The Sphere Model of Consciousness (SMC) delineates a sphere-shaped matrix that aims to describe subjective experiences using geometric coordinates, in accordance with a neurophenomenological perspective. According to the SMC, an experience of overcoming the habitual self and the conditioning of memories could be placed at the center of the matrix, which can then be called the Place of Pre-Existence (PPE). The PPE is causally associated with self-determination. In this context, we suggest that silence could be considered an intentional inner environment enabling self-perception to focus on the "here and now," which in turn improves perception of one's own body in space. To investigate the hypotheses grounded in the model, the current preliminary study examined the Place of Pre-Existence Technique (PPEt), in which practitioners are guided to focus on a self-defined aim, reach a state of detachment from the habitual self, and envision the future. Four-hundred eighty-one volunteer PPEt practitioners completed self-report questionnaires before and after an intensive 3-day meditative training. We analyzed potential relationships between subjective experiences related to physical, emotional, mental, temporal, and spatial components, as well as selfdetermination and silence, before and after training. The results indicated a transition from a prevailing influence of mental dimension on the other aspects of experience, to a prevailing influence of the spatial dimension. Silence was reported more often following the training and was predominantly related to mental and emotional experiences. The results are discussed in the framework of the SMC, as compared to other models, and in relation to the shift from Narrative to Minimal Self and to increased balance among the considered dimensions.

Since February 2022, 7.8 million people have left Ukraine. In total, 80% are women and children. The present quali-quantitative study is the first in Italy to (i) describe the adaptation challenges and the resources of refugee parents and, indirectly, of their children and (ii) investigate the impact of neuropsychopedagogical training on their wellbeing. The sample includes N = 15 Ukrainian parents (80% mothers, mean age = 34 years) who arrived in Italy in March and April 2022. The parents participated in neuropsychopedagogical training within the program Envisioning the Future (EF): the 10 Keys to Resilience. Before the training, participants completed an ad hoc checklist to detect adjustment difficulties. After the training, they responded to a three-item post-training questionnaire on the course and to a semi-structured interview deepening adaptation problems, personal resources, and the neuropsychopedagogical training effects. Participants report that since they departed from Ukraine, they have experienced sleep, mood, and concentration problems, and specific fears, which they also observed in their children. They report self-efficacy, self-esteem, social support, spirituality, and common humanity as their principal resources. As effects of the training, they report an increased sense of security, quality of sleep, and more frequent positive thoughts. The interviews also reveal a 3-fold positive effect of the training (e.g., behavioral, emotional-relational, and cognitive-narrative).

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The literature shows that teachers’ psychological characteristics can influence adolescents’ mental health. Additionally, neuropsychopedagogical interventions, like the Envisioning the Future (EF) training, can positively impact wellbeing. The study aims at: (i) exploring the relationships between teachers’ and students’ characteristics and (ii) investigating the impact of EF on students’ wellbeing. The sample consists of N = 113 Italian adolescents, whose data were matched with their teachers’ (N = 12). Participants completed validated self-report questionnaires on self-compassion, emotion regulation, resilience, and an ad-hoc scale of frequency of bullying episodes. Correlational analyses highlight that: teachers’ avoidance, social isolation, and self-judgment negatively correlate with the frequency with which students perceive bullying episodes; teachers’ self-kindness, optimism, and self-efficacy in regulating emotions positively correlate with the frequency with which the students’ perceive bullying; teachers’ cognitive focus positively correlates with students’ self-determination toward future decisions; students’ self-judgment negatively correlates with teachers’ resilience and self-efficacy in managing positive emotions, while it positively correlates with teachers’ avoidance. In addition, after EF training, students had improved in negative emotion regulation, frequency of perceiving bullying, common humanity, and self-determination. The study underscores the importance of the relationship between teachers’ and students’ resources and the impact of EF training on adolescents’ wellbeing.