Member Event 2026
Programme

Together we listen, learn and grow.

We’re pleased to introduce a new member engagement event designed to strengthen the connection between the organisation and you, our members. This event will be used as a dynamic platform to reflect on the evolving landscape of the counselling and psychotherapy profession, celebrate the achievements of the past year, and, most importantly, amplify the voices of our members.

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Join the opening keynote for a thought-provoking conversation with the Co-Chairs of the 2026 Commission on the Future of Counselling and Psychotherapy, alongside two expert-by-experience commissioners.

This keynote conversation will explore the commission’s key findings and recommendations, reflecting on the opportunities, challenges, and changes that lie ahead for the profession.

Delegates will gain insight into emerging trends, including growing demand for mental health support and the role of new technologies, and hear how practitioners can actively contribute to shaping a resilient, ethical, and forward-looking future for counselling and psychotherapy.

This session aims to:

• gain a clear understanding of the key findings and recommendations from the 2026 Commission. What does it mean for you, your practice, and the wider profession?
• engage and explore the big issues shaping the future of counselling and psychotherapy, including growing demand for mental health support and the impact of emerging technologies such as AI. Consider how you can adapt, respond, and stay relevant
• hear directly from the Commission Co-Chairs about the direction of the profession and how you, practitioners can influence what comes next.
• hear valuable insights from our two experts by experience Commissioners on the importance of ensuring that the client voice sits at the heart of the evolution of the profession

Over the past year, BACP has delivered a wide range of work designed to support members, strengthen the profession, and increase public understanding of counselling and psychotherapy. This session aims to bring that story to life. 

Members will hear highlights from across the organisation, including developments in professional standards, public education campaigns, member experience improvements, digital transformation progress, and our contribution to national conversations around mental health. Through real examples and clear evidence of progress, the session aims to show how BACP has been working to meet its charitable objectives and create meaningful impact for members, clients, and the wider public. 

We want delegates to see how their membership actively contributes to developments across the profession and to feel more connected to the work that happens behind the scenes. By sharing successes and surfacing the stories that illustrate the difference BACP is making, this session will help strengthen members’ understanding of the value of their membership. 

The session aims to leave members informed, encouraged, and confident that BACP is delivering progress that matters to them, to the profession, and to the public we serve. 

This session offers a reflective and compassionate exploration of Louis Smith’s lived experience of neurodiversity and mental health. Diagnosed with ADHD at the age of seven, Louis speaks openly about the challenges he faced growing up, including restlessness, difficulties with concentration and the wider emotional impact these experiences had on his early life and developing identity.

Louis will also reflect on the psychological pressures that accompanied his early Olympic success and discuss how he navigated through periods of low mood, the strain of public expectation and the complexities of sudden visibility and pressures at a young age. His insights highlight the emotional cost of high‑performance environments and the need for spaces where vulnerability is met with understanding and support. Through his story, Louis illustrates how he learned to navigate his mental health over time and the importance of how his therapy supported his journey by enabling him to process difficult emotions, build self‑awareness and develop healthier strategies for coping.