OCTOBER 16–18, 2026 · WELLESLEY COLLEGE

Relational-Cultural Theory Conference 2026

Connection, Courage, and Change

People who practice, teach, study, and love Relational-Cultural Theory will gather at Wellesley College from October 16–18, 2026, for Toward a New Psychology of Women: 50 Years of Connection, Courage, and Change.

This three-day gathering will honor the legacy of Jean Baker Miller’s Toward a New Psychology of Women while exploring how RCT continues to grow across therapy, education, leadership, community work, and social justice.

For those working in the paradigm that we grow through and toward connection, this gathering offers a chance to reflect on where RCT has been—and to participate in imagining what it might become next.

Bloomington Center for Connection is participating in this gathering celebrating 50 years of Relational-Cultural Theory. Amy Makice, Kevin Makice, Meenaxi Palaniappan, and Hannah Gilchrist will participate as speakers, panelists, and poster presenters. For current registration, schedule, scholarship, accessibility, and other event details, visit the official conference page.

Four BCC team members will participate as speakers, panelists, and poster presenters:

• Amy Makice, BCC founder, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and advanced practitioner and teacher of Relational-Cultural Therapy. Dedicated to walking the talk of RCT through play, connection, and authentic communication. Amy is also co-facilitator of the International Center for Growth in Connection’s Psychotherapy Affinity Group.
• Kevin Makice, relational experience designer, creator of the RCT Toybox, and longtime explorer of RCT through play, community, technology, and civic life. Currently developing accessible approaches to relational gaming.
• Meenaxi Palaniappan, psychologist, certified sex therapist, RCT practitioner, supervisor, and trainer, and co-facilitator of the International Center for Growth in Connection’s Psychotherapy Affinity Group.
• Hannah Gilchrist, LMHC and BCC therapist, will present in the poster session on RCT Toybox cards and couples therapy.

BCC team members have helped create many of our Relational Summits, trainings, conversations, and playful experiments in bringing RCT out of the textbook and into lived relationship. We are glad to have BCC’s work included in this larger gathering of people carrying RCT forward.

People who have participated in earlier Bloomington Center for Connection events will recognize two especially meaningful presenters at the 2026 Relational-Cultural Theory Conference.

Dr. Amy Banks will present the keynote, Leading with Relationships in Mind: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go. Amy Banks was the special guest for BCC’s 2024 Relational Summit, Playful Connections, where she helped us explore relational neuroscience and the ways play supports connection, resilience, and growth.

Dr. Maureen Walker will present the keynote, Embracing Relational Complexity. Maureen’s writing and teaching about power, culture, mutuality, controlling images, relational possibility, and productive conflict have deeply influenced how we understand and practice RCT at BCC.

Learning with Amy Banks and Maureen Walker has helped shape our community. We are looking forward to being with them again, this time alongside founding scholars, longtime practitioners, and people developing new applications of Relational-Cultural Theory.

The conference will include keynotes, panels, experiential workshops, plenary sessions, and opportunities to connect with other RCT practitioners.

Topics include:

• The founding voices and early development of Relational-Cultural Theory
• Relational neuroscience 
• The Five Good Things and connection with the natural world
• RCT across the lifespan and in different areas of life
• Applications of relational-cultural practice across disciplines
• Power, social injustice, resilience, and relational healing
• The future of RCT 

The gathering is intended for therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, educators, students, consultants, community practitioners, and others interested in deepening their understanding of relational-cultural theory.

Toward a New Psychology of Women: 50 Years of Connection, Courage, and Change

Dates: October 16–18, 2026
Location: Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Continuing education: 15 CE credit hours for full attendance
Registration and scholarships: See the official conference page for current information.

The conference is hosted by the International Center for Growth in Connection and Brain Based EMDR Training, with the Wellesley Centers for Women serving as a co-sponsor.

See the full conference agenda, speaker list, registration information, and scholarship details on the official Relational-Cultural Theory conference 2026 page.

We hope to see many people from the extended BCC and Relational-Cultural Therapy communities at Wellesley as we celebrate what has grown through 50 years of connection—and help shape what comes next. We’re so excited for a 2026 Relational-Cultural Theory Conference we can hardly stand it.

Why this gathering matters to BCC

At BCC, Relational-Cultural Theory is a practice. We create spaces to practice it through learning, care, play, advocacy, and community—including Learning Circle, the RCT Toybox, and relational gaming.

Continue exploring RCT with BCC

• Start with What is RCT?
• Explore the RCT Glossary
• Learn and practice RCT with BCC
• Try the RCT Toybox
• Explore relational RPGs

Practice RCT in Learning Circle

Learning Circle is open for enrollment. Its small relational cohorts offer a place to practice RCT in relationship—not only learn about it. Even when a cohort time is not workable, membership still includes trainings, recordings, resources, community, and consultation opportunities.

Explore BCC Learning Circle →