The Biology of Belonging conference is scheduled for May 7th and 8th, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow. This event aims to delve into the fundamental human need for belonging, examining its biological underpinnings and the profound impact it has on our communities.

Featuring six world-renowned speakers, the conference promises a dynamic blend of scientific insights, practical strategies, and lived experiences:

• Gordon Neufeld is a Vancouver-based developmental psychologist with over 50 years of experience with children and youth and those responsible for them. A foremost authority on child development, Dr. Neufeld is an international speaker, a bestselling author (Hold On To Your Kids) and a leading interpreter of the developmental paradigm.
• Claudia M. Gold, is a paediatrician and writer who practiced general and behavioural paediatrics for over 20 years and now focuses on how relationships and emotional connection shape human development. Dr. Gold’s most recent book is Getting to Know You: Lessons in Early Relational Health from Infants and Caregivers is due to release in March 2025.
• Richard Schwartz is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. He is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, and has published five books, including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model. 
• Darren Burns is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Timpson Group, as well as being the head of the Timpson Foundation. He specialises in both the recruitment and retention of ex-offenders and others who face barriers to employment. Darren also fosters relationships with many UK prisons and organisations such a police and probation services, while also managing the Timpson prison training academies, and has responsibility for overseeing the transition from custody and into the workplace.
• Darcia Narvaez is Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, and Fellow of the American Psychological Association, American Educational Research Association, Association for Psychological Science, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her most recent books include Restoring the Kinship Worldview, and The Evolved Nest: Nature’s Way of Raising Children and Creating Connected Communities. Her book, Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom won the 2015 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association and the 2017 Expanded Reason Award.
• Dan Siegel: A renowned expert in interpersonal neurobiology, Dr. Siegel’s work examines how relationships shape the brain and how understanding this can deepen connection and compassion. Dan Siegel is the executive director of the Mindsight Institute and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Centre at UCLA, where he was also Co-Principal Investigator of the Centre for Culture, Brain and Development and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine. An award-winning educator, Dan is the author of five New York Times bestsellers and over fifteen other books which have been translated into over forty languages.

The event is structured to provide attendees with a comprehensive and engaging experience. Each day will feature insightful talks, complemented by workshops during lunch breaks that align with the day’s themes. On Wednesday evening, participants will have the unique opportunity to engage directly with all speakers during a casual meet-and-greet session, including a Q&A segment. Additionally, Thursday morning will host a business breakfast led by Darren Burns, offering insights into how the Timpson Group applies the theory and science of belonging in practice.

Understanding the biology of belonging is crucial, as social support promotes survival, and natural selection has built a brain that rewards us with the good feeling of oxytocin when we find social support. This conference aims to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical application, empowering individuals and organisations to foster environments where everyone feels they belong.

Whether you’re a professional, educator, or changemaker, this conference is an opportunity to gain practical tools and insights to foster environments where everyone feels they truly belong.

For more details and ticket information, visit the official event page.