Keynotes
Research Conference 2022 abstracts

Healing from sexual minority and intersectional stigma events: what therapists should know

Professor Heidi M Levitt

Professional role: Professor, Department of Psychology
Institution/affiliation: University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA

It is well documented that people who have marginalized sexual identities often experience, on top of their daily stressors, heterosexist events that increase both their total levels of stress as well as their risk of physical and mental health concerns (e.g., Patterson et al., 2020). Despite this, research has indicated that many clients do not feel comfortable discussing experiences of heterosexism with therapists or feel that the structure of therapy prevents these discussions (Hand & Levitt, 2022). In this presentation, I describe a program of research, conducted by myself and my colleagues, to develop accessible expressive-writing interventions that aid sexually minoritized people to process and resolve heterosexist experiences, demonstrating decreases in both event-related stress and depression (Levitt et al., 2021). In this presentation, I concentrate on what we have learned from this research that is helpful for therapists to know.

A task analysis is presented though which a model of the stages of resolving heterosexism was developed (Collins & Levitt, 2021). This model highlights the types of changes that people experience as they work through troubling heterosexist experiences as well as the obstacles that appear to block the change process. It was striking through our analyses that, although the healing processes were similar, the outcomes of the process differed widely. They included, for instance, decisions to withdraw from heterosexist contexts, to seek out mentoring and affirmative community, to have greater empathy for people with heterosexism, or to advocate for themselves. Having an awareness of these stages, obstacles, and varied outcomes can aid therapists when guiding clients to work through these experiences.

Although the exercises have focused on heterosexism, analyses found similarly strong positive effects by people who have multiple minoritized identities (e.g., marginalized sexual minority and racial identities). Notably, in two projects, over half of the participants indicated gender diverse identities and projects have specifically studied non-monosexual men (Chickerella et al., 2022) and autistic sexual minority people (Maroney et al., 2022). The presentation considers how understanding the intersection of healing and heterosexism can advantage therapists working with this client population and maximize clients’ agency in the healing process.

Researching the other

Dr Dwight Turner

Professional role: Course Leader on the Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy Course
Institution/affiliation: University of Brighton
Email: info@dwightturnercounselling.co.uk

The importance of research into ideas of privilege and otherness are an essential aspect in developing a language and an understanding of how aspects of our intersectional identities are both constructed and maintained within our culture. Yet, there is a tradition within research where the researcher is supposed to hold a more objective standpoint over that which is being researched. This implicit power dynamic has, in many ways, hampered the types and kinds of research which we, as counsellors and psychotherapists have sought to undertake within our profession, whilst simultaneously ignoring more indigenous or creative ways of carrying out research.

An essential part of my career as a researcher, has involved developing means and ways which could outline just how our more qualitative ways of working might exist alongside the creative. One of the means of creating this language is through the lens of phenomenological research. Using techniques developed by Clark Moustakas, my own research process has long sought to explore the relationship we all have with the aspects of our identity which are either of privilege or otherness. this means of working in research also shows how important it has been to have the works and understandings of our participants upon the pages of our research, whilst also challenging some of the power dynamics inherent within some of the more traditional means of research.

Heuristic research is also another means or gathering data and should not be underestimated in its ability to disrupt these power dynamics and personalise research. This keynote presentation looks to explore the benefits upon those who are being researched of a researcher who is willing to both be objective but also engage in the subjective experience of the research itself. A call towards more relational ways of exploring phenomena, this talk looks at the importance of phenomenology and heuristics from my own experience, highlighting that these are just two of many ways of bringing the voices of the other to the surface.

Building an inclusive research culture - closing the EDI gaps in counselling research

Natalie Bailey with Mhairi Thurston and Kathryn Lock

Professional roles: Chair of BACP

A search of research literature in the counselling professions reveals that some aspects of EDI are better represented while others receive less attention – a phenomenon also reflected in the programme for this conference. This panel discussion will explore gaps in research relating to EDI, will consider why there might be such gaps and how these might be better addressed within our field.

Questions and issues to consider:

• What EDI gaps there are there in the field of counselling and psychotherapy research?
• What are the reasons for this? What blocks or barriers might there be to conducting research in these areas?
• What are the implications for policy and practice that these gaps exist?
• What can be done to address these gaps?

Audience - who will benefit from attending the session? How will the session be of use to conference delegates?
The session will be of interest to researchers, organisations and therapists with a specific interest in tackling inequalities in research in the counselling professions.

Panel members
Natalie Bailey – Chair of BACP
Dr Mhairi Thurston – Senior Lecturer in Counselling, Abertay University
Kathryn Lock – Chair of BACP Spirituality Division

Race for the soul of the profession

David Weaver with Dr Chijioke Obasi, Jeremy Bacon and Jane Alliston

Professional roles: BACP President

The racist murder of George Floyd and the experiences of COVID-19 brought into focus the painful and longstanding inequalities facing Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse communities and the systemic racism that prevents so many people from marginalised and racialised community backgrounds from accessing appropriate mental health support. Recovery from the pandemic represents an important moment to truly build back better and ensure that the counselling profession is much more responsive to the trauma felt by so many people within communities facing longstanding racial inequality but are not given the support they need and deserve.

BACP’s policy and public affairs team has produced a policy paper, led by BACP’s President, David Weaver, Race for the Soul of the Profession, which proposes a range of actions to develop a more diverse and ethically grounded counselling profession which will strive to remove barriers that prevent people entering and progressing within the counselling professions or can stop people from racialised communities accessing therapy. This will contribute to positioning counselling as a positive, responsive, and sensitive service that respects and strengthens individual identity and improves emotional wellbeing.

Our policy paper, Race for the soul of the profession, which will be launched at this event, represents an important statement by BACP of a renewed focus to work with impacted communities to address the deep-seated and longstanding racial inequalities inherent within our mental health system, including within the counselling professions. We also need to drive radical action within Government and the paper includes a number of focused actions we will be undertaking through our campaign and public affairs work to influence change. This session will bring together a range of experts to focus on the central issue of how we can tackle the barriers so many communities face in accessing culturally sensitive therapy, emphasising the importance of research and evidence to drive forward concerted action and deliver policy change.

Questions and issues to consider:

1. What does research tell us are the key barriers to accessing therapy for Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse communities?
2. What actions do BACP, the wider profession and government need to undertake to tackle these barriers?
3. What role can research and evidence play in ensuring we make a robust case to secure policy change?

Audience - who will benefit from attending the session? How will the session be of use to conference delegates?

The session will be of interest to researchers, organisations and therapists with a specific interest in tackling inequalities and the importance of using research to inform and change policy.

Considerations given to issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion:

The context of this panel discussion is the central focus on race and ethnicity in BACP’s work to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in the counselling professions. Relevant data and research evidence are critical in support of the BACP policy messaging to influence and change public policy to improve EDI.

Panel members

David Weaver – BACP President (Chair)
Dr Chijioke Obasi – Associate Professor, Coventry University
Jeremy Bacon – BACP Policy Team
Jane Alliston – Spokesperson for Mental Health, Scottish Liberal Democrats and practising BACP accredited counsellor