Evolving debates and ongoing tensions in counselling and psychotherapy training

Over the last two decades we have witnessed and experienced several debates, challenges, and shifts within the counselling and psychotherapy professions in relation to the importance of anti-oppressive, anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally attuned practice. We have as facilitators of training had dialogue with different student groups about the continued limitation within the counselling and psychotherapy curricular of these important concerns. We also acknowledge the tensions experienced within academic and teaching environments that are often argued to inhibit meaningful change. Most notably is a triangulation of three questions which often arise in dialogue with colleagues and students:

  • Why do we have to engage with equality, diversity, inclusion, and social justice matters?
  • Why do we as trainees and therapists learn about anti-oppressive practice as a bolt-on aspect?
  • Why has the curriculum not continued to evolve to be fully responsive to the contemporary contexts in the world we live and work in?

Why anti-oppressive and culturally attuned practice is essential

Our own perspectives draw from lived experience, research, and theoretical insights which highlight eight domains of difference and diversity, including: gender, ethnicity/heritage, social class, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, and neurodiversity. Anti-oppressive, anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally attuned approaches are essential in counselling and psychotherapy training because psychological distress does not occur in a vacuum. People’s experiences of mental health, trauma, identity, relationships, and healing are profoundly shaped by culture, power, marginalisation, and lived experience. Therapists who are not trained to recognise these dynamics may unintentionally impose dominant cultural assumptions, misunderstand clients’ experiences, or replicate oppressive relational patterns within therapy. Anti-oppressive and anti-racist training helps practitioners develop critical awareness of power, privilege, discrimination, and systemic inequalities.

Invitation to dialogue and research-informed change

In reading this content you may also have further questions or perspectives to add to these, which are welcome as we hope this blog will act as a stimulus to further dialogue, thinking, and action. Our aim is two-fold, firstly to articulate why engaging with anti-oppressive, anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally attuned practice is essential for contemporary and ethical counselling and psychotherapy practice. Secondly, to invite engagement with BACP through research which forefronts student voice and lived experiences of counselling and psychotherapy training to inform the future of much needed change.

A critical inflection point for change in the profession

More recently it has been evident to us that we are at an inflection point where momentum for significant and meaningful change has been gained. There has been an increase in research and texts on the importance of inclusion and critical awareness of openness and responsiveness to diverse world views. We acknowledge this is also in the face of tensions from voices that oppose this essential change or systems that were not designed to respond to diverse lived realities. In writing this blog we are tapping into the immense potential for change arising from the multiple voices of all those committed to actively and authentically honour equity, respect of diversity, and inclusion. This requires naming social injustice, challenging tick-box approaches, and recognising our personal and collective responsibility in contributing to positive change within our therapy trainings, professions, and the society in which we live.

Collaboration, research, and the future of ethical practice

We are pleased that BACP in partnership with us at York St John University are collaborating on this important research. We hope more than ever that this work will make a significant difference and achieve meaningful change. Through collaboration, our voices become stronger together, creating spaces of shared knowledge and continued dialogue on what an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally attuned training and practice involve. This also includes how we as practitioners and trainers embody a practice that is ethical, accessible, and responsive to the diverse lived realities of those we support and work with.

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