17th International
Dąbrowski Congress
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
September 25 to 27, 2026
Welcome to the
17th International Dąbrowski Congress!
“Personality is not a ready gift but an achievement.” – Dąbrowski (1967)
Welcome to the 17th International Dąbrowski Congress 2026! Our theme, In Search of Mental Health: Exploring Multilevel Development in Dąbrowski’s Theory, underscores the theory’s unique approach to mental health – one reflected in the multilevel development of an authentic, autonomous personality guided by higher values.
Today, mental health is often understood in terms of well-being, emotional stability, or successful adjustment. Dąbrowski challenges us to look far deeper. In his Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD), mental health is not defined by well-being but by the presence of conscious personality development. Inner conflict, emotional intensity, and periods of disintegration may signal the emergence of higher values and a more authentic self rather than pathology. From this perspective, mental health may be understood as advanced personality development. We invite participants to reconsider what mental health may mean when viewed through the lens of multilevel development.
In times of extraordinary change across personal, economic, social, political, and spiritual domains, it feels especially meaningful to come together to explore the continuing relevance of Dąbrowski ’s theory in our modern context. This Congress seeks to create a space where scholarship and lived experience intersect—where participants can deepen their understanding of the theory while contributing to an international conversation about human development that is at once rigorous, reflective, and profoundly humane.
Whether you are new to Dąbrowski ’s work or have walked alongside this theory for decades, we invite you to join an international community committed to exploring mental health and multilevel personality development through an integrated psychological, philosophical, pedagogical and social lens.
We are grateful for your participation—whether you have come to listen, to discuss, to present, or to engage in all of these ways. We wish you a rich and meaningful Congress experience.
Conference Focus:
An Integrated Vision
The 17th International Dabrowski Congress 2026 invites participants to explore multilevel personality development through an integrated lens—one that brings together the psychological, philosophical, pedagogical, and social dimensions of Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD).
Dąbrowski’s theory offers a profound reorientation of mental health—not as the absence of symptoms, but as the development of an authentic, autonomous personality guided by higher values. This Congress creates a space to examine that process as it unfolds across disciplines, contexts, and lived experience.
Rather than separating theory from practice, or scholarship from life, this Congress is intentionally designed as a shared intellectual and human experience. Participants will remain connected throughout the Congress, fostering continuity, dialogue, and deep engagement. In this environment, ideas are not only presented—they are encountered, questioned, and transformed in community.
Through this integrated vision, the Congress seeks to:
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Illuminate the inner dynamics of multilevel development
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Bridge theory, research, and lived experience
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Explore the educational, relational, and societal implications of personality development
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Foster a community of inquiry grounded in authenticity, empathy, and higher values
Signature Speakers
Leading voices exploring the depth and future of Dabrowski’s work and its relevance in today’s world
Call for Presentations
Exploring Multilevel Development Through Four Interconnected Lenses
We seek presentations that move beyond basic definitions to explore the vertical complexity of human growth. We invite scholars, educators, practitioners, parents, and students to submit proposals that engage with Dąbrowski’s theory through one or more of the following lenses:
1. Psychological Lens: The Architecture of Inner Change
Focus on the inner processes of development
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Emotional development, inner conflict, and disintegration as growth
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Overexcitabilities, inner dynamisms, and developmental potential
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Mental health as multilevel personality development
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Clinical, counselling, or therapeutic applications of TPD
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Research advancing or critically examining psychological aspects of the theory
2. Philosophical Lens: Values and the “Ought”
Focus on meaning, values, and the nature of becoming
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The role of values in personality development
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Authenticity, autonomy, and the “third factor”
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Ethical and existential dimensions of development
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Comparative or interdisciplinary philosophical perspectives
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The nature of self, identity, and human flourishing through a TPD lens
3. Pedagogical Lens: Authenticity in the Workplace & Classroom
Focus on education and the development of the whole person
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Gifted education and developmental “Inside-out” approaches to learning
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Supporting asynchronous and affective development in students
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Classroom practices that foster autonomy, empathy, and higher values
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Curriculum design aligned with multilevel development
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Teacher development and leadership in gifted and general education contexts
4. Social Lens: Collective Positive Maladjustment
Focus on relationships, culture, and the broader human context
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The role of family, community, and culture in development
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Social responsibility, empathy, and moral development
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TPD in contemporary societal challenges, movement toward multilevel leadership
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Foster environments that support developmental intensity and personality development
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Lived experiences of multilevel development across contexts
Call for Presentations Submission Form
17th International Dabrowski Congress 2026
In Search of Mental Health: Exploring Multilevel Development in Dąbrowski’s Theory
Congress Format
The Congress will feature a blend of shared and concurrent sessions.
All participants will attend four Signature Sessions, creating a common foundation for reflection and dialogue. Alongside these, two concurrent strands will offer opportunities to explore specific themes and areas of interest.
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Presentations will be concise (30 minutes)
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Sessions are designed to encourage dialogue, reflection, and collective meaning-making
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Discussion time will be built into the program
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Opportunities for informal exchange (including those late-night theory chats) are an essential part of the Congress experience
Submission Guidelines
Abstract Requirements
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Length: 250 words
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Format: Clearly outline:
o Purpose or focus of the presentation
o Connection to Dąbrowski’s theory
o Relevant lens (or lenses)
o Key insights, questions, or implications
Additional Information
· Title of presentation
· Author(s) name(s) and affiliation(s), 100-word bio(s)
· Preferred lens (Psychological, Philosophical, Pedagogical, Social)
· Presentation format (individual paper, brief reflection, practice-based contribution or power point presentation)
Recorded Sessions
With presenter permission, sessions will be recorded as a way of extending the conversation beyond the Congress itself. These recordings will be shared with registered participants during and for a period after the event, creating space for ideas to be revisited, reflected upon, and engaged with more deeply over time.
Important Dates
Call for Presentations Released:
April 23, 2026
Submission Deadline:
June 1, 2026
Notification of Acceptance:
July 6, 2026
Final Program Released:
August 17, 2026
Congress Dates:
September 25–27, 2026
Closing Invitation
We invite contributions that are not only scholarly, but also reflective, experiential, and deeply human. In keeping with the spirit of Dąbrowski’s work, we value presentations that engage both intellectual rigor and inner experience.
Registration
Join us in Calgary for the 17th International Dabrowski Congress 2026.
Registration is completed through Eventbrite. Congress fees include meals as noted below.
Eventbrite registration link: See website
Congress Registration Fees
Choose the registration option that works best for you.
Early Bird Registration
$325 CAD
All meals included
Available April 27 to May 31, 2026
Regular Registration
$375 CAD
All meals included
Available June 1 to August 15, 2026
Dabrowski 101 Workshop
$75 CAD
Available April 27 to August 15, 2026
Hotel Accommodations
Special Congress rates are available at the host hotel for attendees.
When booking, please indicate that you are attending the Dabrowski Congress 2026.
The hotel has extended the special Congress rate for stays before and after the Congress dates, as noted below.
Hotel reservations must be made by August 25, 2026.
Host Hotel Options
Stay at the Congress venue and enjoy special attendee pricing.
The hotel is one large building with two accommodation options:
Courtyard by Marriott Calgary South
Congress Rate:
$199 CAD
Dates Available:
Thursday, September 24, 2026 to Monday, September 28, 2026
Included: Parking
Phone: 1-587-349-7599
Booking Link: Marriott.com/YYCCS
Residence Inn by Marriott Calgary South
Congress Rate:
$199 CAD
Dates Available:
Thursday, September 24, 2026 to Monday, September 28, 2026
Included: Continental breakfast and parking
Phone: 1-587-349-8633
Booking Link: Marriott.com/YYCCR
Residence Inn Suite Option
Ideal for longer stays or shared accommodations.
The Residence Inn offers suites with kitchenettes, with a choice of:
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One-bedroom suites
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Two-bedroom suites, ideal for shared accommodation
In either case, the Congress rate is $199 CAD.
Airport Transportation
Call: (403) 777-1111
Airport transportation is available for hotel guests. Marriott South Seton has an agreement with Calgary United Cabs, which provides hotel guests with a 15% discount on transportation to and from the airport. If using Calgary United Cabs, please tell the driver the hotel name and mention the hotel guest discount.
Parking Information
Complimentary parking is available for driving guests. Guests who are driving will not be charged for parking by validating their license plates with the hotel front desk, whether or not they are staying at the hotel.