Narrative Certificate Program, 2020–2021
Dates: October 2020 through May 2021
Location: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this program is currently scheduled to be fully online.
Maximum Participants: 18
Instructors: Stephen Gaddis, PhD; Suzanne Gazzolo, PhD; Guadalupe Morelos, LICSW; and Matt Mooney, LICSW

This year-long Narrative Certificate Program is for people interested in developing a rigorous personal understanding of the Narrative Worldview and its social justice ethics and practices. The goal of this course is to help participants establish a solid foundation for their narrative practitioner identity and preferred ways of helping. Drawing from participants' personal and professional lived experiences, the course emphasizes a peer experiential-learning philosophy and community-building orientation. There is an expectation that participants will have had some formal introduction to the Narrative Worldview prior to the course. NTI's one-day "What Is Narrative Therapy?" and two-day "Narrative Therapy in Practice" trainings, or their equivalent, is required for registration. (For information about upcoming offerings of these trainings, visit the NTI website.)

The 2020–21 Certificate Program includes the following full-day online meetings:

• Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, October 2–4: Orientation: Relationships & Modern Power
• Friday & Saturday, Nov. 20–21: Deconstructing (Practice Intensive)
• Friday & Saturday, Jan. 22–23: Re-Authoring (Practice Intensive)
• Friday & Saturday, Mar. 26–27: Thickening (Practice Intensive)
• Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, May 21–23: Closing Presentations and Ceremony

Our orientation meeting allows us to begin our learning journey in meaningful ways, including an opportunity to learn a bit about what is precious to each of us. If the previous three years are any indication, participants are likely to form very important connections that have a good chance of continuing after the program ends. The three Practice Intensives focus on foundational narrative practices that Michael White developed. These narrative practices include Deconstructing, Re-Authoring, and Thickening, which are all in the service of Rich Story Development. The Closing Ceremony in May is a chance for us to come together and celebrate our year-long commitment to ourselves and our learning community. During this ceremony, you will be invited to present stories about what learnings have been most meaningful for you.

In addition to the in-person meetings, there are weekly online meetings in small groups and a monthly online Sunday night meeting. These meetings allow you to meet with individual faculty throughout the year, helping you stay connected to your intentions for learning. The course includes readings and reflection papers, which are desgined to help you story your personal relationship with narrative ideas and practices.

This course is highly experiential, and draws significantly from participants' own lives, personally and professionally. We think learning from our own lives is one of the most powerful ways to know what narrative practices help make possible. This means personal stories are frequently shared. If you are not comfortable sharing stories from your personal or professional life, this course is likely not a good fit for you. To be clear, we don’t expect anyone to share anything they prefer to keep private.

To ensure potential participants are informed about the various expectations and hopes associated with this course, we require interested participants to complete a short application. A NTI faculty member will follow up with a phone conversation to discuss your application and answer any questions you may have. A decision will then be made about whether your hopes and the course expectations seem like a good fit. Email Stephen Gaddis to request an application.

If you decide to join us, you will be a member of the fourth NTI Certificate cohort. In addition to learning about narrative ideas and practices, participants develop a precious community and powerfully meaningful relationships around shared values. We are deeply heartened by relationships with people like you who recognize the responsibility that comes with the privilege of offering someone help. After completing the Certificate Program, you will become eligible for the NTI Narrative Diploma Program, which is more project-centered. By the end of the Diploma Program, participants will have a professional paper and/or a workshop ready to submit or present, or both.  Graduates of the Certificate and Diploma programs are well positioned to help grow a more socially just Narrative World.

Tuition: $3,650; a 10% discount is available if paid in full upon registration

• A non-refundable $600 deposit is required at registration.
• Payment plans are available.
• To discuss the deposit and payment plans, please email Darcey Surette.

Register Now!