UKRAINE FUNDRAISER: Emergency Summit Contributing to Global Peace & Justice

Stephen Maynard is the founder of Stephen Maynard & Associates, a trained counsellor, consultant and educator, working in the public sector and with NGOs.

He has worked with a number of central government departments including The Department of Health, The Home Office, The Department of Children, Schools and Families and The Department of Local Government and Communities. Also a member of National and Regional (West Midlands) Forums for Mental Health and Spirituality, Advisor to the Department of Health IAPT Programme (Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies) BME Communities, and author of their Muslim Mental Health Scoping Report, He co-founded the Islamic counseling courses.

He is the founder member of The Lateef Project, unique in offering Islamic counselling as part of mainstream services for the NHS in Birmingham.

Ani is a psychotherapist, creative arts counsellor and supervisor who brings a person-centred and pluralistic philosophy to her work. She is passionate about creative approaches to therapy and training. She has over twenty years’ experience working with children, young people, adults and groups. Her experience includes working in schools, drug treatment programmes, probation services, offender programmes, EAP for Essex Police and Essex Fire Services, and she currently has a small private practice.

Ani is the founder of the Association for Person Centred Creative Arts where she is course director, and is also a senior lecturer at the University of East London. Ani has worked on several projects for the BACP and is an Executive Member of the Private Practice Division. Her research interests include creative arts in therapy, digital media in therapy and pluralistic practice.

The Pluralistic Therapy Primer (PCCS Books 2021)

What Works in Counselling and Psychotherapy Relationships (BACP 2020)

The Handbook of Counselling Children and Young People (Sage, 2018)

Christina trained as a humanistic psychologist and counsellor in the early 1980′s and then went on to develop skills in Art Therapy and sand play, and became a NLP Trainer, hypnotherapist and a Clean Language and Symbolic Modelling Practitioner. Christina brings a deep understanding of the structure of clients thinking and over 35 years’ experience to the ChrisLin Method. She has worked as a counsellor, personal coach, team consultant and executive development coach and today she is a Coach Supervisor, Executive and Leadership coach and works with individuals using her unique 2-day Chrysalis process.

Digby worked in the NHS for nearly 40 years as a general psychiatrist and later a consultant psychotherapist. He began the first clinic in the world for the assessment of autistic adults in 1980. He is an existential psychotherapist and a group analyst. He is an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry in the University of Sheffield; a Visiting Professor of Psychology at Middlesex University; and Deputy Principal of the New School of Psychotherapy in London, where He is course leader for the MA in Diversity Studies.

Dr. John Wilson PhD. John has specialised in bereavement and loss for 20 years, as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer. He is author of Supporting People through Loss and Grief: An Introduction for Counsellors and Other Caring Practitioners.

He completed his PhD in 2000 after six years of case study research with bereaved clients. John is a visiting research fellow at York St John University and Director of Bereavement Services at York St John University Counselling and Mental Health Clinic.

Since early March, John has taken a close interest in adapting the outcomes of his doctoral thesis to supporting clients bereaved of a loved one from Covid-19 and those bereaved from other causes during the lockdown.

With other counsellors he runs a closed support group on social media, for those bereaved during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr. Courtland Lee is a past president of the International Association for Counselling. He is also a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the only American to receive this honour He is also a Fellow and Past President of the American Counseling Association. He has published seven books on multicultural counselling and three books on counselling and social justice. In addition, he has published numerous book chapters and articles on counselling across cultures. Dr. Lee is a retired counsellor educator.

Dr. Dina Glouberman is the visionary Co-Founder of Skyros Holistic Holidays on the Greek island of Skyros, and author of the classic books Life Choices, Life Changes; The Joy of Burnout; You are What You Imagine; Into the Woods and Out Again; and most recently, ImageWork: The Complete Guide to Working with Transformational Imagery. Dr Martin Rossman, leading imagery author in the USA, has said about ImageWork, “In my 50 years in the field, this is the best book I have read about working with imagery for healing, creativity and personal transformation. A landmark book—I shall be studying it.”

Dr. Glouberman is also the founder of the Aurora Centre for ImageWork in Puglia, Italy, and a course leader on the Faculty of the MA(Clinical) in Psychotherapy of the Tivoli Institute in Dublin. She is an internationally known psychotherapist, coach, consultant, and pioneering specialist in burnout and in imagery.

Dr Dwight Turner is Course Leader on the Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy Course at the University of Brighton, a PhD Supervisor at their Doctoral College, a psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice. His publications include The Psychology of Supremacy (2023), and Intersections of Privilege and Otherness in Counselling and Psychotherapy (2021), which are both published by Routledge, together with several chapters in anthologies on aspects of counselling and psychotherapy, and over 50 academic papers on everything from intersectionality in psychotherapy, to dreamwork, to Afrocentric spirituality. A leading driver in Intersectional Psychotherapy, Dr Turner is an experienced conference speaker, including numerous keynote presentations. Dr Turner has also run workshops for a wide variety of Universities, Charities, and private organisations on issues of race, difference and intersectionality in counselling and psychotherapy.

Kalanit Ben-Ari, Ph.D. is a senior psychologist, psychotherapist, and author with over 20 years of experience working with couples, individuals, and parents. With a private clinic in Hampstead, London, she is an international speaker, trainer, and supervisor of therapists. Kalanit is a member of the Faculty at the Imago International Training Institute and served as the Chair of Imago UK from 2013 to 2023. Dr. Ben-Ari’s expertise is well-recognised; she has trained thousands of therapists worldwide and is frequently featured in professional journals and the media.

Greg has been practising as an existential psychologist and focusing-oriented psychotherapist for over 30 years. He lectures and supervises internationally on experiential-existential practice and focusing. He has written about a phenomenological form of embodied psychotherapy, the experience of ‘home’, and voluntary migration. Greg is originally from Canada but has lived most of his life in Europe, mostly in the UK.

Jaakko Seikkula, Ph.D is a senior faculty member of the Institute for Dialogic Practice and a Professor of Psychotherapy at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. From 1981 to 1998, he was the chief psychologist at Keropudas Hospital in Tornio, Finland. It was during this time that he developed Open Dialogue. His clinical and research interests combine the further development of dialogical approaches with the systematic research analysis of their outcomes and process variables. Jaakko leads the International Meeting for Treatment of Psychosis Network and is a board member of the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA). He is also a member of the American Family Therapy Academy, the Society of Psychotherapy Research and the International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (ISPS). Jaakko was awarded for his excellence in the field of research in family therapy and systemic practice at the European Family Therapy Association EFTA’s congress in Athens, Greece September 2016.

Joan co-founded CSTD in 1979 and works as a trainer, supervisor, psychotherapist and mediator. Her particular interest is in working with systems and using organisational and family constellations work. She has been running supervision training and working with teams, in particular in the NHS and voluntary sector, for over 40 years. Her passion is in enabling people to find the work they love and love the work they do. She is an active member of Playback Theatre and co-author of “The Boxing Clever Cookbook” (2002).

John McLeod is Visiting Professor of Counselling at the Institute for Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, Dublin, and Emeritus Professor, Abertay University. He has been closely involved in the development of pluralistic therapy, as well as publishing widely on a wide range of aspects of counselling and psychotherapy research and practice. He lives in Dundee, Scotland.

Juliet Grayson is a psychosexual psychotherapist, coach, teacher, and has worked as a psychotherapist since 1991. She specialises in working with couples and sexual problems, as well as people who are facing a life-limiting diagnosis. As a psychotherapist she is UKCP registered, NLPtCA accredited, COSRT accredited, and PBSP accredited. She has a private practice in South Wales (UK) and on Zoom. Juliet designed and runs (alongside her team) a twelve day programme, in six modules each of two days. This teaches therapists, counsellors, psychologists, coaches, and health professionals how to work with couples and relationship issues. This course is approved by COSRT for CPD.

They also run courses for therapists on Creative Writing in the Therapeutic Encounter, Storytelling for Healing and Change, Anger Rage and Relationship, Working With Shame, Polyamory Polygamy and Arranged Marraiges, Therapeutic Work with Men, Boys, & Teens.

Juliet herself runs Deep Dive Therapuetic Workshops using Pesso Boyden System of Psychotherapy. John Wilson said about these ” I would personally highly recommend this experience, I have been on 3 residentials now and found them all deeply helpful!” John Wilson Trainer, Psychotherapist & co-founder of Onlinevents.

Kate Williams has been in therapeutic practice since 2009 with a background in counselling in further education. She currently runs a busy private practice, works with NHS clients and enjoys running workshops for onlinevents and staff wellbeing workshops for NHS Hull & Humberside.

Kate is centre manager for the Bedfordshire Centre for Therapeutic Studies where she teaches on the CPCAB L5 in Somatic Trauma Therapy course & L2 Award in Breathwork Coaching as well as the Level 4 in Therapeutic Counselling.

Kate has a passion for bringing the body into her practice supporting clients to release the trauma that is held within their bodies. Kate is know for her relaxed teaching style, experiential somatic practices and skill of bringing theory to life and making it applicable.

Ken Bradford, PhD is an author, teacher, and contemplative yogin integrating existential, Buddhist, and Dzogchen thought and practice. Formerly, he maintained a psychotherapy practice in the San Francisco Bay area and was Adjunct Professor at John F. Kennedy University and California Institute of Integral Studies. He is author of Opening yourself: The psychology and yoga of self-liberation (2021); The I of the Other: Mindfulness-based diagnosis and the question of sanity (2013); and Listening from the heart of silence: Nondual wisdom and psychotherapy (Vol. 2, 2007, with John Prendergast); as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. Lucia Berdondini, PhD., is currently Associate Professor and Course Leader of the Distance Learning MSc Humanitarian Intervention at the School of Psychology, University of East London. At UEL she is also teaching on the BSc (Hons) Counselling. Lucia is a BACP Accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist since 2003 and she has been working with a variety of clients, individuals, couples and groups, adolescents and adults. Her areas of interest are psychosocial intervention in countries in war and conflict; existential therapies; intercultural counselling training. She has been involved in co-creating psychosocial interventions in countries like Afghanistan, Angola, India and Syria.

Mamood Ahmad (He/Him) is a therapist, author, trainer, and founder of The Anti-Discrimination focus (TADF). He has extensive experience in client mental health advocacy work, including the book ‘client perspectives of therapy’ and more recently in supporting counselling and psychotherapy training providers to embed difference and diversity as standard. He specialises in diversity studies, trauma, and antidiscrimination practice. He holds a private practice in Binfield, Berkshire since 2014.

Being a person-centered practitioner is the melting pot of diverse personal and professional experiences across psychotherapy, diplomacy, politics, business consultancy, and life in seven different countries. These varied experiences have profoundly shaped my perspective and practice.

My journey includes serving as a diplomat in Bosnia and NATO, witnessing and navigating the aftermath of war, and embarking on an ongoing process of personal and collective healing. This path has fueled my search for understanding the factors that lead to conflict and my commitment to finding ways to contribute to greater peace and justice in the world.

One way I have pursued this commitment is by practicing the person-centered approach in my daily interactions—within the therapy room, my family system, personal relations, and as a group facilitator—which has reinforced my hope in the innate human capacity for growth and constructive action when nurturing conditions are present.

Building on this foundation, I acknowledge that the challenges we face today demand not only personal agency but also collective action, which we envision to nurture within the Peace Project in the 21st Century. The Peace Project is the current iteration of what began in the 1980s as the Carl Rogers Institute for Peace, co-founded and co-directed by Carl Rogers and Gay Barfield.

Since November 2022, alongside Gay Barfield, fellow person-centered practitioners, and participants, we have been gathering as global citizens from diverse backgrounds. United by our shared commitment to peace and social justice, we aspire to create ripple effects at every level—personal, interpersonal, and intercommunal.

Maria is an experienced GP who specialises in Gastroenterology and is a Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist.

While working in the field of medicine, Maria noticed that the approach of Western medicine is often focused on the treatment of the symptom(s) that the patient is displaying, but rarely pays attention to other possible causes.

Keen to expand her knowledge in this area, Maria went to Moscow to study kinesthetic psychology and the basics of Chinese medicine.

After taking a break from the medical field, Maria decided to train as a Psychotherapist and has studied: – coaching in Erikson’s coaching international, NLP (practitioner) BDG, Kyiv Ukraine and Transactional analysis (completed, P-CTA candidate).

Martin Wells is a teaching and supervising transactional analyst who has also been studying and practising meditation for over 30 years. He works part-time in the NHS in the UK, as a consultant psychotherapist and teaches mindfulness and practises psychotherapy from a non dual perspective.

He is the founder of TA ~ Spiritual and has led retreats in Scotland, Goa and Spain.

His first book ‘Sitting in the Stillness‘ was published by John Hunt Publishing in February 2020. ‘No one Playing’ is published in January 2022 and his new book ‘Lost for Words: the poetry of non-duality’ will be published by John Hunt Publishing November 2022

Maureen is the founding director of Awareness in Action, an organization dedicated supporting people to make sustainable wellbeing part of their lives—through developing clarity, connection and openness.

Drawing on more than thirty years of experience as a professional educator, senior manager in a non-profit organization, an entrepreneur and as an experienced practitioner of Buddhist meditation, she leads Awareness in Action workshops and training programs in the UK and Europe.

Her new book, The Stress Workbook is a groundbreaking effort that brings together the best of modern science and the wisdom of the world’s ancient contemplative traditions into a practical manual for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. Although born in London, UK love took Maureen to Amsterdam, The Netherlands where she lives with her husband.

Mick Cooper is an internationally recognised author, trainer, and consultant in the field of humanistic, existential, and pluralistic therapies. He is a Chartered Psychologist, and Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton.
Mick has facilitated workshops and lectures around the world, including New Zealand, Lithuania, and Florida.

Mick’s books include Existential Therapies (Sage, 2017), Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Sage, 2018), The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (Palgrave, 2013), and Integrating Counselling and Psychotherapy: Directionality, Synergy, and Social Change (Sage, 2019).
His latest work is Psychology at the Heart of Social Change: Developing a Progressive Vision of Society (Policy Press, 2023)

Mick Cooper is also the editor of The Tribes of the Person-Centred Nation (PCCS, 2024) and co-editor of The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (3rd ed, 2024).

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.

His latest work is Psychology at the Heart of Social Change: Developing a Progressive Vision of Society (Policy Press, 2023)

The book looks at the interface between therapy and social justice. The blurb for the book reads: ‘Over the past century, psychotherapy – and its parent discipline, psychology – has built up a vibrant, nuanced and highly practical understanding of human wellbeing and distress. This book describes a progressive political approach that integrates insights from the psychotherapeutic and psychological domain, moving us from a politics of blame to a politics of understanding. In this vision of society – surrounded by a culture of radical acceptance – all individuals can live rich and fulfilling lives. We need those shaping our political landscape to understand psychological needs and processes more deeply to enhance our ability to work with others in a spirit of collaboration, dialogue and respect.’

Paul Gilbert, FBPsS, PhD, OBE is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby and honorary visiting Prof at the University of Queensland. Until his retirement from the NHS in 2016 he was Consultant Clinical Psychologist for over 40 years. He has researched evolutionary approaches to psychopathology with a special focus on mood, shame and self-criticism in various mental health difficulties for which Compassion Focused Therapy was developed. He was made a Fellow of the British Psychological Society in 1993, president of the BABCP 2002-2004, and was a member of the first British Governments’ NICE guidelines for depression. He has written/edited 23 books and over 300 papers and book chapters. In 2006 he established the Compassionate Mind Foundation as an international charity with the mission statement: To promote wellbeing through the scientific understanding and application of compassion. There are now a number of sister foundations in other countries. He was awarded an OBE by the Queen in March 2011 for services to mental health. He established and is the Director of the Centre for Compassion Research and Training at Derby University UK. His latest book is a major edited book with Prof G Simos (2022) Compassion: Clinical practice and Applications (Routledge).

Emmy van Deurzen is a professor of Psychology and Psychotherapy with 18 books to her name, several of which have been translated into a dozen languages. She is the Co-Founder and Principal of the Existential Academy, where she also runs post graduate courses through the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling in partnership with Middlesex University and her private practice.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, she lived, studied, and worked in France before settling in the UK in 1977. Emmy has been instrumental in founding or cofounding numerous organizations, including the Society for Existential Analysis, the Federation for Existential Therapy in Europe and the World Confederation of Existential Therapy. She has helped people in facing their life problems and suffering for nearly half a century.

Amongst her books are the bestsellers Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling in Practice (3d edition 2012), Psychotherapy and the Quest for Happiness (Sage, 2009), Everyday Mysteries (2nd edition Routledge, 2010) and Paradox and Passion (2nd edition, Wiley, 2015). Her book Rising from Existential Crisis was published with PCCS books in 2021. She is currently writing a book on Existential Freedom for Penguin.

Professor Ernesto Spinelli was Chair of the Society for Existential Analysis between 1993 and 1999 and is a Life Member of the Society. His writings, lectures and seminars focus on the application of existential phenomenology to the arenas of therapy, psychology, and executive coaching. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as well as an APECS accredited executive coach and coaching supervisor. In 1999, Ernesto was awarded a Personal Chair as Professor of psychotherapy, counselling and counselling psychology. In 2000, he was the Recipient of BPS Division of Counselling Psychology Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession. And in 2019, Ernesto received the BPS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Practice. His most recent book, Practising Existential Therapy: The Relational World 2nd edition (Sage, 2015) has been widely praised as a major contribution to the advancement of existential theory and practice. His previous books include: The Interpreted World: an introduction to phenomenological psychology, 2nd ed (Sage, 2005); Demystifying Therapy (PCCS, 2006); Tales of Un-knowing (PCCS, 2006); and The Mirror and The Hammer: challenging therapeutic orthodoxies (Sage, 2001). Living up to the existential dictum that life is absurd, Ernesto is also the author of an on-going series of Private Eye novels, the first two of which are Scorpio’s Children (2019) and Cruel Love Ways (2020).

Professor Emerita at the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo. I am a member of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, and the Human Rights Committee of the Norwegian Psychological Association and Head of Mental Health and Human Rights Info.

Rima is a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, DBT & EMDR Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, and Trainer with 15 years’ experience in the profession. Rima is Practice Director of Rutland House Counselling and Psychotherapy Ltd, A practice that is well established and hosts a team of independent practitioners delivering private therapy services to the community and businesses. In addition, Rima volunteers as Chair of the executive of the BACP Private Practice division and hopes to be part of influencing positive change within the therapy profession.

Robin Shohet has been supervising for nearly fifty years beginning when he met Peter in 1976 and they staffed a therapeutic community for people coming out of psychiatric hospital. They combined to write Supervision in the Helping Professionsin 1989 which is now in its fifth edition. He co-wrote In Love with Supervision with Joan Shohet and his next book, Supervision as Spiritual Practice, an edited one, is due out in December 2024. He has organised two international conferences on forgiveness and is aiming to do another for 2026. He is a long time student of A Course in Miracles.

Sabnum Dharamsi is a psychotherapist, and writer. She co-founded the Islamic Counselling Model, developing an accredited training curriculum and practice based on sacred, timeless ways of seeing and being.

Salma Siddique, PhD, FHEA, FRSA, FRAI is an academic and clinical (psychotherapist) clinical anthropologist working. She obtained her doctorate in anthropology from the University of St. Andrews and later qualified as a UKCP registered psychotherapist and clinical supervisor. Deputy Director of the Diversity Courses @nspcstudies – (The home of freelance thinkers) Research areas – Her main research teaching is based on the dialogue between psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and anthropology and is influenced by her clinical experience working with people in trauma resulting from oppression, abuse, torture, fleeing disaster and conflict zones within and between organisations and professional groups. She is a contributor to research writing and media participation as a clinical anthropologist. Her work and practice engage with the tension between collective guilt and personal responsibility examined from the witnessing of identity and belonging through displaced lives, racism, and systemic oppression.

Sue Monckton-Rickett is the Chair of the Association of Christian Counsellors. She is a Registered Accredited Counsellors and has been working in private practice for over 25 years, giving her a wide range of training and experience, including creatuve therapy as a Jungian sandplay therapist.

She is an experienced trainer for both counselling and pastoral care, conference speaker and retreat leader and pastoral supervisor.

Sue with her husband Chris lead an orgnisation called WINGS (Wholeness In God’s Son), which seeks to bring wholeness to the lives of individuals, families and communities, through counselling, , retreat leading, pastoral supervision and training.

In the last two years Sue has been the independent chair of a panel established by the Church of England to support survivors of church based abuse.

Sue is also a qualified accountant and project manager and worked for international banks in the City of London for 30 years in these roles.

William Ayot is an award-winning poet, author, teacher and ritualist. Over three decades, he has organized, hosted, facilitated and led, men’s and mixed personal development events and rites of passage, working in rehab, correctional, personal development and organizational contexts. He uses poetry and the arts to teach leadership in boardrooms and business schools around the world, currently teaching on the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD. William also designs and leads bespoke rituals for individuals and groups in his purpose-built ritual garden in Monmouthshire, Wales. Writing includes the play, Bengal Lancer, three collections of poetry, and a prose book on ritual. He is currently writing a book for and about men in a time of epochal change.

William leads personal rituals for people, and is available for one-to-one coaching online.

CBT Therapist, Trainer, Academic and Writer

I am Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths University of London and have been working in the field of counselling and psychotherapy since 1975.

I was one of the first people in Britain to be trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and have trained with Drs. Albert Ellis, Aaron T. Beck and Arnold Lazarus.

I have also trained at the University of Warwick where I was awarded an MSc in Psychotherapy. This was an eclectic course and gave me a very broad view of the field. What has been important and sustaining in my career has been variety. Thus, I work as a practitioner, trainer, academic and writer/editor.

CBT Practice

I have worked as a therapist in many settings: including in private practice, in a GP practice, in a clinical psychology service and in private psychiatric hospitals.

CBT Training

I have been active in training counsellors and therapists since 1975 and have trained therapists in many countries including Britain, USA, South Africa, Turkey and Israel.

Academic

I began my career as an academic as Lecturer in Counselling at the University of Aston in Birmingham (1975-1984) and joined Goldsmiths University of London in 1985 where I became Britian’s first Professor of Counselling in 1992. I am now Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths and have held Visiting Professorships at University of Birmingham, University of East London, University of Westminster and London Metropolitan University. In 2005, I was awarded a DSc in Psychology at Babes-Bolyai University in Romania.

Writer and Editor

My first book was published in 1984 and I have now authored or edited over 230 books. I write for both the profession and for the general public. In addition, I have edited 20 book series and was, until 2012, the editor of the ‘Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy’.