Dialogical Practice is the idea of Agnieszka Hermans-Konopka and Hubert Hermans, authors of the book “Dialogical Self Theory- Positioning and Counter-Positioning in a Globalizing Society” (published by Cambridge University Press, 2010)

Participating in various activities regarding dialogical self they discovered that many professionals are looking for a virtual space where they can meet to discuss methods or share ideas on the dialogical self and its practical implications. Agnieszka and Hubert decided to set up the Dialogical Practice Network, to stimulate communication and cooperation.

Hubert Hermans is the creator of Dialogical Self Theory and an internationally recognized authority in narrative psychology and in narrative psychotherapy. He is an author of many publications, translated into nine languages. For almost 40 years Hubert Hermans was associated with the Radboud University of Nijmegen, where he became full professor. Since 2002 he is president of the International Society for Dialogical Science (ISDS) and since 2006 editor-in-chief of the International Journal for Dialogical Science (IJDS).

His developed a Self-Confrontation Method. Application of this method in practice led to the establishment of the Dutch Association for SCM Consultants that counted approximately 300 members in 2009.

For his merits for the Dutch society, he was appointed as Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw (Knight in the Society of the Nederlands Lion) in 2002. His 2006 Dutch book Dialoog en Misverstand (Dialogue and Misunderstanding) played a role in the preparation of the Dutch government in 2007

Hubert Hermans continues to work on dialogical self theory and, together with Agnieszka H

ermans Konopka, on its implementation in dialogical practice in the International Institute for the Dialogical Self.

Biking in the nature is for Hubert an important source of inspiration.

Network Leader: Agnieszka Hermans-Konopka

Agnieszka Hermans-Konopka is working on the development and application of methods based on the dialogical self theory in coaching. Her main focus is dialogical emotional coaching. She is developing this method in cooperation with Hubert Hermans.

She did her disseratation based on emotions, based on the Dialogical Self Theory, and observed that emotions are important powers of changing the self. She is educated in psychotherapy, clinical psychology and organizational trainings. She worked at universities in Poland (UKSW) and Portugal (University of Minho) giving courses in the psychology of emotions and doing her research on emotions. She has experience in trainings for organizations and management of trainings for a network of more then 1000 employees.

She works with individual clients in her private practice and gives trainings in dialogical emotional coaching and other methods based on the DS Theory for practitioners and organizations in different countries.

Agnieszka is deeply interested in an artistic view on self and emotions and its application in coaching.

She practices meditation and has interest in mysticism.

Currently she  is a managing director of International Institute for the Dialogical Self.

Key People:

Ton Voogt

Ton Voogt develops educational designs in the area of personal and organizational development.

His work is rooted in the knowledge of leadership and cooperation. He is skilled in therapeutic methods of

behavioral change, including psychodrama, psychodynamic methods.

His aim is to strengthen the personal steering capacity of a person.

He is connected to the theories and methods developed under the umbrella of the "dialogical self".

He is now in the board of SchoutenGlobal with special attention to the development of SchoutenChina.

He is a pioneer.

He keeps himself mentally and physically in good shape by self-reflection and active participating in sports like: tennis, skating, running, langlaufen.

For years he trains and coaches hockey teams in his hometown.

Frans Meijers

Frans Meijers is a researcher and consultant on career learning in vocational education.

He is especially interested in the development of a vocational identity (a career identity).

He is specialized in consulting on the connections between education, work and life.

He publishes in a wide variety of national and international journals.

At the time he is professor at the Hague University.

Thematic Leaders

John Rowan

John has a long established interest in the question of multiplicity within the person. He did some research on this in the 1970s,

and some of the results appeared in his 1976 book, 'The Power of the Group'. More appeared in 'Ordinary Ecstasy', which also appeared in 1976.  His big book

'Subpersonalities' came out in 1990, and the book 'The Plural Self'which was co-edited with Mick Cooper, came out in 1999, including chapters by Hubert Hermans, John Shotter, Richard

Schwartz and others.  His own practice in therapy is facilitated by the many coloured cushions which pile up in his consulting room, and which become a variety of

characters in the course of a day.

Contributors

Reinekke Lengelle is a published poet, playwright, and non-fiction writer.

She has written on a variety of topics including the connection between writing and healing, natural childbirth, heartbreak recovery, and creative approaches to career guidance and counselling.

She is a visiting graduate professor with Athabasca University where she works for the MAIS program - Masters of Arts (Integrated Studies).

The two courses she designed and teaches there are called Writing the Self and Narrative Possibilities.