Thursday Evening Opening Event: Laura Packer, Storyteller, Writer

Friday Keynote Speaker: Dr. Diane Kaufman, Founder and Director of Arts Medicine for Health & Healing

Full Keynote Address: Paper and Power Point Presentation

Keynote Testimonial: Carol Barrett, Ph.D. of Union Institute and University

Saturday Keynote Poet: Xanath Caraza, Educator, Poet and Short Story Writer

Saturday Celebratory Closing Event: Maura Garcia, Dance artist empowering participants through movement

Join us at Unity Village for the next NAPT annual conference and enjoy this beautiful 1,200 acre peaceful and natural environment. This lush Mediterranean-style campus offers a quiet refuge and nurturing activities for body, mind, and spirit. Several didactic, experiential, and training workshops in the field of poetry therapy, journal therapy and other forms of expressive writing for healing and personal growth will be offered.

The scenic campus is located at 1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, Missouri, 15 miles southeast of downtown Kansas City, Missouri.  The closest international airport to fly into is MCI airport, 45 minutes away. Look for further details in the coming months on event programming, scholarships, and special events. There will be shuttle service recommended for transportation to and from the airport, and information on how to share shuttle service for discounted fares will be available as well. Unity Village will be partnering with the Hampton Inn Kansas City-Lee’s Summit for lodging in case there is any overflow of attendees.