Why focus on the “here and now”?

The here and now is the foundation of Yehia Rakhaw School. It is where emotions emerge, relationships unfold, conflicts surface, creativity appears, and meaning is co-created. It is both a clinical stance and a human position, one that connects inner experience with social and cultural realities.

What do you mean by “legacy”?

Legacy is not something frozen in the past. It is what we carry forward: schools of thought, mentors’ voices, cultural memory, collective trauma, and shared hope. This conference explores how legacies can be honored without becoming rigid, and how they can stay alive through dialogue, creativity, and responsibility.

How does media fit into a conference on mental health, group therapy and group work?

Media shapes how stories are told, silenced, distorted, or amplified.Cinema, storytelling, and digital media influence identity, belonging and collective imagination, and trauma. The conference creates a space to work on the area where media intersects with mental health, group processes, and social responsibility.

Is this a clinical conference, an academic one, or a cultural event?

It is intentionally all three, and also something in between.Alongside theoretical reflections and clinical practice, the conference welcomes experiential learning, artistic expression, and cultural dialogue. Knowledge here is not only presented; it is lived and shared.

Rania Eldesouki – The Second International Conference On Mental Health and Media

Arts in Health Practitioner | Educator
Co-founder and Co-Director of National Arts in Health Week Egypt
Founder Artswia
Rania Eldesouki is a multidisciplinary practitioner and educator dedicated to the transformative power of the arts in human development. With over 20 years of professional experience, Rania serves as a Lecturer of Business/marketing and is a Faculty Member at the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship. Integrating sociodrama, human-centered design, and art as therapy, she facilitates “active” wellbeing experiences that empower individuals to navigate burnout and foster holistic growth.