience EX-IN and represents Pro Mente Sana on the committee. We are also pleased to welcome Laura Regli to the committee as a representative of family members. She represents Stand by You Switzerland as a member of the board. We welcome them both and look forward to an exciting collaboration.

More information about the programme, how to submit free articles and recovery stories, and registration details will follow in the coming weeks and months. We look forward to continuing this important dialogue with you and to forging new paths for a future-oriented, human rights-based psychiatry.

The congress committee

THE CONGRESS COMMITTEE

Christian Burr
Dr. rer. cur, MScN, Pflegeexperte, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern und wiss. Mitarbeiter, Berner Fachhochschule

Christoph Duwan
eMBA, stv. Pflegedirektor, Privatklinik Wyss

Walter Gekle
Dr. med., Chefarzt Soteria und Direktion Psychiatrische Rehabilitation, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern

Sibylle Glauser
Lic. phil, Angehörigenberatung der UPD, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern

Caroline Gurtner
MSc, cand. PhD, Co Präsidentin akademische Fachgesellschaft psychiatrische Pflege (AFG)

Anna Hegedüs
Dr. rer. medic., MAG., Berner Fachhochschule

Matthias Jäger
PD Dr. med., Direktor Erwachsenenpsychiatrie, Psychiatrie Baselland

Andréa Winter
Expertin durch Erfahrung EX-IN / Übersetzerin, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern

Gianfranco Zuaboni
PhD, MNSc, Leiter Pflegeentwicklung, Sanatorium Kilchberg

WEBDESIGN UND SOCIAL MEDIA

Nico Hirschi
eMBA, Prozessmanager, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern

 ADVISORY BOARD

Andreas Knuf
Dipl. Psych., psychologischer Psychotherapeut, Praxis für Psychotherapie, Konstanz (D)

Joachim Schnackenberg
PhD, Dipl. Mental Health Nursing, dipl. Sozialarbeiter FH, EFC-Institut, Hannover (D)

Peter Lehmann
Dr. phil. h.c., Sozialwissenschaftler und Verleger, Antipsychiatrieverlag, Berlin (D)

Caroline Suter-Sturm
Expertin durch Erfahrung und wissenschaftliche Assistentin, Haute École de la Santé La Source, Lausanne (CH)

Charles Bonsack
Prof. Dr. med., Chefarzt und Assoziierter Professor, Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik CHUV, Lausanne (CH)

Julie Repper
PhD, Dipl. Mental Health Nursing, Leitung Kernteam ImRoc, Nottingham (UK)

Sirkka Mullis
Lic. phil. hist., Angehörige, Projektleiterin und wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin, Bundesamt für Gesundheit, Bern (CH)

Michaela Amering
Prof. Dr. med.; Oberärztin und Leiterin integrative Psychosebehandlung, Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie am AKH, Wien (A)

Janine Berg-Peer
M.A., Angehörige, Autorin und Coach (D)

Thelke Scholz
Expertin durch Erfahrung in der Gesundheitsversorgung EX-IN und Empowerment College Trainerin, Bremen (D)

Roberto Mezzina
Dr. med., ehem. Direktor Dipartimento di Salute Mentale Trieste (IT); Former Head of Service, WHO CC for Research and Training (I)