Moving beyond 'Them and Us': Power and Difference in Therapy

Full-day workshop | Sat 11th Nov 2023 | Neil Young | Online

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We are all unique and different – even when we can imagine our lives are fairly ordinary. As therapists we regularly work with clients who are struggling to accept themselves and who face resistance from their families and wider society: many of us have also faced similar challenges in our own lives.

This workshop is an exciting opportunity to have open dialogues about sameness and difference – to sidestep the social media pressure to quickly take ‘sides’ in a black-and-white way, whilst reflecting on our experiences and beliefs. We will sit with how prejudice – when feelings such as aggression, shame and sadness are disowned onto others – have touched our lives and those of our clients. Rather than imagining that we are experts or blank screens, this is a chance to work collaboratively to understand the lasting impact of prejudice.

To support our exploration, Neil will share some of his own experiences growing up, with the group: how family dynamics, attachment styles and wider societal norms and prejudice shaped who he felt able to be growing up as a working-class, queer boy. By being open about the ups and downs of his own life, Neil will encourage us to connect with how our upbringing and adult lives may affect how we see ourselves and others.

This session will offer up exercises, small and whole group discussions, and use of the creative arts to open up and explore our own experiences. This will allow raising awareness – particularly of our shadow beliefs and feelings – and reflect on how we work so that we can then allow ourselves to make and acknowledge mistakes, feel uncomfortable and thereby deepen and improve our practice towards all our clients.

We will work with this awareness to explore questions, such as:

  • How can we explore power and privilege in the therapy room without worrying about getting it wrong or feeling out of touch?
  • How do we allow clients to bring their knowledge of their identities while having the courage to challenge their internalised prejudice?
  • How can we enjoy working with differences and prejudice and be more of an ally to our clients?
  • What norms and assumptions have been made about us and how has this affected who we feel we are expected to be? How might we have been encouraged to do this with others?
     

We will then use creative exercises – supported by time working on our own, in pairs and as a whole group – to explore and celebrate our own unique identities. There will be opportunities to be curious about experiences and parts of ourselves that we wish to give attention to – such as our gender, sexuality, faith, disability, class, culture or something else entirely.

We look forward to you joining us for this exciting event.

Join us on Saturday 11th November from 10am-430pm click here to book your place. 

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Workshop date & cost

  • Saturday 11th November 2023, 10am - 430pm online via Zoom
  • General Admission - £80.00
  • IMC Student / Graduate - £60.00
  • IMC Students in Advanced Training - £40.00

Meet Neil Young

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Neil is an integrative arts psychotherapist working with young people and adults in private practice and teaching at the Institute for Arts and Therapy in Education (IATE).

Neil is specialist in exploring diversity and intersectionality specialist, delivering lectures, training, articles, workshops and embodied performances to mental health professionals, trainees and organisations. Neil’s background also includes 25 years as a trainer/facilitator, researcher, youth work manager and queer community advocate – he founded Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre in northwest London and worked as an LGBT advisor to the first two Mayors of London. In 2022, Neil co-authored a chapter on queer children for the Queering Psychotherapy book.

Who is this workshop for?

Trainees and qualified therapists and counsellors as well as other interested social work and mental health professionals.

What do you need for this workshop?

Before we meet, do also gather whatever art materials (paint, crayons, stickers, postcards, loo roll holders, toys, leaves - whatever you have, like or can get your hands on) as we will be creating during the session.

Course Venues:   Exeter   |   Poole   

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