We’re pleased to announce the election of three new Trustees to our Board following a member vote in July. The successful nominees, Erin Stevens, Matt Cormack and Bumi Akinmutande will officially join the Board at our AGM on Thursday 6 November.  

We’re delighted to welcome them, and their appointment represents another important step in building a positive way forward for BACP’s governance and continuing to deliver our ambitious five-year strategy.   

Each new Trustee brings significant expertise and a shared commitment to the future of the BACP and the counselling professions. Their diverse professional experience and shared dedication to ethical practice will help ensure that we remain a strong, forward-thinking organisation. 

Our CEO, Dr Phil James said, “I want to extend a warm welcome to our newly elected Trustees and I’m excited about the future with them as part of our Board. 

We know that counselling changes lives, not only for individuals, but for families and communities. I’m sure with the guidance of our new Trustees, we can continue our important work towards a society where everyone has access to high-quality, ethical counselling, psychotherapy and coaching. 

We look forward to their contributions in championing our members, strengthening the profession and extending the impact of counselling across the UK.” 

You can read more about each of our trustees below. 

Erin Stevens (she/they)

I'm a therapist, supervisor, consultant and trainer working in private practice, specialising in working with people who have had previous harmful experiences of therapy. A significant portion of my work involves collaboration with other specialists in therapy harm, bringing the impact of harm into the professional consciousness, and developing good practice in this area. 

I'm particularly interested in addressing the impact of professional harms on marginalised and minoritised people, at all levels, putting antiracist, and disability-affirming practices at the heart of my thinking, and standing in firm opposition to conversion practices. 

I'm passionate about client rights, ethics, boundaries, and the way we conceptualise professional standards in the context of a diverse profession. 

Matt Cormack

I’m an integrative psychotherapist, supervisor, and a psychosexual and relationship therapist. I have worked and volunteered with many LGBT+ organisations over the years. I am a Clinical Associate of Pink Therapy and predominantly work with GSRD or neurodivergent clients. I conducted the first research into autistic people’s experience of psychosexual therapy. 

I have previous experience within BACP where I sat on the Spirituality Division Executive. I was the Counselling Lead for Edinburgh College and worked as a counsellor in further education for years. I bring experience of leading teams both as a counselling lead and as an organisational lead. 

I’m joining the board with the hope of making meaningful change for our profession. 

Olubumi (Bumi) Akinmutande

Known as Bumi, an integrative clinical supervisor and counsellor. A mediator and an accredited public sector complaints manager, I have decades of leadership experience in: influencing change at strategic levels in healthcare environments, healthcare governance and improving patients’ experience. 

My counselling specialisms are bereavement counselling and employee assistance programme (EAP) provision. My clinical supervision specialisms include all things thriving on your professional journeys either as a student or a qualified professional. 

As the founder of VIADCOMS EAP & Well-being services, I support organisations with strengthening workplace / employee well-being and resilience, encouraging a culture of “thriving in your work”. 

As a new BACP trustee, I look forward to opportunities to pursue my passions in: 

  • compassionate complaints management
  • improving counselling trainees’ experiences through the removal of unpaid or voluntary placements and encouraging the promotion of fair compensation
  • advocating for equal recognition of counsellors alongside other health and social care professionals 

Find out more...