Therapeutic Conversations

“Rarely is a book generated by a conference as good or better than the genuine thing. Therapeutic Conversations is this and more. A star-studded cast of theorists and practitioners talk about ‘generating possibilities through therapeutic conversations.’ Each presentation is accompanied by a reflective commentary, and often the presenter’s commentary on this commentary―blending to sharpen the ideas and capture the essence and spirit of the conference’s conversational style. Unquestionably, Therapeutic Conversations has to be the best source available for bringing into focus the similarities and the differences among these contributors. Where else can you eavesdrop on what White thinks of de Shazer or what de Shazer thinks of what White thinks of de Shazer!” ―Harlene Anderson, Ph.D., Houston Galveston Institute

“We have waited a long time for this spell-binding collection of therapeutic conversations, which present state-of-the-art theory followed by commentaries. In combination, these expand and challenge our thinking about the relationship of relative to language, of language to ritual, and the development of all these innovative conversations to research.” ―Peggy Penn, MSW, Ackerman Institute, New York

Stephen Gilligan, Ph.D. is a Psychologist in Encinitas, CA. He was one of the original NLP students at UC Santa Cruz, with Milton Erickson and Gregory Bateson as his mentors. After receiving his psychology doctorate from Stanford University, he became one of the premier teachers and practitioners of Ericksonian hypnotherapy. This work unfolded into his original approaches of Self-Relations and Generative Self, and then further (in collaboration with Robert Dilts) into Generative Coaching. He has taught in many different cultures and countries over the past 30 years, and has published extensively.

b. 1952