2021 International Conference on Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy

BACP Senior Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with research interests in conditions of neuro-diversity. Alex will be presenting 60-minute Practice in Research Workshop titled: “Anger Management: when ADHD or Autism underpins domestic conflict and violence.”

Alison O’Connor is a Lecturer in Therapeutic Practice & Consultative Supervision with University of South Wales; Pluralistic Counsellor trained in CBT, informed by Humanistic philosophy in group work. Alison will be presenting a 60-minute Practice in Research Workshop titled: “Title: Reflecting on moral injury, trauma and loss through a pluralistic lens.”

Professor Andrew Reeves, Associate Professor in the Counselling Professions and Mental Health, Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (Advance HE), Fellow, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Personal and Professional Reflections on Covid-19 Loss and Grief

Dr. Andrew Reeves is a Professor in the Counselling Professions and Mental Health, a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist and a Registered Social Worker.

His practice experience spans over 35 years, when he first trained as a Samaritans volunteer at 18, before moving into social and work therapy. His research focus in working with risk in therapy, having experienced the suicide of a client during his training. Since then, he was published extensively in this area. He is previous Editor-in-Chief of Counselling and Psychotherapy Research journal, past-Chair of BACP and is Chair of the York St John Advisory Board Counselling and Mental Health Research Clinic. He supervises mostly doctoral research in counselling, psychotherapy and psychological trauma.

Ani is a psychotherapist, creative arts counsellor and supervisor who brings a person-centred and pluralistic philosophy to her work. She is passionate about creative approaches to therapy and training. She has over twenty years’ experience working with children, young people, adults and groups. Her experience includes working in schools, drug treatment programmes, probation services, offender programmes, EAP for Essex Police and Essex Fire Services, and she currently has a small private practice.

Ani is the founder of the Association for Person Centred Creative Arts where she is course director, and is also a senior lecturer at the University of East London. Ani has worked on several projects for the BACP and is an Executive Member of the Private Practice Division. Her research interests include creative arts in therapy, digital media in therapy and pluralistic practice.

The Pluralistic Therapy Primer (PCCS Books 2021)

What Works in Counselling and Psychotherapy Relationships (BACP 2020)

The Handbook of Counselling Children and Young People (Sage, 2018)

Ani de la Prida

Ani de la Prida is a psychotherapist, creative arts counsellor and supervisor who brings a person-centred and pluralistic philosophy to her work. Ani founded the Association for Person Centred Creative Arts (APCCA) and is passionate about creative approaches to therapy. She has over twenty years’ experience working with children, young people, adults and groups in a wide variety of settings. She has a particular interest and experience in working with trauma. Ani is also a senior lecturer and teaches at various universities and at APCCA where she is course director. Her research interests include creative arts and digital media in therapy. Ani is currently writing Person-Centred Art Therapy - contemporary practice in a digital age (expected 2024 Jessica Kingsley Publishers).

Senior lecturer and programme director for the counsellor education programmes at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand will be presenting on research into practice strand, exploring the development of a collaborative research database, titled: “How can we cultivate a collaborative and open sharing about how we conduct research?”

Life Coach and Wellbeing Advisor, currently studying her MSc Counselling at Abertay University and working towards Alcohol counselling accreditation – will be presenting a 30-minute Research into Practice workshop titled: “Incorporating positive psychology into the Pluralistic Framework – taking a client from functioning to flourishing.”

Dr Hannah Gilbert will be presenting a 60-minute Research into Practice talk titled: “Meeting cross-cultural selves: Building links between anthropology and Pluralistic psychotherapy.”

Kate Smith PhD. is an academic at Abertay University in Scotland where she oversees the MSc in Pluralistic Therapy and the Tayside Centre for Counselling. She has led a number of initiatives within the pluralistic practice community, as well as being the co-author of The Pluralistic Therapy Primer, 50 Frequently Asked Questions in Pluralistic Therapy, and a co-Editor in Chief of the Pluralistic Practice Journal.

Hilary McNally is a Pluralistic Counsellor at the University of Abertay, Dundee will be presenting a Research in Practice paper titled: “Exploring the experience of counselling students in the use of deliberate practice.”

Imogen Harries – Family Therapist for Adult Secondary Care – Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and is studying for her Docterate at University of South Wales – will be presenting a 30-minute Research in Practice Paper titled: “A Solid Post in the Ground: Pluralism and the supervision of experienced secondary school-based counsellors: Emerging ideas and the implications for Supervisory practice.”

Jay Beichman PhD. has been practising as a therapist for over 20 years. In 2019, Jay was awarded a PhD in counselling and psychotherapy from the University of Brighton in 2019. His thesis, available for free at jaybeichmanwriter.com is title “How Counsellors and Psychotherapists Make Sense of Pluralistic Approaches to Therapy.”

Jill Brennan is a Consultant Counsellor, CBT and EMDR Therapist and Counselling Supervisor – will be presenting a 60-minure Research into Practice talk titled: “The lotus in the therapy room: one Nichiren Buddhist therapist’s journey to pluralism.”

Lisa is autistic Person-Centred Counsellor and works predominantly with autistic clients, will be presenting a Research in Practice PowerPoint and chat titled: “The Roots of the Autistic Mind: the efficacy of utlising the Pluralistic approach when working with individuals.” Lisa will also be presenting a 60-minute Practice into Research PowerPoint and chat titled: “Autistic Masking: learning how to understand and assist a client in deciphering making behaviours.”

Mick Cooper is an internationally recognised author, trainer, and consultant in the field of humanistic, existential, and pluralistic therapies. He is a Chartered Psychologist, and Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton.

Mick has facilitated workshops and lectures around the world, including New Zealand, Lithuania, and Florida.

Mick’s books include Existential Therapies (Sage, 2017), Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Sage, 2018), and The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (Palgrave, 2013).

His latest work is Integrating Counselling and Psychotherapy: Directionality, Synergy, and Social Change (Sage, 2019).

Mick’s principal areas of research have been in shared decision-making/personalising therapy, and counselling for young people in schools.

In 2014, Mick received the Carmi Harari Mid-Career Award from Division 32 of the American Psychological Association. He is a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Academy of Social Sciences.

Person-Centred Pluralistic Therapist, Supervisor and Trainer – will be presenting a 90-minute Practice in Research Workshop titled: “Working Pluralistically with Parts of Self – A Collaborative Space.”

Robin Higgins is a Counsellor at the University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan will be presenting a 60-minute Practice in Research Workshop titled: “The Neuro-Science of Well-Being and Personal Purpose.”

Rolf Sundet is specialist in clinical psychology and professor emeritus at the University College of Southeast Norway, Drammen, Norway. He is also a freelance supervisor and consultant. He has published in both English and Scandinavian books and journals. A special interest is in perspectives on returning to the real as a necessary focus in therapeutic practices and conceptualisations.

MBACP Accredited counsellor/psychotherapist, lecturer at the Institute for Counselling and Psychological Studies, Athens, Greece