This conference featured the latest developments in narrative practice from Finnmark (near the arctic circle!) to Hong Kong, from Iran to New Zealand, from Uganda to South Africa, from Israel to Italy, from Palestine to Singapore, from Brazil to USA, from Mexico to Australia, from Russia to South Korea, from UK to Samoa ... never before had we put together a program which quite such diverse presentations!

What's more, the program provided new ideas in the fields of:

* Mental health (featuring presentations from Ron Coleman one of the champions of the Hearing Voices Movement) 

* Responding to survivors of sexual and physical violence (including a groundbreaking presentation from Shirley Hung Suet Lin in relation to healing and justice)

* Sexual and gender diversity (from highly acclaimed Norwegians Dr Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad and Elsa Almas)

* Cross cultural explorations (including presentations from Maori, Samoan, African American perspectives)

* Work with asylum seekers and refugees

* Couple therapy

* Narrative family therapy

* Latest developments in relation to the Tree of Life, Team of Life

* Musical narrative practices - including the use of hip hop and narrative practice with young people

* Therapy with children and their families

This was a practice-based conference, designed for counsellors, social workers, psychologists, community workers, doctors, teachers, therapists, indeed anyone who is responding to those who are experiencing suffering and/or hardship.  

We hope you will join us for the 12th International Narrative Therapy and Community Work Conference! 

If you have any questions about the conference please write to us c/o This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pre-conference workshops included:

• Working with voices: Responding to people experiencing ‘psychosis’ - One day workshop with Ron Coleman

• Towards gender and sex belonging: for children, young people and adults - One day workshop with Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad and Elsa Almås

• Narrative responses to bedwetting when children are living in contexts of fear – a Free workshop with Dulwich Centre Foundation

• Narrative Therapy One Week Pre-Conference Intensive

Previous conferences have been held in Australia, Hong Kong (China), Kristiansand (Norway), Atlanta (USA), Liverpool (UK), Oaxaca (Mexico).

Cancellation policy

Until January 11th it is possible to cancel your booking and receive a refund minus $55. Between January 11th  and January 31st it is possible to cancel and receive a refund minus $110. From 1st February any cancellation will incur a $250 cancellation fee. After Friday March 1st there will be no refund, but your place can be exchanged with another person.

      FESTIVALS GALORE!!

• In March, the whole world comes to Adelaide! The Adelaide Festival and Fringe Festivals will be in full swing. And one of the finest out-door world music festivals (WOMAD) begins as the conference ends. As we farewell conference participants, we will be putting on our dancing shoes. We hope you will join us!

        ABOUT OUR CONFERENCES

• Our conferences are organised as ‘community events’ that seek to be congruent with the key principles of narrative practice. Some of our aims include:
  

• To provide high quality presentations on the latest thinking and application of narrative ideas and to do so in ways that enable people of differing experience to be both engaged and challenged
  
  
• To enable people of different cultures, countries, genders, ages, class backgrounds, physical abilities, and sexual identities to come together, enjoy each other’s company, and have a sense that the conference program and processes include their perspectives, hopes, and ideas
  
  
• To use the conference as a chance to acknowledge and come to terms with the history of the land on which it is held
  
  
• To create an atmosphere that is non-hierarchical, with no pronounced difference between presenters and participants
  
  
• To provide a forum for conversations that are expanding the field (not confirming it or simply reiterating what is already known).