Guided Autobiography Summit (GAB)

A Global Celebration of Dr. Birren's GAB Legacy & the Instructors Who Teach this Inspiring Method

Speakers Needed
October 14 - 16, 2026

---This is an Online Event---

Share Your Expertise, Inspire Others, and Help Grow the Reach of Guided Autobiography

Are you a Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructor with a meaningful perspective on the role story plays in shaping lives, relationships, and communities?

Do you have insights, experiences, or approaches that could inspire fellow instructors, support those discovering GAB for the first time, or deepen the collective understanding of life review work?

We invite you to apply to speak at the GAB Summit 2026, hosted by the Birren Center for Guided Autobiography.

This year’s summit theme is:

STORY AS TRANSFORMATION: STORIES THAT CONNECT US
 

At a time when many people feel increasingly disconnected from one another, Guided Autobiography offers something profoundly human: the opportunity to witness, reflect, remember, and connect through story.

This three-day online gathering will bring together GAB instructors, life writers, memoirists, facilitators, and lifelong learners from around the world to explore how story transforms individuals, relationships, and communities.

As a speaker, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Share your unique approach to GAB
• Inspire current and future instructors
• Connect with a global audience
• Contribute to the continued growth and visibility of Guided Autobiography
• Expand your own reach while helping others discover the power of life review work

Each presentation is approximately 20 minutes long.

To apply, you’ll simply need:

• A short bio
• A working title/topic
• A brief description of your proposed talk
• Answers to a few short application questions

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Things to Keep in Mind When Applying

This year, we are organizing talks around four core thematic areas connected to the summit theme, Stories That Connect Us.

Your talk does not need to fit perfectly into a single category, but applicants will be asked to select the area that best aligns with their presentation.

1. Life Themes & Meaning-Making

Exploring the patterns that shape a life

This stream focuses on the heart of Guided Autobiography itself: helping people identify themes, patterns, meaning, and insight across the arc of a life.

Possible speaker angles include:

• Working with GAB themes (family, work, health, purpose, identity, etc.)
• Helping participants recognize meaning across life stages
• Reflection as a tool for understanding one’s story
• Facilitating insight through structured prompts and guided recall
• The ways recurring themes shape identity and legacy

This area anchors the summit in the foundational methodology of GAB.

2. The Craft of Guided Autobiography

How we lead, hold, and facilitate the process

This stream focuses on the practical and relational aspects of facilitating Guided Autobiography groups.

Possible speaker angles include:

• Best practices for leading GAB groups
• Creating trust, safety, and respectful sharing environments
• Managing group dynamics
• Facilitating meaningful discussion and reflection
• Adapting GAB for different populations and settings
• Online facilitation strategies
• Supporting participants through emotionally resonant material

This area speaks directly to instructors, facilitators, and those considering becoming GAB leaders.

3. Writing as Discovery

Uncovering the self through writing

This stream explores writing not simply as storytelling, but as a process of discovery, reflection, and transformation.

Possible speaker angles include:

• Writing techniques that deepen reflection
• Moving from memory to narrative
• Overcoming resistance to writing
• The role of sensory detail and specificity in memory work
• The difference between journaling and Guided Autobiography
• Writing as a tool for insight, connection, and self-understanding

This area keeps the focus on writing as an active process of exploration and discovery.

4. The Impact of Life Review

How GAB transforms individuals, communities, and legacy

This stream focuses on the broader impact of Guided Autobiography and life review work in the world.

Possible speaker angles include:

• Personal transformation through GAB participation
• Intergenerational storytelling and legacy
• GAB in healthcare, education, community, or caregiving settings
• Research or observed outcomes of life review work
• Community-building through shared story
• The role of story in reducing isolation and fostering connection

This area helps communicate why Guided Autobiography matters and the wider impact it can have across generations and communities.

We’re Also Looking for Panel Discussion Ideas

In addition to individual presentations, we also welcome proposals for moderated panel discussions connected to this year’s summit theme:

Story as Transformation: Stories That Connect Us

Panels may explore:

• Shared experiences facilitating GAB
• GAB with specific populations or communities
• Legacy, memory, and intergenerational storytelling
• The evolving role of Guided Autobiography today
• Writing, reflection, and transformation across different life stages
• Reflections and insights from longtime GAB participants

All panels will include a designated moderator to help guide the discussion, create flow between speakers, and support audience engagement.

Panels may include:

• Multiple GAB instructors
• Summit speakers with complementary perspectives
• GAB participants or former participants, where appropriate
• Cross-disciplinary conversations connected to life review, storytelling, or community-building

Applicants are welcome to:

• Propose a full panel idea
• Suggest a topic they would like to participate in
• Volunteer to serve as a moderator
• Indicate interest in joining a panel curated by the summit organizers

We especially welcome panel ideas that encourage thoughtful conversation, multiple perspectives, and meaningful connection within the GAB community.

WHY SPEAK AT THE GAB SUMMIT?

Expand Your Reach and Elevate Your Impact

CONNECT

Connect with a Global Audience:

Reach engaged participants from around the world who are passionate about life writing, memory, reflection, and the transformative power of story.

INSPIRE

Inspire Through Story:

Your experiences, methods, and insights may deeply encourage others—whether they are longtime instructors, new facilitators, or people just beginning to explore Guided Autobiography.

CONTRIBUTE

Contribute to the Growth of GAB:

The summit helps strengthen and expand awareness of Guided Autobiography while fostering collaboration and professional development within the community.

COLLABORATE

Learn Alongside Fellow Instructors:

Join a dynamic lineup of GAB instructors and presenters sharing ideas, approaches, and experiences from diverse contexts and populations.

ELEVATE

Expand Your Reach and Visibility:

Speaking at the summit can help introduce new participants to your work, your classes, and your unique perspective within the broader GAB community.

IMPACT

Help Stories Continue to Matter:

By participating, you contribute to an ongoing movement centered on reflection, connection, legacy, and shared humanity.

Important Dates

• Application Q&A Session: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 6pm Eastern. Click here to RSVP now.
• Application Window: Opens Monday, June 1, 2026 and closes Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at midnight Eastern.
• Speaker Notifications: Monday, July 13, 2026
• Speaker Resource Session: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
• Speaker Material Deadline: Monday, July 27, 2026
• Promotion Training Session: Early/Mid September (TBD)
• Promotion Period: September 29 – October 13, 2026
• Summit Dates: October 14–16, 2026

Ready to Inspire?

Don’t miss this opportunity to make a lasting impact on the GAB community and beyond.

Apply now to be a speaker at the GAB Summit 2024 and join us in empowering others through the art of life writing.

Rest assured, it doesn't have to be perfectly articulated right now, and there is ample time to develop the idea you submit today into your final presentation that isn't until mid-December.

Remember, everything you want is waiting for you outside of your comfort zone!

About the Organizer: Elizabeth Johnston

The GAB Summit is sponsored by the Birren Center for Guided Autobiography and hosted by Elizabeth Johnston, a certified GAB instructor and experienced summit organizer with a longstanding passion for story, reflection, and transformative learning experiences.

The summit exists to celebrate the legacy of Guided Autobiography while helping expand its reach and relevance in today’s world.

Ready to Apply?

We invite you to join us for this meaningful global gathering exploring the ways stories connect us across lives, generations, and communities.

Apply now to speak at the GAB Summit 2026.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

1. First step is to fill in the pre-registration form here. Make sure to have the following on hand before you begin the application process: a) a 100-150 word bio; and b) a 200-300 word talk description.
2. You'll be notified of acceptance by the deadline of July 20, 2026, at which time we'll ask for your headshot.
3. Promo period begins on Nov. 11th. All speakers are expected to promote the event and their talk.
4. Note that all talks must be of interest and benefit to the GAB community.
5. Selling of your classes is not allowed as part of your talk. The freebie you give to the community is the way to attract potential participants and the promoting of your classes begins only once they are on your mailing list, not during the GAB Summit.
6. Q&A session for those with questions on how to fill in their application is May 27 at 6pm Eastern. Click here.