Making Connections Exeter 25.06.25 - BACP - British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

We’re delighted to welcome back our free in-person Making Connections events.

These regular face to face conferences take place throughout the year and give you the chance to network with other members and our divisional executive members.

Programme

Click on the sessions to find out more. If you are viewing this page on a mobile, rotate your screen to view the programme.

10.00am – 10.30am	Registration
10.30am - 10.50am	Welcome from BACP
10.50am – 11.35am	Giving voice to the unheard survivors of sexual harm from ethnic minorities, presented by Naseem Sarbatta-Walia
11.35am - 11.45am	Comfort break
11.45am – 12.30pm	Mental Health Perspectives on Counselling and Therapy in Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller Communities, presented by Rebecca Wilde
12.30pm – 1.30pm	Light lunch
1.30pm – 1.50 pm	Local member two-minute platforms
1.50pm – 2.40pm	Connecting together The room will be divided into different areas of interest, for more focused and structured networking. You’ll be encouraged to move around the room and engage with colleagues, volunteers and BACP staff to network, share ideas and meet new people with similar interests. You’ll be able to add a new area of interest if yours isn’t represented.
2.40pm – 3.10pm	Refreshments
3.10pm – 3.55pm	Presentation to be confirmed
3.55pm - 4.00pm	Event close

This programme is subject to change.

Presentation information

Giving voice to the unheard survivors of sexual harm from ethnic minorities.

10.50am – 11.35am

Society does not treat all victims of abuse equally, social biases influence how society perceives survivors of domestic violence, and stereotypes often create barriers for care and support. The aim of this session is to explore the complexities of working with intimate harm and in particular the impact of so called honour based abuse and sexual harm in minoritised communities.

Giving therapists the understanding to the complexity and issues of intersectionality within Domestic, so called honour abuse and sexual harm. Understanding the importance of an intersectional approach that recognises that we cannot simply view an issue as one of race or gender, but must recognise that it is all parts of an individual’s identity need to be taken into account.

Naseem Sarbatta-Waila is a Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Therapeutic Manager and a practice lead for child sexual abuse with the centre of expertise in CSA.

Having qualified as a counsellor in 2005, with extensive experience in working with adults, children and families in various fields spanning 2 decades, including young carers, Information advice and guidance and safeguarding. Naseem was seconded as a specialist BAME worker in the CSE team and their work was recognised in the children's commissioners report, enabling participation in IICSA focus groups and truth project.

Holding experience as a domestic abuse facilitator for numerous psycho education groups and acting as a trustee for a FGM and HBA charity, Naseem was able to develop bespoke group work such as MUMTA (safeguarding south asian women to safeguard) , KIMS STORY (CSE intervention for teenage girls) and most recently Survivor Purdah (online platform enabling minoritised survivors to access a dialogue by therapist on topics of sexual harm and signposts).

Mental Health Perspectives on Counselling and Therapy in Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller Communities

11.45am - 12.30pm

In the session, "Representation Matters - The Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller Therapists Network," Rebecca will share their personal and professional journey as a trainee counsellor, mental health practitioner, and advocate for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. Drawing on Rebecca's lived experience as an English Traveller raised in the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) community, the sessions aims to:

Identify the systemic barriers that GRT communities face in accessing mental health services, including discrimination, social exclusion, and mistrust of institutions
Introduce the GRT Therapists Network, a new initiative I am developing to connect and empower GRT professionals and allies
Discuss the importance of representation within the counselling profession and how GRT practitioners can create more accessible spaces for GRT clients
Promote cultural attunement by deepening understanding of GRT identities and their unique mental health needs
Encourage allyship and advocacy by sharing actionable strategies to support GRT inclusivity in counselling

Rebecca's goal is to inspire attendees to reflect on their practices and contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable mental health landscape for GRT communities.