UKCP conference: Psychotherapy in a changing world

Image of UKCP psychotherapist Divine Charura wearing a blue waist coat and shirt, and a red bow tie, leaning on a railing.

Professor (Dr.) Divine Charura is an Honorary Fellow of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and an adult psychotherapist. He is also a practitioner psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council in England and a coaching psychologist.

As a researcher, Divine’s work and interests are in psychotraumatology and mental health across the lifespan and psychotherapeutic interventions for trauma. Divine has co-authored and edited numerous books in counselling, psychology, and psychotherapy, which include Love and Therapy: In Relationship [co-edited with Stephen Paul] and Colin Lago has recently co-edited Black Identities + White Therapies: Race Respect and Diversity (2021). His latest book is the Handbook of Social Justice in Psychological Therapies. Power, politics, change (co-edited with Dr Laura Winter in 2023). For Divine’s publications, please see https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/profile/2104

Image of UKCP psychotherapist Aaron Balick with his arms crossed, wearing a blue shirt infront of a grey backdrop.

Dr Aaron Balick is a leading voice in the demystification of psychology and its power to deepen understanding and unlock personal and professional evolution. Drawing on more than two decades as a clinician and academic Aaron transforms high-quality cutting-edge psychological insights that can be directly applied to life and work.

His ground-breaking book The Psychodynamics of Social Networking made him an international authority on the psychology of social media and technology. Sought out for his capacity to make psychology accessible to varied audiences, Aaron has appeared across the media – from his role as BBC Radio 1’s resident mental health expert for young people – to appearances on Radio 4’s Moral Maze and The Digital Human.

Aaron lives in London where he works as a psychotherapist and consultant. He is the author of two self-help books and is the co-host of Time To Show Up, a podcast devoted to personal and professional flourishing. 

Headshot image of UKCP psychotherapist Mick cooper infront of green trees, wearing a red and black shirt.

Mick Cooper is an internationally recognised author, trainer, and consultant in the field of humanistic, existential, and pluralistic therapies.  He is a UKCP-registered psychotherapist, Chartered Psychologist, and Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton. 

Mick's books include Existential Therapies (2nd ed., Sage, 2017), Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy (2nd ed., Sage, 2018), and Integrating Counselling and Psychotherapy: Directionality, Synergy, and Social Change(Sage, 2019). Mick’s principal areas of research have been in shared decision-making/personalising therapy, and counselling for young people in schools. 

In 2014, Mick received the Carmi Harari Mid-Career Award from Division 32 of the American Psychological Association. He is a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Academy of Social Sciences. Mick’s latest book explores the contribution that counselling and psychotherapy theory and practice can make to wider social progress and justice: Psychology at the Heart of Social Change: Towards a Progressive Vision for Society (Bristol University, 2023). He is a founder member of the Therapy and Social Change (TaSC) network.

Image of consultative supervisor Alison O’Connor infront of a shelf of books and a framed image.

Alison is a consultative supervisor with 25 years of experience in group work, therapy, and applied theatre. She has been privileged to work in prisons and Romanian orphanages with military veterans and survivors of complex trauma. She worked for several years as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of South Wales. She co-founded Re-Live, an arts and health charity that creates life story work for older adults and people recovering from trauma and adversity. Alison and Re-Live Co-founder Karin Diamond received an Arts and Health Practice Award from the Royal Society of Public Health for creative work with military families. They also received an International Leadership in Arts and Health award from Arts and Health Australia. They recently co-authored a book with Clark Baim, Creating Life Story Theatre: A Guide for Applied Theatre Practitioners, which Methuen will publish in 2025.

Alison's Churchill Fellowship, Transforming Trauma: Moral Injury and the Arts with military veterans, families, and communities (2016) opened the door to a creative, compassionate approach to wellbeing that links the personal, the political, and the spiritual. In 2022, she established a social enterprise, Moral Injury Partnership, with Sophie Redlin and Simon Edwards, two other Churchill fellows. They are delivering a retreat-based program of restorative support for frontline professionals impacted by moral injury and burnout, which is evaluated in partnership with the International Centre for Moral Injury at Durham University. Alison is committed to enhancing practitioner wellbeing by co-creating reflective support networks and experiences that allow people in the helping professions to be well in their work. Teachers, nurses, doctors, care workers, police, paramedics, prison staff, and military personnel all work at the human frontline. The work hurts at times. Support is vital.

Headshot of image of UKCP's ethics lead Julie Stone, wearing glasses and a blue top.

Julie Stone is the UKCP’s Independent Ethics Lead and Chair of its Ethics Committee.  An academic healthcare lawyer and ethicist by background, Julie Stone has directly influenced healthcare regulatory strategy, policy development and professional standards for over thirty years, advising regulators, professional associations and the Government. 

With a broad portfolio of strategic advisory roles, including, previously, a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Mental Health Strategy, and Non-Executive Director for a Mental Health provider Trust, Julie is known nationally for her work on professional boundaries and therapeutic relationships (see, most recently, Stone, J (2022) Supporting Professionals: Protecting Patients. Shifting the Narrative on Professional Boundaries in Osteopathy).

Her books include: Jenkins, P, Stone, J and Keter, V.  (2004). Psychotherapy and the Law: Questions and Answers for Counsellors and Therapists.  Whurr; Stone, J (2002). An Ethical Framework for Complementary and Alternative Therapists. Routledge; and Stone J and Matthews, J (1996).  Complementary Medicine and the Law.  Oxford University Press.  A stand-up comedian and performer, Julie combines comedy and performance art to deliver innovative ethics training.

Headshot image of UKCP honorary fellow Tree Staunton wearing a floral top, infront of a white background.

Tree Staunton is a UKCP Honorary Fellow, and Emeritus member of Bath Centre for Psychotherapy & Counselling. She has been a Registered Body Psychotherapist, Supervisor, and Trainer for some 35 years.

She was Director of the charity from 2014 – 2023 and represented BCPC in UKCP in addition to serving as Chair of the Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College between 2010 and 2015. 

She is a published author of various academic papers, contributing articles, and editorships including Body Psychotherapy (ed, Routledge, 2002) and Being a Therapist in a Time of Climate Breakdown (co-eds Anderson, Staunton, O’Gorman and Hickman, Routledge 2024).