Foundations and Fundamentals of Narrative Therapy Practice

Stephen Madigan, PhD

Day 1

Friday, Feb 19

8:15 AM – 2:15 PM (Break 11-noon)

Stephen introduces participants to a range of therapeutic practices at the heart of narrative therapy including, 1) Relational externalizing, 2) Re-authoring values, 3) Double listening, 4) Categories of questions, 5) Re-membering conversations, 6) Unique outcome moments, 7) In session note taking, and a wide range of other non-individualist understandings and practices. Stephen  interacts with participant questions through 'slow showing' a variety of his video taped sessions and carefully points out the purpose, politic and mistakes made in the interview.

Therapeutic Letter Writing with Children, Youth and Families and - Live Demonstration Interview

David Nylund, PhD

Day 2

Saturday, Feb 20

8:15 AM –11:00 AM

David highlights the art, structure, creativity and listening practices involved with several different therapeutic letter writing practices (when working with children, youth and families). He follows the discussion up with a superbly textured Live counter-story interview demonstration. Participants are then invited into the practice of letter writing by writing a response to the interview.

A Philosophical Framework for Thinking About Narrative Therapy Practice

Todd May, PhD

Day 2

Saturday, Feb 20

12:00 PM – 2:15 PM

Without an intimate understanding of Michel Foucault it would be difficult for a therapist to understand the practice of narrative therapy.  Philosopher Todd May guides participants on how Michael White relied heavily on Foucault's theoretical work to articulate and formulate vital aspects of his non-individuaist approach to therapy. The discussion unravels the conceptual complexities of non-individualism, expert knowledge, the concept of power, and links these theoretical ideas to our daily narrative therapy practices.

Discussing the Ecology of the Receiving Context

Helene Grau MA, Stephen Madigan PhD & David Nylund PhD

Day 3

Sunday, Feb 21

8:15 AM – 11:00 AM

Through close up supervision of session tapes and transcripts David, Helene and Stephen demonstrate narrative therapy's relational 'ecology' for receiving and responding to client stories. Participants interact with the relational fit between: non-essentialist thinking, Michel Foucault, the absent but implicit, double listening, our social locations, our personal histories, landscapes of action and identity questions, relative influence questions, re-membering and re-authoring conversations, unique outcome histories, scaffolding questions, temporality, narrative values, plus + plus +

Gender-Violence and Trauma

Rosa Arteaga, MA

Day 3

Sunday, Feb 21

12:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Participants experience Rosa's narrative therapy/social justice/feminist inspired therapeutic practice to support girls and women of all ages, and diverse backgrounds who are experiencing complex trauma and violence. Her workshop takes the learner inside the complexities of gender violence through storytelling, session videos and unaltered transcripts. She is the clinical supervisor within a multi-disciplinary team with a nonprofit anti-violence women’s organization in Vancouver, Canada. 

Queer Informed Narrative Therapy

David Nylund, PhD

Day 4

Saturday, Feb 27

8:15 AM - 11:00 AM

David presents his award winning innovative work on a Queer Theory informed Narrative Therapy Practice. Through slides show, session video and interactive discussion he highlights the contemporary issues of representation, homonormativity, transgender youth, trauma, violence, masculinities, gender binaries and more. 

Wonderfulness Interviewing with Children and Families

David Marsten, MA

Day 4

Saturday, Feb 27

12:00 PM - 2:15 PM

David will discuss and demonstrate direct narrative therapy practice with children in the context of family therapy. Key narrative practices will be addressed alongside David's newest ideas regarding narrative structure and dramatization.  Direct practice videos with children and families are used to demonstrate the beauty, skill and complexity of this work.

Grief, Dying and Loss  

Lorraine Hedtke PhD

Day 5

Sunday, Feb 28

8:15 AM - 11 AM

Lorraine guides participants through new and contemporary understandings found in her 2017 co-authored book The Crafting of Grief (Constructing Aesthetic Responses to Loss) to clearly demonstrate alternative practices when working with persons and families around experiences of grief, loss and death. The first class will focus on working with families and individuals who are 1) struggling with a recent loss and death of a loved one, 2) struggling with a recent loss and death of a person who they had a difficult relationship with (abuser or death through suicide).

Grief, Dying and Loss  - Live Demonstration Interview

Lorraine Hedtke PhD & Stephen Madigan PhD

Day 5

Sunday, Feb 28

12:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Lorraine's work is highlighted through a Live Demonstration Re-membering Interview.  After the Live interview Stephen 'supervises' Lorraine work by asking questions about the questions she asked in the Live demonstration.

Bonus Day

Stephen Madigan PhD, David Nylund PhD

Bonus

Saturday, March 6

8:15 AM - 11 AM

David & Stephen engage participants in an interactive learning review of therapeutic ideas and practices learned over the five-day Foundations training. This is the time for participants to discuss what they learned, the specific ideas and practices that stood out, and to raise any questions regarding fundamental narrative therapy practices.