This chapter presents an interwoven assemblage of abstract assumptions associated with the development and tradition of postmodern philosophy and social construction theory. This conceptual framework influences an epistemological shift in how we think about ourselves, the people we meet, what we do together, and how we do it. Professional and client are conversation partners who create newness in meaning and action with each other. The chapter includes a brief overview of the development of CollaborativeDialogic Practice and a presentation of the key assumptions of the conceptual framework that sets the stage for the next chapter on the Philosophical Stance: for collaborative and generative dialogue.

Anderson, H. (2023). Conceptual framework: Emerging orienting sensitivities for relationships and conversations that invite transformation and possibility. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 3-18). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-2.

People frequently ask questions such as, “How do I do collaborative-dialogic practice?” “What are the techniques?” and “What are the steps?” These are important questions. I have learned that practitioners are challenged by the mind-set shift that the conceptual framework suggests and requires: a shift in how we think about our world, ourselves, the people we work with, what we do together, and how we do it. The shift requires adopting a more natural and spontaneous way of being with people and appreciating the value of the differences and resources they bring to our work with them. The philosophical stance orients us how to be and become with our clients that invites relationships and conversations that hold the potential for transformation. The reader will find a novel orientation to being and becoming with another person in which questions about techniques and steps become immaterial.

Anderson, H. (2023). Expressions of the philosophical stance: Creating a relational and dialogic space and process for generativity. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 19-35). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-3.

In conversations and relationships, we make our identities and the world around us. The current day socio-political discourses, including those oriented towards justice, pose a challenge to creating a just world. This chapter describes how some leading discourses are emerging into a “knowing” positionality, which is hegemonic. In the process of attempting to create a just world, we are closing off conversations and creating divisiveness rather than a plurality. Rather than a world defined only by the rationality of right and wrong, we need to create a world of relational ethics. Relationality adopts an ethical position that attends to the processual uncertainty and not-knowing with curiosity and shared inquiry from within which we create a humanizing world. And, one such relational stance is the collaborative-dialogic practice which centers conversations and relationships. Drawing on three examples from everyday interactions, this chapter provides an illustration the constitutive value of conversations and relationships for a just and generative world.

Bava, S. (2023). A relationally responsive world: The politics of collaborative-dialogic practices. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 37-53). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-4.

This chapter attempts to describe in detail how practitioners embody the curious stance that defines collaborative-dialogic practice. Unlike intellectual forms of curiosity, dialogic curiosity requires an intentional, sustained focus on the moment-to-moment unfolding of meaning construction, a process that can be understood and experienced as a form of mindfulness. Mindfulness refers to any intentional effort to focus on a single phenomenon in the present moment while quieting the mind’s inner chatter. Specifically, mindfulness involves both suspending the mind’s tendency to judge and classify as well as choosing to welcome whatever arises with compassion and understanding. In collaborative-dialogic practice, mindful curiosity takes the form of focusing the mind on the evolution of meaning, interconnections, and interpretations as they evolve moment-by-moment, both within and between participants. Similar to mindfulness meditation practices, the collaborative-dialogic practitioner must intentionally maintain this focus, while purposely quieting the mind’s tendency to quickly judge and evaluate. When the practitioner is able to sustain this focus on the moment-to-moment evolution of meaning, the next question or comment arises naturally from the conversation as part of the process of identifying the origins, interconnections, and evolution of meaning. Inevitably, as those involved begin to better grasp each other’s interpretations and meanings, new possibilities for understanding and action arise.

Gehart, D. R. (2023). Curiosity as mindfulness practice: Following the moment-to-moment unfolding of meaning construction. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 55-68). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-5.

This chapter explores Collaborative-Dialogic Practices through a literary lens. It compares some of Harlene Anderson’s ideas on Collaborative-Dialogic Practice to ideas expressed by author Toni Morrison in her Nobel Prize Lecture of 1993. Both Morrison and Anderson are prolific writers and paradigm shifters in their respective fields. Over the last half of the 20th century, both women became leaders in predominantly male professions. Both have been influenced by and have influenced a world-wide network of followers across many disciplines. Anderson and Morrison share a philosophy that knowledge is created in relationship and in conversation, viscerally, forming narratives, communities, and cultures. In their writing, both authors emphasize relational ethics as essential for conversations and relationships to thrive. Using excerpts from Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize Lecture, this chapter hopes to illuminate a few key principles of Collaborative-Dialogic Practice. The intention of this chapter is to generate interest in further exploration of the philosophy of CollaborativeDialogic Practice and of its usefulness to psychotherapists, teachers, consultants, and other leaders.

McDonough, M. (2023). This lovely thing we do together: Collaborative-dialogic practice through a literary lens. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 69-81). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-6.

Science and healthcare technologies continue rapid advancement. The pace of these changes challenges the development of collaborative communication among patients, families, clinicians, interdisciplinary teams, and healthcare system administrators. Effective partnerships across these groups depends on developing relationships, shared mental models, and collaborative meaning-making—all of which contribute to quality care. Examples of collaborative practices in healthcare span community-based primary care through specialized tertiary care settings. This chapter will highlight collaborative practices with patients, families and professionals in two clinical settings: dealing with assisted reproduction and navigating genetic conditions. Finally, recent applications for collaborative practices will address communication coaching for physicians.

Speice, J., & McDaniel, S. H. (2023). Collaborative practice in the 21st-century healthcare. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 85-102). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-8.

Cultural and spiritual teachings shape beliefs about the origins and nature of health and illness, particularly as they relate to emotional and relational wellbeing. When working with people, collaborative-dialogic practices offer a respectful and effective means of skillfully creating conversations that enable practitioners to understand how cultural constructions of health and illness shape a person’s experience of their symptoms and concerns. Specifically, many indigenous peoples view health as being in “harmony” with one’s environment and community. This chapter will explore how collaborative-dialogic practitioners use curiosity, tolerance of multiple perspectives, and mutual puzzling to restore their sense of harmony with themselves, others, and the environment. The authors will explore how different indigenous communities around the world, use these very similar principles.

Chaveste, R., & Papusa Molina, M. L. (2023). Ancestral knowledge and collaborative-dialogic practices: A generative encounter. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 117-129). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-10.

Ongoing climate change is one of the biggest challenges for the humanity. More and more people call for immediate coordinated action to avoid the worst scenarios. All over the world people from environmental movements organize, campaign, demonstrate and put their bodies in the forefront of the struggle. This brings huge emotional and relational stress in the lives of many. The urgency and the complexity of the issue easily creates feelings of tiredness, burning-out and hopelessness. To sustain as the individuals and collectives, the movements in the Czech adopted concepts of emotional resilience and collective care. As a psychologist and a facilitator, we approach Czech environmental movement to participate in reinventing those concepts and related everyday practices. We see collaborative and dialogical orientation as valuable source in the process of embedding these concepts in respect with the values of the movements. The emphasis on the everyday life, relational (in this context collective) knowledge and embracing uncertainty helped us to navigate various interactions within the Czech environmental movement; facilitating supervisions, conducting workshops, creating learning materials or participating in direct actions.

Cerny, J., Cemova, L., & Novak, M. (2023). Reflecting processes in working with climate justice activist collectives. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 131-148). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-11.

This chapter will describe a number of educational practices that meet the contemporary demands of innovation, action, and collaboration within a traditional educational system/institution. In other words, educational practices that disrupt the tradition while simultaneously meeting the demands of that tradition (e.g., grading and institutional requirements that are outdated) will be introduced. Questions concerning the relevance of our tradition of education abound and yet direct challenges to this dominant view are few. Elaborating how educators can use dialogic and collaborative practices underscores the power of micro-level interactions (for example, classroom interactions) to transform our unquestioned assumptions about what “good” education looks like. Since the majority of educational contexts adhere to our outdated tradition of education, this chapter will be a valuable resource for those who are frustrated by the rigid rules and expectations of educational institutions. It will offer innovative practices that simultaneously appear to meet those traditional standards.

McNamee, S. (2023). Learning through collaboration: Practices that challenge our tradition of education. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 149-160). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-12.

Founded by Richard De La Cuadra, Xavier Educational Academy is an innovative, fully accredited small private school in Houston that provides a unique educational/relational approach that enhances the students’ ability to learn and prepares them to embrace life. In the process of enriching the school Richard encountered Collaborative Dialogic Practices (CDP), and he felt an instant natural fit that made him deeply curious about the ideas. During the training, he met Sylvia London, a therapist, trainer, and consultant in CDP that accompanied Richard along with other colleagues in his process of incorporating the practices into the school in Houston and eventually teamed up to create a school in Mexico City. This chapter is written as a result of the conversations and collaborations between Richard and Sylvia and the challenges they faced, on one hand incorporating the ideas to an existing school and on the other, creating a small private school that was guided by collaborative practices from the very beginning. The conversations include stories, examples, challenges, questions, reflections, and shares lessons learned along the way.

De La Cuadra, R., & London, S. (2023). Collaborative responses within a school community: Reflections from the COVID-19 experience. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 161-172). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-13.

Quiero Casa, a construction company that builds and sells residential projects in different areas in Mexico City, uses collaborative-dialogic practices to inform their business practices. The company understands that an integral part of its success is developing good relationships in the neighborhoods where these projects are built. The company emphasizes that creating collaborative and respectful relationships between the company and members of the communities is vital to all the stakeholders. Therefore, the company has trained a team of professionals to oversee building and maintaining these relationships before, during, and after the construction takes place. Personal stories illustrate how the professionals from Quiero Casa have developed personal relationships with members of the community where they listened to, acknowledged and addressed their needs to transform their communities.

Rodríguez, I., London, S., & Olguín, L. (2023). Collaborative capital links in business and community development: Building buildings and relationships. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 173-185). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-14.

This is the story of a Chinese Internet Technology (IT) Company that introduced Collaborative-Dialogic Practices at its leadership levels and its emergent effect within the company. It began when the Human Resource Director attended a training on C-D and returned to the company and enthusiastically and shared what she had learned with the Research and Development Department Director. She was curious if he might be interested in learning about it and if so, they could determine if it might be helpful for the company, particularly if it seemed a good fit for the company’s directors and managers. He wanted to learn more because his first impression was that its philosophy fit with the company’s culture. Consequently, they met with Dr. HaiBo Zeng and invited him to collaborate with them to design a pilot training program for the company’s directors and managers from whom they would invite feedback. Now, all levels of the company and its personnel used CD as a resource for deliberations and decisions.

Gao, Y., Xie, D., Zeng, H., & Anderson, H. (2023). Merging collaborative-dialogic practice within the culture of an internet technology (IT) company: Its evolution told through a collection of story fragments. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 187-199). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-15.

Postmodern critique and decolonizing movements compel researchers to consider how conventional research might contribute to irrelevant and demeaning knowledge production in the social sciences. This chapter discusses the collaborative-dialogic way of being as an alternative to qualitative methodologically driven social inquiry. Description of the collaborative-dialogic approach is followed by detailed discussion of two critical mental health research projects set within the same community health center. Both projects offer examples of the collaborative-dialogic approach to qualitative research. The collaborative-dialogic emphasis on not-knowing places researchers in nonhierarchical roles as embodied respondents instead of detached analysts of data. Instead of following a static system for discovery, collaborative-dialogic researchers attune to a living social ecology to bring something of value into existence, not for or to, but with, others.

DeFehr, J. (2023). From mechanized systems to living ecologies: Way-finding in collaborativedialogic research. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 201-212). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-16.

We have written previously that being collaborative or engaging in collaborative practices is or becomes part of a lifestyle. To complete the circle, we think and write now that our lifestyle and principles of living together grounds and influences our practices. Therefore, in this chapter, we focus on the everyday of our interpersonal lives that play a major (but mostly unrecognized) role in helping us, as practitioners, locate and implement the practices we use in our daily work with students, colleagues, and clients.

Wulff, D., & St. George, S. (2023). Everyday living as inspiration for collaborative practices. In Anderson, H. & Gehart, D. R. (Eds.), Collaborative dialogic practice: Relationships and conversations that make a difference across contexts and cultures (pp. 213-223). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003156260-17.