Daniel Angus will introduce us to PetSpace, The Headspace Primary Care and Youth Early Psychosis Program in Western Sydney, which has developed an innovative interspecies mental health program that offers a narrative informed therapy partnering with a variety of dogs, cats, horses and parrots as well as with humans. Young people registered in this program have learned how to support animals who are experiencing mental or physical health problems and in turn they learn about themselves by reflecting on their experience as an animal helper. Helping dogs experiencing anxiety or parrots who self harm have led to a variety of outcomes including the development of interspecies coping strategies, friendships among participants and reduced mental health symptoms for human helpers and animals. Working on a forthcoming book on interspecies communication, Jenny Freeman will respond to Dan's presentation as well as share a tale from her manuscript.

Chris Darmody ( Perth, Australia) will present Narrative Walks -a hope-based, depathologising outdoor program that was developed to engage with populations that may not be drawn to conventional methods of therapy. This structured day program encourages participants to explore 15 narrative therapy questions, and to engage in a number of other activities during a 20 kilometre walk through the bush. The program invites different perspectives on problem stories, and offers walking as a narrative metaphor. Chris will outline his own hopes for the future development of Narrative Walks as a program transferable to many people and lands.

Through our Re-woman project we are hoping to empower women to live in their preferred ways. In Russia the ideas are strong that "we are different from the West, as women had equal opportunities throughout the Soviet times". However, stats and practices are showing this is not the case. Through our meetings and interviews with women we are deconstructing the ideas around leadership and exploring the ways to lead. 

Problem stories are not equal. Some stories dirty and mar persons’ identities and these stories seem to have a particularly gripping effect in their lives. In the face of such marring and gripping problems stories, not just any story will do. We need to tell stories in our work that powerfully counter the damaging effects of gripping problem stories through practices that seek out the restorative power of beauty. Sanni and Tom shares some of the recent developments in their work that seek to restore the beauty and dignity of persons lives through the use of poetry, art, and performance.

Somatic therapies and a resurgence of interest in affect are two significant trends in recent times. These movements invite narrative-oriented practitioners to pause and unpack what claims are being made and their implications. In exploring challenges and possibilities, we considered the dialogical features, affective tones, emotional depictions and embodied expressions of re-membering practices. The December 2018 Collab focused on a notion of relational fields in instituting new forms of everyday living, especially giving attention to expanding relational fields of kindness when tyrannical and devaluing voices seek to usurp a person’s voice and erase their knowing about their achievements.

As someone who is interested in the intersection between psychedelics and psychotherapy, Gabriel Garcia has many questions about the changing landscape of these substances, their legality, and viability as agents of psychological change. Gabriel presented some of the emerging models for working with stories of psychedelic experiences and fold these models into postmodern and narrative ideas. This was a springboard for the creating a generative discussion for those who attend.

Have Post Modern ideas failed effective work in partnering with our clients around the role severe depression plays in people’s lives? It is Amy Gottlieb's contention it has. As someone with 43 years of lived experience with depression coming and going as an unwanted companion, she has been offered many well meaning yet unhelpful ideas from post modern practitioners. In this salon Amy endeavored to generate thought about how holding a rigid post modern stance (in the name of not being rigid) may not serve our clients as they come to us for help to get distance from depression robbing them of joy.