For over 30 years, the BACP International Research Conference has been a place where researchers and practitioners come together to exchange ideas on important research findings, presented in open discussion with constructive critical debate and helpful dialogue. The conference fosters a climate where all are welcome to share learning and network with other delegates.
Over this time the conference has been attended by representatives - both presenters and delegates - from 23 countries, making it a truly international event.
32nd Annual BACP International Research Conference: Collaboration for a just society - Multidisciplinary research in counselling and mental health
The conference will be an in-person event on 14, 15 and 16 May 2026 with our co-hosts The University of East London.
This year’s conference will showcase cutting edge research relevant to counselling, psychotherapy and coaching practice and policy development, with a particular emphasis on multidisciplinary research which involves disciplines or fields within mental health more broadly. The conference theme will explore how research can support social justice through multidisciplinary working, collaboration and the involvement of people with lived experience.
There will be a free to attend pre-Conference event at the University of East London on Thursday 14 May 2026, featuring a panel discussion, a selection of workshops and a student research showcase.
The in-person event at the Marble Arch Hotel, London, will begin on Friday 15 May 2026 continuing on Saturday 16 May 2026, and includes two keynote speakers and a panel discussion, plus a variety of presentations and workshops. In the evening on Friday there will be a drinks reception with awards and poster introductions, followed by the conference dinner.
Discussions and workshops are included on both days in the in-person programme only, but some recorded presentations along with the poster exhibition will be made available on-demand for three months after the conference.
Booking for the Research Conference is now open. To secure your place, please book here.
Keynote Presentations
Why does research matter? presented by Professor Rachel Tribe, University of East London.
This keynote will explore the real-world value of research for those working in psychological and therapeutic services and for those we work with. The presentation will take a critical look at the arguments for and against engaging in research, unpacking the barriers that often prevent psychotherapists from getting involved and identifying practical ways to overcome them. Beyond the challenges, the presentation will highlight the opportunities that research creates not only for psychotherapists, but also for clients/ service users, service providers, managers, civil society organisations, the NHS, within service provision and in society as a whole. The presentation will also reflect on the ethical and professional responsibilities that underpin all research activity, including how issues of social justice and discrimination can shape both our methods and our outcomes.
The ECID Project in Barcelona: implementation and evaluation of a multidisciplinary mental health intervention with high-risk adolescents presented by Dr Mark Dangerfield, University Institute of Mental Health Vidal & Barraquer, Barcelona
This keynote will describe the development and implementation of the ECID Project (Equipo Clínico de Intervención a Domicilio - Home Intervention Clinical Team) in Barcelona, an in-home, mentalization-based treatment (MBT) multidisciplinary mental health team working with extremely high-risk, non-help-seeking adolescents who are at risk of social exclusion. The ECID Project is part of the Mental Health NHS clinical services in Barcelona, and it was conceived as an adaptation of the AMBIT (Adaptive Mentalization-Based Integrative Treatment) model, designed to enhance coordination and reflective practice within the team and across the professional networks involved in the care of these young people.
Drawing on clinical vignettes and team experience, the presentation will illustrate how the AMBIT principles have been integrated into everyday clinical practice. The presentation will include preliminary results from an ongoing research project evaluating the ECID intervention, that support the effectiveness of the approach in improving engagement and producing a clinically meaningful reduction in symptom severity and improvement in functioning after 12 months.
