The Brief Therapy Network
Brief & Narrative Therapy Resources
The Brief Therapy Network (BTN) connects practitioners, researchers, and students working with brief and narrative approaches. The site gathers training links, academic papers, theorist profiles, and the history of the BTN Newsmagazine and annual conferences in one place.
BNTN grew around a commitment to practice-based evidence and collaborative dialogue in systemic and narrative work. The network's roundtable conversations connect practitioners across institutes and training programs, drawing on the work of theorists including Tom Andersen, Harlene Anderson, and Michael White.
The publications section gathers papers, abstracts, and book reviews related to brief and narrative practice, alongside links to the Journal of Systemic Therapies. Featured titles include Innovations in Narrative Therapy: Connecting Practice, Training, and Research by Jim Duvall and Laura Béres, and Masters of Narrative and Collaborative Therapies, edited by Tapio Malinen, Scot J. Cooper, and Frank N. Thomas.
The BNTN Newsmagazine itself was a free bi-yearly publication covering training opportunities, conference announcements, and articles on brief therapies, reflecting the evolution of a grassroots publication over its past issues.
Continue readingBrief therapy and narrative therapy share a deep commitment to honoring the client’s own expertise and lived experience. Rather than positioning the practitioner as the sole authority, these approaches invite collaborative curiosity, opening space for people to re-author the stories that shape their lives. This relational stance transforms the therapeutic conversation into a joint exploration, where meaning emerges through dialogue rather than being imposed from outside.
A network dedicated to brief and narrative practice offers more than a directory of names. It provides a living archive of ideas, from foundational theorists to emerging voices, and creates opportunities for practitioners to exchange resources, reflect on clinical work, and stay connected to the evolving evidence base that underpins these collaborative approaches.
Practice-based evidence sits at the heart of the brief therapy tradition. Rather than relying solely on standardized protocols, practitioners draw on moment-by-moment feedback and the client’s own sense of progress. This feedback-informed stance keeps therapy responsive, efficient, and grounded in what actually makes a difference in the room.
The narrative metaphor invites us to see problems as separate from people. When a difficulty is externalized, it becomes something to examine and negotiate with rather than an identity to carry. This simple shift opens up possibilities for agency, allowing clients to notice times when the problem’s influence has been smaller and their own values and skills have been more visible.
Curiosity is the engine of collaborative practice. Asking questions from a position of genuine not-knowing invites clients into a reflective space where new understandings can surface. These questions are not designed to gather diagnostic data but to open up rich descriptions of life, relationships, hopes, and the often-overlooked moments of resilience that people bring to therapy.
The interplay between systemic thinking and narrative practice enriches both traditions. Systemic ideas draw attention to patterns, contexts, and the relational webs in which problems arise and are maintained. Narrative sensibilities remind us that these patterns are storied and that changing the story can reshape the relational landscape in meaningful ways.
Training in brief and narrative approaches is not about mastering a fixed set of techniques. It is an ongoing engagement with a philosophical stance—one that values transparency, multiplicity, and the belief that people have the resources and know-how to move toward preferred ways of living. Learning communities and peer networks sustain this stance over time.
The written word has always been central to the narrative tradition, from therapeutic letters to academic papers and reflective case studies. A network that gathers these documents creates a shared library where practitioners can trace the development of ideas, revisit classic texts, and discover fresh contributions that extend the conversation in new directions.
The Newsmagazine editor welcomed contributions in English on interactional, post-modern therapies — narrative, solution-focused brief, the MRI tradition, and outcome-informed client-centred approaches.
500–1000 wordsBTN's annual conferences brought practitioners together around themes such as "Theory, Practice and Practicality." The 2003 BTN Conference went ahead in Toronto despite SARS travel advisories that year, and the 2005 "Winds of Change" conference was planned for Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a Gala Evening offering lobster or steak. Faculty announced for Halifax included Yvonne Dolan, M.A. and Robert Schwarz, Psy.D.
Continue readingHistorical pricing for BTN conference sessions varied by presenter and postmark date:
| Session | Before Mar 15 (CAD/USD) | After Mar 15 (CAD/USD) |
|---|---|---|
| May 27–28, Concurrent Presentations + 1-yr membership | $195.00 / $155.00 US | $250.00 / — |
| May 29–30, David Epston | $265.00 / $165.00 US | $290.00 / $180.00 US |
Refunds were available until March 23, 2002, with no refunds granted afterward; an administration fee of $50 CAD / $30 US applied to cancellations, and registrations could be transferred to a colleague with notice.
Continue readingTom Andersen, Harlene Anderson, and Michael White are the thinkers most closely associated with the network's dialogical and collaborative orientation. Their writing and methods inform many of the training programs linked from this site, and their voices continue to anchor conversations in narrative and systemic practice.
Continue readingThe reading list curates foundational texts alongside recent innovations in brief and narrative therapy, intended to support self-directed learning and complement formal training opportunities offered through partner institutes.
Continue readingAdvertising space in the BTN Newsmagazine and conference programs was offered at rates set by page size — Full, Half, Quarter, and Eighth page — with a 10% discount for three consecutive issues, provided all three were prepaid with the first submission. Ads had to be camera-ready and sent by e-mail.
Advertising inquiries were directed to Edythe Nerlich at enerlich@brieftherapynetwork.com.
Continue readingThis section holds minutes, reports, and collaborative statements produced by the network over time, reflecting the grassroots initiatives and collective work of BTN contributors and member practitioners.
Continue reading