2022 Bereavement Conference “Decolonising Grief: From Marginalisation to Inclusivity”

Andy Langford, Clinical Director, Cruse Bereavement Care UK. The responses of CRUSE to the Covid Pandemic.

Andy Langford is Clinical Director for Cruse Bereavement Support, the UK’s largest bereavement support charity. Andy has worked in the voluntary sector for over 25 years, within bereavement, suicide risk management, multiple needs, prison services, mental health and substance misuse. He is a currently practicing qualified Integrative Counsellor, Clinical Supervisor, Life Coach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, and has an MSc in Voluntary Sector Management.

Andy Langford is also a post-graduate researcher with the Open University, focusing on telephone bereavement support.

Cathy McQuaid is a trainer, supervisor, psychotherapy training consultant and researcher. Her interest in research and training led to her first book What You Really Need to Know About Counselling and Psychotherapy Training: An Essential Guide published by Routledge in 2014. Her most recent research project has resulted her latest book Understanding Bereaved Parents and Siblings: A Handbook for Professionals, Family and Friends due out in May 2021. In addition to writing and researching Cathy runs a supervision and consultancy practice in the North West offering research, clinical and training supervision along with various CPD training courses and workshops.

Counsellor, Coach and Trainer

With over three decades of experience, Delroy Hall is a trained counsellor, wellbeing practitioner, trainer, and independent scholar.

Delroy has given lectures and academic papers nationally and internationally and has extensive keynote speaker experience Including Harvard University, Boston College Massachusetts, USA, Durham university and South Yorkshire Police.

Delroy has coordinated mental health projects and is currently working with Birmingham Community Health Care Trust (BCHC) facilitating the Inclusive Leadership component on their ‘Inspire Leadership Programme. He is coordinator for a Black Male Suicide Prevention programme under the auspices Sheffield Health and Social Care (SCHC).

Dr. John Wilson PhD. John has specialised in bereavement and loss for 20 years, as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer. He is author of Supporting People through Loss and Grief: An Introduction for Counsellors and Other Caring Practitioners.

He completed his PhD in 2000 after six years of case study research with bereaved clients. John is a visiting research fellow at York St John University and Director of Bereavement Services at York St John University Counselling and Mental Health Clinic.

Since early March, John has taken a close interest in adapting the outcomes of his doctoral thesis to supporting clients bereaved of a loved one from Covid-19 and those bereaved from other causes during the lockdown.

With other counsellors he runs a closed support group on social media, for those bereaved during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Rachel-Rose Burrell is an accredited, registered psychotherapist and author. She has a background in nursing and many years experience of developing counselling services in the public, voluntary and faith sectors. She is currently Head of Psychotherapy within the Ministry of Justice. Dr Burrell is a member of the leadership team at her local church and heads up the well-being service which she developed in 2019 supporting congregants, third families and the local community.
Dr Burrell provides training on a range of topics including: mental health awareness, wholistic self care, conflict management and counselling skills for leaders.

Dr Burrell is the founder of Sozo Therapeuo a resource (primarily but not exclusively) for churches, promoting, improving and maintaining good mental health awareness and support through education, training and therapy.

Dr. Marion Wilson completed her Graduate Diploma and MA in Counselling, and Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Supervision, at York St John University. In 2017 she undertook six months’ research in a Category C prison to better understand the bereavement experiences of male prisoners. Marion is currently employed by Cruse Bereavement Support, managing the Grief Inside project. This MoJ-funded project aims to provide a range of bereavement support services across seven prisons, comprising Category B, C and D male establishments, as well as female open and closed prisons. The project is being evaluated by a team from the University of York St John and the University of Lincoln.

Papers published:

Wilson M, Johnston H & Walker L (2020) ‘It was like an animal in pain’: Institutional thoughtlessness and experiences of bereavement in prison. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 1-21.

Wilson M (2011) Exploring the efficacy of a bereavement support group for male, category C prisoners: a pilot study. Bereavement Care, 30(3): 10-16.

Wilson M (2010) ‘This is not just about death — it’s about how we deal with the rest of our lives’: Coping with bereavement in prison. Prison Service Journal, 190: 10-16.

Limor is a PhD candidate at York St John University. She is a mother, a woman of colour and a bereaved person whose qualitative work gathers narratives from people bereaved in the context of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Her work centres the experiences of Caribbean British and African British people who experienced a significant loss that was shaped by pandemic restrictions. Limor is committed to engaging with decolonial and antiracist work in her PhD and teaching and to connecting with individuals and communities undertaking this work.

CEO of the Good Grief Trust

Linda founded The Good Grief Trust following the death of her partner Graham in 2014, from a rare form of cancer. Linda’s personal grief led her to realise that more could be done to help the bereaved. By bringing together UK bereavement services and information in one place, the Trust’s vision is to ensure that anyone grieving under any circumstance can receive a choice of immediate support, tailored to their own personal experience, in order to help them to move forward with their lives.

Stefan Charidge aka ‘The Metaphor Man’  . Stefan is an internationally recognised facilitator and trainer and has been in private practice for over twenty years. Delivering trainings on various topics including Anger Management, Gestalt Therapy, Archetypes and Psychodrama, within many environments and online. He is an accredited psychotherapist and counselling and qualified supervisor, with a unique blend of Gestalt and Jungian therapy.

I am available for individual work, groups and Supervision (Ind or Group) as well as live workshops.

If you have an organisation that would be interested in a full day/weekend workshop, on one topic or another. Do get in touch.

Mental health, wellbeing, and community facing services, groups, and projects for communities within York and North Yorkshire.

Founded in 2016, we are based on the York St John University campus.

We offer high quality and affordable counselling, coaching and different mental health and wellbeing services to communities outside York St John University, as well as free groups, drop-ins, and community projects such as our Community Language School.