The AntiDiscrimination Focus (#TADF)

This NCPS Recognised Diploma CPD training consists of eight days of live online training plus small peer-to-peer group exercises (equivalent of two days) and on-demand video lessons to support learning. All can be completed in group and/or individually. You may also complete the whole course as a distance learning. For those not attending live, a short reflective piece will be required at the end.

Day 1: Contemporary Cultural Competence for Therapeutic Practice

“All relationships are cross-cultural relationships. We differ by our contexts, beliefs, worldviews, and geographically situated socio-cultural lived experiences.”

This training will help you develop awareness, knowledge, and skills in working relative to the client’s cultural immersion context(s)*, identity, belief systems, worldviews, and conflicts of acculturation. This training will move you towards a deeper and more empathic understanding of clients’ difficulties in context. As research has shown that therapists' development of their own cultural identity mediates client outcomes, this training will guide you through experiential exercises to help you reflect on your own cultural context(s), identity, worldview, and conflicts and develop skills in developing cross-cultural relationships. You will have the opportunity to apply your learning interactively, reflect on a roleplay, and in small group sessions in preparation for therapeutic practice. 

This foundation training will form the basis for working in a socially conscious manner, such as with the effects of cultural normativity, when working with experiences of embodied stress, adversity and marginalisation experiences of clients.

*Cultural contexts such as geographical, social, and group identities, national, group, family, work, and the psychological effects of displacement, movement, and acculturation within the dominant society

Day 2: Working with Difference, Diversity & Equity using Anti-Oppressive Practice & Intersectional Foundations (DD&A)

Difference, Diversity using Anti-oppressive practice (DD&A) considers the social context, intersectional identity, otherness, and empowerment aspects of working with difference, especially for clients who occupy diverse intersectional identities including gender, sexuality, trans, race, culture, disability, neurodivergence, religion, nationality, and class. This training will help you towards integrating DD&A foundations as standard practice for all clients. You will develop the foundational knowledge, awareness, and skills in relation to working with diverse identities including current socio-cultural challenges, impact on mental health, psychological theories, and structural and theoretical concepts in relation to marginalisation. We will then explore the implications of practice which describe common building blocks we must understand and instill in our practice that can be applied to all client work.

Day 3: Client Case and Peer Supervision Exercise 
 (Peer Group Led)

You will meet in small groups to consolidate the knowledge you have learned so far using a guided case study for reflection (self and client).

There will also be a peer to peer led short intersectional group encounter group.

Day 4: Embedding Difference, Diversity & Marginalisation in Therapeutic Practice

This training will walk through our common tools (13) that emerge from theories and theorists of difference and diversity which can be applied practically for all client work and in your own self-development. These exercises, reflections, and case examples are designed to move you towards embedding difference, diversity, and inclusion as standard in self, therapy, and your profession.

We explore theories, structural narratives (psycho-social-structural), identity development, working with experiences of marginalisation, inter-identity relationships, power dynamics, cocreated helping, group trauma, worldviews, justice, allyship and empowerment action, and factors associated with negative and harmful experiences that recreate exclusion and marginalisation. By being able to apply these tools and skills you will develop foundational knowledge and practical skills in building a more just, inclusive, complete, and ever-improving psychological practice, whether working with clients and their experiences of otherness, marginalisation, and exclusion, within the therapeutic practice of one or within a mental health organisation.

Day 5 : Living and working with disability - Trainer with lived experience of disability

This course is designed to provide counseling professionals with an understanding of the complex nature of disability and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and reflective practice, participants will learn to navigate the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual effects of disability in their counseling practice.

Course Objectives:By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand and articulate foundational concepts and theories related to disability and disability counseling.
2. Explore the multifaceted experiences of individuals with disabilities through a comprehensive lens.
3. Develop practical skills for effective counseling interventions and support.
4. Analyse the intrapersonal and interpersonal dynamics involved in disability.
5. Assess the broader contextual factors that influence the lives of individuals with disabilities.
   
   

Day 6  : Class and Positionality - Trainer with Lived Experience Led 

This course explores the intersection of class and social position in the context of therapeutic practice. It aims to equip mental health professionals with the knowledge, skills, and sensitivity necessary to address the impact of class and social dynamics on the therapeutic process.

Participants will critically examine the ways in which class and social position influence individuals’ experiences, identities, and mental health outcomes. 

A central part of the training is to explore our own class identity, its impact, meaning, and its implication in practice.

Day 7 : Neurodivergence in Therapeutic Practice - Trainer with Lived Experience Led 

Led by Liz Smith and Natalie Kennedy 

Neurodiversity 101 is an introductory training course covering understanding key principles of neurodiversity and working neuro-affirmatively in mental health and counselling practice. Practitioners with lived and professional experience as neurodivergent therapists deliver it. The course is interactive, with plenty of opportunities to learn through peer discussion and practical, thought provoking activities, and ideas for practitioners to implement in their own practice/service.  

This workshop is all about working therapeutically with adult ADHD. It’s led by therapeutic practitioner, Liz Smith, who has extensive experience working with ADHD in the therapy room. Led by mixed bag of neuro-spiceyness, including ADHD, Dyspraxia & Dyscalculia.

The workshop will be part taught and part experiential, using breakout groups to explore our own experiences and to learn from one another. Please be prepared to participate in discussions.

Day 8: Working with Race-Based Stress and Trauma*

This training day will help you work with clients’ experiences* of racism, racial stress, racial trauma, and intergenerational racial trauma. This training will give you a deeper understanding and equip you with the expert strategies and skills you will need to help clients narrate, heal, and empower from within their wounds of racial stress and trauma. The ubiquitous nature of the race construct is explored as an overarching theme of human (thus client) difficulties.

Day 9: Race Process group* - Includes White/PGM/Mixed/Other Spaces as needed (Not Recorded)

“I’m not going to trust you. Not until you can let me transform you” ~ m.a.

Group work is a crucial part of therapists’ racial and cultural identity self-development. This is a personal experiential encounter for you to meet the racial self/other and engage in personal dialogue. There is nothing required of you other than bring your “self” personally in sharing and responding to opinions, experiences, and feelings about race and how it intersects with other identities such as gender. Everyone will learn through experience and relationships rather than through study. In our experience, these encounters are powerful, and healing and have the potential for enormous shifts in racial awareness.

Please note access to supporting resources is recommended e.g., community, supervision, and therapy. We will provide aftercare if required.

*Client experiences on these days relate to People of the Global Majority (PoGM), such as people from African and Asian Diaspora as well as people of visible mixed race identities.

After live attendance and completion of Day 9, subject to observation, you can be listed on our therapist directory. 

DAY 10 (OPEN DAY): Learn and apply the Whole Person Approach.

Understand theory, relationships, personal development, and skills with consideration of the client’s context. This provides an opportunity to gain insight into client-centered skills, observe demonstrations, and apply these skills in small groups. Please note, this day is a bonus day open to all therapists. While it is not a core part of the training, attendance is recommended.

DAY 11 (OPTIONAL): Case Study & Panel Assessment (Needed for Assessed Status) 

If you wish to gain assessed status for this course, you will need to submit a reflective case study and also attend a panel interview. The assessment is based on our evolving competency standards for anti-discrimination practice. Additional Fee applies.