Reflecting on Michael’s Intentions – NPA

 “Narrative Practices Adelaide” (NPA) has a strong desire to continue with Michael’s aims and intentions in a way that would fit with the sentiment of what he had proposed. “We see ourselves as a small, vibrant centre that collaborates with other centres and that acknowledges the rich and varied history of Michael’s work.” Since then, Narrative Practices Adelaide has grown in offering counseling, training, supervision and connections. Maggie Carey, Rob Hall and Shona Russell reflected in 2011 on Michael’s intentions for their centre, and for the future of narrative therapy.

Michael described his intentions for his new centre in this way:”The Adelaide Narrative Therapy Centre has been established for the further development of narrative practice. This centre will provide counselling services to the community, and training workshops on a range of topics relevant to work with individuals, couples, families, groups and communities. It will also provide a context for exploring the implications, for counselling practice, of recent developments in the fields of social and human enquiry. This website will be further developed over the coming months, and will include items of significance to practitioners who are responding to requests for assistance with a wide range of problems and predicaments.”

In April, 2011, Maggie Carey, Shona Russell and Rob Hall recorded this conversation about Michael White’s intentions in starting Narrative Practices Adelaide (just a few months before his untimely death), in keeping narrative therapy flourishing, “as a beginning not an ending.” We’ve also added a transcript to read while listening.

It’s interesting to remember how enthusiastic Michael was when we would meet in his kitchen as a little group to talk about these ideas and to build on them together. Rob Hall