ADPCA 40th Anniversary · 2026
2026 ADPCA China Hub
An annual gathering for the Person-Centered Approach
To see yourself, to be seen by one another — to create, and to celebrate, together.
- When
- Jul 17, 20:00 – Jul 19, 18:00, 2026Beijing Time (GMT+8)
- Format
- Fully online · on ZoomLive captions; on-site interpretation for English talks
- Fee
- ¥100 for the full programCovers everything; reductions available on request
The 2026 ADPCA China Hub has the formal agreement of the conference's Greek hosts, and will run online from July 17 to 19. We're honored and glad to gather with you once again — come with your curiosity and your own understanding of ADPCA, and let's co-create this year's China Hub together.
2026 ADPCA China Hub
Program
All times are in Beijing Time (GMT+8)
Jul 17Fri
Jul 18Sat
Jul 19Sun
Beyond the scheduled groups, the encounter room stays open 24 hours from Jul 17, 20:00 — come and go, and connect whenever you wish.
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About ADPCA
What the ADPCA annual conference is like
ADPCA — the Association for the Development of the Person-Centered Approach — was founded in 1986. 2026 marks its 40th anniversary.
The annual ADPCA conference is a singular way to experience and learn the Person-Centered Approach (PCA) and Client-Centered Therapy (CCT). Held once a year, it offers space for personal and professional growth, where everyone is free to express themselves.
Daily large-group meetings (encounter groups) and regular small groups form the heart of the conference. It is a meeting place for person-centered practitioners, trainers, students and anyone moved by this way of relating — people from different cultures and professions sharing workshops, talks, discussion groups and demonstrations.
Unlike most traditional associations, ADPCA has no hierarchy. Every member may share their views and holds an equal voice in how decisions are made.
About the China Hub
Guided by the Person-Centered spirit, our team applied to host an ADPCA China Hub, and was formally welcomed by the Greek hosts. We warmly welcome everyone to join with their own curiosity and understanding of ADPCA, and to co-create this year's 2026 China Hub together.
At a glance
Across three days, these encounters await
ADPCA neither requires nor stresses strict adherence to the schedule — think of it as a menu, and follow your own curiosity, preferences and felt experience in choosing what to join.
5
Scheduled encounter groups
Daily large encounter groups — the beating heart of the conference.
24 hrs
Open encounter room
Open from Jul 17, 20:00 onward — step in and connect anytime.
5
Talks & workshops
Sessions led by participants, spanning diverse views and practice.
3
Invited roundtables
Convened by guests Margaret Warner, Kathy Moon and Bert Rice.
Invited guests
Three guests, three roundtables
The following three guests will each convene a roundtable — themes and times below.
All times are in Beijing Time (GMT+8)
Margaret Warner
Neurodiversity roundtable
Sat Jul 18 · 08:30–10:30
About the roundtable
Since developing her theory of difficult process, Margaret Warner has in recent years turned to other psychological experiences that remain poorly understood. She suggests that neurodiverse experiences such as the autism spectrum can likewise be seen as "difficult process": these experiences do not necessarily fit the most common patterns, and understanding them in the usual ways easily goes astray, leaving people without empathy. The session is hosted by Wu Jin: Warner will first introduce her theory and her thinking on neurodiversity, then invite everyone into the discussion.
About the guest
Dr. Margaret Warner is Distinguished Professor at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology (ISPP), with over 50 years of clinical experience in person-centered therapy research, teaching and practice. She is the founder of Person-Centered Psychological Services and continues to practice psychotherapy and supervision.
Dr. Warner's "Difficult Process" theory is among her most important contributions. Drawing on her own experience and clinical practice, she has deeply explored the inner processes of clients experiencing emotional fragility, dissociation and psychotic states - examining how they process, express and integrate their experience within relationship. She developed a person-centered approach that enables therapists to effectively accompany clients in difficult states. In her paper "Defense or Actualizing?" she also re-examined Rogers' early theory of personality, offering a fresh perspective for person-centered therapy.
A founding member of the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counselling (WAPCEPC), Dr. Warner has delivered keynote addresses at numerous international conferences. She visited China three times (2005-2008), conducting workshops and sharing her theory at academic conferences. In 2022, she received the Eleanor Criswell Hanna Award, established by APA Division 32 to honor women psychologists who have contributed to humanistic psychology. Dr. Warner remains active in psychotherapy, supervision and academic research.
Kathy Moon
Roundtable
Sat Jul 18 · 20:00–22:00
About the roundtable
A roundtable on the theory and practice of person-centered counseling. Kathy doesn't want this to be a one-person "presentation" — she would rather explore every facet of person-centered counseling together with you.
About the guest
Kathryn Moon (Kathy) is a seasoned person-centered therapist, counselor, supervisor, teacher and author, in private practice in Chicago. She brings rich clinical experience, a solid theoretical grounding, and deep, original thinking on person-centered theory, with published work on the nondirective attitude, person-centered practice "in the ethical sense," and person-centered work with children and families.
She has long explored nondirectivity, therapist congruence, ethically grounded person-centered practice, and applications of the approach with children and families, publishing a number of influential papers. Representative works include her chapter on therapist congruence in "Embracing Nondirectivity," a re-examination of Carl Rogers' classic session with Gloria, and recent responses to Germain Lietaer's views on PCEP. She has also co-authored, with Bert Rice, several important articles on person-centered theory and practice.
Bert Rice
Roundtable
Sun Jul 19 · 08:30–10:30
About the roundtable
Bert hopes this "presentation" will be a discussion with as much participation as possible. He puts forward three propositions: first, that the therapist's goal should not be to help the client; second, that the therapist's empathy for the client is not necessary; and third, that Rogers' "sixth condition" — that the client perceives, at least to a minimal degree, the therapist's unconditional positive regard and empathy — is meaningful for the client, but not for the therapist. He will open with a brief discussion of these topics, then invite everyone into a full conversation.
About the guest
Bert Rice left his law practice in 1996 to explore learning and practice in elementary school classrooms. He has organized and participated in hundreds of person-centered groups of all sizes, authored several articles, and co-edited "Practicing Client-Centered Therapy: Selected Writings of Barbara Temaner Brodley." He is a psychotherapist in Chicago, Illinois, and an active member of ADPCA.
Presentations
Confirmed presentations
The call for presentations remains open. Guiding principles: presentations should center on the person-centered theme, and the conference is nonprofit — no commercial promotion please. Presenters' content, views and expression represent their own experience, understanding and stance only — not that of the China Hub organizing team or the Carl Rogers Center.
Motivational Interviewing: A New Development of the Person-Centered Approach
辛挺翔
Sat Jul 18 · 13:30–15:00
About this session
An introduction to the origins, development and applications of Motivational Interviewing (MI); MI's relationship with the person-centered approach — Carl Rogers, clinical science and common factors; how MI renews and extends the person-centered tradition; key MI skills, learning directions and in-session practice.
About the speaker
Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), founder of the Chinese Motivational Interviewing Community (CMIC), lifetime member of the Chinese Association of Motivational Interviewing (CAMI, Hong Kong), MI-CBT integrative counselor and supervisor. Long dedicated to MI practice, training, supervision, competency assessment and localization, he is a leading practitioner, pioneer and builder of MI in China, and has translated and published multiple professional works on MI.
Wait — The Kid Was Fine Saying No, So Why Did They Suddenly Open Up?
林潇潇
Sat Jul 18 · 15:00–16:30
About this session
Rogers firmly believed that, given respect and trust, people have a natural tendency to develop in positive and constructive ways. I once read this in a book and nodded along — but the lesson these two young teachers taught me that day was the moment when the book truly came to life, and it strengthened my conviction to follow the humanistic path.
About the speaker
B.A. and M.A. in Psychology. An admirer of Rogers.
Roundtable Discussion: The Person-Centered Approach as a Way of Living
麦子（郝柄翔）
Sat Jul 18 · 15:00–16:30
About this session
As the global wave of AI gathers pace, the human challenges we face — around death, loneliness, medication, education and politics — remain with us. Starting from the person-centered approach to counseling, this session unpacks the philosophy of life it carries, exploring from a person-centered perspective: (1) the question of life's meaning; (2) how we understand death; (3) how we look at AI.
About the speaker
Clinical background: national certified psychological counselor (China); humanistic-integrative counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP); person-centered counselor in the Humanistic Group of the Clinical Psychology Division, Chinese Psychological Society; trainee clinical supervisor (2nd cohort), Chinese Association for Mental Health; member of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (USA); Chinese translator of Marjorie Witty, a client-centered scholar of the Rogers era; author of "人生创意力" (The Creative Power of Life).
Service philosophy: not to chase the world's standard answers, but to walk with you in finding the self that is uniquely and particularly yours.
My Journey with Pre-Therapy
吴今
Sun Jul 19 · 13:30–15:00
About this session
In 1992, Wu Jin began her master's studies in clinical psychology at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, where she first encountered client-centered therapy. In the spring of 1993, in Margaret Warner's Psychopathology II course, Garry Prouty — the founder of Pre-Therapy — came as a guest to teach his theory and practice. Through her own efforts, Wu Jin introduced his work to China for the first time. She stayed in touch with him over many years and received further training in Pre-Therapy. Much of her later clinical work has been in the service of people with severe mental illness and elders with dementia, where Pre-Therapy is one of the methods she uses most — at times the only feasible one.
About the speaker
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology (ISPP). Licensed psychologist in Illinois and adjunct professor at ISPP. Co-founder of Person-Centered Psychological Services (USA) and the Carl Rogers Center (China). Member of APA, WAPCEPC, and ADPCA. Over 30 years of clinical experience. First introduced Pre-Therapy to China in 1993–1994.
Learning and Practicing Person-Centered Supervision
吴今、吴瑾、张婉璐、谢茜怡、唐玲
Sun Jul 19 · 15:00–16:30
About this session
What does one learn in "person-centered supervision"? Not a set of supervision techniques, but how to be with the supervisee. In the practice of supervision we keep inquiring: where is the boundary between supervision and counseling? How do we regard the supervisor's limitations? … These questions have no correct answers — yet the discussion itself is how person-centered supervision is learned. You are welcome to come and listen, and welcome to join the conversation.
About the speaker
Wu Jin, B.Eng. from Tsinghua University, M.A. in Applied Psychology from Beijing Normal University, National Level-3 Psychological Counselor, person-centered counselor and supervisor-in-training. Xie Qianyi, LL.B., person-centered counselor and supervisor-in-training, practicing art healing. Zhang Wanlu, M.A. in Psychology from Central China Normal University, Deputy Director of the Home-School Collaborative Education Research Center of the Shaanxi Education Society, person-centered counselor and supervisor-in-training. Tang Ling, M.A. in Psychology from Southwest University, National Level-2 Psychological Counselor, person-centered counselor, encounter group facilitator and supervisor-in-training.
Agenda
2026 China Hub agenda
Because joining online lets you rest more flexibly, no fixed breaks are set between sessions — pace yourself. End times for workshops and groups are not strict either, and may shift earlier or later according to the needs of the moment.
All times are in Beijing Time (GMT+8)
Jul 17Fri
Jul 18Sat
Jul 19Sun
Beyond the scheduled groups, the encounter room stays open 24 hours from Jul 17, 20:00 — come and go, and connect whenever you wish.
How to join
We'd love to see you here
Fee
The full program costs ¥100 RMB and includes everything on the agenda. The fee is the same whether or not you present. If cost is a barrier and you'd like a discount or waiver, just let us know when you register.
Apply to present
At ADPCA and at the China Hub, presenters and participants share equal rights to take part. We welcome voices of every background, profession and level of experience — as long as your sharing centers on the Person-Centered theme, we look forward to hearing you. To apply, contact Sherry.
Presenter deadlineJul 3, Beijing Time (two weeks prior)
Scan to register
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Attending
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Attending · PresentingTo attend, add either Julia or Sherry; to present, please add Sherry.
A few gentle notes
- 01To keep a relatively safe space for expression, the conference is not recorded in any form, so there are no replays.
- 02We will host LGBTQ-friendly and disability-friendly group rooms. Within our budget and means, disability access is currently supported via live captioning; for other needs, or if you can offer more support, please reach Julia.
- 03Presenters' content, views and expression represent their own experience and stance only — not those of the China Hub team or the Carl Rogers Center. The team will do its best to make room for different voices.
Echoes from 2025
Words from participants and the team
Five stars. The formats were varied, and across two days I felt the sincerity of organizers, presenters and participants alike. My first encounter group felt wonderful. The fee was humane too — the lowest of any conference I've attended, yet the one I gained the most from.
I came without high expectations, yet learned a great deal and understood the approach more deeply. Groups and talks alike felt relaxed; here everyone can stretch out without being on guard. I'd hoped for a small scoop of water and stumbled instead upon an unexpectedly deep lake. I look forward to every year's gathering.
I think it's a really good gathering — a decentralized, de-hierarchized feeling that's still rather rare here.
My second time on the ADPCA team, and our first Chinese-language edition. I'm glad we gave our utmost to create a space for such encounters. There's plenty still to improve — I hope to keep co-creating with the Chinese person-centered community.
We invite you to meet us at ADPCA — to see yourself, to be seen by one another, to create together, and to celebrate together.
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