Ageism is one of the most widespread yet least recognized forms of bias across societies. While other forms of prejudice and discrimination often evoke immediate awareness, age-based assumptions and judgments frequently remain embedded in social norms, language, institutional practices, and cultural expectations.

This experiential workshop approaches ageism as a social and relational phenomenon, exploring how it operates across the lifespan—toward younger and older individuals, as well as through internalized social roles. Through guided exploration and action methods, participants will examine how age-based narratives are constructed, reinforced, and enacted within groups and systems.Participants will engage in sociodramatic processes to uncover subtle and often invisible patterns of age-related bias, and to explore more inclusive and conscious ways of relating within personal, professional, and societal contexts.

Directed by Dr. Daniela Simmons, a gerontologist with decades of experience in the field of aging, this workshop brings into awareness a form of bias that is often overlooked precisely because of its pervasive presence across cultures and systems.

Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:

• Identify explicit and implicit forms of ageism as they appear in social interactions, language, and professional environments.
• Analyze ageism as a systemic and relational phenomenon within groups and society.
• Apply increased awareness to shift age-based assumptions toward more inclusive, respectful, and conscious actions.