July 15, 2026: Narrative Practice and the Use of Therapeutic Documents
July 15, 2026: Narrative Practice and the Use of Therapeutic Documents
Event Date
July 15, 2026
Event Time
10:30 am
Event Location
This is an ONLINE EVENT, Hosted on Zoom, Eastern Time CANADA US
Event Description
Early rate: $120 until June 21, 2026
Regular rate: $140 after June 21 2026
This workshop will introduce participants to the art of creating narrative therapeutic documents. Within a narrative approach there have been many different kinds of therapeutic documents including; therapeutic letters, certificates, poems, living documents of skills and knowledges and other collective documents to name just a few.
When therapeutic or community work is just left to the spoken word, significant and healing meanings that come from the work can, to use the words of the cultural anthropologist Clifford Geertz, ‘fly away’ from people’s memories. Therapeutic documentation has been shown to be profoundly effective in assisting individuals and communities in ‘rescuing’ and therefore sustaining such significant and healing meanings. These meanings can then build strong stories that have the power to shape people’s lives.
The practice of ‘rescuing words’ to craft therapeutic documents can be an invigorating practice yet requires some skill and artistry which this workshop will cover.
During this full-day workshop participants will:
- Learn the theory that supports using the written word for therapeutic effect.
- Learn some of the different forms of therapeutic documents that have been explored within Narrative Therapy.
- Develop skills in listening for words and meanings that are spoken that are most likely to build strong stories.
- Learn skills in crafting therapeutic documents
- Practice ‘rescuing’ words
About David Newman
David Newman lives and works on Gadigal country, Sydney, Australia. He is a faculty member of The Dulwich Centre and an honorary clinical fellow at University of Melbourne School of Social Work. He has extensive experience teaching in Australia and other countries and in individual, couple, family and group therapy, primarily through his independent therapy practice Sydney Narrative Therapy.
David is the author of the influential paper ‘Rescuing the said from the saying of it: Living documentation in narrative therapy’ (2008) and he has also published several articles and chapters and developed many online resources including: video talks, podcasts, webinars and courses.
This training has been designed for those familiar with narrative ideas
Certificates of Training can be requested at the end of the online workshop and will state 2 hours of narrative therapy training. Certificates can be used to qualify for eligibility for continuing education credits from professional colleges and licensing boards. Please contact your own college or association to confirm requirements.
STUDENTS – At checkout in ‘discount code’ enter STUDENT10. Also in the ‘additional info’ box please include your student info – i.e.: Name of institution and program of study
For groups of 3 or more, please register together in one transaction and at checkout in ‘discount code’ enter GROUP10. One main person can be registrant, and please type info (name, email, address) for other group members in the ‘additional info’ box
Cancellations will be accepted if requested at least 14 days prior to the event via email to contact@narrativetherapycentre.com. A $20 cancellation fee will be deducted from the amount to be refunded.
We regret that a refund cannot be offered after the cancellation date, but a colleague may be substituted for attendance.