About BNTN

At the heart of BNTN is a commitment to practice-based evidence — learning that emerges directly from clinical work and reflective dialogue among peers. Rather than relying solely on formal research trials, the network values the knowledge practitioners generate through everyday therapeutic encounters.

This orientation aligns with the collaborative, non-expert stance central to narrative and brief therapy traditions. Members are encouraged to share case reflections, workshop insights, and theoretical explorations through the network's publications and events.

BNTN connects professionals through roundtable conversations — informal yet focused discussions where clinicians exchange ideas, pose questions, and refine their practice. These gatherings, along with annual conferences, create a collegial space for learning that crosses geographic and institutional boundaries.

The network has historically linked practitioners across Canada, the United States, and beyond, with events held in cities such as Toronto and Halifax. Training partnerships, including those with the Hincks-Dellcrest Institute, have extended the reach of brief and narrative therapy education.

The Brief Therapy Network is rooted in a tradition of therapeutic practice that values curiosity, collaboration, and the co-creation of meaning. Rather than positioning the therapist as an expert who diagnoses and corrects, brief and narrative approaches invite practitioners to adopt a posture of respectful inquiry. Clients are seen as the authorities on their own lives, bringing with them unique skills, values, and histories that can serve as resources for change. This relational stance opens space for new stories to emerge—stories that are not weighed down by pathology but oriented toward possibility. The network exists to sustain and deepen this way of working, offering a place where such ideas can be shared, questioned, and refined across contexts and continents.

Central to the network’s mission is the conviction that meaningful therapy does not require lengthy treatment or rigid protocols. Brief therapy, as practiced and discussed within this community, is not about rushing or cutting corners but about focusing on what matters most to the people seeking support. It is a disciplined and intentional practice, one that attends carefully to language, to the questions we ask, and to the relationships that make change possible. Narrative therapy adds to this a rich understanding of how identity is shaped by the stories we tell and the cultural contexts we inhabit. Together, these approaches form a practice-based evidence that honours complexity while remaining grounded in the real, lived experiences of clients and communities.

The network draws ongoing inspiration from the dialogical traditions shaped by figures such as Tom Andersen and Harlene Anderson, as well as the narrative innovations of Michael White. Their work opened new landscapes for therapeutic conversation—landscapes where reflecting teams, outsider witness practices, and collaborative inquiry became central rather than marginal. These contributions continue to evolve as new generations of practitioners adapt them in community mental health settings, training programmes, and private practice. The Brief Therapy Network serves as a meeting ground for these conversations, a place where transcripts, reflections, and innovations circulate freely. It is a living archive of ideas that remain responsive to the complexities of human life, never settling into dogma but always inviting further curiosity.

The network's intellectual foundations rest on the contributions of several key theorists:

• Tom Andersen — known for developing the reflecting team approach, which opened therapeutic conversations to multiple perspectives.
• Harlene Anderson — a leading voice in collaborative therapy, emphasizing dialogue and partnership between therapist and client.
• Michael White — co-founder of narrative therapy, whose work on externalizing conversations and re-authoring lives transformed clinical practice worldwide.

Explore fuller profiles on the Theorists page.

The BNTN Newsmagazine, a free bi-yearly publication, has covered training opportunities, conference highlights, and articles on interactional post-modern therapies. The network also provides access to the Journal of Systemic Therapies and features books such as Innovations in Narrative Therapy by Jim Duvall and Laura Béres, and Masters of Narrative and Collaborative Therapies, edited by Tapio Malinen, Scot J. Cooper, and Frank N. Thomas.

Visit the Publications section for papers, abstracts, and submission guidelines.