From the Editor
The long lead time still required to produce a print publication means that we can’t always be responsive to news. I know it must seem odd at times when your magazine lands on your doormat and does not seem to acknowledge significant events happening in the world. The invasion of Ukraine happened at the end of our production process, when most of the content was finalised, edited and designed. This page is one of the last to go to press, which allows me to acknowledge, if only in a small way, the horrors experienced by the people of Ukraine and the anxiety and concern that are affecting us all.
As a helping profession, and as human beings, our instinct is to want to do something, which makes Anthea Kilminster’s article on providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed counselling for displaced people, written before the recent events, seem all the more pertinent. She shares how the Yorkshire-based service, Solace, has supported displaced people from around the world, including Syria and Iraq. The thousands of people fleeing Ukraine will join the estimated 70 million already displaced worldwide, greater than the total population of the UK. A number will make their way to the UK, and counsellors like Anthea will be there to help them adjust.
Our cover theme, the ‘Big issue’ report ‘Riding the waves’, assesses the impact of the predicted post-COVID mental health tsunami and confirms what many of us know from our own practice – that it’s the most vulnerable in our society who have been most impacted. In this article, we ask what needs to happen now to minimise the effects.
In our ‘Big interview’, Julia Samuel, therapist, author and BACP Vice President, talks to Catherine Jackson about her new book, Every Family Has a Story. As a parent myself, I’d like to applaud Julia’s honesty in admitting she has had to learn to forgive herself for the mistakes she has made as a parent, just as she forgives her own parents.
I’d also like to thank Michael Toller for his ‘Best practice’ article, which simplifies the process involved in making a clinical will. In our ‘Experience’ piece, therapist Judy Hanley shares her account of taking psilocybin – or magic mushrooms – (legally) at a guided therapeutic retreat overseas. And Ruth Smith puts a challenging question to readers: do you fit her description of the ‘good white counsellor’ and are you willing to do the work to challenge this in yourself? That work is certainly an ongoing process for me. I’d love to hear your responses to this, and to all the articles in this issue – do email us at therapytoday@thinkpublishing.co.uk
Sally Brown, Editor
Main features
Regulars
From the Chair
'Our members are a trained workforce ready to help provide a solution to a complex problem'
Natalie Bailey on employment opportunities
From the Editorial Board
'Once we have awareness we can choose to do something different’
Luan Baines-Ball on engaging with EDI
It changed my life
‘Counselling has given me the courage to face the rest of my life'
Amanda Phipps writes our client column
Talking point
Returners: How do you feel about clients coming back?
Dilemma
If adoption comes up with an existing client, do we always need to refer them to an OFSTED registered counsellor?
My practice
‘I play video games like Minecraft with my clients'
Ellie Finch on video game therapy
Analyse me
Linda Dubrow-Marshall speaks for herself