National Counsellors’ Day Conference 2021

I’m based in West London where I also work as a volunteer counsellor, assessor, group facilitator, and supervisor. I have the Post Graduate Diploma and MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling, Post Graduate certificates in both Coaching and Supervision, and over 20 years experience of working with individuals and groups.

I’m an Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, work with their ethical guidelines, and am listed on their website.

The Person Centred approach believes that you’re capable of discovering your own solutions to your own problems. You are the expert in your own life. There are no diagnoses or labels and conversely, there is no prescription. Instead, via the relationship between client and counsellor, the client discovers personal resources, develops their own power, and becomes more able to grow.

Working with the balance between being solitary and in community, rights and responsibilities, paradox, resolution, submission and action, are central to my practice. Authenticity is the bedrock of my work which means that I will take you seriously and respond to you carefully, respectfully and truthfully, all of which sounds daunting and sombre, which counselling sometimes can be. It can also be joyful, enlightening, exciting and even enjoyable.

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 Elizabeth Cotton is a writer and educator in the field of industrial relations and mental health. She is an Associate Professor of Responsible Business at the University of Leicester and the founder of Surviving Work. Her current research is around the digitalization of the therapy and she convenes The Digital Therapy Project which includes the CTUK. Her book UberTherapy: The new business of mental health will be published in 2024 by Bristol University Press.

Erin (she/they) is an integrative therapist and supervisor working in private practice in West Yorkshire. Her practice is focussed on working with clients who have previous experience of harmful therapy, in short and long term work. She is increasingly working with therapists who work with harmed clients, as well as therapists who are concerned about, or otherwise interested in harm in therapy, both in open-ended supervision, and short term consultancy.

As well as therapy and supervision, Erin is a writer, trainer and activist, with a focus on harm in therapy, neurodivergence and social justice.

Pavi is one of the co-founders of an online intersectional anti-racism learning resource on Facebook called ‘Scottish Anti-Racism Education’ (SARE) with other women of colour (WOC). This initiative was launched on the 21st of March, 2021 to commemorate The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This space was set up due to their collective frustrations and experiences in anti-racism and equalities activism and due to a deep, burning desire to see a shift in mindsets around ‘race’, racism and equality in society. They use specific online community engagement strategies and exercises to engage with members via written resources, activity posts and discussion threads. Members have access to their learning units and resources to reflect and ‘unlearn’ their biases and racism on their journey towards being anti-racist.