Blog | Third European Biblio/Poetry Therapy Conference

The four C’s at the heart of our conference

We’re thrilled by the early buzz surrounding the third European/Biblio Poetry Conference—we’ve started receiving proposals for workshops and presentations and social media is alive with interest from across Europe and further afield.

Our guiding principles for the event are the four C’s: communication, connection, collaboration, and companionship. We want these values to underpin not only the conference itself, but also the lead-up and legacy—helping to build the vibrant, supportive community that was initiated in Budapest in Hungary in 2024 and Jyväskylä in Finland in 2025.

If you’re thinking of joining us in Canterbury this October, do connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and become part of the growing dialogue among fellow attendees.

On Facebook we’re inviting attendees to share something about themselves: What’s your story? What will you be bringing with you to Canterbury? These personal tales spark early connections, building a sense of community and set the stage for interactions at the conference.

Collaboration is at the heart of the whole event. We’re delighted to partner with Lapidus International, the words for wellbeing organisation. As well as being one of our keynote speakers Lapidus Chair Mel Perry is an important member or our organising team. We hope to see many Lapidus members at the event.

When it comes to shaping our programme of speakers and workshops, we’re looking for proposals that foster all four C’s. Academic conferences can sometimes feel inaccessible or dry, but our aim is to encourage presenters to make their research engaging and experiential—sparking discussion and inviting participation where appropriate. As we review applications in May, this will be our guiding light.

We’re also excited about our research-focused pre-conference workshop day: "Pilgrims of the Page: Building a Field Together." This is a unique opportunity for early career researchers and practitioners, who may not yet feel ready to present their work at the main conference, to connect with others by sharing work in progress, receiving feedback from peers and experienced mentors and building community together. The day will be facilitated by Dr Mariana Casale with support from other members of the conference team.

Ultimately, our hope is to create a welcoming, safe, and collegial atmosphere throughout the three days —where everyone gathers as companions in Canterbury, united by a love of poetry and literature research, and shared learning.

Finally, a reminder that our deadline for proposals is 3rd May. (You can find out more information about how to submit here.) Places are limited at the conference so we do encourage early booking to secure your place if possible

We can’t wait to see the community continue to grow, and we look forward to welcoming you in October.

Victoria, Mel, Mariana, Jon, Eduard and Anne

Come and join us!

Welcome to the first blog from the 3rd European Biblio/Poetry Therapy Conference organising team.

Canterbury is famous for the shrine of St Thomas Becket, a focus for medieval travellers from all over Europe. It was immortalised by Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories told by fictional pilgrims who journeyed to the city from London.

In this spirit we are inviting you as a participant of the conference to become a ‘pilgrim of the page’. Our time together will be a shared path— one that honours the deep kinship between story, healing, and the human need to travel together for meaning.

Inspired by The Canterbury Tales, we have imagined the conference through the following three interwoven metaphors that reflect both the pilgrim journey and the biblio-poetry therapeutic encounter:

The Tavern

In Chaucer’s vision, the pilgrimage begins in a tavern, a convivial, ordinary, human space where people gather before the road, bringing their differences, stories, wounds, humour, and hopes.

Our philosophy is that Tavern will represent the conference as an informal space of welcome, where hierarchy softens and conversation can arise naturally. It is an image that recognises that biblio-poetry therapy begins with kindness, listening and presence.

We will provide moments and places within the conference where participants can feel comfortable to simply arrive as they are.

The Road

Pilgrimage is not about rushing to the destination but is rather about what happens along the way. The conference road will allow stories to surface, perspectives to shift, and unexpected encounters to occur. For us this gathering is an opportunity to explore and experience sessions, dialogues, workshops, and informal encounters along the way.

We believe the Road metaphor also acknowledges an understanding of biblio-poetry therapy as a process, not simply a technique — something that unfolds through time, rhythm, and relationship as we walk either together or alone.

We will design the conference rhythm so that participants feel accompanied rather than driven, trusting that meaning accrues through movement, pause, and repetition.

The Shrine

In Canterbury, the pilgrimage traditionally culminates at the shrine -- a place of stillness, reverence, and inward turning. Arrival at the shrine is not just an ending but rather a moment that offers possibilities of integration before the return to ordinary life.

In terms of this conference, we like to think of the Shrine representing moments of reflection, synthesis, and inner listening. Held within the unique atmosphere of Cathedral Lodge and its proximity to the Cathedral itself, these moments invite participants to honour biblio-poetry therapy as a practice of care, conscience, and meaning, rooted as much in silence as in speech.

Across tavern, road, and shrine, we will come together as a temporary community of pilgrims — practitioners, scholars, facilitators, and companions — each carrying their own tale, yet walking alongside for a time.