The ADPCA Conference is a unique way to experience and learn about the PCA (Person-Centered Approach) and CCT (Client-Centered Therapy). It takes place annually and aims to provide opportunities for self and professional development in an atmosphere where participants can freely express themselves.
The experiential side of the conference combines daily large community meetings (encounter groups) and regular small groups, both of which are central to the conference. The academic quality is also very present and consists of person-centered practitioners, trainers, and students from different cultural and professional backgrounds sharing workshops, presentations, discussion groups, and/or practical demonstration sessions. At the conference, we also hold ADPCA Business Meetings, where matters related to the Association are openly addressed, discussed, and decided in a democratic way.
Unlike most traditional associations, ADPCA does not have a hierarchical structure; all members have the right to share their views and have an equal say in the decision-making process. The annual Business Meetings are where official functional decisions regarding the association are made. All conference attendees are welcome to participate in the business meetings.
Past Conferences
● 2024 Aurora, IL, USA and online
● 2023 Online from Beijing, China
● 2022 Online from Chester, UK
● 2021 Online from Fleet and Liverpool, UK
● 2020 Chicago, IL, USA – Due to COVID-19, the annual business meeting was held online.
● 2019 Kutztown, PA, USA
● 2018 Atlanta, GA, USA
● 2017 Chicago, IL, USA
● 2016 Las Vegas, USA, with a parallel event in Nottingham, England
● 2015 Chicago, IL, USA
● 2014 Nottingham, England
● 2013 Caldwell, NJ, USA
● 2012 Savannah, GA, USA
● 2011 Chicago, IL, USA
● 2010 Rochester, NY, USA
● 2009 Kutztown, PA, USA
● 2008 Las Vegas, NV, USA
● 2007 New York, NY, USA
● 2006 Fargo, ND, USA
● 2005 Warwick, England
● 2004 Anchorage, AK, USA
● 2003 Albi, France
● 2002 Cleveland, OH, USA
● 2001 Manchester, England
● 2000 La Jolla, CA, USA
● 1999 Ruston, LA, USA
● 1998 Norton, MA, USA
● 1997 Las Vegas, NV, USA
● 1996 Kutztown, PA, USA
● 1995 Tampa, FL, USA
● 1994 Evanston, IL, USA
● 1993 Maryville, TN, USA
● 1992 Redwood City, CA, USA
● 1991 Coffeyville, KS, USA
● 1990 Hebron, CT, USA
● 1989 Athens, GA, USA
● 1988 New York, NY, USA
● 1987 La Jolla, CA, USA – Concurrent Meeting with the 3rd International Forum of the PCA
● 1986 Chicago, IL, USA
A Note on Large Community Meetings
From: Brodley, B.T. (2002/2021).
Association for the Development of the Person-Centered Approach (Website note: For other perspectives and discussions on person-centered large community meetings, see the references at the end of this article.)
Note: This discussion began in a discussion group at the ADPCA meeting in Cleveland in 2002. Within the allotted hour and a half, the discussion did not progress very far, but it was an interesting beginning for some of us. My purpose in writing these notes and discussion points is to describe accurately the community meetings in person-centered large groups.
My longer-term goals are:
(1) To eventually write a written statement that may be useful to new members of ADPCA and others;
(2) To use this statement as a basis for further describing some responses to other behaviors that arise in large community meetings;
(3) To eventually write one or more theories of the experience of person-centered large community meetings (in individual or group settings).
I hope the following will stimulate further discussion in Renaissance magazine and at ADPCA meetings. I believe that person-centered large community meetings are challenging and interesting experiences that can play a wide constructive role in people’s social lives. I have placed some ideas from the Cleveland discussion and the cctpca email newsletter in parentheses.
What Are Large Community Meetings?
Large community meetings consist of the large group in which all participants in a person-centered conference meet and talk. During the conference, large community meetings are usually held once a day. No other meetings are scheduled during the community meeting. However, any participant is free to convene a discussion group, presentation, or small encounter group (or other project) during the community meeting.
Large community meetings have no prearranged agenda and no predetermined group facilitator role. (Some discussants strongly believe that no predetermined facilitator is needed; others strongly believe that a formal facilitator would improve the community meeting experience.)
Any participant may serve as group facilitator. Usually, many people take on this responsibility. (Sometimes, when some people feel facilitation would be helpful, no one does so.) Events that occur in the large community meeting are viewed as part of the process. (For example, a particular behavior or event may trigger a response at some later time.)
What Are the Goals of Large Community Meetings?
The primary overall goal of large community meetings is to establish, as far as possible within the time limits and capacities of the participants, a politically pure democracy. (That is, every “citizen” who attends the meeting has an equal voice in decisions about the meeting and an equal right to express and communicate.)
(There is considerable disagreement about this description of the goal. However, there seems to be general agreement that one goal of group participation is to promote the voice of all who wish to express themselves and that every participant has equal rights in the group. The disagreement seems to be about the use of the political term “pure democracy.”)
The second overall goal of large community meetings is to provide a learning laboratory for person-centered participants. (According to my recollection, this overall goal was agreed upon in the discussion.)
This learning laboratory goal has two prominent aspects. The first is to establish a group in which people can try to realize, and gradually understand, Carl Rogers’ principles of acceptance, empathic understanding, and congruence in their interactions during the large community meeting. (Although some discussants considered this a desirable goal, others wondered whether all participants share it.)
The second aspect of the laboratory goal is to develop participants’ ability to convey Rogers’ facilitative principles through their actions in any group. (The discussion ended before the remaining points in the statement could be discussed.)
Common Characteristics of Large Community Meetings
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Everyone has an equal right to speak in the group about any topic they choose: theory, philosophy, personal hobbies, personal feelings, plans, announcements, criticisms, questions about conference programs, commemorations, suggestions, or physical movements—standing up, lying down, walking around, dancing, or making any movement that does not violate the physical space or integrity of other participants.
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Individual or multiple participants will show a tendency (reflecting a conscious effort) to acknowledge each person’s contribution, whether or not they choose to discuss the topic, feeling, or experience further.
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People differ in their ability to express themselves; therefore, those less inclined to speak may be specially invited to speak by other participants. They are free to decline the invitation.
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Sometimes participants evaluate other participants or their behavior. These evaluations may be approving or critical, but they rarely constitute interpretations of others.
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Individual participants may choose to assist others in communication, sometimes offering empathic responses, asking clarifying questions, or otherwise helping others respond.
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Individual participants may choose to try to change what is happening in the meeting, and they often request changes.
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Long periods of silence sometimes occur.
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Individuals choose to break the silence of the group. This may please or displease some other participants.
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Individuals may leave or return to the group, with or without explanation.
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Participants experience and sometimes express to the group or directly to other participants a wide variety of emotions and feelings, including feelings of love, hostility, confusion, joy, anger, comfort, hurt, helplessness, empowerment, and so on.
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At times, the group in the meeting may appear, to observers/participants, harmonious or confusing, chaotic or disturbing, cohesive or scattered, and so on.
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In large community meetings, attempting to be “person-centered” in interpersonal relationships does not exclude individuals undermining that goal, losing emotional control, or being hurt by events in the group.
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In person-centered conferences, individuals may question, clarify, and debate the implicit norms of the community meeting that they notice.
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Sometimes participants hope that others will agree to their plans. Any resolution of plans may involve reaching a consensus or using voting methods and majority rule, depending on the explicit or implicit agreement of all participants.
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The meeting begins and ends roughly at the times designated by the conference organizers, but if the room remains open, many participants often choose to stay in the group.
When Participants Need Assistance
Newcomers to the group, as well as participants with prior person-centered group experience, should feel free to ask any individual or the group for any kind of help they need. If the person seeking help does not receive adequate assistance, I recommend continuing to ask until sufficient help is received. Those who are dissatisfied with or disturbed by the group experience may discuss their reactions and feelings with other participants or in small groups, rather than expressing them in the large community meeting.
Website Note: Further Reading and Other Perspectives
Stubbs, J. (1992) Individual freeing in a person-centered community workshop.
Stubbs, J. (1995) Individual experiencing in person-centered community workshops: a cross-cultural study.
Ford, G. (1995). A new timer’s perspective, Morrison, C. & Holloman, T. 1996. Measures of perceived group leadership and personal expressiveness.
Altschul, D.B. & Steadman, K.E. (1996). A person-centered journey to warm springs.