From the Board
Therapy Today, October 2023

I was amazed by the sheer number of people who contacted me personally both in the UK and abroad about my column in the October 2022 issue of Therapy Today, in which I focused on the difficulties faced by women of colour in prominent positions. Thank you for your continued support.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to address you all again this year. This column will look at unconscious bias and how this can impact interactions with clients

When we at BACP speak about equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), it’s about more than just race. It encompasses all the protected characteristics covered in the Equality Act 2010, and we need to be aware of intersectionality, when several characteristics are present. However, to reflect Black History Month, here I am solely focusing on colour and race.

I am aware that the issue of colour is a sensitive subject that is often difficult to discuss for many white therapists. The subject matter, if not addressed properly, can cause people to feel blamed for ‘privilege’ they never asked for and were born into. It is important that we move away from that narrative and start working together to acknowledge and address both unconscious bias and more conscious and overt prejudice in the counselling field.

As therapists, when we acknowledge colour and difference, we accept the difference in the room and truly see the person sitting in front of us. Unless we do this, we won’t create a space in which we can see and hear the impact of systemic racism and generational traumas. We miss out on so many things when we fail to see or acknowledge colour, and doing so can manifest as a form of gaslighting for a client, as we effectively dismiss their experiences and all they have gone through.

Statistically there are large disparities between black men and women and their white counterparts on issues of education, employment, economy, health and, in particular, mental health. The statistics show how the odds are still stacked against black individuals, with many scoring lower or failing to catch up with their white colleagues in terms of employment, educational attainment and finances. These statistics are also mirrored in the counselling profession.

As a Board we are committed to EDI across our profession. I am happy to say we are pleased with the progress of the designated funds set aside to continue this work strategically to help bridge the gaps

As one of the largest counselling and psychotherapy membership associations in the world, it is our duty to ensure we change the narrative and focus on a more inclusive profession by leading and paving the way for change. That is why EDI is set out in our new five-year strategy and is at the heart of everything we do.

EDI in counselling continues to evolve, and there is still much work to be done. However, in many organisations, both counsellors of colour and white counsellors have embraced and are open to changing the culture of the counselling profession for the better. More people accept that the impact we have as a profession will remain limited if we don’t actively seek to expand and diversify the demographic of practitioners. It is hopeful to see that over time, the recognition and the importance of accessible counselling has superseded all expectations.

We all have unconscious bias and may not even be aware that we hold fixed ideas about social norms and groups. If we are open to acknowledging and challenging our beliefs, we create more space for what is really important – what is happening in the room, and what the client needs.