NIRI: Narrative Informed Relational Interviewing
New Ways of Working with Highly Conflicted Couple Relationships
October 24 - 25, 2026
Stephen created the practice of Narrative Therapy informed Relational Interviewing to reflect how couple relationships brought to therapy cannot be separated off from the culture of influence, expectations, obligations, and governing norms that all couple relationships are influenced by and relationally embedded within. His workshop guides participants through a 5 step relational interviewing framework and will discuss a wide selection of relational interviewing questions and new therapeutic writing practices written directly to the couple's relationship.
Participants learn through watching, reflecting, and discussing in small groups multiple session videos
of Stephen working with couples in Canada, Norway, and the USA.
Feedback from Participants
"Dr Madigan invites therapists to reconsider how they practice narrative therapy and more importantly demonstrates his new relational work with multiple couples in ways to how to work with conflict in a radically different relational way! Magnificent!"
- NIRI Participant, Oslo, Norway, 2026
“In Hong Kong the fast pace of life connected with all the cultural
expectations and responsibilities make it really difficult for couple
relationships to thrive. Dr. Madigan’s NIRI couple therapy practice is the first framework that offers hope and vison for the couple’s we work with.
Thank you so much for offering us hope and this brilliant new way to work!
- NIRI Participant, Hong Kong, China, 2026
"Immediately I felt the workshop speaking to the real world experience of busy modern couples."
- NIRI Participant, NYC, USA, 2025
“Relational lives: From the cradle we learn our cultural codes through our interconnection with others. Imitating what we are embedded within, influenced by, and relationally connected to. We reproduce what we watch and learn from those who learned before. To walk, brush our teeth, ride bicycles, spell words, make love, work jobs, speak language, and adhere to certain values."
~ Stephen Madigan - VSNT Faculty
Details:
VSNT Teaching Faculty:
Location:
Classes are taught live through Zoom video conferencing
Time:
8:15 am - 3:00 pm, Pacific Daylight Time (Vancouver, BC)
Rates:
Professional:
$485 CAD (approx. $356 USD)
Students:
$385 CAD (approx. $283 USD)
Proof of student status is required upon registration
"A central feature of NIRI stands against the practice of individualizing couple relationships by recognizing the overwhelming relational and contextual factors shaping and influencing every facet of the intimate couple relationship. This post-structural consideration of relational identity turns the focus of therapy away from the individual and towards relational practice questions regarding the intimate couple relationship’s relationship to innumerable other cultural norms, oblgations and expectations."