MIND FEST 2025: About the Relationships That Shape Us
Mendel University in Brno is participating again this year in the nationwide Mental Health Weeks campaign – through MIND FEST.
The theme of MIND FEST 2025? – Relationships.
Romantic, friendly, professional, family… and the most important one – the relationship with ourselves.
On 9th October, you can look forward to inspiring lectures, hands-on workshops and activities in English that connect science with personal growth.
Gain insights into how to strengthen your communication, resolve conflicts with ease, protect your space, and nurture your mind.
MENDELU MIND FEST is a space for sharing, reflection, and meaningful experiences.
When we feel good, we grow and create.
Come and join us at MIND FEST in English – for inspiration, energy and a fresh perspective on relationships.
Program
9th October 2025
Welcome to MIND FEST
Assoc. Prof. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D.
Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University.
Her scientific interests include mental health and well-being, hope, and mindfulness… more info
Positive Communication: How to Develop and Maintain Good Relationships in Personal and Professional Life
This lecture focuses on the foundations of positive communication and its role in building respectful, reliable, and friendly interpersonal relationships. You will gain valuable insights into common communication pitfalls and learn which types of responses and behaviors contribute to well-being and effective cooperation in the workplace. The session offers practical examples and strategies that can be applied in everyday communication, even in challenging situations.
What you can expect:
- A clear understanding of the core principles of positive communication.
- Awareness of typical communication traps and how to avoid them.
- Practical tips for responding constructively to disagreements.
- Strategies for fostering trust and maintaining high-quality interpersonal relationships.
- Inspiration to improve your everyday communication in both personal and professional settings.
In English
Lecture length: 60 min.
Capacity: 54 participants
Mgr. Lenka Ranochová
Biosynthesis therapist and lecturer… more info
Relationship to the Body: Insights into the Method of Biosynthesis
How do we perceive our body? How much do we notice it? Do we recognize the signals it sends us, do we listen to what it is telling us and what it needs? Are we aware that we can use the body as a resource?
Please join us for a meeting with biosynthesis that trusts the resources within us. It deepens the relationship with the life within us – in our body and soul. Come explore the relationship with your body and discover how to become well anchored in it, using it to navigate life situations and as a tool for self-support.
Biosynthesis is based on the premise that we can do something to feel better in every moment. How can it help in everyday life?
The lecture is partly interactive. It is designed for anyone who wants to gain an insight into the psychotherapeutic approach of biosynthesis, learn the basic principles behind it, and try out, within a safe framework, a few short exercises to see what support the body can give us.
In English
Lecture length: 60 min.
Capacity: 25 participants
Radek Šíp
Psychologist, lecturer, researcher, and crisis interventionist… more info
Nonviolent communication
Sometimes we choose words that hurt. Other times, we struggle to express what truly matters to us. And our relationships suffer because of it.
In this workshop, we’ll practice speaking from within – in ways that invite connection rather than trigger defense. Through simple exercises, we’ll explore how to uncover the nonviolent essence behind what we want to say, and how to hear a good intention even behind words that may sound like an attack.
You might leave with a new perspective on things others have said – the ones you’ve been trying not to think about. And perhaps with more ease in speaking about what truly matters to you.
In English
Workshop length: 105 min.
Capacity: 16 participants
“Peace in the Soul”
Music is a way of life for me
It is a sonic expression of inner states, from deep pain and sadness, through acceptance and forgiveness, to the ecstatic joy of life. Maok… more info
Concert length: 90 min.
Capacity: 260 participants
Guests
She has been a member of several international research projects. She collaborates in several domestic and foreign research projects and is the author of numerous publications in positive psychology and health psychology.
She is also engaged in lecturing and public speaking.
She has completed five years of training in biosynthesis psychotherapy, a modern somatic method that looks at the person as a whole: the area of his thinking, experiencing (emotions) and body expression. Thus, in therapy, besides talking to the client, she focuses on the client’s feelings and helps the client to become aware of how their body reacts to a situation – how they speak, breathe, and move.
She provides one-on-one counseling and therapy for teenagers, young adults, and adults. She works in private practice in Brno and as a volunteer therapist at the Social Clinic.
In addition to her therapeutic practice, she lectures self-development workshops, drawing on the biosynthesis method, and topics related to well-being.
I work at Masaryk University, where I prepare future teachers to navigate communication challenges in schools – with students, colleagues, and parents.
I also work on a crisis line, supporting people dealing with relationship issues such as disconnection, misunderstanding, or interpersonal tension.
My academic research focuses on stress and how we cope with it during conflicts – both verbal and physical.
I believe strong relationships don’t just happen to us; they require the courage to speak with honesty and vulnerability, and the willingness to hear the best in what others are trying to say. I work with both individuals and teams.
Světlana cooks plant-based dishes guided by Ayurvedic principles. She is passionate about culinary diversity and draws inspiration from cuisines around the world.
She regularly travels to India to deepen her knowledge of Ayurveda and learn from renowned chefs and traditional cooks.
She is the author of the book Atlas of Soups (Albatros, 2019). She teaches cooking.
Meet Světlana at MIND FEST at the Sweet & Savoury Snacks stall and taste her delicious snacks.
Sign up
Registration opens in September 2025.