My Psychotherapy Career: The need for diversity in psychotherapy

Why should therapists represent the communities they serve?

In this episode, Helen Willingham, Head of Content and Engagement, talks to UKCP psychotherapist Eugene Ellis. He looks back at why he entered training and what promoted his to set up the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network – an organisation which aims to encourage people of African, South Asian and Caribbean heritages to proactively engage with psychological support, and encourage more diversity in the therapy profession to tackle underrepresentation.

‘In my experience of training, fortunately I had therapy before and I also had a group therapist experience, which was really positive. The therapist, it was a white therapist, she was very switched on to race issues, how they affect mental health and lots of other issues around that. I learned quite a lot. So, I guess I just assumed this was the world of therapy, but unfortunately it didn’t translate into my actual training experience.’

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