At the beginning of February 2026, the Instituto Centroamericano de Análisis Transaccional ran the third International Educational TA Encounter in Guatemala, welcoming participants from Latin America (Mexico, Peru and Guatemala) and Europe (the U.K., Poland and the Netherlands).

The outdoor event was held at Finca La Azotea, a lush coffee plantation in Antigua Guatemala. This year’s theme, “Caminando a través de la desesperanza” (“Walking through gopelessness”), was a tribute to our formidable and brilliant late colleague, Dr. Mark Widdowson.

Having learned of his sudden and unexpected death over a year ago, our institute decided to honor his legacy and recognize the unimaginable grief of his husband, Phillip McNally. Guatemala, like many countries in Latin America, faces violence, limited access to education and excruciating social exclusion, making the theme deeply relevant to practitioners and their clients in the region.

At the beginning of the day, we connected with McNally via Zoom and listened to his emotive speech. His moving words struck the right chord with everyone:

“If you are walking through hopelessness yourselves, know that every step you take, no matter how small, is proof that you are alive,” McNally said. “And that’s not the end. It’s not the end of your story.”

At that point, you could hear a pin drop as we digested McNally’s words and allowed them to sink in. The encounter was also an opportunity to unveil the Dr. Mark Widdowson Library, which welcomed a generous donation of Dr. Widdowson’s books from McNally, along with an additional batch sent by Jacqueline van Gent.

To create a container for the event, we connected with the speakers beforehand, fostering a culture of belonging and solidarity that opened the way for impactful workshops and presentations.

Rosario Chavez, of Peru, offered a deep exploration of organizational processes and the challenges faced by leaders who need to hold and contain groups as they move through gradual imago adjustment. Following a sociable coffee break, we delved into radical acceptance in times of hopelessness, presented thoughtfully and with presence by Andrea Morales, of Guatemala. Subsequently, Marij Peeters, of the Netherlands, took us on a journey through narrative and systemic therapy, with an emphasis on identifying resources. After an extended lunch, we gathered again to consider the alchemy of ego states in a playful workshop delivered by David Gonzalez, of Mexico.

The day ended with a literal spring in our step as we all took part in a dancing session titled “Flamenco as the Language of the Free Child,” delivered by Maria Renée Gándara and Johana de Leon, of Guatemala.

It was a viscerally moving day that took us on a profound inner walk through hopelessness, while also offering a glimmer of hope as we witnessed one another and stayed present with what was emerging rather than trying to fix it. We left with full hearts, aware that some things cannot be fixed, and that by deepening our presence and our relationships, we can grow—and perhaps desperately need to—in response to what life throws at us.