IDEAS, NEWS AND RESOURCES | October 2019
The Taos Institute's mission is to bring together scholars and practitioners concerned with the social processes essential for the construction of reason, knowledge, and human value, and their application in relational, collaborative and appreciative practices around the world.
The Many Ways to Get Involved!
Brief Encounter with The Taos Institute
October 2019
" What I enjoyed most was the warm, friendly, collaborative, supportive, and inspiring atmosphere ."

What a blast I had this summer!

By Monica Sesma, Taos Institute Board Member

I had the most fabulous experience June 26-29, 2019 at the ICCP Congress in Brno, Czech Republic. The gathering and event completely exceeded my expectations! Co-Sponsored by the Taos Institute and the Houston Galveston Institute, organized by the ICCP ( International Certificate in Collaborative-Dialogic Practices ) Board, Program Directors and Narativ group, the ICCP congress welcomed about 200 participants from 32 countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and United States of America.

What I enjoyed most was the warm, friendly, collaborative, supportive, and inspiring atmosphere. I saw the collaborative spirit and ideas embodied and enacted before, during, and after the congress. I thought about how this powerful philosophical stance that Harlene Anderson , the ICCP board and program directors, faculty, students, and colleagues have shared for so many years has been creating the stimulating, creative, and generative community. I witnessed friendships and strong bonds, collaborations and co-creations, and originality and novelty. It felt like a big loving and caring family. I keep reflecting on what helped to create this unique and magical experience, and of course it was the extraordinary members of this community! 

I was amazed by the workshops and presentations. Social construction oriented and collaborative-dialogic practitioners shared their wisdom and ideas on therapy, education, research, organizations, government, and art. I was inspired by the ideas on individual, couples, family, and community therapeutic work. I was moved by the power that collaborative ideas can have in the classrooms. I had fun experiencing and seeing collaborative ideas in body movement activities and playfulness. From addiction recovery to peace-making and high conflict, I witnessed how the ideas from Taos Institute co-founders Harlene Anderson , Ken Gergen , Mary Gergen , and Sheila McNamee have influenced so many remarkable colleagues. 

I believe the local host, the Narativ group (Pavel, Terka, Petra, Zuzana Premysl, Tereza, Barbora, and many others) did an astounding job finding the perfect location for this congress and organizing tremendously fun local activities, bringing in the local Moravian food and music for our enjoyment and making us feel at home.

Sheila McNamee and Leticia Rodriguez composed an incredible program, it was so inspirational and diverse. It was hard to select which workshops to attend since all the presentations were exceptional and engaging. It was thrilling to see Harlene Anderson and all the program directors so happy. My eyes teared up with contentment when Saliha Bava received the John Shotter Award for bringing his ideas into practice. 

Sylvia London did a fantastic job organizing the translations and coordinating the translation teams which made IT possible for this congress to be multilingual in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. 

…and now, I cannot wait for the 2021 ICCP Congress in Cancun, Mexico! I already saved the June 23-26 dates and I invite you to stay tuned for all the details as they develop.

For more information about this 2019 Congress presentations, please visit our website: 

Professional Development Opportunities
Resources of the Month

Featured Website


Shared by Bliss Browne

Imagine Chicago harnesses imagination for public good, encouraging and equipping people to work together across difference to imagine and create hopeful futures for their communities. It is a treasure trove of free resources on imagination and community development.
Featured Book

Thriving Women, Thriving World:
An Invitation to Dialogue, Healing
and Inspired Actions

Authors: Diana Whitney, Caroline Adams Miller, Tanya Cruz Teller, Marlene Ogawa, Jessica Cocciolone, Haesun Moon, Kathryn Britton, Angela Koh & Alejandra Leon de la Barra

This book is a celebration of women. It is an invitation to journey from #MeToo to thriving women via Appreciative Inquiry, dialogue, and story telling. It addresses topics, through an appreciative lens, that may be difficult to talk about, yet must be talked about to heal social wounds and create conditions for women to thrive worldwide. If you are wondering what to do in response to the global cry of #MeToo, this book is for you.  

More Ways to Get Involved
Join in with the Relational Research Network's new project:
The RRN Support Learning Community

The Relational Research Network is hosting conversations beginning in July, with researchers who want to to critically think about how inquiry and research processes connect and inspire us when we look at them through the lens of a relational practice. The questions we will explore:

  • How can a research project have a relational focus or become a relational practice?
  • How can we do relational research and have meaningful conversations about our work?
  • Hear about a research project and be in conversation with others in the learning community, engaging through questions, challenges, or issues related to your research project.
  • Having the opportunity to be in conversation with other researchers to network, co-learn and create opportunities for collaboration.

See the full schedule for these conversations - The RRN Support Learning Community - on our website . You will need to register in order to participate or "sit in" and listen to these learning conversations.

1:00 p.m. hora de Nueva York / hora del este de EE. UU.
Facilitador: Rocío Chaveste
Investigador: Diego Tapia Figueroa, Ph.D. – Ecuador
Esta conversación será en español

Investigación relacional en procesos de cuidado al cuidador, desde una perspectiva socioconstruccionista.
Reading Corner
International Journal of Collaborative-Dialogic Practices

This free journal brings together members of a growing international community of practitioners, scholars, educators, researchers, and consultants interested in postmodern collaborative practices. Issue 8 is now available. .
WorldShare Books

FREE downloadable books in 12 different languages.

With over 28 books in English and many more from around the world, you will enjoy reading about education, spirituality, organizational life, community building, group dynamics, leadership and more.

Order your free book today!
Positive Aging Newsletter

FREE newsletter in 9 languages sent right to your email.

By focusing on the positive aspects of aging, and the availability of resources, skills, and resiliencies, research not only brings useful insights into the realm of practice but creates hope and empowers action among older people. By moving beyond practices of repair and prevention, to emphasize growth-enhancing activities, practitioners also contribute more effectively to the societal reconstruction of aging.
Manuscripts for Downloading

Access hundreds of articles and papers on topics such as:

  • Appreciative Inquiry
  • Collaborative Practices
  • Dialogue
  • Appreciative Cultures
  • Creativity and Improve
  • Narrative Practices
  • Relational Learning
  • Relational Research
  • Qualitative Research
  • and so much more!
Support the Institute
Donate to the Taos Institute

Given the current global context into which we are moving, the work in which we are engaged is more important than ever. We invite you support the work of institute. Read more
John Shotter Memorial Fund

John Shotter's death on December 8, 2016, was a profound loss for the scholarly world, for the Taos Institute, and for many of us personally. Read more
Jane Magruder Watkins Memorial Fund

We remember Jane as an avid educator. This fund will support students who apply for a need-based scholarship to attend the various Taos programs.  Read more
Peggy Penn WorldShare Fund

Supports the publication of new WorldShare Books on topics related to the work and interests of Peggy Penn, Ph.D. Read more
For more about the Taos Institute, visit our website: www.taosinstitute.net