About this event
Working with clients who are victims of crimes brings up many questions for therapists.
What can or can’t we talk about in sessions? What if my therapy notes are requested as evidence? What if I’m contacted by the Police or called to give evidence in court? How do I manage my own responses to the criminal justice process? How do I protect my client’s confidentiality?
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidelines on ‘pre-trial therapy’ have a long history of restricting access to therapeutic services, particularly for survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. The result is decades of therapists being unsure of how to support clients who are victims of crimes, perhaps amongst fears of jeopardising the client’s process of seeking justice. In this context it is easy to lose our own footing as providers of emotional and psychological support.
The CPS pre-trial therapy guidelines were last updated in 2022, and therapists are ethically required to be aware of any guidance / law related to clients. However, many therapists are still learning how best to confidently apply the guidelines to practice.
Join us to learn how to centre your clients, and therapeutic work, within the context an often-disempowering criminal justice system. We will take care to explore how to minimise intrusions into the confidentiality of the therapeutic space wherever possible.
Please note that the CPS guidelines are only applicable to victims navigating the criminal justice system in England & Wales. The guidelines do not apply to accused / convicted offenders.
Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event
- Up-to-date information what pre-trial therapy is (and isn’t).
- Managing contracting, note-taking, and requests / court orders for therapy notes as evidence in criminal proceedings.
- Adhering to GDPR guidance, Information Commissioner’s Office guidance, and therapeutic ethical frameworks.
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
- Trainee and qualified practitioners who are unsure of how to best apply the guidelines to practice.
How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?
- Adhering to our ethical responsibility to be aware of any legal guidance and procedures that apply to our clients.
- Managing recording and sharing confidential information when used for the administration of justice.
- Supporting therapists to retain power for themselves and clients within an often-disempowering process.
RECORDING
This event will be recorded and you can use the ticket function to pre-purchase the recording before the event. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.
ZOOM
This event will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.
SELF-SELECT FEE
The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.
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At Onlinevents, we and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a way that aligns with the ethical codes and frameworks of our respective professional organisations. We expect all colleagues attending our events to uphold the ethical principles of their professional membership.
If you are not a member of a professional organisation, we ask that you participate in a way that is both authentic and respectful, fostering a space of mutual learning and professional engagement.
By registering for this event, you agree to be present and interact in a manner that reflects these principles.
Erene Hadjiioannou
Erene (she/her) is an Integrative Psychotherapist and Supervisor with specialist skills are in working with the traumatic impact of sexual and domestic abuse, including clients navigating the criminal justice process. She has worked with adult clients since 2010 in many clinical settings.
Erene is also a writer, speaker, trainer, and activist. Publications include ‘Psychotherapy with Survivors of Sexual Violence: Inside & Outside the Room’ (Routledge, 2021).
Between 2019 and 2022 Erene was part of an independent steering group that successfully contributed to changing the Crown Prosecution Service guidelines (England & Wales) on ‘pre- trial therapy’.
Between 2014 and 2018 Erene set up and co-ordinated two services in Leeds where every person referred had experienced abuse (sexual, physical, emotional, financial). At present, she is based solely in her private practice called Therapy Leeds.
A full list of working experience, speaking engagements, and publications are available here: www.therapy-leeds.co.uk/about.
Website | www.therapy-leeds.co.uk
Instagram | therapyleeds
