The Taos Institute

What The Taos Institute does

The Taos Institute is a U.S.-based non-profit organization founded in 1993 that develops and disseminates social constructionist theory through educational programs, publications, and a global research community. Its portfolio spans the International Certificate Program in Collaborative Practices (ICCP), a multi-language Diploma Program (offered in eight languages), a PhD program in social construction and relational practice, and individual workshops such as "Introduction to Social Construction" and "Pathways to Relational Resilience." Delivery channels include in-person, virtual, and self-paced online formats.

The institute's underlying intellectual platform is the social constructionist framework — a theoretical lens positing that knowledge and meaning are co-created through dialogue and relationships, developed by founding scholars including Kenneth Gergen, Harlene Anderson, and Sheila McNamee. Operating technology consists of a website (taosinstitute.net), regional chapter infrastructure (Europe, Japan, Latin America Council), the Relational Research Network, and the WorldShare Books open-access publication platform (15+ languages). It does not operate proprietary software, APIs, or AI/ML systems.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across tuition and workshop fees for educational programs (subscription-like recurring engagement), conference registration fees (notably the Co-Creating Social Worlds series), publications and journal distribution, and implicit associate-network contribution models (Taos Associates Grants program). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; fees are quote-based and vary by region and format. Customer segments include mental health and therapeutic professionals, organizational development and leadership practitioners, academic and educational institutions, and (secondarily) healthcare professionals — all consuming relational/dialogical methods for practice.

Name

The Taos Institute

Legal name

The Taos Institute

Website

https://taosinstitute.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Taos Institute is a U.S.-based non-profit founded in 1993 that delivers social constructionist education (certificates, diplomas, PhD), workshops, conferences, and multi-language publications to therapists, educators, organizational development practitioners, and researchers worldwide through regional chapters in Europe, Japan, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chagrin Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs and Courses: Revenue generated from workshop fees, diploma program tuition, certificate program enrollment, and PhD program costs. Programs are offered in multiple formats including in-person, virtual, and self-paced online delivery.
2. Conference Revenue: Registration fees from annual and periodic conferences including the Co-Creating Social Worlds conference series.
3. Publications: Sales and distribution of books, journals, and publications through Taos Institute Publications, WorldShare Books initiative, and books of interest.
4. Membership/Associate Network: Revenue potentially derived from associate membership programs and professional development offerings.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Taos Institute delivers graduate-level educational programs (Diploma, PhD, and Certificate programs), workshops, and courses in social constructionist theory and collaborative practice to professional practitioners worldwide. It complements teaching with multi-language publications, an international conference series, a peer-reviewed journal, and a global relational research network, operating through regional chapters in Europe, Japan, and Latin America.

Product overview

The Taos Institute offers a portfolio of educational programs, publications, and research networks focused on social constructionist approaches to professional practice. The core offerings include Certificate Programs (International Certificate Program in Collaborative Practices, Diploma in Dialogical Generative Perspective), the Diploma Program (available in 8 languages), and the PhD Program, complemented by workshops and courses such as Introduction to Social Construction and Pathways to Relational Resilience. Educational delivery includes both scheduled and self-paced options. The Institute publishes research through Worldshare Books (free multi-language digital books), The Taos Institute Newsletter, the Positive Aging Newsletter, and The International Journal of Collaborative Practices. The Relational Research Network provides a collaborative platform for researchers and practitioners worldwide. Regional operations span Taos Institute Europe, Taos Institute Japan, and Taos Institute Latin America Council. The portfolio does not represent a unified software product but rather a constellation of educational programs and scholarly resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WorldShare Books: A publication initiative providing free downloadable books in multiple languages for knowledge sharing globally.

Products and services

• Self-Paced Course A self-directed online learning option allowing participants to progress through social construction content at their own pace without scheduled live sessions, delivered via the institute website.
• Diploma Program A comprehensive diploma program in social construction and relational practices, available in multiple languages (Chinese, Czech, Danish, English, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish), combining coursework with supervised project work in professional practice settings.
• PhD Program A doctoral program offering supervised research opportunities in social construction and relational practices, resulting in completed dissertations across various professional and community contexts.
• International Certificate Program in Collaborative Practices (ICCP) A specialized certificate program focusing on collaborative and dialogical practices, preparing professionals to facilitate collaborative relationships in organizational and community settings.
• Diploma in Dialogical Generative Perspective and Professional Practice An advanced certificate program emphasizing dialogical approaches and generative perspectives in professional practice settings.
• Introduction to Social Construction An introductory workshop or course covering the foundational principles of social construction, a theoretical approach to understanding how knowledge and meaning are co-created through social interactions and relationships.
• Pathways to Relational Resilience A workshop or course focused on building relational resilience through social constructionist practices, helping participants develop skills for fostering resilient relationships and communities.
• Co-Creating Social Worlds Conference 2026 An international conference bringing together practitioners and researchers in social construction to share knowledge, research, and collaborative practices around creating social worlds through dialogue and relational approaches.
• WorldShare Books A free digital publication platform offering open-access books in multiple languages (Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Sinhala, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil), making social construction literature globally accessible.
• The International Journal of Collaborative Practices A peer-reviewed academic journal publishing research and theoretical articles on collaborative and relational practices in professional and community contexts.
• The Taos Institute Newsletter A regular newsletter publication featuring articles, updates, and resources related to social construction practices, available in archived issues from 2014 to 2025.
• Positive Aging Newsletter A specialized newsletter focusing on positive aging and aging-related topics, with translations available in Danish, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Portuguese, Italian, and Greek.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Taos Institute EuropecoreOthersRegional chapter of The Taos Institute operating across European countries. Coordinates educational programs, events, and research activities throughout Europe, with associates in countries including UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and others.
• Taos Institute Japan (TIJ)coreOthersRegional chapter dedicated to Japan, coordinating social constructionist activities, education, and research in the Japanese context. Part of the institute's international expansion strategy.
• Taos Institute Latin America Council (TILAC)coreOthersRegional council for Latin America managing the institute's activities across Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. Coordinates with associates throughout Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
• Relational Research NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA collaborative research network affiliated with The Taos Institute focused on conducting and disseminating relational research. Features video series, article series, and virtual symposia connecting researchers globally.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saybrook University: Non-profit university offering humanistic, transpersonal, and constructivist psychology programs at master's and doctoral levels. Highly comparable to the Taos Institute in theoretical orientation (constructivist/relational) and credential ladder, though it operates as an accredited university rather than a non-profit institute.
• Hakomi Institute: Non-profit offering mindfulness-based somatic professional training for therapists and clinicians through certifications and workshops. Comparable as a non-profit professional training institute serving mental health practitioners with a defined theoretical orientation and a global training network.
• Ackerman Institute for the Family: Non-profit training institute specializing in family therapy clinical training, certificates, and continuing education for therapists and social workers. Comparable in target learner (mental health professionals), certificate-based credential offerings, and publications.
• Fielding Graduate University: Non-profit graduate university with strong constructivist, humanistic, and organizational programs including doctoral degrees in education and psychology. Directly comparable in mission, learner profile (mid-career professionals), and emphasis on relational and collaborative practice.
• Gestalt Institute of Cleveland: Non-profit offering gestalt therapy training programs, certifications, and workshops for clinicians. Comparable as a non-profit theory-rooted therapy training institute with a defined practitioner community and continuing-education focus.
• Society for Organizational Learning (SoL): Non-profit learning community founded by Peter Senge focused on organizational learning and systems thinking. Highly comparable in community-led GTM, global network of practitioner-associates, conferences, and publications serving OD and leadership professionals.
• William Alanson White Institute: Non-profit psychoanalytic and psychotherapy training institute offering certificate and advanced programs with a relational/intersubjective orientation. Comparable as a non-profit professional training institute serving mental health practitioners via certificates, publications, and a faculty-led training model.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Creative Leadership: Established non-profit leadership development organization offering programs, assessments, and publications serving the same organizational development and leadership customer segment as the Taos Institute, though at significantly greater scale and broader scope.
• International Coach Federation (ICF): Large non-profit professional association offering credentials, training, and a global network for coaches — overlapping with the Taos Institute's relational and OD professional development segments. Comparable as a globally networked, certification-driven non-profit serving relational-practice professionals.

Emerging players

• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute: Training institute offering professional certification programs in sensorimotor psychotherapy for clinicians. Comparable as a specialized, theory-driven clinical training provider serving mental health professionals through workshops and certificates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/taosinstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/TaosInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/taos-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Taos Institute