Stephen Madigan MSW, MSc, PhD
Director of VSNT Training
Narrative Therapy 3rd Edition
In 2011 the American Psychological Association (APA) released Stephen Madigan’s book Narrative Therapy. This amazing little 'book that could' reached a massive international audience and went on to become a 'best seller'. The book is accompanied by a six session video set that brought in an eight person film team of document Stephen's live narrative therapy practice work.
In 2019 the APA published the Second Edition of Narrative Therapy that also became a best selling book (ranked #2 on the top ten psychotherapy training books - the DSM-V ranked 5th.). The text continues to richly explore new practice and theoretical developments that more fully engage relational contextualizing persons lives and relationships and politicizing problems within the relational and political influences that shape them.
In October 2025 APA published the Third Edition of Narrative Therapy. Stephen added 50% new content demonstrating the latest advances and innovations of narrative informed relational interviewing practices with: gender violence and complex trauma, collective ethics for suicide prevention, trauma as collective moral injury, relational interviewing with conflicted couple relationships, children and families, death, grief and loss, trans youth and families , disordered eating, therapeutic letter writing, and narrative practice and psychedelic medicines. The 3rd Edition is filled with new theory, case examples, session transcripts, therapeutic letters, and a wide range of therapeutic questions.
.jpg)
Stephen Madigan's Third edition of Narrative Therapy is a powerful contribution to narrative practice in particular, and psychotherapeutic practice in general. He gives welcome recognition to the many ongoing international social and cultural contributions, which have helped keep narrative approaches relevant and important for the present day.
— Makungu M. Akinyela, PhD, LMFT, author of Culture, Politics, Spirituality and Practice: A Book of Resistance and Critical Theory for Disturbing Times
Stephen Madigan MSW, MSc, PhD
Teaching and Supervision Schedule ~ June 2026 - August 2027
May 29-31 + June 6-7, 2026 (+ 1/2 day follow-up) ONLINE
5-Day Foundations & Fundamentals of Narrative Therapy Practice
Prepares participants for practice! Teaches key narrative therapy practice fundamentals at the heart of narrative therapy through close up discussion, faculty videos and Live interviews. Foundations Level Certificate Training Course faculty include 5 world class narrative therapists, a critical race scholar and one brilliant philosopher.
June 7-9, 2026, ONLINE
Foundations Level II: Supervision and Applied Skills Of Narrative Practice
3-day Developing Narrative Therapy Questions and Therapeutic Letters Certificate Course
Practice, practice, practice. Applied Skills for Narrative Practice certificate course is designed through all-day LIVE interactive demonstration counter-story narrative interviews. Participant's experience the faculties supervisory reflections and feedback regarding their own 'in workshop' development of narrative therapy questions and therapeutic letters. Taught by narrative therapy supervisors Stephen Madigan & David Nylund.
August 7-9, 2026 (+ 1/2 day follow-up) ONLINE
Foundations Level II: Supervision and Applied Skills Of Narrative Practice
3-day Developing Narrative Therapy Questions and Therapeutic Letters Certificate Course
Practice, practice, practice. Applied Skills for Narrative Practice certificate course is designed through all-day LIVE interactive demonstration counter-story narrative interviews. Participant's experience the faculties supervisory reflections and feedback regarding their own 'in workshop' development of narrative therapy questions and therapeutic letters. Taught by narrative therapy supervisors Stephen Madigan & David Nylund.
September 25-27 + October 3-4, 2026 (+ 1/2 day follow-up) ONLINE
5-Day Foundations & Fundamentals of Narrative Therapy Practice
Prepares participants for practice! Teaches key narrative therapy practice fundamentals at the heart of narrative therapy through close up discussion, faculty videos and Live interviews. Foundations Level Certificate Training Course faculty include 5 world class narrative therapists, a critical race scholar and one brilliant philosopher.
October 24-25, 2026 ONLINE
Couple Therapy: Narrative Therapy Informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI) with Conflicted Couple Relationships.
Stephen's workshop demonstrates his creation of relational interviewing and it's practice values, theory, questions plus the 5 primary NIRI couple therapy interviewing principles through a series of step-by-step session videos of Stephen working with couples in Canada, Norway, and the USA.
November 6-12, 2026, Adelaide, Australia
Michael White Archives.
VSNT faculty member Helené Grau and Stephen have been given rare access to study, watch and enjoy the Michael White video archives. Their plan is to spend a week fully emerged in Michael's client video's and - report back to VSNT. Many thanks to Cheryl White and the Dulwich Centre for their gracious access and invitation. Both Helené and Stephen will do a bit of teaching for Dulwich while they are there.
2027
FEBRUARY 4-6, 2027 Vancouver, CANADA at the Granville Island Hotel
LIVE NARRATIVE THERAPY CONFERENCE
Worlds largest Live narrative therapy demonstration event featuring the very best collection of international Narrative Therapists. More information coming soon. Questions? Please contact VSNT Communications Director at: narrativevancouver@gmail.com
March, 2027 (dates to be announced), Hong Kong, China
Couple Therapy: Narrative Therapy Informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI) with Conflicted Couple Relationships.
Hong Kong brings Stephen back to demonstrate the latest developments in non-individualist relational ideas, practice questions, and the 5 primary Narrative Informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI) couple therapy interviewing principles through a series of step-by-step session videos of him working with couples in Canada, Norway.
April 2-3, 2027 Barcelona, SPAIN
Couple Therapy: Narrative Therapy Informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI) with Conflicted Couple Relationships.
Annual 2-day Certificate Training Intensive in narrative therapy informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI), with high conflict couples. University of Barcelona. Subtitled couple therapy session videos and highly interactive course. Spanish translators. Contact Dr Adrian Montesano: adrianmontesano@gmail.com
April 7-10, 202, Paris, FRANCE
Couple Therapy: Narrative Therapy Informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI) with Conflicted Couple Relationships.
Stephen demonstrates the latest developments in narrative therapy's non-individualist relational interviewing ideas, practice questions, and the 5 primary NIRI couple therapy interviewing principles through a series of step-by-step session videos of him working with couples in Canada, Norway, and the USA.
April 2027, (dates to be announced) Oslo, NORWAY
Couple Therapy: Narrative Therapy Informed Relational Interviewing (NIRI) with Conflicted Couple Relationships.
IAC (Institute for Active Psychotherapy) brings Stephen back to demonstrate the latest developments in non-individualist relational ideas, practice questions, and the 5 primary NIRI couple therapy interviewing principles through a series of step-by-step session videos of him working with couples in Canada, Norway, and the USA.
June 11-13, 2027, Shanghai, CHINA
Foundations of Narrative Therapy
Stephen demonstrates both the foundational and latest developments in narrative therapy's non-individualist relational interviewing ideas, practice questions, session note taking, and therapeutic letter writing.
August 10-12, 2027, Salvador, BRAZIL
A celebration of Michael White
Stephen is touched to be one of a few select international narrative therapists invited to celebrate Michael White's legacy and influence with the close knit and highly skilled narrative therapy community of Brazil. More details to follow.