Therapy in Colour: Anti-Racist & Intersectional Approaches

Stephen Maynard is the founder of Stephen Maynard & Associates, a trained counsellor, consultant and educator, working in the public sector and with NGOs.

He has worked with a number of central government departments including The Department of Health, The Home Office, The Department of Children, Schools and Families and The Department of Local Government and Communities. Also a member of National and Regional (West Midlands) Forums for Mental Health and Spirituality, Advisor to the Department of Health IAPT Programme (Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies) BME Communities, and author of their Muslim Mental Health Scoping Report, He co-founded the Islamic counseling courses.

He is the founder member of The Lateef Project, unique in offering Islamic counselling as part of mainstream services for the NHS in Birmingham.

Dr Anvita Madan-Bahel specializes in multicultural psychology. A majority of her work is around diversity training, cross-cultural issues, and immigrant mental health. She is also a psychosexual therapist and works towards reducing sexual violence & shame and stigma attached to sex and sexuality. She is most passionate about designing culturally based programs that address minority-based issues. She designed one such program for her dissertation, using Bollywood films clips to discuss comprehensive sexuality education with South Asian girls in New York. The dissertation was published as a book: Sexual Health and Bollywood Films: A Culturally Based Program for South Asian Teenage Girls. NY: Cambria Press. She currently lives in London and works as a therapist, trainer and lecturer.

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 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 Ruth Smith lives in South Wales and has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in counselling and psychotherapy and a PhD in Social Justice. Ruth’s research interests are socio-politics and social justice, particularly how these intersect with counselling and psychotherapy. Ruth has worked as a therapist with survivors of trauma, including survivors of war, torture and human trafficking. She now works in private practice, specialising in working with survivors of domestic abuse and coercive control.

Dr Valerie Watson is an independent counselling and psychotherapy practitioner, supervisor, coach, consultant and trainer. She has worked in education, public health and service and social work settings for over 30 years and has extensive voluntary work experience with community-based organisations and projects. She has a passion for racial justice, a continuing interest in community work, health, learning about equalities issues and change. Val is a member of BACP Coaching Division Executive and holds a number of voluntary senior leadership roles at Director and Chairperson level.

Dr Dwight Turner is Course Leader on the Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy Course at the University of Brighton, a PhD Supervisor at their Doctoral College, a psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice. His latest book Intersections of Privilege and Otherness in Counselling and Psychotherapy was released in February 2021 and is published by Routledge.

An activist, writer and public speaker on issues of race, difference and intersectionality in counselling and psychotherapy.

Dr Isha Mckenzie-Mavinga, has thirty-three years’ experience as a Transcultural Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Lecturer, Writer and Reiki Master. As a published writer & poet, she is the author of ‘Black Issues in the Therapeutic Process’ (2009) and ‘The Challenge of Racism in Therapeutic Practice’ (2016). She also co-authored an autobiography’ ‘In Search of Mr Mckenzie’ (1991) She contributed papers and poetry to several anthologies, including ‘The Handbook of Transcultural Counselling and Psychotherapy’ (2011: Ed Colin Lago), ‘Making Research Matter’ (2015: Ed Stephen Goss & Christine Stevens), ‘Intercultural Therapy’ ( 2019: Ed Baffour Ababio & Roland Littlewood), ‘What is Normal’ (2020: Ed Roz Carroll & Jane Ryan).’The International Handbook of Black Community Mental Health’ (2020:Ed Majors, Carberry & Ransaw). ‘Therapy in Colour’ co-editor & contributing author. Mckenzie-Mavinga, Eugene Ellis, Kris Black, Karen Carberry 2023.

Isha has a presentation on the Confer online Module ‘Women on the Couch’ 2020 and has shared her work on various podcasts and at conferences including BME Voices Trauma conference 2020.Recent: Keynote speaker at Hult Ashridge 7thRelational Coaching Conference 2022: Young MINDS round Table discussion 2023.

Isha initiated therapeutic services at the African Caribbean Mental Health Association in Brixton, and at Women’s Trust, working with women impacted by violence in relationships. She was a student counsellor and senior lecturer at London Metropolitan University and taught at Goldsmiths University of London. She has presented Black Issues workshops, based on concepts created during her doctoral research and published in her books. She has presented talks in statutory and voluntary organisations, Universities, prisons and community support projects. As her legacy work, Isha has trained a group of master facilitators to present her concept of a Black Empathic Approach to expand thinking and practice that embraces an emergence from the impact of racism and furthers intersectional, anti-oppressive therapeutic practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy, psychology, and the caring professions.

Dr. Lucia Berdondini, PhD., is currently Associate Professor and Course Leader of the Distance Learning MSc Humanitarian Intervention at the School of Psychology, University of East London. At UEL she is also teaching on the BSc (Hons) Counselling. Lucia is a BACP Accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist since 2003 and she has been working with a variety of clients, individuals, couples and groups, adolescents and adults. Her areas of interest are psychosocial intervention in countries in war and conflict; existential therapies; intercultural counselling training. She has been involved in co-creating psychosocial interventions in countries like Afghanistan, Angola, India and Syria.

Eugene Ellis is a psychotherapist, writer and public speaker on issues of race, difference and intersectionality. He is also an Honorary Fellow of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. For the past 20 years, Eugene has been the director and founder of the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network, the UK’s largest independent organisation to specialise in working therapeutically with Black, African, Caribbean and South Asian people.

His book, ‘The Race Conversation: An essential guide to creating life-changing dialogue’ (2021), explores the race construct both through its cognitive and historical development and also, more crucially, on the intergenerational, non-verbal communication of race, both as a means of social control and as an essential part of navigating oppressive patterns.

Jaspreet (Jazz) is a senior counselling psychologist currently working in Older Persons CMHT in Northamptonshire NHS. Currently he is co-leading on a project to develop a psychosis and mood disorder pathway across the county for older persons. He has research interests in hard to reach communities (PoC, LGBTQIA+, Older Persons) accessing therapy and works from a relational perspective.

Karen Shireen Minikin, (MSc. UKCP Reg TSTA (P)) is a psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer in private practice. She is has written a number of articles on alienation and radical perspectives in psychotherapy. She is a co-editor of two journals: “Psychotherapy and Politics International” and the “Transactional Analysis Journal.” She is currently based in West Somerset.

Counsellor, Mentor, Support Worker, Author

Hello, I’m Kiren. I’m a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited person-centred counsellor in private practice and a single, disabled mum of 3 boys. I am also a Mentor and Support Worker within the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network’s (BAATN) Each One Teach One (EOTO) Programme. My work is with clients and mentees experiencing trauma and discrimination within the workplace and in educational settings, including counselling training institutions and placements. A self-penned account of my survival of explicit racism in counselling training, entitled ‘Counsellor Training and Beyond’ is published in ‘Therapy in Colour: Intersectional, Anti-Racist and Intercultural Approaches by Therapists of Colour’ (2023; Jessica Kingsley Publishers). I look forward to meeting you for BWTOC UK 24. Alongside colleagues Salma Joosub and a contribution from Debrina Lloyd-Davies, I will be presenting a 90-minute Seminar exploring the experiences of Black and BIPOC trainee therapists Healing from Therapy Training.

Dr. Lucia Berdondini, PhD., is currently Associate Professor and Course Leader of the Distance Learning MSc Humanitarian Intervention at the School of Psychology, University of East London. At UEL she is also teaching on the BSc (Hons) Counselling. Lucia is a BACP Accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist since 2003 and she has been working with a variety of clients, individuals, couples and groups, adolescents and adults. Her areas of interest are psychosocial intervention in countries in war and conflict; existential therapies; intercultural counselling training. She has been involved in co-creating psychosocial interventions in countries like Afghanistan, Angola, India and Syria.

Lydia Puricelli (aka Conscious Culture Coach) is an Anti-racist integrative transpersonal trainee psychotherapist, coach, social justice activist, speaker, writer, author and trainer.

She focuses on the unique challenges Black & People of Colour as well as other marginalised groups face in training institutions and the workplace. She also specializes in treating the Mental Health and Wellbeing of B&POC and LGBTQIA+ communities through Frontline therapy and Opening Doors London. Where she works as counsellor and advisor.

Lydia is one of the Master graduates under Dr. Isha McKenzie-Mavinga delivering anti-racist training to therapists through BAATN on “The challenge of racism in therapy’. She also chairs the Student of Color and Allies Network at the Centre of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education where she works support students of colour in their training and challenge the institution on their oppressive teaching practices and curriculum.

Lydia has led and launched employee affinity networks for marginalised gro

Mark Williams is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work with Leeds Beckett University since 2004. He has extensive experience in mental health social work practice and worked in both statutory and third sector mental health provision, prior to joining the university, including having the privilege to be involved in the development and launch of the first Assertive Outreach provision in Leeds (in 2000), and earlier the development of a multicultural mental health community resource (in 1998).

As a British African Caribbean man Mark has a particular interest in the lived experiences of Black and Global Majority (BGM) communities living in the UK. His interests has led him to become involved in the development and delivery of mental health services targeted towards the needs of BGM groups which has now extended to concerns about the diversity and inclusion of BGM individuals in higher education.

Myira is a multi-award-winning Accredited Counsellor, Supervisor, Coach and Counselling Tutor, and the Founder of the Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN).

Myira works in private practice, under her organisations ‘Myira Khan Counselling’ and ‘Grow to Glow’ and has over 12 years of clinical experience. Myira also delivers workshops and events internationally and is a regular speaker and facilitator at national conferences. As the Founder of the Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN), Myira runs the network for Muslim counsellors, therapists and psychologists, offering support, CPD opportunities and raising the visibility of Muslim practitioners. A visibly Muslim ethnically-minoritized practitioner, Myira represents a diversity within the therapeutic and coaching professions, promoting counselling and coaching to ethnically-minoritized, Muslim and under-represented marginalised communities and clients.

Neelam Zahid is an Integrative Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor accredited by the BACP and have worked as a therapist since 2003. She previously worked within higher education for over a decade and currently has her own private practice. She is also the Deputy Course Leader for the Foundation year at the Minster Centre and teaches on the Introduction to Counselling Skills Course. In addition to this, she’s currently a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster teaching on the B.Sc. Psychology and Counselling and Introduction to Counselling Skills Course. Her areas of interest are Intersectionality, Difference, and Diversity and has contributed to the following publications:

Therapists Challenging Racism and Oppression: the unheard voices (2023, eds Neelam Zahid and Rachel Jane Cooke).
The Handbook of Transcultural Counselling and Psychotherapy (2001, eds Colin Lago).
Black Identities + White Therapies: Race, Respect + Diversity (2021, eds Colin Lago and Divine Charura).

Nomsa Wayland is a Professional Doctorate Counselling Psychology Trainee, qualified Integrative therapist, and part-time lecturer at the University of East London (UEL). She contributes her knowledge to the foundation Counselling Skills and the Intercultural Counselling Practice and Processes modules within the Humanitarian Intervention programme. She is passionate about addressing race and racism in therapy.

Nomsa has delivered lectures on race and culture while working to create a more inclusive therapeutic environment, demonstrating her commitment to fostering meaningful conversations and promoting positive change.

Her current research project, “Understanding Counselling Professionals’ Experiences of Working with Black Clients Presenting with Race-Based Traumatic Stress,” aims to contribute to a larger conversation about equality, diversity, and inclusion within the counselling psychology field and to improve education and the counselling process for minority clients. Nomsa’s research and dedication make her an asset to UEL and the counselling psychology field, as she advocates for cultural competence and social justice.

Rachel Jane Cooke (she/they), MA, is a queer, integrative psychotherapist, supervisor and educator from Ireland, in practice since 2009. She is based in London, runs an online therapy platform (p-therapy.com), consults to charities and social enterprises, and has a weekly radio segment where she often discusses identity, privilege and oppression. She regularly speaks on podcasts and hosts talks and workshops for the public, for therapists and for organisations on topics such as intersectionality, trauma, attachment, health and wellness under neoliberalism, embodiment, feminist therapy and Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity (GSRD). Rachel is passionate about training therapists committed to social justice, particularly through embodied and relational practice.

As the co-founder of the Islamic Counselling training programme, the first Islamic accredited training in the UK, I developed a theoretical underpinning for Islamic Counselling as well as a curriculum, and currently teach students in Islamic Counselling up to practitioner level.

Our model of Islamic Counselling (there’s more than one) reflects our contemporary, non-sectarian outlook, responding to the needs of our diverse communities. It’s inspired by our deep spiritual apprenticeship with Sufi Master, Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, with whom I learnt the importance of internalising the inner teachings of Islam, and further readings in Islamic Psychology.

I’ve lectured/trained in Islamic Counselling & Spirituality in Counselling in many mainstream and Muslim organisations, including the Universities of Tübingen, Durham, and Punjab, as well as the Muslim Youth Helpline, SOAS Islamic Society, Islamic Medical Association, and Markfield College for New Muslims. I’ve enabled Muslim grassroots organisations to offer Islamic counselling skills to their members like Wingz in Northampton, Pearls of Peace in Gloucester, and Whitechapel Islamic Centre. The facebook group I established on Islamic Counselling has almost 2000 members worldwide.

Abdullah and I contributed a chapter for the book ‘Counselling Muslims‘. I’ve spoken on Islamic TV/Radio programmes to raise awareness on Muslim mental health, and was Chair of the Muslim Women and Families Helpline for over 10 years. Originally trained in youth work and then in person-centred counselling, I’ve worked extensively in the drugs and alcohol field, briefly been a student counsellor, and have provided local government and other bodies with research, training, policy development, and consultancy in the area of teenage pregnancy, looked after children, sex and relationships, adult education, and diversity. I also offer consultancy on adult education to councils throughout Britain.

Sarah Henry is a published author, person-centred counsellor and counselling tutor. She is a contributor to the book People Not Pathology: Freeing Therapy From The Medical Model (PCCS Books, 2023), with a chapter focused on the overmedicalisation of Black people. Sarah has also presented nationally about the impact of race and ethnicity within the counselling and tutoring relationship. Born in England to a Black British mother and Jamaican father, Sarah’s formative experience was a notable dynamic of complementary and clashing norms. Elements of this disparity continue into adulthood and inform her work, both implicitly and explicitly.

Anti-Racist Trainer, Author, Head of Therapeutic Services

Hello, I’m Tonia, Co-Host for BWTOC UK 24. I’m a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited counsellor and I work as head of therapeutic services at MAP, a youth charity based in Norfolk, UK. I qualified as a person-centred counsellor in 2007 and have devised, and delivered, anti-racist training since the mid-nineties. I am a member of the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) with whom I have been a mentor since 2016. My counselling practice is situated in the context of a lifelong, active commitment to personal and community development, global justice and equality. I am author of the chapter ‘Effective AntiRacist Practice in Counselling and Therapy Training’ in ‘Therapy in Colour: Intersectional, AntiRacist and Intercultural Approaches by Therapists of Colour’ (2023, Jessica Kingsley Publishers). I’m pleased and excited to be Co-Host for the 1st Ever BWTOC UK. I’ll also be facilitating a 45- minute Salon, championing Rest as Resistance.

Yvon is a psycho-dynamic counsellor living and working in Bristol. After gaining her PhD in trauma and resilience built an intersectional practice. Yvon writes about the mixed race experience in the UK. She also creates multimedia resources for understanding and working with colourism in the UK. In her spare time, she loves going for long walks, cooking, and family time.