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Pio Scilligo died on July 3rd at 8,50 in the infirmary of
the Salesian University. He was 81 years old and for one year he fought against
cancer. Pio died in peace, surrounded by love, and was buried in his home
village in Formazza-Fondovalle, in northern Italy.
During his last year of life he kept on working in order to
finish and publish his last books. In fact, he could see his book on
Socio-Cognitive Transactional Analysis just published the day before he died.
How moving for him and his friends to enjoy together for this last
accomplishment! When he knew about his illness, he also dedicated his last
energies to guarantee a smooth transition process for the different activities
connected to IRPIR (the Institute for Research on Intrapsychic and
Interpersonal Processes founded by him in 1977) and IFREP (the Institute for
Training and Research for Educators and Psychotherapists) founded in 1993 and
to get in contact with all friends, relatives and colleagues that wanted to
meet him. Many people had the possibility to say good bye to him, to express
him their love and esteem and also to receive his own love and appreciation.
Pio was born in Val Formazza, in a small village of Waltzer
culture, but he was a real world citizen, having lived for years in China,
California and then Italy. His interest for Transactional Analysis developed in
the nineteen seventies and it was stimulated by the work of Bob and Mary
Goulding whose contribution he always respected. Pio thought that the
Redecision model was underlining the proactivity and respons-ability inherent
in every human being and he always liked its "moderate" constructivism. He also
thought that the "three ego states" theory was in its essence an important
concept to develop, because it could mirror the complexity of human being in
relationship with others. Since early seventies he started to spread out
Transactional Analysis theory and training in Italy and to promote a vision of
psychotherapy as a profession that required both a deep and ethical respect of
the other and a solid, cultural and scientific basis. Hermeneutic and
scientific analysis were the two cornerstones between which he expanded his
research, well documented by several articles and books. As an academic he
wanted to find a dialectic between scientific accountability and the richness
of practice. He was a supporter of ITAA and had been personally involved in
EATA for several years in the nineteen nineties as Italian delegate in EATA
Council and as PTSC Chair. He believed in the importance of internationalism,
being open to exchange with different cultures while respecting the deep roots
of individual culture.
He was a man who combined a profound humanity, a brilliant
mind, an outstanding organizational capacity and an authentic spirituality in
himself. He has left a great heredity that many of us are eager to respect and
to develop. Thank you, Pio.
Resi Tosi
A longer article and more contributions to remember Pio
Scilligo will be published on October EATA Newsletter. Those who want to send a
personal remembering of him can send their writings to Dave Spenceley (EATA
webmaster) or to Jan Hennig (Editor of EATA Newsletter). |
