At the 2010 Networker Symposium, an impromptu debate was sparked between noted researcher Jerome Kagan and esteemed psychologist Daniel Siegel about the relevance of Attachment Theory to clinical practice. This spontaneous exchange became the highlight of the conference that year and was continued to be talked about long afterward.

Now, hear Kagan and Siegel back together for a conversation about Attachment Theory, the research, and its implications in clinical practice. Afterward, please take a few minutes to let us know what you think. As always, if you have any technical questions, please feel free to email support@psychotherapynetworker.org and our Support Team will help you.

Does Understanding the Brain Make Us Wiser?

This morning’s keynote with Daniel Siegel, one of the leaders in integrating brain science with psychotherapy, was a fabulous way to end a weekend full of thinking about wisdom and its applications in the field of psychotherapy and in the larger world. He began his talk by talking about how, when he first began working in the field, there wasn’t a solid definition of the mind.
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Over the last 35 years, one of the most noteworthy aspects of the Networker Symposium has been the depth and wisdom of the keynoters who address the conference. This year’s Symposium is no exception.

Opening the conference with a morning keynote on Friday is Andrew Weil, the world’s leading proponent of integrative medicine. He’ll be discussing the meaning of integrative mental health and how therapists can enrich their knowledge and understandings to help clients—and themselves—achieve optimal health. To learn more about integrative mental health, see the recent Networker article on his work here.

Next will be Scott Miller’s luncheon address on “Charting Your Path to Clinical Excellence,” a topic that’s been much discussed in the Networker community during this past year. He’ll share what research is showing us about how to achieve excellence, and how we can apply these understandings to gain mastery in the consulting room, as well as in our personal lives.

Mary Pipher has achieved national renown as the author of Reviving Ophelia, and she will be inspiring attendees as the Saturday morning keynote speaker. Her subject—“Facing the Challenge of 21st-Century Activism” is a compelling presentation of her vision of  the many ways therapists can influence the world-at-large and why doing so can make us feel more joyous, connected, and empowered.

Pat Ogden will be Saturday’s luncheon address speaker and she’ll cover her transforming, trailblazing work that incorporating bodywork in psychotherapy.

Later that day, Jane Fonda will be speaking with Networker Editor Rich Simon about her life, career, and beliefs about how to improve your life while growing older. Yes, that’s right… Jane Fonda will be at the Networker Symposium! You really won’t want to miss this conference and especially not this particular dinner event.

Finally, Sunday holds even more opportunities for discovery, as brain science pioneer Dan Siegel will be discussing whether our growing knowledge about brain science is making us wiser. If you’ve never heard Dan Siegel speak before—or even if you have—his presentations are always a treat.

For more information about the incredible lineup of Symposium 2012 speakers, click here. Make sure to check back for more Symposium blogs soon—this blog will continue to give you a detailed view of the people and events coming up at Symposium 2012. Whether or not you decide to travel to Washington, D.C. this spring, it’s definitely worth knowing about all the exciting features this year’s conference has to offer.