We are pleased to share that our poster, "The Pre-Session Co-Therapist: Co-Designing Atmospheres of Agency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry," was presented by Dr. Yunni Cho at the 2026 BRNet Body Representation Network Congress, The Uncanny Body, in Padua.
The project asks a simple question: can care begin before a child or adolescent meets their clinician?
At the Maison de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent (MEA) at HUG – Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, we explored how the entrance and waiting area could become a more supportive part of the care experience. Rather than treating waiting as “dead time,” the project looks at how this period can help young people feel calmer, better oriented, and more involved from the moment they arrive.
The result, Thresholds of Porosity, combines an immersive installation made with paper and light with participatory check-in and reflection cards co-designed with young people and informed by feedback from MEA clinicians and staff.
Together, these elements turn the waiting space into a gentle therapeutic interface that supports orientation, emotional expression, and a sense of safety and trust. In this way, the built environment becomes a kind of “pre-session co-therapist,” helping prepare children, adolescents, and families for the clinical encounter before it begins.
